Col de Marmare

The final member of our original party of five left early this morning to catch a flight back from Barcelona, leaving me to make a leisurely start to the day as my flight back from Toulouse wasn't until late afternoon. I could have tried to squeeze another long ride out of the day but decided not to put myself under any pressure of time and just went out for a short circuit. To be honest, my legs are pretty cooked!

I've covered so much ground here in the last week that there was really only one significant local col that I'd not bagged, and that just happened to be the very nearest one to where we are staying at Perles - the Col de Marmare. I approached it via the little hamlets of Vaychis and Tignac, through which I walked the other day, the road ascending a steep and sustained ramp high above Luzenac to join the Route des Corniches. From where the roads met the gradient eased considerably and the rest of the ride to the Col was an easy climb up through a beautiful forest on a very narrow and quiet road. This shot was taken a bit short of the top and just as the road rose to meet the cloudbase with some sun trying to break through at the same time. The light was beautiful.

The Col de Marmare is actually a saddle on the north side of the Col de Chioula, which I continued on up to at 1431m, the high point also of our route on Monday. From there it was a brilliant descent all the way back to Ax-les-Thermes. After stopping to put on my jacket at the top and ensure there was a good gap in the traffic I set off in front of a few cars and enjoyed an open road and an unhindered ride all the way down. I really enjoy descending these mountain roads and it's one aspect of cycling that I can say I'm still pretty good at! From our group of five, I was in the middle of the pack as far as getting up the mountains was concerned, but I was always first down. I'm afraid these things are important to us boys!!

One of the party said that he didn't know how I was able to come down so fast. The simple answer is to just use the brakes as little as possible! There is normally an advantage to the heavier guys as they have a lot more potential energy sitting at the top of the hill, but I think being light actually gives me an advantage in that I can brake very late. The key is to wipe the speed off quickly before each hairpin to a point where you can get around safely, and then be able to accelerate out of the bend the other side. The other factors are being able to read the road ahead and simply knowing your bike really well. I've had the experience of riding down hundreds of cols. Like any skill, when you're applying it in the zone, instinctively, and it's flowing, it's the most wonderful feeling. And there is that extra buzz here because if you get it wrong you could easily find yourself flying off the edge of the mountain!

I've written this journal up on the plane and I'm now posting from home. It's been a fantastic week, the very best combination of strenuous exercise and relaxation, all enjoyed in the greatest of company and with the most delicious food. The Pyrenees are very special. The scale is smaller but the area is more approachable than the Alps. It is much quieter and has more charm. There is something for everybody here. I can not recommend it highly enough for a holiday, with or without a bike! And I cannot help but give a shameless plug to Debbie and Gary at Pyrenees Haven. They are such lovely people, with an intimate knowledge of the area and offer a fabulous experience. They have looked after us so well. Nothing has been too much trouble.

Finally, thanks so much for the wonderful comments and stars and hearts for Hotel Isart. I need to catch up with my two lads tonight, back early for once after a disappointing day of cricket. I hope tomorrow to finally start catching back up with you lot. I'm a very, very long way behind, and I appreciate so much that so many have followed my Pyreneean adventures. It has meant a lot to me.