FDOB #3 - Vivre La France, Viva Espana

Bolquère to Ripoll
(87km and 790m of climbing over 3 hrs 43 mins of riding)

After a long sleep and a late breakfast the Fat Dads were in fine fettle this morning. More porridge, croissants and coffee before we left the French side of the Pyrenees and bombed it down (only pausing briefly to photograph cheeses at a local market) to the border.

We were half expecting some sort of passport waving to be necessary, so LeeAnne had collected all the passports together. However, there was no sign of anyone at the border even mildly interested in who was coming and going, other than us lot posing by the “Espana” sign.

Once into Spain proper the climbing started. A loooong road up and over Collada de Toses - 800m of steady climbing through some really stunning landscape. Much more open and expansive views than yesterday, with pine trees and overlapping mountains every way you looked.

It also seemed to be Sunday cyclist, driver and motorbike day. The Fat Dads stopped two couples in 1950’s Citroen’s and chatted them up. I think it was at least partly to do with getting a break from the hill, but is that me being a sceptic? Our resident petrol head Fat Dad even managed to insult them when he told the guy his car was cheap!

Once at the top we had a lunch of champions (thanks LeeAnne), with the most amazing views before starting the 40km twisty road descent into Ripoll. Yes, really, it was 40km downhill, that’s how much climbing we had done over the last two days. The three Fat Dads bombed it down the hill. Little old me though descends like a girl (actually, that’s probably doing a dis-service to many female cyclists), so I was some way behind.

We sampled our first Spanish (or probably more accurately Catelonian given the quantity of Catelonian flags) coffee in the town square in Ripoll and then it was off to the hotel to get cleaned up.

A drive into town and a relaxed beer in the evening sunshine (it would have been rude not to, and anyway the Spanish don’t really serve dinner until after 8) and then dinner in the local pizzeria before a lemoncello and time for bed. Tomorrow is a big day. A long way. Quite a few hills. Apparently some tunnels, just for fun. Hopefully ending with smiles on our faces as we arrive at the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona tomorrow evening. We were all looking forward to a rest day In Barcelona and some of us seeing our family.