We wake up to…. sunny skies! But it is rather cool – 12 deg C. We had another good country breakfast – bread and corn bread. We would need all of the carbohydrates we could stuff as this was the longest planned day of the trip – 113 km.
We enjoyed sunny skies all day. It is amazing how weather affects peoples’ demeanor. While none of us were outwardly ‘crabby’ the previous days while we rode in the rain and fog, everyone was definitely upbeat and downright cheery this day – and even after eight days of riding….
Robin drives sag vehicle in the morning. Since we were reeealy in backwoods, I’m not sure where he would find a shop to purchase lunch supplies. The ride up Col de Jau was nice and easy.
The air and landscape was definitely dryer in this part of the country. I ride with Dick and Dave and Terry takes off on his own. The first challenge of the day is Col de Garavel at 1256m. But since we started at 930m of elevation, this was an easy jaunt.
After this little bump, we enjoy a beautiful ride through the woods and hills. Now this is French countryside at its best.
But we did run into just a small snag – the local utility company was trimming trees near some power lines and we had to walk around them.
To complete the story of the local utility company and their efforts, here’s the local power generation station. It takes water from the little stream racing along the valley (picture above). This little station looked unattended. I’m not sure the capacity of this little station, but maybe it generates enough power for the dozen or so houses in the valley?
We rode past yet another gorgeous country house that serve very nicely as a winter home. There was no vehicle in the drive; if there was, I would have gone to the door and asked them to sell the home to me, right then and there…. “Oh, dear, I’ve purchased our winter vacation home!” Hmm. I don’t think that would go over too well….
We all make it to the top of Col de Jau. Terry first, then the rest of us.
After a short rest and some snacks of energy bars and cashews, we roll over the top and there it is! The Mediterranean! All downhill from here, right? Right…..
We fly a looooong ways down the hill – 30+ km and have lunch at Eus. I think the air temperature increased from 12 deg in the morning to 33 by lunch time at the bottom of the hill. It was toasty. The landscape and architecture and food and everything else really smacked of Mediterranean.
After lunch? Another 65 km and Col du Palomère and Col de Xatard. The day continues very warm and traffic increases as we near civilization. Lots of vineyards, olives and fruit groves. Terry drives sag in the afternoon. The road to Col du Palomère follows a gorge for quite a distance. The mountains and terrain are also a bit harsher in this part of the Pyrenees. The mountains seem to be comprised of a rather hard bedrock which makes roadmaking rather difficult. The roads are narrow, twisting, and the mountain up from the road and down from the miniscule guardrail is rather steep. It doesn’t help that the road surface is rather poor, as well.
Here’s Robin meandering along the trail, er road. I think everyone wore their helmets going up this mountain….
Dave and I run into a young couple from Holland who were camping around the area and were sort of lost. We leapfrog them for 30 km or so. They were in the western Pyrenees a few days earlier and were fed up with the rain and decided to ride the eastern section in hopes of finding better weather. Ya think? Here’re this couple, myself and David (in the background) making it to Col de Palomère.
Finally we descent into Céret. The town is definitely bigger than what it looks like on the map. We have drinks outside the hotel, check in, have a shower, then out for the evening meal. Dinner consists of a big salad and Pailla – family style. This was the best Pailla I’ve ever had (sorry, dear…). We have more wine than we really should and then off to bed, dreaming of sandy beaches and an easy ride into Cerbère.
End of day 9. Statistics:
- Start: Escouloubre
- End: Céret
- Distance: 113 km
- Climbs: Col de Garavel, Col de Jau, Col de Palomère, Col du Xatard, Col de Fourtou
- Total gain: 1820 m