Guest fatblokeonbike Posted July 21, 2005 Report Share Posted July 21, 2005 The following arrived in the website guest book http://www.johnstone-wheelers.co.uk/gue ... isplay.php this morning - Philippe Haeghebaert 2005-07-20 [email protected] Hi there, I just returned from a great bike-holiday in the French Pyreneees. I was there staying together with other members of my Belgian club in a small and very nice hotel. And guess who I met... Darryl Gunson and Mark (sorry but don't remember his surname) from the Johnstone Wheelers. Both joined us for 2 days during our tours in the French cols... I specifically have good memories on the second day where all of us (13 riders) where climbing the Tourmalet. Mark and Darryl were extremingly motivated to do their part of the work in the leading group while climbing the 17k to the top... yes, extremingly motivated... :-) Well guys, you know what I mean... I hope you read this once you are back home and hope you enjoyed Hautacam, Col d'Aubisque and the other colls as much as I did. Our time together was short but was fun! Philippe H - Spoortrekkers (Balen - Belgium) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevie Blom Posted July 21, 2005 Report Share Posted July 21, 2005 Iain, I can confirm the previous mail left earlier this week claiming that i was on the Hautacam and the tourmalet with Darryl is obviously a mistake as it was Mark whitehead. In saying this i wish i was there with these guys as i have toured the alps the last few years. I will not be missing out on next years toure thats for sure. So who is up for Alpe D'huez 2006? Stevie B. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott D Posted July 21, 2005 Report Share Posted July 21, 2005 Hi Stevie Our trip to l'alp d'huez last year was fantastic, and i was sad to miss the trip this year.. so yes lets see if we can get some interest for 2006. Looking forward to reading the report from Darryl and Mark. Scott Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest fatblokeonbike Posted July 21, 2005 Report Share Posted July 21, 2005 Iain, I can confirm the previous mail left earlier this week claiming that i was on the Hautacam and the tourmalet with Darryl is obviously a mistake as it was Mark whitehead. In saying this i wish i was there with these guys as i have toured the alps the last few years. I will not be missing out on next years toure thats for sure. So who is up for Alpe D'huez 2006? Stevie B. Which means you've put this particular post in the totally wrong area... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete bennell Posted July 21, 2005 Report Share Posted July 21, 2005 Guys, Why not wait for Darryl and mark to get back and see what they have to say about the Pyrenees - it might be the better option - Marie Blanque, Souloir, Hautacam, Ardiden and Aubisque all within 20 miles of Argeles Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevie Blom Posted July 21, 2005 Report Share Posted July 21, 2005 Great idea pete. Stevie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2024 Subscriptions Darryl Gunson Posted July 23, 2005 2024 Subscriptions Report Share Posted July 23, 2005 Salutations! hi all, can confirm that it was me and Mark with the Belgium squad. Mark is back in UK now with lots of pics and video clips. Great place for riding...would be ideal for a club trip. a tout a l'heure DG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mark Whitehead Posted July 23, 2005 Members Report Share Posted July 23, 2005 Alrite folks? Are ye winning? Darryl and I went cycling in the French Pyrenees and have been asked by many people how it went so here's a wee summary from me:- The aim was to ride as many mountains as possible within 9 days (without being on our knees! ) and Pyrenean stalwart Pete Bennell suggested that we base ourselves at Argeles-Gazost for easy access to the best of the best. Cheers for the advice Pete ~ it was a perfect location. (Staying at the top of Alpe D'Huez last year was fine (apart from having to climb it every day!) but staying in the valley at Argeles-Gazost meant that we always had a downhill finish everyday, which allowed for a more enjoyable finale!). We flew to Toulouse then hired a car to get us to Argeles-Gazost. We joined in with an experienced bunch of Belgians for a couple of days ~ 12 hard men in all ~ which proved to be a good move on our part as they really knew how to handle themselves (not surprising really but still good to be in a bunch where you felt confident), knew the roads, spoke the same language, and really knew how to have a laugh!!! If you are reading this Philippe, your prediction came true ~ when you guys moved out of the hotel, another bunch of Belgians moved in!!! The rides:- Day 1 ~ Rode up to a lake south west of the Col du Soulor as it was recommended we take in the view. (Maybe Darryl can check the map for the name?!) This is a road to nowhere and still rates as a mountain! Day 2 ~ Joined the Belgians and rode up to Gavarnie. Very scenic at the top as we were surrounded by mountain ridges. This was 3 hours of solid climbing from the hotel (those Begian hard men don't even stop to pee!) and as hard as any famous alpine climb I've ever done. Day 3 ~ Joined the Belgian hard men for more fun. Up the Col du Tourmalet (opposite side from Barèges and the hardest mountain I've ever done) Day 4 ~ The Belgians had a 15 hour drive home (nothing for those hard yins!) so we were on our own now ~ us against the mountains! Hautacam was on the menu today and it didn't dissapoint. First time I've ever rode through the clouds to then be way above them ~ they just looked like a misty Loch in the distance. (This is where we met the 3 French dudes and took a few foties.) Day 5 ~ A 3 col day. Rode up the Col du Soulor straight from Argeles-Gazost and met the same 3 French dudes from the previous day at the top and took more foties! Cheers for that guys and hope you had a safe journey home. Descended the northern side of the Soulor (as the Tour riders were due to do) then round to the main side of the Col D'Aubisque. We then rode the spectacular road from the top of the Aubisque over to ascend the Soulor from the other side then had a mental barney of a decent all the way back to the hotel and straight into the pool! Day 6 ~ This was meant to be an easy day with a ride to Cauteres for a wee coffee but even this turned into yet another slog as it was all uphill! Day 7 ~ Tour day. The plan was to ride the back rode to Ferrière then ascend the northern side of the Col du Soulor (where we descended on day 5 and which the tour riders would descend today) then watch the race at the top. Unknown to us, this back road took us up the Col de Spandelles ~ a brutal single lane road. We guessed that this has never been in the tour as it's a single lane road, but it's as hard as the classic climbs. Have you ridden this one Pete? If not then we recommend it! Oh aye, we watched the bike race on the hill then had another mad barney down into Argeles-Gazost ~ blasting our way through hundreds of groups of Americans, decked out in our Scotland/JWCC kit - MAGIC! Note:- Before starting the descent we saw Phil Anderson sitting on a bike and looking exactly as he did when he was 'up there' in the Tour 20 years ago. Day 8 ~ Darryl (pure legs of super strength steel) rode the Luz-Ardiden while my severely sun burned legs cooled off in the hotel pool! Day 9 ~ (Wearing a pair of knee warmers to cover my sun burn) we rode upto the famous ski station at Luz-Ardiden then descended and rode straight up the Col du Tourmalet from the Barèges side. From both sides, this is the hardest mountain I've ever done (and to send poor blokes on bikes to race up it is pure nuts!) The most enjoyable riding point for me was on the Col D'Aubisque. The Pyrenean climbs have signs that count down every kilometre to the top, with the average gradient for each kilometre. At the bottom, with 18km to the top, Darryl and I took kilometre turns on the front, keeping a good pace all the way to the top! So that was what we did. This holiday was great but also physically much harder than the Alpe D'Huez trip we did last year. Having ridden the alpine cols last year, and the Raid Alpine Randonee the year before, I thought the Pyrenean climbs were much harder than the alpine ones ~ but that's my opinion only! Au revoir and take it easy Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete bennell Posted July 24, 2005 Report Share Posted July 24, 2005 Guys, Sounds like you had a fantastic time and did a lot more than I would have done in one holiday. I have done the Col de Spandelles, but from the other side - I'm not quite sure which side is steepest, but who cares, all the cycling is fantastic. If you decide to go again I can give you a few more, testing, but picturesque (everything looks good through that rose tinted mist!) rides on some of the quieter roads. Did you get to go to any of the cafe's on Souloir and Tormalet? Anyway, there is always the other side of the Aubisque, where you can stay at Laruns and pick up the Marie Blanque ie. the way the Etape went. Look forward to seeing the photies - it will set me up for my 3 weeks in September staying a bit further east this time near the Col D'aspin and Plateau de Bielle. Cheers, Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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