Whilst yesterday was a bit of an unknown…today was relatively easy! All day on tarmac…but taking us across the highest pass in the Pyrenees!
A great breakfast…was followed by a 700m plummet down the mountain.
Alas…too steep to really enjoy…with brakes on the whole way!!
But sunny and beautiful.
And then into Andorra la Velle. A strange place really. Not very pretty…and mostly composed of duty free shops!
We did of course stop for tobacco…
…and then continued the long climb. A straight 1500m ascent….starting from 900m.
Pretty in bits….but I do find Andorra quite grey, a combination of the grey stone…and the mountain shadows.
Of course…it started raining!
A great series of switchbacks towards the top…my motor clunking along. I was never sure it was going to make it!
But we made it! My highest point on a bike! Port d’Envalira, 2,408m…(or 7,900 feet…for the imperialists!)
This Col is used by both La Vuelta…and the Tour de France!
And…evidently…I have been here before!!
The but was…it was cold! Very cold!
The clouds were coming down.
A quick change of clothes before the descent!
A not-very-apt restaurant sign…
And then a five kms finger-numbing freezing hurtle…..into the fog…
…and down to El Pas de la Casa….Andorra’s border town with France. An awful place. But we needed to stop to defrost!!
From there…it was a lovely…and much warmer!…1,000m descent….through France…..
….before we dipped back into Spain for our overnight stop at Puigcerda.
And what an apartment!! Certainly the best ‘provisioned’ of the whole trip. Chivas Regal and Hendricks Gin amongst the miniatures on offer.Beer, milk and water in the fridge. Chocolates and sweets. Really nothing missing!
We met our hosts later…and they – and their youngest son – joined us for beers! A very funny hour…as they explained their family make-up. Seven kids….with three ex-partners. Delightful folk…and not Spanish at all. We are Catalan…not Spanish!
A great last night!!
