France 11, Sep 15, 'Aspin and Tourmalet

This was the big day in the Pyrenees, lots of climbing, but mainly because the Col du Tourmalet, and also the Col d'Aspin are such fixtures in the TDF. It was a beautiful, crisp, fall day at the start, with a temperature of about 50 degrees.

We drifted out of town, down the valley, and came to another fateful sign signalling several hours of climbing ahead. I enjoy climbing. You are going slowly enough to really see the scenery and you and your body get into a rhythm which is really very satisfying. I like to climb with a heart rate of about 145 bpm. I am not particularly stressed and can generate about 200 watts into the rear wheel with that effort.

This is a look back at the town we have just left. You can see the river in the middle.

This is a look up to the Col d'Aspin. Not particularly high, but plenty of climbing to get to the top.

The top of the first Col of the day. Not particularly impressive but the views are spectacular. I never get tired of looking at mountains. No attacks by cows on the way up, but I did see several herds.

How about this view from the Top of the Col d'Aspin towards the Tourmalet? The Col du Tourmalet is to the left of the massif with the weather station on top. So, its down, down, down, followed by up, up, up.

Up we go. La Mongie is a ski station, as they call them here about 5 km from the top of the Col.

There were several snow sheds on the way up. They use them a lot in Europe because of the heavy snow and the constant avalanche danger in many areas. A nice road, much better than many in the Pyrenees.

A look back to the road I have just climbed. One interesting thing to me is looking down on the power station. There are two buildings at the bottom of this cut which contain hydroelectric turbines. They appear to be working on the pipes which carry the water down to the turbines. I guess they produce electricity for the valley and are seen frequently around France.

The ski station of La Mongie. It is about 5 km from the top, and you can see the road snaking its way up. It was strange to me that the road was very steep around the ski station and averaged 11% for several km.

The final km shot backwards after I have climbed to the top. The top was crowded with people, cars, RVs and bicycles.

The top. I don't know why the photographer cut off part of the Tourmalet sign, but at least he got the whole statue of the bike racer.

And a way we go. Miles and miles of descending. A lot more dangerous than climbing. Often competing with cars on the way down. Sure is fun to go fast, though. Very similar to skiing.

Arriving in Lourdes, appropriate to see a nice cross on the way in. They are all over the Pyrenees. Incidentally, there are more hotel rooms in Lourdes than any other city in France except Paris.