Miracles Do Happen !!

Well the day had come…I’d sat here beneath the road climbing up to the ski station at Luz Ardiden, a famed bike climb on the Tour de France, so severe it was ‘without category’, in other words…flippin’ hard !http://www.climbbybike.com/climb.asp?qryMountainID=6956

So, would I be able to get up it ?..there was only one way to find out…just ‘Do It’ !! At least it was dry, with patches of sunshine, so I thought I’d have a chance of getting up dry..(apart from sweat of course !) although as I was getting ready, there was a flutter of snow !

As I was starting from my campsite at Sazos, 820 mts high, I had ‘knocked off’ the first 100 mtrs of the climb, although it didn’t feel like it as I started up the steep road, immediately climbing at a gradient of 8%..pretty steep, and as I was to find out unrelenting all the way up.. I soon came across some ‘helpful signs’ at the side of the road, showing me how far I still had to climb, and the gradient, although later on I was glad that they showed a 1 % reduction in the gradient, doesn’t seem much, but to me…

It was really hard work, and I wondered whether I should continue, or give up…well, what would you expect me to do ? – I walked for a while, then hopped back on, and carried on up the steep road. Because it only led to an out of season ski station, at least there was very little traffic, to witness my torment, as I pushed and pedalled my way up, occasionally stopping for a drink, and photo gasp !, but as time wore on, the signs indicating the distance left got smaller and smaller, until soon I just knew I was going to get there…even if I had to crawl ! As I got higher, and higher I realised I was cycling above the height of Ben Nevis ! – and passing mini glaciers in the streams either side of the road , with an accompanying flutter of snow’ to keep me going ! The road continued to climb, but I had it beaten, and so spent my time grinding out the pedals, as I imagined what it was like for the TdF riders, who would have zoomed up it, and certainly wouldn’t have pushed ! – but they’re not 58 though are they ?

Eventually I could see the ski station, almost above me, as I put my last ‘sprint’ on, and zoomed up to the last signpost, showing I’d completed it, I was so happy  kept on up the car park, another 50 mts higher…to get my picture taken by a couple from the campsite !Who would have thought I could have done it ?, certainly not me ! –it had taken me 2hours and 10 minutes to climb 920 mts…I had a look round, and had something to eat, looking at the snow covered hills all around me, although to be truthful the deserted ski station had a desolate look to it !

I was able to look down the road I had travelled up, and which I was soon to descend…the hairpin bends, and steep hill…should be fun, although I was glad I’d brought extra gloves up with me, as it was bound to be ‘chilly’ on the way down, and it was !

Eventually as it was getting cold,  I wrapped up with everything I had, switched the video camera on ..and started my rapid descent, quickly speeding up to almost 40 mph, before jamming the brakes on to slow me enough to get round a hairpin bend, and zoom off again… amazing how quickly my fingers (and lots of other places) became frozen…and the descent was so steep, it was actually quite painful on my shoulders pulling on the brakes, as I hurtled down the mountainside…but good fun though, as I smiled all the way down, even having time to (just) miss a truck and the only other cyclist on their way up ! I could feel the atmosphere warming as I quickly lost altitude, and came back to civilisation, how the Pros manage this, and then zoom up another mountain is beyond me…

Soon I was back at the camp site, 20 minutes to descend the 920 mts ! Frozen solid, and grinning from ear to ear..as I jumped into Wally to try and warm up a little .. before a hot shower, some lunch, and rest…

So, I’ll leave you with these glorious images …Bonne Nuit