ill just write about the rides with mountains in though....
mountain ride 1:
so i set off on i think a tuesday afternoon. it was freezing cold, about 13 degrees, and light drizzle.
i headed over to the col du mente which is abot 4400 ft...it was great riding through all the french lanes. between getting from latoue to where the land startes to ramp up i went over about 3 hills/small mountains, all about twice as big as box hill.
with about 20 miles to go before the summit of the mountain the land starts to steadily rise at about 2-4%.
i then reached a town called aspet and the climb started properly with all the hairpins, and gradient more along the lines of 5-6% so nothing too bad.
then with 7 miles to go until the summit (11km) it ramps up to an average of 7.5% (this was on a sign).
so up i went, and into the clouds. it was cold, wet, lonely and no pretty views! then with 3miles to go it started snowing!!...crikey i was unprepared! i was only in shorts and arm wamers. i started to head back down immedately and was frozen to the core for about 5 miles until it warmed up slightly.
the ride back home to latoue didnt go well either...my map fell out my pocket whilst going down the mountain somehwere, and the sat nav from my dads car that was in my pocket shouting out the directions to me was running out of battery!
...so i cained it to st gaudens and thanfully the sat nav held out and got me through the town. from then on i new the way back.
so 55 miles and a failed summit but a good training ride.
mountain rides continued on next post....
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