greetings

as always, things we have learnt
17th may, day 21
1. 2 days off the bike is detremental to sebs backside.
2. toulouse is too cool and trendy for the likes of sebophie.
3. toulouse brought us hammish the hammock(we couldnt justify getting a cat)
4. rollerskating is making a much anticipated comeback in toulouse.

Our pilgramage to Lourdes began in typical Sebophie style with gale force winds and pounding rains. Not Good. We headed West out of the city we pounded out a mean 70 k which we barely batted an eyelid at (but paid for dearly the next day) two days off the bikes left us slightly broken. Luckily a Jolly German man was on hand to let us stay in his caravan out of the rain.

It was raining heavily the night before ok

The following day saw us turn in a pathetic 40 k display of on bike whimpering while trudging into a relentless wind, so we did what all seasoned bike tourers would do and turned left. With the gale still into us but now slightly to the right our spirits were lifted marginally and we could smell a campsite on the wind. We set up for the night at a record 2pm and celebrated with a trampoline and some barbeque crisps. We also took this opportunity (it hadnt rained for a ten minute stretch) to road test Hamish the newest member of the team. Amazingly he managed to take us both at once.

Hamish the Hammock

Our mission continued the next day to lourdes in what seemed like a mirage of a gorgeous sunny day. could our pilgramige to lourdes actually be paying off? we seemed to have a spring in our step and cycling up hills wasnt a painfull excercise. and then we reached the promised land. it was catholics a go go.

our first sight of sun and the pyrenees got us in a jolly mood

the jolly mood continues..

we knew we were close

ta dah!

the hauticam

may 18th, day 22
1. hauticam is where bjarne riise famously dropped 5 time tour de france winner, miguel indurain, in 1996. he was all doped up though(thanks for the info andy).
2. hauticam is also where sebophie powered up 13km of 7 to 10% gradient in 2 hours. and we didnt even cry.

It all looked so promising 2 km in

2.5 km in

sophie took this while cycling the beast. legend.

the pain and the joy of reaching the top. boom. (the sign behind roughly translates as ¨he who reaches this sign is cool¨)

sophie laughing histerically as she powers up the mountain. notice lack of sweating. bone dry. how does she do it?

a beautiful view.

3. seb can eat 4 icecreams in a row.
4. sophie excepts full responsibility for ¨antgate¨ , the 2010 tent infestation brought about by leaving a jar of honey and the smelly garbage in the porch of the tent for the day.
5. seb doesnt like the iky wiky ants.


so our intrepid adventure continues to dizzingly new heights when we make a bold effort to cycle the pyrenees to spain crossing over at a mere 1600metre pass. wish us luck!

until next time...