Trans-Pirenaica
June 20 2005
Martin, Jernej, and Debrah (Sarah is too busy to join, snif, snif...) will do 8 stages of the world famous mountain biking route crossing the Spanish Pyrinees from the Meditarranean to the Atlantic. We will start on July 5 2005, and get as far as we can by July 12. We'll keep you posted!
July 5.   
Plan: Llança - Albanya. The route map
Reality: Llança - St. Llorenç de Muga. The route map is contained in the planned route map



On the Road
Wolf: We left Barcelona a bit late... This was meant to be an easy stage, lots of up and down, but not too much climbing in the end. But, man!, did I suffer: it was windy, I started going too fast, and was not prepared for the "La Parra" level of intensity. We ended the day in beautiful hostal de L'Aigua, waitresses with dread-locks and the cook who did the transpirenaica 7 years ago.

Cherno-Bill's diary

Pictures
July 6
Plan: Albanya - Camprodon. The route map
Reality:
 St. Llorenç de la Muga - Camprodon (Viking and Cherno).  (followed the planned route map)

St. Llorenç de la Muga - Sadernes by bike, Sadernes - Olot by car, Olot - Camprodon by bike on asphalted roads (Wolf)

Wolf's route map


On the Road
Wolf: We started on asphalt, I went ahead, but forgot my backpack, so I went back... After the asphalt we had a beautiful, but very steep climb in the woods, and an even lovelier downhill to Sadernes. The downhill became a flat, the flat had a climb, and snap! I broke my derailer. I walked a bit, got a lift to Montagut, but my bike was not allowed in the car, so the Viking had to haul it all the way to lunch. If you want the end of the story, you better read Cherno's diary.



July 7
Plan: Camprodon - Planoles. Click for the route map
Reality: Camprodon - Planoles.

On the Road
Wolf:  The day I felt least tired. We had a lot of fog in the morning. Martin stuck to me, to help me with pacing, and stuff. We arrived to Planoles just in time for lunch, I had a meditative time after lunch, with the view of the mountains and the little cat that was afraid of me.

July 8
Plan: Planoles - Bagá. Click for route map
Reality: Planoles - Bagá
On the Road
Wolf:


July 9
Plan: Bagá - Noves de Segre. Planned route map
Reality: Bagá - Berga. The real route map

On the Road
Wolf: This is where things get messy. First, I broke my de-railer, got behind, and took a wrong turn. Next, and as a consequence, we lost eachother and climbed an other 300m in two angry, panting groups. Finally, we met, deliberated, waited for Mr. Shampoo in Baga, who was supposed to fix my bike, and gave up after an hour or so.  We wound up spending the day in Berga, many events, nice day.

July 10
Plan: Noves de Segre - Llavorsí. See July 11 for this map.
Reality: Berga - Noves de Segre. This is the hybrid route map.


July 11
Plan: Llavorsí - Espui. It's the mountain biking chunk of July 12's reality map.
Reality: Noves de Segre - Llavorsí. This is the route map

On the Road


July 12
Plan: Espui - El Pont de Suert (bail-out to La Pobla de Segur). Click for the route map
Reality: Llavorsí - Espui - La Pobla de Segur. This is the map for the first chunk (mountain biking), this is the second half, on the road from Espui to La Pobla de Segur.

On the Road