Wednesday, May 31, 2023

Grand Tour Day 5 - Cols des Borderes, Soulos and Aubisque

A big day on the bike with a climb up three classic cols. The first was up through fairly pastoral fields and didn't feel too bad or two remote. A descent down the other side before a very long climb up Soulor. This was challenging with the added interest of a large group of Spaniards passing me on the way up.

Stopped for a while at the col for a coffee and pondered the route closed sign towards the Aubisque. Plenty of cyclists were doing it and the reports back were that it was fine - just some loose fallen stones in the road in a few places. This final climb wasn't too long but the last section felt tough in tired legs. About 3.5 hours or so in total to get to the summit.

Headed quickly downwards as the weather was starting to change with spots of rain although by the bottom it was feeling hot again. 


 

Tuesday, May 30, 2023

Grand Tour - Day 4 - Luz Ardiden

A bit of a stressy drive from Irun to Luz Saint Sauveur. Fine at first on the motorways but Lourdes proved very tricky to get through and stopping in Argeles Gazost was tricky with limited parking and roads closed for the market. Stopped there to visit a bike shop to get my brakes tested before the mountain climbing. 

The weather predictably changed somewhat in the mountains with more cloudy sky and intermittent rain. From Luz Saint Sauveur I cycled up to Luz Ardiden which was pretty hard going with the gradient fairly consistently above 8% for the 1.5 hours it took to get to the top. A few speckles of rain but generally not bad conditions.

Stopped for a while in the village before heading on to the bed and breakfast place on the outskirts of Argeles Gazost. Just took it easy in the evening ready for a big bike day tomorrow.



Monday, May 29, 2023

Grand Tour - Day 3 - Biarritz

Cycled straight from the hotel through Irun across the border into France and to Hendaye and the along the coast to Biarritz via Saint-Jean-de-Luz. A stunning day with very nice riding for the most part keeping to marked cycle routes.

    


Sunday, May 28, 2023

Grand Tour - Day 2 - Zumaia to San Sebastian

In the morning I drove to just beyond Zumaia and cycled along the coast road all the way into San Sebastián. Another nice ride on a lovely sunny day. Walked along La Concha and into the old town getting coffee and food at a Starbucks. 


Cycled a bit more in town making the most of the quality cycle path network then made the journey back to the car. After than drove to an Ibis Hotel in Irun where I would stay for 2 nights.



Saturday, May 27, 2023

Grand Tour - Day 1 - Bilbao

From the ferry I drove to the first night hotel, an Ibis Budget at Arrigorriaga on the outskirts of the city. after parking the car I set off on my planned route. Very pleasant at first following the cycle and jogging paths beside the river. Then a slightly more tricky industrial section with some busier roads before getting onto a quiet route up a hill that Stage 1 of the Tour de France will be using in July. After the summit I paused in Artxandako where a cable car arrives from the city. Enjoyed the views here and took photos before an extended cycle down as the planned route seemed unsuitable.

In the city had a very pleasant cycle and walk around getting a very good feel for the place over the space of a few hours. 


The journey home was a bit of slog involving a bigger hill than expected. After a wee rest headed into the village of Arrigorriaga looking for dinner and finding a basic bacon and cheese sandwich and seeing some local folk dancing in the village square.

A hot night in the non-air conditioned hotel.


Monday, May 22, 2023

Grand Tour - Prologue

I headed off on my month long tour on Monday with a stop off in Manchester with a car load of stuff to deliver to Hannah which I did on Monday evening before checking in at a Premier Inn near Manchester Airport.

On Tuesday I continued the journey towards Bournemouth where I had two days of meetings on Wednesday and Thursday. On the Tuesday night had a very nice bike ride along the coast from the centre of Bournemouth east towards Hengistbury Head and then all the way west to Sandbanks and then back to the Green House Hotel.


On Thursday evening I headed to Portsmouth to catch the Brittany Ferries boat to Bilbao. A long journey that would see me arrive in Bilbao on Saturday morning in time for 3 weeks of cycling in Spain and France.


Sunday, May 14, 2023

Manchester

On Sunday we drove up to Manchester and had a wander around town in the evening. The next day Hannah got the keys to her flat which initially didn't quite live up to expectations. We finally got the hot water working and felt a bit more positive about the property and left Hannah for a week to settle in before  starting her job at PHMG about a week later. 

Saturday, May 13, 2023

Graduation - Master of Studies

Today was graduation day from Hannah from her Master of Studies course which she finished last September. We met first at Wadham College for coffee and pastries before walking to the Sheldonian Theatre for traditional graduation ceremony complete with Latin and all the old traditions.

We had lunch in the Wadham dining hall before taking lots of pictures.



After a short break we went to the Gardners Arms for drinks where we met some of Hannah's course mates and then went for dinner at Brasserie Blanc.


Friday, May 12, 2023

Hidcote Manor National Trust Gardens

We continued our journey towards Oxford stopping for a half day at Hidcote for another garden wander. A big and very nice garden.



 We travelled onwards to stay at the Leonardo Hotel at the edge of Oxford and had dinner at The Trout pub a pleasant 30 minute walk from our hotel.

Thursday, May 11, 2023

Levens Hall

The day after my return from Faro I had a business trip to Bournemouth flying out on the Tuesday and back on the Wednesday and then the next day we had a family trip down to Oxford and dropping Hannah off on the return to her new flat in Manchester.

We broke the trip on the way down with a stop at Leven's Hall for a wander round the garden and lunch. A different time of year from our last trip and a very nice garden.


We had an overnight stop at the Hockley Heath Premier Inn and dinner at the Miller and Carter Steak House - quite nice although we kind of decided we probably wouldn't go back to that chain again.

 

Sunday, May 07, 2023

Faro - Day 3

With Faro being a small place we had kind of done most of the activities available in town already so Sunday was a bit of a wander round town and drink lots of beer sort of day. A good lunch in the port area and pizza for dinner in the trendy area of town.


I had a fairly early flight back the next day. Not our best trip as there wasn't that much to see and do but still good to catch up and chill with the lads.


Saturday, May 06, 2023

Faro - Day 2

Got out for a short run in the morning with the team up and ready for a trip out on a boat to the beach on the dunes. Wandered along the beach and had lunch and some beers before getting the return ferry late afternoon.



After a wee rest we headed out in the evening for burgers and then lots of beers finding the oldest pub in town playing our kind of music and another visit to the Irish bar.


Friday, May 05, 2023

Faro - Day 1

An early start for a 6 am Jet2 flight to Faro for the annual boys weekend away. This year to Faro in Portugal. The team this year was me, Tim, Warren, Mark and Glenn. Met Glenn at the airport and we got the bus together into Faro and got an early check in to the very nice Eva Senses hotel.

With Mark arriving late 4 of us had a good wander around town enjoying a nice lunch at Chelsea restaurant, visiting the cathedral and enjoying drinks at O Castelo with nice views out over the lagoon.

 


With Marks arrival we headed out for dinner and drinks in the evening going to a nice tapas restaurant in the busy night life street just a few hundred metres from the hotel. We of course ended up in the local Irish pub but didn't stay up too late after what had been a long day for most of us.