We got to have a bit of a loll today, we'd decided on breakfast at 7.30. We didn't have too much to eat today either as we get lunch on the mountain before we leave. So after a leisurely meal we went back to the room and packed. There is one rider in the club who has just recently managed to achieve 10,000 Cols. He was there, he saw us packing our touring bike and introduced himself. We chatted a lot about touring and cycling. He's from a Flemish region and speaks English. He's toured in the US as well. After checking us out, i.e. giving back the key, we rode up the Col, again. I managed to keep up with Paul. He dropped me several times but I was able to come back. He claimed he was taking it easy but whenever I was behind him the speed would go up. I sprinted at the top but he didn't compete.
There were tables set up. Drinks and nibbles. We stood around for a while then we got the bikes and rode up the dirt road to the Col just off to the side. Paul raced me this time. He thought I'd given up after I had to stop to let a car through. However I gave a huge charge and was doing almost 30 coming up behind him, he started to sprint and crossed my line, I had to swerve onto the grass, hit some pot holes and stopped. I think he should have been relegated for that!
We took lots of photo's, too many really, of the meeting, the Cols, the montains. We talked to some other people for a while. I gave one of the 100 Col members, Chantal, my email address, she and her husband are coming to Oz, cycling, and are interested in where to go. At 12 they had speeches and presentations. They introduced the entire club staff. Thanked the organisers. They introduced the foreigners. Claude did us last, gave a short speech about my tour, 11 weeks, from where to here. We all got a big cheer and photo's taken of us. There were 5 foreigners, so Australia made up 40 %! They gave out certificates for achievement, 500, 1000, 2000, 3000, 7000 and 10000. Chantal got a 3000! The mature aged gentleman I passed on the first two days who was weaving all over the road, he got a 1000 award!
Next they brought out a huge drum of something, an aperitif, like punch, definitely alcoholic. Then nothing happened for a while so we started to get ready to go, but Mario said that there would be lunch, so we stayed. Lunch was nice, buffet of course, salads, jambon cru, melon, roast, baguette, water, small bottles of red wine. Very nice. I wondered about dessert, and then there it was, the nice apple pie from the other night. Very cold. Finally we had to depart, we said goodbye to Gerald, Mario and Claude. We got a few cheers as we departed on the touring bikes.
It was a great descent. We used the road Claude had come back on the day before as well. After one missed turn we got on to the main highway and rolled down the valley. We went through Arreau for the third time this trip, fourth time ever. Then I stopped because I thought I had a puncture, it turned out to be a broken spoke. So we went back to Arreau, again. We went into the town and Paul went to look for a shop, he asked, and as usual no, none in this town. We talked to some Cent Col members who were riding home and then I had to do the deed and try to true the wheel. Amazingly we did it, Paul knew which way to start the process and then after doing a bit here and there it worked out really well! First time ever.
We resumed our route down the mountain. I led for quite a while to control things while I looked at the wheel. Then when I was happy Paul took a lead, time trial mode again. He said he was taking it easy, 32 kph into a head wind on the flat in a 30 zone through Sarrancolin. Hmmmm. Just after Heche was the turn off for the Col de Coupe. Average 22! I was a bit undecided, so hot and dry, but I felt Ok so why not, one more Col :)
It was a lovely climb, cool in the trees, actually much nicer than riding one the main road had been. After a slow start on the Col I really got going, nice. At the top we took photo's, of course, then there was an unbelievable descent, just so long. Really nice. We then hopped onto another route, D14, and followed a river valley. Yet more descending, tree lined as well. Just lovely. Eventually we needed to get up out of the valley so we turned up the D82. A nice climb, tree covered again, but so long. 6 K's, granny the whole way. I managed to stay around 10 all the way up the climb until the last 500 metres or so. I was actually out of water, and it was really hot, again. My average dropped under 20, bugger. There was no bar in town, so we continued on up the hill to the main road and descended into the town of Capvern. We got a Coke and sculled it immediately. Then it was into the town of Capvern les Bains.
It took us a while to find the hotel Paul had picked, right at the very bottom of the valley that the town, which is a Thermal town, is in. Naturally the hotel was full :( But there is another Logis in the town and they rang and booked us a room there. We should have guessed from the name, Belelvue, it was out of town and up a hill. To be honest though we both had to agree that the view was really good.
It was only 42 Euro, a big room and a great shower, you can stand up in it!!! We showered and then we had to go down for dinner, already 7.30 pm. Everyone else in the hotel was waiting for 7.30 so they could go in for dinner. We had a quick look around the hotel and its grounds. Paul is really impressed, straight out of an Agatha Christie novel. They have a TV room, a dining room, a breakfast terrace, what looks like would have been the smoking room and, amazingly, they even have a bridge room with bridge tables!
For dinner we had already decided on the dearer four course menu, only 22 Euro. We were going to get a carafe of Rose to go with it when I pointed out how cheap some of the wines were. Paul was so excited! He was making plans for a big meal tomorrow. But then I pointed out it's really better to have it today, after all we are hungry tonight! So we did. We got a 1986 Mercurey Burgundy, only 25 Euro. And it was good! Very good. Amazing length, a lovely aged brown colour, really delicious, and only $40 Australian for a 23 year old bottle.
The meal was good to. First off there was an aperitif regional, like Kir but quite strong. Then we had a small trout with an almond and butter sauce, delicious. The main was a lamb steak, not really a chop, with a cassolette, beans and vegies, quite tasty. The lamb was very tender as well. It all went really well with the wine. Then sadly the wine and main were finished and we had a trio of crepes with a chocolate(?) ice cream, a meringue and it all seemed to be drowned in Cognac. A great meal with a great bottle of wine.
Afterwards we went for a short walk around the area, we were both a little bit sloshed. Then we sat on the terrace as it was cooler there. Eventually we went up to the room and did all of our washing, took ages, mine especially. Bed around 11.30, still quite hot.
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