It was an hour into the first climb (Port de Bales) of our 10-day
cycling trip. The group had split up, tackling the seemingly endless climb at their own pace. It was foggy and a little cold, but perfect for climbing. I kept hearing what sounded like dozens of people banging pots and pans somewhere off in the distance, but the fog was too thick to see where it was coming from. As I came around a switchback I saw the source: Cows, scores of them, with bells around their necks, grazing along the road and the surrounding hillsides. They were completely oblivious to cyclists, and several of us had to maneuver around a group of particularly stubborn ones that wouldn't budge from the road.Port de Bales, an hors categorie climb, was our first taste of climbing in the Pyrenees on the 2007 Tour de France trip with Adventure Travel Group (ATG), run by SDBC members and guides extraordinaire Gary Bezer and Lisa Fleury. We'd be hearing the cow (and sheep) bells on most of the climbs over the next nine days. As hard as the climbs were, I always looked forward to the sound of the bells and coming across the grazing animals.
Good People, Good Times...
My husband Dan and I had dreamed of watching the Tour de France in person and attempting some of the epic climbs, and the ATG tour offered an ideal opportunity to do
both. The group included fellow SDBC member Andy "Il Falco" Gurney, Mark Warlen, Richard "The Gentleman" Lakier and Keith Kumm. In addition, a father-son duo from San Diego and a recently married tandem couple from New Jersey came along - she wore a veil on the back of her helmet every day and was photographed and cheered on by the French. Theirs was the only tandem we saw in the mountains (for good reason). Two Florida cyclists, Fred and Michael, rounded out our guided bike tour group in France and were the strongest climbers in the group, even though there are no hills in Florida. They claimed they practiced on bridges, but I'm guessing they trained in an undisclosed location with Rasmussen.Each morning we discussed the details of the day's route over freshly baked croissants, pastries and coffee. ATG provided directions, maps and highlights of the day's ride along with easier or more challenging options for the day. Throughout the day, Lise parked the van at various places along our route, offering water, snacks and transported jackets and other items to lighten our load on the bike. After our ride, we'd gather at a local cafe or bar to have a "recovery" beer and watch the Tour. We'd end the day with a group dinner that gave us a chance to try the local cuisine and wines. Gary and Lise chose restaurants that offered excellent food and great ambiance.
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