Day -1

Went to Normandy to stay with some friends, and hauled the new Condor Squadra across Paris and onto various trains to try it out. A couple of short runs around the hills confirmed that the bike would not be the weak element in the week to come.

Back to work for what turned out to be a very busy week, with several evening commitments on top; then. My colleague (who has a car) kindly took delivery of my bike and kit bag for the drop off on the van on Thurs, then, on Friday, received a text with some bad news. Swine Flu had struck. Tamiflu issued. I was on my own.

Before I left work, I had a meeting with one of the collection heads, which turned into a short seminar on the epidemiology of swine flu... Then an evening of final packing, some Mulebars from Condor (timed badly to coincide with the packed Rapha sale), and trying to tidy up the flat for those who would be staying in my absence.

Le Route

It all began with some rides in Hertfordshire with a work colleague. After I failed to reveal the extent of my lack of training, an invitation was extended in May for me to join 'Team Bike''s 2009 excursion to the Pyrenees. My colleague had ridden with them before, but the proposition was entirely new to me. I managed about three rides a week in training, mostly just fast laps around Regents and Richmond Parks, with a few circuits of the north London hills and the odd trip to Brighton, Epping Forest and so on. The Dunwich Dynamo and a sponsored ride to Paris, via Portsmouth, in July would, I thought, give me a bit of experience of riding distances.

Then, about 12 weeks before departure, the route arrived in my inbox.

Saturday 22nd August - ST JEAN PIED DE PORT

Team Assembles at Hotel and prepare bikes

DAY ONE - Sun 23rd AUGUST - Depart ST JEAN PIED DE PORT

COLS
1 - Haltza - 782m
2 - Burdincuruchetta - 1135m
3 - Bagargui - 1327m
4 - Larrau - 1573m
5 - Lazar - 1129m
6 - Eraice - 1578m
7 - Pierre St Martin - 1760m
8 - Soudet - 1540m
9 - Labays - 1351m
10 - Bouezou - 1009m
11 - Lescun - 700m
END - LESCUN

DAY TWO - Mon 24th AUGUST - Depart LESCUN

1 - Marie Blanque - 1035m
2 - Aubisque - 1709m
3 - Soulor - 1474m
4 - Spandelles - 1378m
5 - Luz Ardiden - 1735m (SUMMIT FINISH)
END - LUZ ST SAUVEUR

DAY THREE - Tues 25th August - Depart LUZ ST SAUVEUR

1 - Tourmalet - 2115m
2 - Hourquette de Anquiran - 1538m
3 - Peyresourde - 1569m
4 - Superbagneres - 1831m (SUMMIT FINISH)
END - LUCHON DE BAGNERES

DAY FOUR - Wed 26th August - Depart LUCHON

1 - Portillon - 1320m
2 - Mente - 1349m
3 - Porte D'Aspet - 1069m
4 - De La Core - 1395m
5 - Latrape - 1520m
6 - D'Agnes - 1570m
7 - Port De Lers - 1571m
END - VICDESSOS

DAY FIVE - Thurs 27th August - Depart VICDESSOS

1 - Plateau De Beille - 1750m
2 - Port De Pailheres - 2001m
3 - Croix de Morts - 898m (eng. translation 'The Cross of Death')
4 - St Benoit - 614m
5 - Espinas - 494m
END - LIMOUX

Friday 28th August - LIMOUX

Clearly, I was fucked. The rest of the blog will reveal how much.