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A good traveler has no fixed plans and is not intent on arriving.
Lao Tzu

Beaune to Barcelona by bike

Since I was enjoying the recumbent so much I decided that cycling to Spain would be a good idea. I didn't have time to cycle all the way from England and so started at Beaune, just south of Dijon, in France. For two reasons: It was just over 1000km so I could do it in two weeks, and European Bike Express could take me and the bike there.

Date of event: 7/5/2009

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16.39pm and I'd finally got somewhere to stay. The village itself seemed largely closed, it was a fete day. I couldn't find the municipal campsite, indeed someone had said it was closed, but I found this very nice chambre d'hote, run by an English couple. I had a nice room and there was a swimming pool. Oh, and the nice trio of Italian doctors who were also staying there gave me a glass of rum, a pleasant afternoon in short.

I went into town looking for food afterwards but everywhere was shut or cashing in on the fiesta and selling overpriced all-in meals that I didn't want. So I settled for bread and some of my honey.

 

54km, avg 11.8km/hr, max 57.7km/hr

This was the big day, I was going to cross the Pyrenees into Spain, something I'd been looking forward to for a few day's.

 

6.59am It wasn't too steep but it was long. Long, curving, small lanes with high cliffs on one side and precipitous falls on the other. This was a view back down part of the way up.

At one point I remember seeing some houses on the hill/mountain opposite and wondering how the hell they got to their houses. An hour later when I was cycling past them I found out - roads in mountains curve around a lot.

 

7.55am I had been wondering if I was getting near the top when I realised that the map had this small hamlet about two thirds of the way up - so still a third to go.

From this point the hairpins started to get steep and tight and at every road change of direction I had to get off and push around the curve and then right again to the next hairpin.

 

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Maureillas las Illas - chambre d'hote
16.39pm and I'd finally got somewhere to stay. The village itself seemed largely closed, it was a fete day. I couldn't find the municipal campsite, indeed someone had said it was closed, but I found this very nice chambre d'hote, run by an English couple. I had a nice room and there was a swimming pool. Oh, and the nice trio of Italian doctors who were also staying there gave me a glass of rum, a pleasant afternoon in short.<p>I went into town looking for food afterwards but everywhere was shut or cashing in on the fiesta and selling overpriced all-in meals that I didn't want. So I settled for bread and some of my honey.
136

Maureillas las Illas - chambre d'hote

Maureillas las Illas
<p>54km, avg 11.8km/hr, max 57.7km/hr</p><p>This was the big day, I was going to cross the Pyrenees into Spain, something I'd been looking forward to for a few day's.</p>
137

Maureillas las Illas

Over the Pyrenees
6.59am It wasn't too steep but it was long. Long, curving, small lanes with high cliffs on one side and precipitous falls on the other. This was a view back down part of the way up.<p>At one point I remember seeing some houses on the hill/mountain opposite and wondering how the hell they got to their houses. An hour later when I was cycling past them I found out - roads in mountains curve around a lot.
138

Over the Pyrenees

Las Illas
7.55am I had been wondering if I was getting near the top when I realised that the map had this small hamlet about two thirds of the way up - so still a third to go.<p>From this point the hairpins started to get steep and tight and at every road change of direction I had to get off and push around the curve and then right again to the next hairpin.
139

Las Illas