21 – 07 – 2021,   Aulus-les-Bains – Ax-les-Thermes   98 km

So, yeah, I'm sixty. And not that much has changed. I have breakfast with two hikers with not quite enough difference in age, it seems to me, to be father and son, but it appears that's what they are. They are doing part of GR10, they tell me. We talk along easily, I remember they have jobs in the same company (but I don't remember which). Two big climbs have to mark this special day. To start with, the quite noteworthy Col d'Agnes. I passed it (by bike) four times already, however, only once with luggage, from the east, so in a way this is a new experience.

Next project (today it is)

Perfect circumstances

I notice my odometer isn't functioning; something must have gone wrong taking out and putting in the front wheel yesterday evening. I try to readjust the two magnets on the spokes, but don't get it to work. And I won't get it functioning again (only once or twice does it register both magnets and do I get to see incredibly high speeds for a short while). Well, don't bother! With an elevation gain of 825 m in 10 km, and a 5 km stretch of 9.2% it is harder then the Col d'Azet of two days ago, but now I have had more training. And it does go quite well. The temperature is perfect, the environment is wonderful, the sky clear blue, and the road surface much cleaner than I had expected after yesterday's turmoil. It is fun! For 4.5 km the road is almost straight, and when this steepest part is behind me, and I have 'proved' to myself I can do it in one stretch, and the views get better because of the ever changing direction (at eight hairpin bends), I don't mind to stop once or twice for a better photo, especially to capture a herd of cows. Close to the summit the miracle of the impeccable road surface is explained: they use a mudplow (the summer counterpart of a snowplow, it may well be the same vehicle) for that.

During the steep section

Characteristic rock close to the col

Closer to ....

.... and at the top

And at the other side ....		.... it's just as nice
Looking back/up ....		.... to the Col d'Agnes

Two more pix between

Col d'Agnes and Port de Lers

And two pix

of the descent from Port de Lers

The descent from the pass till the Lac de Lers (with already quite some tourist activity) is the most impressive part of the morning ride. In fact, when I first passed it in 1991, I liked it so much that I decided to climb it from another side the next day. From the lake the road goes up again some easy 220 m to the Port de Lers. The descent to Vicdessos is nice but risky. It's 800 m down in 12 km over a small road, but most of the elevation drop takes place in the curvy upper half. It's much better going than at the previous occasion, in 2000, with hard rain all the time. In Vicdessos I share a terrace with quite a few motorcyclists, while served by a punky, well at least alternative, waiter. During the next 14 km, along the Vicdessos (the river!), I keep a good pace, and 'lose' another 230 m of altitude.

Cascade along the descent to Vicdessos

Dangerous but impressive N20

Happy moment

Delicious moments

Which brings me to the main road through the valley of the Ariège to Andorra. It's one of the scarce moments I follow an N-road. The environment is overwhelming, but I don't feel safe there, being passed all the time by traffic at speeds well above 80 km/h. I could have avoided it, crossing the river and follow its north bank, but I like to stick to my quicker schedule. It's quite even and it's only for 8 km, so it takes less than 25 minutes before I can 'relax' again. I have a good meal in Les Cabannes, where I restrict the menu du jour to lasagna + salad (after first having made sure I can leave my bags there for a few hours). Around 13:30h I start my sixtieth anniversary treat: the 'new' climb to Plateau de Beille. In the heat that's quite a feat, and I would gather in the Tour de France it is classified hors catégorie. (It is.) As for the grades it is comparable to the Col d'Agnes, only it is about 1.5 times as long. However, with two panniers safely stored in "Le Mioure" it is not as hard as that predecessor. The stationary odometer is a bit annoying now; I start counting my breath to keep track of the distance till the next road sign – this climb is very well documented again. The cycling is very much okay, the views are a bit disappointing. And the reward at the top is next to nothing. There's a wide open space/the Plateau(?)/almost empty parking lot, with to the left a building site (to put up a new set of hotels for the winter?), to the right a golf course.

Road to Plateau de Beille; view to the north

Plateau the Beille: Plateau d'Asphalte

Birthday project

View from the top to the south

View to the bike

The views are not spectacular, both to the north (valley of the Ariège) and the south: high mountains far away. I make a few selfies to mark this moment and then dive down. For a change the descent is nicer then the climb: wide road, good road surface, not many hairpin bends (and on the whole one does not have much attention left anyway to look around further). Time for an (ice cream) dessert in pizzeria "Le Mioure", and then back to the shitty N200, be it only for 10 km.

Before

and after the N20

The last 8 km over the D719 along a railway track are nice again. Around 6 p.m. I reach busy Ax-les-Thermes where I'm certain I can purchase a t-shirt with some Pyrenean print, and find a bed in one of the many hotels. The first assumption is refuted; I ride around for half an hour but the only t-shirts I find that refer to cycling (or to mountains) refer to motor cycling. In the second respect I'm more successful: the first hotel I try, Hotel "Le Grillon", meets all my requirements. For one thing, it is nicely placed for tomorrow. Finding a good anniversary dinner also proves not to be very difficult. I enjoy an interesting (and delicious) menu végétarien outside in front of Hotel "Le Breilh". After a short evening stroll to the exit of Ax, right up to the panneaux with info about the col triple of tomorrow, I return to "Le Grillon" for hopefully a good rest, in view of this upcoming triple.

Ax-les-Thermes

Place for tonight

Diner de l'anniversaire

Dessert de l'anniversaire

Menu du lendemain

Did I have a good 60th anniversary? I sure did!