Trans Pyrenean

[chrisbainbridge]

The facebook feed from this makes it seem incredibly tough.  Good luck Darren. Is there anybody else from YACF riding?

[Peat]

Our mattc took the start.
However, he seems to have scratched. Perhaps in protest to the mandatory helmet rule?

[mattc]

it was indeed a protest - against how ridiculously, utterly, foobared I was at CP2 (but still 30mins in time  )

That 550km felt like I'd ridden a 1000.  Quite a few people didn't make it that far - I got to the spanish/french border ski station and found a guy with a broken frame - he'd hit a cow in the road. This was about 7hours in.

At CP2 we had a little Losers Party in the Andorran sun. A couple decided to continue on the route and do as much as they had time for, one (18-year-old Alex!) got the train back to Biarritz, and I headed back via a shortened route, taking in the Aubisque, Tourmalet etc, and several nights in proper hotels - bliss!

It was ... different. In a good way! I recommend it 

[Von Broad]

Fair play to you Matt [for even getting to the start line in the first place and completing what you did!]
That looks like some ride!

[mattc]

Thanks Garry! I was really concerned I'd embarass myself - I assumed that everyone attempting this would be massively fit, and massively prepared for aspects I hadn't even considered. And the whole world could see my dot and my position on the "leaderboard" 
But I wasn't last, and getting to CP2 made me feel I'd justified my race entry (at least in my mind).

I've uploaded days 1-3:
2019-10-04 Biarritz, Nouvelle-Aquitaine 247.9 km 4,966 m
2019-10-05 Jaca, Aragón                      240.4 km 4,072 m
2019-10-06 Alins, CAT                            63.1* km 2,208 m

*Hidden in those km is nearly 7km of walking up gravel farm-track to the Andorran border, under a beautiful starry Pyrenean sky. Utterly gasping from the altitude at the top, shortly after dawn. Just stunning.

I think I've only done >4km climbing on 2-3 days of my life before this trip.
https://ridewithgps.com/trips/40980663

[chrisbainbridge]

Awesome