Just back too

"Kenneth Clements" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Last two weeks in June I made an attempt on the tourist version of the

Raid

Quoted message said:

Pyreneen which requires cycling over 28 cols between Cerbere on the Mediterranean coat and Hendaye
on the Atlantic coast. Ten days are allowed with a control card stamped at the start and finish
and several places in between, a bit like Audax except you have to find a business with a rubber
stamp, which is called a tampon which caused me some consternation but no problem. I left the
European Bike Express coach at Perpignan and cycled to a

campsite

Quoted message said:

just outside Cerbere. The weather was hot and I soon realised that the 20 kilos of luggage I was
carrying was going to be a big problem. The next morning I got the first stamp on the route card
at Cerbere

station

Quoted message said:

at 08:00. I was trying to cut the time down to 9 days by putting in 2 long days at the beginning
and my first days destination was Prades. At about lunchtime, just before the road started to
rise, I passed one of those

signs

Quoted message said:

that show the time and temperature and it showed 34.5c. After climbing 4 cols I arrived at Prades
just after dark at about 22:30 and had to pitch

my

Quoted message said:

tent and do my cooking in the dark. Found it hard to sleep as my pulse

rate

Quoted message said:

wouldn't seem to slow down. Anyway to cut a long story short the weather was so hot the next
few days that I ended up pushing the bike between patches of shade on some of the climbs so it
was obvious that I wasn't going to make it to Hendaye and the coach at Bayonne in time. I had a
bail out alternative for a pickup from Lourdes, about two thirds of the Raid, so I abandoned
the Raid at St.

Marie

Quoted message said:

de Campan looking regretfully at the foot of the Tourmalet as I left.

After

Quoted message said:

the first day I felt much better and the scenery made the effort

worthwhile.

Quoted message said:

Since my return I've already cut my panniers down from four to two and a saddle bag, making the
weight about 8 kilos (no cooking equipment etc) and started training for a possible attempt next
year when I will be 57. I

lost

Quoted message said:

a stone and a half since last Christmas making me 11 and a half stone and

I

Quoted message said:

want to get down to 10 and a half for next summer. I think I need to be

able

Quoted message said:

to climb consistently at 8kph to be successful. Only managed 5kph this

time.

Quoted message said:

Cols I climbed: Col Llauro Col Fourtou Col Xatard Col de Palomere Col de Jau Col de Paiheres Col
de Chioula Port de Lers Col d'Agnes Col de la Trappe Col de la Core Col du Portet d'Aspet Col de
Mente Col du Portillon Col de Peyresourde Col d'Aspin

Ken.

Inspirational Ken ! Bloody unlucky with the weather, you just can't train for that :-( Good luck for
next year and keep us posted ;-) Dave.

Kenneth Clements said:

Last two weeks in June I made an attempt on the tourist version of the Raid Pyreneen which requires
cycling over 28 cols between Cerbere on the Mediterranean coat and Hendaye on the Atlantic coast.
Ten days are allowed with a control card stamped at the start and finish and several places in
between, a bit like Audax except you have to find a business with a rubber stamp, which is called a
tampon which caused me some consternation but no problem. I left the European Bike Express coach at
Perpignan and cycled to a campsite just outside Cerbere. The weather was hot and I soon realised
that the 20 kilos of luggage I was carrying was going to be a big problem. The next morning I got
the first stamp on the route card at Cerbere station at 08:00. I was trying to cut the time down to
9 days by putting in 2 long days at the beginning and my first days destination was Prades. At
about lunchtime, just before the road started to rise, I passed one of those signs that show the
time and temperature and it showed 34.5c. After climbing 4 cols I arrived at Prades just after dark
at about 22:30 and had to pitch my tent and do my cooking in the dark. Found it hard to sleep as my
pulse rate wouldn't seem to slow down. Anyway to cut a long story short the weather was so hot the
next few days that I ended up pushing the bike between patches of shade on some of the climbs so it
was obvious that I wasn't going to make it to Hendaye and the coach at Bayonne in time. I had a
bail out alternative for a pickup from Lourdes, about two thirds of the Raid, so I abandoned the
Raid at St. Marie de Campan looking regretfully at the foot of the Tourmalet as I left. After the
first day I felt much better and the scenery made the effort worthwhile. Since my return I've
already cut my panniers down from four to two and a saddle bag, making the weight about 8 kilos (no
cooking equipment etc) and started training for a possible attempt next year when I will be 57. I
lost a stone and a half since last Christmas making me 11 and a half stone and I want to get down
to 10 and a half for next summer. I think I need to be able to climb consistently at 8kph to be
successful. Only managed 5kph this time. Cols I climbed: Col Llauro Col Fourtou Col Xatard Col de
Palomere Col de Jau Col de Paiheres Col de Chioula Port de Lers Col d'Agnes Col de la Trappe Col de
la Core Col du Portet d'Aspet Col de Mente Col du Portillon Col de Peyresourde Col d'Aspin

I completed the Raid last summer. Eurostar to Paris (£59 return), slow train to Bayonne (E53), slow
train from Perpignan (E58). Total price about £140. How does this compare with the coach?

I was 16.5 stone and carried a hell of a lot of weight, I didn't weigh my bike but I struggled to
lift it on and off trains.

The advantage of cycling Bayonne to Perpignan is that you start in a cooler (and wetter)
environment. It gets hotter as you get closer to the Med, but for the section you mention, Prades to
Cerbere, you are going downhill.

We were taking the Raid casually. We'd allowed ourselves 16 days (Britain to Britain), 13.5 days'
cycling. We'd already decided not to get a route card because we didn't want the added pressure.

We completed the Raid in nine days so spent four days basking in the sun on the Spanish Med coast.

Before starting the Raid we trained seriously. I cycled locally every evening, and my friend went to
the gym. Once a week we'd go on a longer ride on the hills around the North Downs. Once term had
ended (I'm a teacher) I went out on long rides (100 Km) virtually every day with loaded panniers. I
loaded the panniers with 3L of water in each of the front panniers and 5L of water in each of the
rear panniers.

I have a great photo of me on top of the Col de Peyresourde, I can email it if you like.

Good luck with the Raid next year. I'm probably going to do it again with a different friend.
--
remove remove to reply

Kenneth Clements said:

Cols I climbed: Col Llauro Col Fourtou Col Xatard Col de Palomere Col de Jau Col de Paiheres Col de
Chioula Port de Lers Col d'Agnes Col de la Trappe Col de la Core Col du Portet d'Aspet Col de Mente
Col du Portillon Col de Peyresourde Col d'Aspin

The rest of the Raid has been shown on Eurosport on Monday and today.
--
remove remove to reply

Well done to Ken and to Gonzalez. I am doing the Raid the week after next, I am doing the suported
100 hour version. Will post a (link to
a) full report and pictures when I return.

Gonzalez <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Kenneth Clements said:

Last two weeks in June I made an attempt on the tourist version of the Raid Pyreneen which
requires cycling over 28 cols between Cerbere on the Mediterranean coat and Hendaye on the
Atlantic coast. Ten days are allowed with a control card stamped at the start and finish and
several places in between, a bit like Audax except you have to find a business with a rubber
stamp, which is called a tampon which caused me some consternation but no problem. I left the
European Bike Express coach at Perpignan and cycled to a campsite just outside Cerbere. The
weather was hot and I soon realised that the 20 kilos of luggage I was carrying was going to be a
big problem. The next morning I got the first stamp on the route card at Cerbere station at
08:00. I was trying to cut the time down to 9 days by putting in 2 long days at the beginning and
my first days destination was Prades. At about lunchtime, just before the road started to rise, I
passed one of those signs that show the time and temperature and it showed 34.5c. After climbing
4 cols I arrived at Prades just after dark at about 22:30 and had to pitch my tent and do my
cooking in the dark. Found it hard to sleep as my pulse rate wouldn't seem to slow down. Anyway
to cut a long story short the weather was so hot the next few days that I ended up pushing the
bike between patches of shade on some of the climbs so it was obvious that I wasn't going to make
it to Hendaye and the coach at Bayonne in time. I had a bail out alternative for a pickup from
Lourdes, about two thirds of the Raid, so I abandoned the Raid at St. Marie de Campan looking
regretfully at the foot of the Tourmalet as I left. After the first day I felt much better and
the scenery made the effort worthwhile. Since my return I've already cut my panniers down from
four to two and a saddle bag, making the weight about 8 kilos (no cooking equipment etc) and
started training for a possible attempt next year when I will be 57. I lost a stone and a half
since last Christmas making me 11 and a half stone and I want to get down to 10 and a half for
next summer. I think I need to be able to climb consistently at 8kph to be successful. Only
managed 5kph this time. Cols I climbed: Col Llauro Col Fourtou Col Xatard Col de Palomere Col de
Jau Col de Paiheres Col de Chioula Port de Lers Col d'Agnes Col de la Trappe Col de la Core Col
du Portet d'Aspet Col de Mente Col du Portillon Col de Peyresourde Col d'Aspin

I completed the Raid last summer. Eurostar to Paris (£59 return), slow train to Bayonne (E53),
slow train from Perpignan (E58). Total price about £140. How does this compare with the coach?

I was 16.5 stone and carried a hell of a lot of weight, I didn't weigh my bike but I struggled to
lift it on and off trains.

The advantage of cycling Bayonne to Perpignan is that you start in a cooler (and wetter)
environment. It gets hotter as you get closer to the Med, but for the section you mention, Prades
to Cerbere, you are going downhill.

We were taking the Raid casually. We'd allowed ourselves 16 days (Britain to Britain), 13.5 days'
cycling. We'd already decided not to get a route card because we didn't want the added pressure.

We completed the Raid in nine days so spent four days basking in the sun on the Spanish Med coast.

Before starting the Raid we trained seriously. I cycled locally every evening, and my friend went
to the gym. Once a week we'd go on a longer ride on the hills around the North Downs. Once term
had ended (I'm a teacher) I went out on long rides (100 Km) virtually every day with loaded
panniers. I loaded the panniers with 3L of water in each of the front panniers and 5L of water in
each of the rear panniers.

I have a great photo of me on top of the Col de Peyresourde, I can email it if you like.

Good luck with the Raid next year. I'm probably going to do it again with a different friend.

MSeries said:

Well done to Ken and to Gonzalez. I am doing the Raid the week after next, I am doing the suported
100 hour version. Will post a (link to
a) full report and pictures when I return.

Good luck. How anyone can get across in just four days is beyond me. I hope you enjoy the trip.
--
remove remove to reply

Cheers, it'll be tough and I'll hurt, probably regret the decision to do it but baring accidents I
am sure I'll survive. Setting of next Thursday, start the Raid on Monday August 4th finish on the
Friday, back home on Sunday 10th.

"Gonzalez" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

MSeries said:

Well done to Ken and to Gonzalez. I am doing the Raid the week after next, I am doing the
suported 100 hour version. Will post a (link to
a) full report and pictures when I return.

Good luck. How anyone can get across in just four days is beyond me. I hope you enjoy the trip.
--
remove remove to reply

M Series said:

Cheers, it'll be tough and I'll hurt, probably regret the decision to do it but baring accidents I
am sure I'll survive. Setting of next Thursday, start the Raid on Monday August 4th finish on the
Friday, back home on Sunday 10th.

I'm attempting the End to End, starting 11 August. Unsupported and camping most nights. Still, I've
got 16 days in which to complete it!
--
remove remove to reply

"MSeries" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Well done to Ken and to Gonzalez. I am doing the Raid the week after next, I am doing the suported
100 hour version. Will post a (link to
a) full report and pictures when I return.

Yes I'd like to wish you a good trip too. Hope the weather is kind and you find someone to carry
your camera!

Ken ;-)

Go for it. I started making preparations for E2E last summer but was made redundant in May and had
to call it off. This year the Raid has cropped up so I hope to do the E2E next year. I intend to be
unsuported but stay in B&B and take 14 days on the ride leaving a day each side to get to the start
and home from the finish.

Gonzalez <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

M Series said:

Cheers, it'll be tough and I'll hurt, probably regret the decision to do it but baring accidents
I am sure I'll survive. Setting of next Thursday, start the Raid on Monday August 4th finish on
the Friday, back home on Sunday 10th.

I'm attempting the End to End, starting 11 August. Unsupported and camping most nights. Still,
I've got 16 days in which to complete it!