TransPyr anyone....?

[gairym]

Yetiman,

Sorry fella, I didn't see this response until now.

No worries but sorry to hear you'll not be joining us.

All,

Stuart also recently told me that he'll not be able to come along and so we're getting close to one cars worth of people.

We've now got me, Kevin and Pistonbroke (it's Duncan isn't it?) who're still very much up for it and Chew as yet undecided.

So.....if it ends up being just 3 then I can drive with my existing bike-rack or find another possibility if Chew can make it (all we'd need is someone who knows someone with a roof-rack that's compatible).

The logistics would be both easier and more difficult with only one car.

Pistonbroke,

That route looks really nice but it does add 100 miles to an already long trip.

Chew said he'd need to be back by the 12th and so fitting in an extra 100 miles might make things tight time-wise but maybe not???

The good thing is that each new route possibility has me more and more excited!

[Chew]

I'm looking doubtful as well

Normally i'd be all over this, but with the North America trip i dont think i'll be able to squeeze in another 2 week trip (cant really complain). Its definatly on the list, but just not for 2013

[gairym]

Boo!!!

No worries - it's a big trip to commit to.

You can always change your mind later if things change.

So.....we're down to 3!!!

[pistonbroke]

Hi Gairy, I'm planning on bringing a fell runner mate who is equally up for it so it's looking like 4. I've also got a fairly substantial rack which will fit on a tow bar or a roof rack if you have roof rails. Regarding the timing, am I correct in having read that the reason you are back in blighty is for a wedding on the Saturday? When there was potentially 6 of us, I had thought of taking 3 in my camper van, starting on Friday night and pootling down over a couple of days. If we could all get in 1 vehicle then it would clearly be more cost effective.
Re that route, I think the shortest route I have seen is 560miles and the one on Wikiloc had a number of extra loops to hotels which we wouldn't need, this would shave about 20 miles off, so only 40 miles more.The main attraction of the route was it visits the Ordesa canyon which is truly spectacular, but I guess the route will be this whichever way we go.

[gairym]

I'm planning on bringing a fell runner mate who is equally up for it so it's looking like 4.

oh yeah, sorry forgot about that - all good, 4 it is then.

I've also got a fairly substantial rack which will fit on a tow bar or a roof rack if you have roof rails.

hmmm, i've got a skoda 'fabia' with no tow-bar or roof rails. i've got a regular rear mounting rack which'll take 3 bikes semi-comfortably.

Regarding the timing, am I correct in having read that the reason you are back in blighty is for a wedding on the Saturday?

yep - i'm in London for a wedding on the 28th and then, seeing as all of those who had to be back by the 12th are no longer coming, i've got pretty much two weeks (i can leave on the morning of the 29th form London village) to do everything (incl. travel both ways and the ride).

When there was potentially 6 of us, I had thought of taking 3 in my camper van, starting on Friday night and pootling down over a couple of days. If we could all get in 1 vehicle then it would clearly be more cost effective.

i was thinking of booting it down in one great big stinker of a long days driving on the morning of the 29th in order to make the most of the time available (especially if people were up for sharing the driving).

i think that between now and then something could be arranged/bought/made/stolen that would enable 4 of us and 4 bikes to go in my car.

Re that route, I think the shortest route I have seen is 560miles and the one on Wikiloc had a number of extra loops to hotels which we wouldn't need, this would shave about 20 miles off, so only 40 miles more.

i think maybe i'd rounded the route down to 500 miles in my head and so all of a sudden 600 sounded like a lot (i did mention that you're much more 'on the ball' than i am - i've spent the last two weeks surrounded my family and kids and lunacy and feel like i've not really slept and so my concentration hasn't been what it normally is).

i'll take another look at that route when i get a chance but that canyon does look mighty inviting!!!

thanks for taking the time (i haven't had spare) to keep working on all of this - i think we're in for a doozy of a trip!

cheers, gairy.

[pistonbroke]

Bugger, my organising everything gene is kicking in again.
Here's a radical thought, if we're not setting off until the 29th and for the sake of argument going E to W leaving a vehicle at Irun and getting a train to the start at Llanca, it's going to be Wednesday morning before we get going. Why don't I take myself, mate and Kevin in my van to Irun and Gairy fly to Girona 1st thing Monday (Ryan air Stanstead- Girona arriving 10.00am £39) by which time the 3 of us will have got ourselves to Llanca or Roses gaining 2 days and allowing for a 12 or 13 day trip to Irun and 4 of us to drive back to blighty on Saturday night 11th to Sunday 12th.

[gairym]

I'm not opposed to something along those lines but there is a snag.....

.....I don't/won't fly!

Haven't done it in 8 years and have no plans on changing my mind any time soon.

I'll look into trains that might serve the same purpose.

[pistonbroke]

Fair enough, it was just a thought. If we aim to get to Llanca for Monday evening having left the van in Irun we can still do 11 days riding and be back for the 12th. I'm struggling to get more than 2 weeks off. Whilst you're looking at trains to the start, could you also look at the train schedule from Bayonne to Perpignan on Monday 29th I think we will have to change at Toulouse but I can't see the cost for a single + bike at the moment.
Pity about Stuart & Chew, I was looking forward to riding with them again.

[gairym]

This morning I finally (after much faffing, annoyance and re-faffing) managed to book my train tickets for this trip!

I feel like it's finally a certainty as opposed to a great idea that was highly likely to happen (though Duncan booked his ferry a while back).

All I need to do now is get in shape (am currently getting out a bit but not nearly enough), fix my 29er up to be epic-ride-ready (little things like adding some more gears) and then, once we finish planning the finalised route, we'll be good to go.

Am very excited!

[gairym]

Evening all,

I've been getting more and more excited about this upcoming trip (with our very own Pistonbroke and Blackhound) and we're due to start 3 weeks yesterday but.....

Today I suffered a little set-back:



It would appear that I've gone and fractured my elbow

The doc assured me that the trip is still a possibility if all heals well and quickly but it's a pisser I can tell thee!

Still, at least I should be able to rest my knackered and useless spine over the next week or so (whilst still hitting the turbo-trainer) which is nice.

Let's hope my arms heal faster than my back!

Yours miffed and, once again, laid-up in bed injured, Gairy.

[Bearbonesnorm]

If it wasn't for bad luck you'd have none

[gairym]

I know - it's getting ridiculous!

It used to be the case that I never EVER fell and was rarely injured but these days I'm lucky if I can leave the house without damaging something (and I didn't even need to leave the house to do the elbow!).

Not a happy chicken!

[Ray Young]

Oh Gairy! Get well soon, in time for the TransPyr anyway.

[Cheeky Monkey]

Oh dear, healing vibes 8-)

The silence regarding how you did it is deafening mind

[gairym]

The silence regarding how you did it is deafening mind

nothing exciting i'm afraid - i was descending some ladders and i jumped the last few rungs only to whack my elbow on the way down (on the edge of a tiled unit thing).

today the pain has lessened (due to some good pain killers) but the reality of the likely impact of this new injury has me feeling pretty damn low (after spending months and months planning and preparing for this trip).

[gairym]

So.....

It's now officially Day 07 of this trip and, unfortunately, I'm writing this from my laptop in sunny London village and not from the Pyrenees as planned!

I had to bail on day 04 due to my back not playing ball but the others (Duncan/Pistonbroke, Kevin/Blackhound and Nick) are still going strong and should be finishing on time or even a day early!

I feel pretty crappy about not completing this challenge but I clearly wasn't up to it and the injuries I've had recently hadn't allowed me to train sufficiently (I was WAAAY slower than the others) or even really healed (hence the re-emergence of my arch-nemesis 'back injury') which meant that it was always going to be likely that I'd struggle.

But.....I'm still glad I gave it a go as if I'd not even gone and blamed the injuries/fitness I'd never have known for sure and would always have wondered 'what if'.

Anyway, will write up a little something about the days I managed and post some photos soon.

Cheers, Gairy.

[Chew]

Hard luck Gairy

Always next time

[Ray Young]

That's a bummer Gairy, must have been really hard on you, I'm sure you gave it your best shot. ( My predictive text keeps wanting to call you Fairy, good job I notice before posting it up ).

[Bearbonesnorm]

Hard luck Gairy, after having my knee explode in Scotland I feel for you.

[gairym]

Thanks folks.

Always next time

Unfortunately it might be quite a while until I get another two week pass as we're having a second bambino soon and so i'm expecting a very busy next next decade or so!

Ray, you'd not be the first to make that joke. It's worse when I use predictive text and sign off as Fairy.

Stuart,

Bugger, hope it's alright now.

[99percentchimp]

Gairy, Sorry to hear you've been injured and had to bin it.... don't dwell on the negatives though - you've just had a few days riding in the Pyrennees and we're all dead jealous and just want to see the photos of your trip :)
Many congratulations on the imminent arrival of a little fairy! :D :D (sorry; too easy, IGMC).

[pistonbroke]

Well we did it!! Back on the ferry with decent WiFi. We finished on Friday, a day ahead of schedule after a mega 125k 3400m climbing day. We totalled 23,694m of climbing and over 1,000k. A few issues, 4 punctures, 2 broken spokes, a bent chain and most seriously a fubared hope freehub. This meant a loan of a rear wheel from Doug at Basque mtb for the last day. We definitely went too early with lots of snow over 1700m and couldn't do the detour into the ordesa canyon which climbed to 2200m. This was the highlight for me so will hve to be done another time. An unforgettable trip and lots of lessons learned.

[Bearbonesnorm]

Well we did it!! Back on the ferry with decent WiFi. We finished on Friday, a day ahead of schedule after a mega 125k 3400m climbing day. We totalled 23,694m of climbing and over 1,000k. A few issues, 4 punctures, 2 broken spokes, a bent chain and most seriously a fubared hope freehub. This meant a loan of a rear wheel from Doug at Basque mtb for the last day. We definitely went too early with lots of snow over 1700m and couldn't do the detour into the ordesa canyon which climbed to 2200m. This was the highlight for me so will hve to be done another time. An unforgettable trip and lots of lessons learned.

Looking forward to hearing about it.

[Blackhound]

At long last, after massive bike fixing project before HRT, I have uploaded some of the photo's I took:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/12617230@N ... 526968951/

[Mike]

looks like a great trip missed, nice to look through your pics though