the Fridays Tour 2014

[StuAff]

Having done my MA dissertation on Anglo-Spanish relations during the period, that meeting sprang to mind when Hendaye was mentioned. It didn't go well- neither side happy with the results. Súñer was so upset by Ribbentrop's attitude he was still smarting forty years later.

 

[rvw]

A tantalizing screenshot from His Nibs!

View attachment 25320

I don't know whether srw has yet seen that photo, but I don't think he'd be too happy on a tandem on that kind of road! Usually when we drive on roads like that, I drive and he keeps his eyes firmly closed. Which will not work on the tandem... I should point out admit that I prefer to drive on that kind of terrain because (a) I am, at least nominally, in control, and (b) I'm about 3ft further from the drop. So, on a tandem, I'd probably take home a vivid recollection of the centre of the back of whichever jersey S was wearing!

 

[srw]

Unless I've misinterpreted the photo, there's no drop - it's a sheer canyon cut into a slab of rock. A bit like a cut-and-cover tunnel where they've forgotten to put a lid on again.

 

[rvw]

My guess was a drop to the right - or why the concrete blocks?

 

[Andrew Br]

Helen and I have cycled from Olot to the sea (St. Feliu de Guixols in our case) via Girona and it was an excellent trip.
There were some nice climbs on very quiet roads followed by even better descents. Part of the route was along disused railway lines so some of the surfaces were unmade but they were very smooth. The only disappointing part was the last bit into St Feliu.
As DZ has said, Girona is quite a place !

Pictures here:-

http://www.flickr.com/photos/31668252@N05/sets/72157634345410844/

ETA: If the dates work out for us, Helen and I are almost certainly in.

.

 

[StuAff]

Should we be doing Spain (and I'm getting the impression that's winning at the mo) my options for getting to Hendaye or Irun would be either up to St Pancras and then the Eurostar/sleeper from Paris as detailed by Olaf (£226 I think was the cheapest option, sheesh), or ferry over to Bilbao or Santander (neither very convenient for a Saturday AM ride start) and trains and/or ride from there. Ride to Irun would be about 90 miles with over 12k of climbing....eek.

 

[redfalo]

Should we be doing Spain (and I'm getting the impression that's winning at the mo) my options for getting to Hendaye or Irun would be either up to St Pancras and then the Eurostar/sleeper from Paris as detailed by Olaf (£226 I think was the cheapest option, sheesh)

I haven't had a look at train prices yet, but that would be my preferred option as well. Another idea might be to get to Calais, Caen or Cherbourg, hire a car there and then blast through France. With four people - and a big car that has room for four bikes - that might be the cheapest option?

 

[dellzeqq]

Should we be doing Spain (and I'm getting the impression that's winning at the mo) my options for getting to Hendaye or Irun would be either up to St Pancras and then the Eurostar/sleeper from Paris as detailed by Olaf (£226 I think was the cheapest option, sheesh), or ferry over to Bilbao or Santander (neither very convenient for a Saturday AM ride start) and trains and/or ride from there. Ride to Irun would be about 90 miles with over 12k of climbing....eek.

calm down, calm down........

train from St. Pancras to Hendaye on Saturday is about £100 (I've yet to talk to SNCF about group discounts) - and the ride would start on Sunday. A coach might be less expensive - and I'm pursuing that as well. budgeting for 40 participants, with 28 bikes in the van and 12 (mostly the oddballs) in the coach hold.

this is a page from the website of the company that Ian recommended and they say they are up for it http://www.boultonsofshropshire.com/cycletours.aspx

 

[dellzeqq]

Unless I've misinterpreted the photo, there's no drop - it's a sheer canyon cut into a slab of rock. A bit like a cut-and-cover tunnel where they've forgotten to put a lid on again.

you're right - it's an artificial gorge. At one point there is a drop on one side and a waterfall goes over your head during the snowmelt season. It's very dramatic. But not at all steep.

the concrete thingummys stop you falling in to a mini-ravine that takes the water away. Without that the snow melt would just run down the roadway.

 

[StuartG]

calm down, calm down........

train from St. Pancras to Hendaye on Saturday is about £100 (I've yet to talk to SNCF about group discounts) - and the ride would start on Sunday. A coach might be less expensive - and I'm pursuing that as well. budgeting for 40 participants, with 28 bikes in the van and 12 (mostly the oddballs) in the coach hold.

That would be good. Which begs the question - what about doing the French side down to Perpignan - or better still Colliore ... even nicer than Tossa.

 

[dellzeqq]

the french side has awful roads, way, way more traffic, and is not one tenth as striking. (And I cannot stand Collioure or Argeles or any of those places)

 

[StuartG]

OK, your call ... in which case is it worth factoring in 40 Viernes shirts to impress the senoritas? Hmmm. black might be a trifle warm in June way down south.

 

[mmmmartin]

Er, can we rethink that stu? In Spain wearing Blackshirts, esp in the Basque region? Not good.

 

[StuAff]

Er, can we rethink that stu? In Spain wearing Blackshirts, esp in the Basque region? Not good.

Red stars might make a difference. And I'm pretty sure people wear black in the Basque country without problems. Blue was the Falange colour of choice, anyway......

 

[srw]

the french side has awful roads, way, way more traffic, and is not one tenth as striking. (And I cannot stand Collioure or Argeles or any of those places)

If the Spanish side is half a striking as the section between Collioure and the border it's going to be doing very well indeed. There's quite a lot of traffic on that coast road but it's mostly harmless - because it's used to a lot of riders. The real danger is that the wind might get up, which on a tandem is Not Fun.

North of Collioure you track slightly inland and there are very quiet roads all the way to Perpignan - because everyone's hugging the coast.