Looking back at Haute Route Pyrenees, and it's talus fields while planning my next trip.
New bike equipment and flights are purchased, but I'm a little nervous about bike touring. It's the unknown, and the same feeling as before my first long hike. I have no idea how my body will handle cycling for 10-12 hours a day as I've never done it, or even if I'll enjoy this trip.
It's a new, exciting adventure. Whatever happens, I will learn new things and see so much of Australia's South East coast.
Haute Route Pyrenees:
I may have lost the remaining journal entries, but decided to post the pictures anyway.
This picture is of Cirque De Gravarnie. I made my own route that took in this, Bresh De Roland and Odessa Canyon. It did not make any forward progress towards the Mediterranean as we basically did a big loop, but it was the most visually stunning day of the whole trail.
The Haute Route is fantastic. It is an extremely varied but consistently stunning hike. For example, there were numerous passes that were totally granite on the approach and completely change to limestone on the decent. I also got to eat great cheese every day and got to experience plenty of culture.
I had a ball, and thoroughly recommend adding this route to everyone's wish list.
Haute Route Pyrenees - Day 8 (33km / 20 miles)
I woke up to the wind howling above me. A few minutes later it changed angles enough to smash into my tarp. It ripped my only shepherds hook stake out of the ground, and flung it into the distance.
The windstorm lasted for only 5 minutes but caused some havoc. I was up searching for that damn stake but could not find it. I now wish I had remembered to pick up a groundhog before I left as they held.
I gave up and went back to bed, but an hour later it started to rain. I skirted up to tge head end and against the solid wall and managed to remain dry even with a corner stake missing.
The rain continued all morning and for the majority of the time it bucketed down with some of the heaviest sustained rain I have ever seen. All we could do was put our heads down and march forward.
At 11.30 I had wrinkly hands like I was swimming in a pool for an hour. We arrived at a ski resort and found some great protection from the elements. I see why people live in houses... We had finally settled in for an extended lunch to wait out the storm (lightning that had gotten within a mile of us), when the sky parted and the 7 hour storm broke.
GQ and I were surprised but packed up quickly to make the most of our change of fortune.
It turned into an amazing afternoon. Just enough cloud remained that it created a continually changing landscape as the clounds and sun highlighted small sections of the surrounding mountains, forests or meadows.
It was also an afternoon of climbing with over 2000m (6600ft) gain. This trail does not know about an easy time! It constantly goes straight up, hits the pass and then plunges back down to the river valley. The HRP will repeat this a few times each day. Tough world but these mountains are special and the extra effort is so worth it.
It was 8pm and I saw this wonderfull grassed area with some natural rock wind breaks. I was only 100m gain from our designated camp spot but this was to good to be true. I pitched my tarp (rocks instead of that shepherds hook) and ate dinner as I waited for GQ to arrive. I helped GQ set up and then went to bed.
