Aude and Dandelion Wine

Day 34: Oloron-Sainte-Marie → Bagnères-de-Bigorre (61 miles / 4735 ft.)

We knew we had another difficult day ahead, but we adjusted the route to keep the climbing near 5,000 feet for another metric century. Rain was expected late in the afternoon, and we were a little nervous about both the climbing and navigating through Lourdes, so we hoped to get an early start.

Most of all, we were excited to revisit Aude, one of our favorite Warmshowers hosts. She welcomed us when we last toured through the Pyrenees and even made a beautiful fig pie for Jim’s birthday. If you have actually been reading our posts that long, perhaps you remember it! Ha ha!

Our first major climb carried us through the Bois du Bager, a beautiful forest of towering beech and oak trees near the Col du Cerisier. From there, we dropped into the Ossau Valley and continued through the rolling green foothills of Béarn.

This was mostly a riding day, and that felt good. Many of our days in Japan involved constant stopping, navigating, and sightseeing. Here we could settle into a rhythm and simply ride. The mountains rising around us, the green valleys, and the first changing colors of fall provided plenty to look at.

Because it was Sunday, the countryside seemed especially active. We passed cyclists enjoying their weekend rides, mushroom hunters carefully searching the forest floor, and people whitewater rafting on the Gave de Pau. Apparently everyone had chosen a different way to play in the Pyrenees.

We followed the river toward Lourdes, where we stopped for cold drinks and found a peaceful place for our picnic. We had taken a rest day in Lourdes two years ago, so this time it served as our only major stop rather than a sightseeing destination.

Leaving Lourdes, we climbed another quiet ridge near the Croix Blanche before descending toward the Adour Valley and Bagnères-de-Bigorre. We arrived about an hour earlier than expected and celebrated with a couple of cold beverages overlooking a beautiful church.

Aude was still preparing for a short adventure of her own beginning the next morning, so we picked up a few snacks and sat beside the river. From there we could admire the mountains and quietly think about tomorrow. If the weather cooperates, we hope to climb the Col du Tourmalet. We will save that story for tomorrow, assuming we make it…

At about 5:00, we rode to Aude’s house, cleaned up, and settled in while dinner cooked. We took a short walk around town before returning for rice, green beans with chorizo, cheese, and Aude’s homemade dandelion wine.

Her roommate Natasha joined us, and the four of us spent the next couple of hours around the dining-room table sharing stories and laughter. Eventually, everyone looked as though they might fall asleep right there at the table. We finally surrendered at about 10:30.

A challenging day of riding ended exactly where we wanted it to, sharing food, unusual homemade wine, and laughter with an old friend in the Pyrenees.Read more