My Biking Blog: 100 Cols Day 10 Castéra-Verduzan to Pau

Saturday, 20 June 2015

100 Cols Day 10 Castéra-Verduzan to Pau

Today started out as bleak as Day 7 with light rain and clouds as we left the camp. After struggling to stay with my group up the first few hills I dropped off and set my own pace. Eddy was leading the group at a cracking pace up some of the climbs and it proved too fast for my ability and physical condition.
The cold I have been nursing for a few days has not improved and now seems to have gone to the chesty stage.
After lunch the weather improved and clouds remained with sunlight coming through periodically. Mainly wheat, corn and vineyards through this area and the hills were only short but constant. Some climbs were over 14%. From the 75 km mark to Pau I stayed with Lee and Keith who set a steady pace and we enjoyed the views to the Pyrenees as we came to the final hill overlooking Pau. A rest day in Pau will be most welcome before we start the big climbs in the Pyrenees.
A few of the group will leave in Pau including Tim and his two daughters. Margie and Annabel also leave and a pharmacist couple from Maleny in Qld., Libby and Marek will also leave. They have been great company on this trip and we will be sorry to see them go. We enjoyed a lovely meal together in the central area of Pau tonight.
Pau has a university and many of the people in town last night (Friday) were students. The castle in the old quarter is spectacular and much of the architecture in the area dates back to 1500s. Napoleon used to holiday here. It is the birthplace of one of Frances famous Kings - Henry IV. Garmin link here
Castéra-Verduzan Cycling by peterjkemp at Garmin Connect - Details