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Tourmalet

Posted: Fri Aug 04, 2017 3:31 pm
by vRSG60
Well despite my Drift SD card corrupting most of my videos I do have a few to mess with.
Here's a short up & down of col du Tourmalet.

Re: Tourmalet

Posted: Fri Aug 04, 2017 3:39 pm
by RandG
Did it the opposite way in September last year and it was goats strewn all over the road, with no intention of moving either :lol:

Re: Tourmalet

Posted: Thu Sep 21, 2017 5:28 pm
by Simon_100
vRSG60 wrote: Fri Aug 04, 2017 3:31 pm Well despite my Drift SD card corrupting most of my videos I do have a few to mess with.
Here's a short up & down of col du Tourmalet.
Nice, and the better way¡y around to do it IMHO as the ugly ski resort on the eastern approach spoils it so much that reaching the Col is bit of an anti-climax despite the drop waiting for you on the other side!

Great music too! :)

Regs

Simon

Re: Tourmalet

Posted: Thu Sep 21, 2017 5:35 pm
by Spike941
Must go back one day to see the western side, as rode up the eastern side 4 years ago only to find the western side closed due to a landslide and had to recip.

Re: Tourmalet

Posted: Thu Sep 21, 2017 9:14 pm
by Simon_100
Spike941 wrote: Thu Sep 21, 2017 5:35 pm Must go back one day to see the western side, as rode up the eastern side 4 years ago only to find the western side closed due to a landslide and had to recip.
It's a 'must do' all right. Done it several times and I really ought to go back - all in the name of 'research' of course! :)

Image

Image

Heres' me and Spud, aka Redmurty, at the top a few years ago - a great day! :)

Regs

Simon

Re: Tourmalet

Posted: Thu Sep 21, 2017 10:29 pm
by Campagman
Cycled up it a few times some years back, incl part of a track that leaves the tarmac road and goes up to the observatory, not sure if it's legal though. It was getting dark so I had to turn around and descend. Took 30 minutes riding down and around 1hr45 going up!
La Mongie is the apt name for the ski resort.

Another great climb is the other direction out of Luz Saint Saveur, the D921 upto the Cirque du Gavarnie and the Port du Bochero (?). The French built a road up there, the Spanish built a track!
IMG_0819.JPG
IMG_0819.JPG (263.77 KiB) Viewed 2759 times
this was 2013 on the Guzzi.

Again, not sure if the track is rideable

Re: Tourmalet

Posted: Fri Sep 22, 2017 7:30 am
by Simon_100
Campagman wrote: Thu Sep 21, 2017 10:29 pm
Another great climb is the other direction out of Luz Saint Saveur, the D921 upto the Cirque du Gavarnie and the Port du Bochero (?). The French built a road up there, the Spanish built a track!

Again, not sure if the track is rideable
That looks interesting. 'bachero' is an antique word for an executioner in Spanish - although it crops up in slang as a kind of p***head! - and although passes sometimes do have gruesome nameds I can't see it, Could it be the Brecha pass?

Regs

Simon

Re: Tourmalet

Posted: Fri Sep 22, 2017 8:08 am
by WillS
The Spanish Biker wrote: Fri Sep 22, 2017 7:30 am
Campagman wrote: Thu Sep 21, 2017 10:29 pm
Another great climb is the other direction out of Luz Saint Saveur, the D921 upto the Cirque du Gavarnie and the Port du Bochero (?). The French built a road up there, the Spanish built a track!

Again, not sure if the track is rideable
That looks interesting. 'bachero' is an antique word for an executioner in Spanish - although it crops up in slang as a kind of p***head! - and although passes sometimes do have gruesome nameds I can't see it, Could it be the Brecha pass?

Regs

Simon
Col du Tentes at 2208 m.
The road that was built is really now a track, and blocked for vehicles. It leads up to the Port du Boucharo. But still has the D-923 name on the maps. It was planned to link up to Torla in Spain. ( I think)
It was abandoned due to bad winter weather and continued avalanches. It's possible by walking and VTT mountain bike to cross into Spain from there.
It's a popular walk from there to the Brèche du Roland and refuge des Sarradets.
Fantastic place.

Re: Tourmalet

Posted: Fri Sep 22, 2017 10:05 am
by Simon_100
Thanks Will, I know the Spanish end of that trail and hope to do some walking there next summer ...

Regfs

Simon

Re: Tourmalet

Posted: Fri Sep 22, 2017 10:55 am
by Brenhden
Very jealous, its been too long since I've done anything like that. thanks for sharing.