April 12th 2010
I left Como this morning at 6:30 am and arrived in St.Jean exactly twelve hours later. I thought that I would have to break the journey over two days but seemed to have managed it OK. Actually I am feeling syked up as though I am about to race, give a presentation to an audience, bungy jump, I cannot wait to begin cycling tomorrow.
As I arrived the Pyrenees stood majestic. I admired them, eyes wide open, mouth ajar. Then I remembered that I will have to cross these mighty mountains tomorrow. My heat skipped a beat and I gasped for breath. I pushed the thought to the back of my mind and admired St.Jean instead. I checked into the Hotel les Pyrenees then went to collect my Pilgrim passport.
I was reminded of the mighty mountains tomorrow. The lady at the pilgrim office gave me my pass, lots of information about the route and then indicated the gradient on the map. I again gasped for breadth. The gradient on this map looked very different from the maps I'd been studying in preparation for my trip (see below). The map on the left is what I'd been studying at home, the one on the right is the one from the pilgrim office. I will have to cycle up mountains tomorrow!
I managed to get my breathing back under control and mumbled a thank you for her advice.
In reality I felt as though someone had just asked me to choose which whip I'd like to be beaten with? The smooth steel rope or the knotted leather one. Neither is the correct answer! But here I am 1300 km from home facing 1300 altitude meters (the coiincidence in numbers ia a bit unnerving) over 27km and a distance of 70km.
As I walked back to my hotel, I noticed a baggage service, they will deliver bags to the next station for a fee. The climb is going to be hard enough getting rid of 12kg of weight is not a bad idea.
So I go to bed waiting for tomorrrow to come with trepidation.
