The speedometer shows 5000 kilometers. Time for 10 days of vacation. The French part of High Pyrenees welcome us. We have survived the heat. There are even a few drops of rain. In addition, the Tour de France is approaching. We get a pitch at the nice campsite Hautacam, two kilometers from the track.
This is really luck, because at Tour times the campsites are already fully booked for a long time. Michael, the travel cyclist of Stuttgart who we meet again a week later at the Col de Soulor, is also lucky. And so is Markus, the bikepacker of Frankfurt, who gets the tip from a cheese dealer at the very last minute. We all camp together on the small tent green. On the route, the campers are already a week before parking on the fewe available parking spaces.
Philipp is also lucky. He came by train today and get a bike in this bike shop in Lourdes. This is also a great demand at Tour times.
Today is Tour time. Together with a few thousand cyclists we climb up the 12 kilometer long route to the mountain arrival. Everyone is looking for the ideal place.
Jonas Vingegaard from Denmark in the yellow jersey has just ridden the tour-deciding attack and is on his way to the stage finish. Thanks to the cheers of Philipp and Astrid, it makes the Tour victory clear.
One day, and routine returns. In Paris, the tour comes to an end with Jonas Vingegaard as the winner.
We usually spend the days as the Pyrenean duathlon: first cycle to the next pass and then an extended hike. At the end, cycle back to the campsite.
After saying ‘goodbye’ to Philipp at the train station in Lourdes, we ride the 25 kilometers and 600 meters of altitude back to the campsite in deep black night. Here it is as dark as in winter in Brittany.
By the way, since the early Abruzzo we have not needed a tablet, a patch or medical care. Our life on the saddle, in the tent and in nature with good food seems to let us stay healthy.