:: BEARDED VULTURE 2010 - THE CHRONICLE: :: EPIC:: that has been the QH 2010, rain and cold, hard march route added to make it be one of the most fearsome.
:: My first QH:: has been special, first because it was issue number 20, second time, so read on forums and growing by some who have previously participated has been an issue very hard, to get an idea we to express it in numbers enrolled 8,500 participants, about 1,200 did not take the exit the rest according to the organization we target 5,280 participants, this could get an idea of \u200b\u200bbad weather we had.
:: Output:: The day dawned cloudless Sabiñánigo that made us doubt ourselves and about what clothes to wear to protect us in case of rain (-BUT IF THE SKY IS BLUE!) But my iPhone as I indicated in French side of the trail 98% of rain so just in case I put the long gloves, boots and jacket sleeves (that decision more accurate) Josemi opt for short gloves, vest and sleeves, and Egoitz the same with the addition of the raincoat. Once
dresses and reviewed the material we went to the exit indeed when we Sabiñánigo about 6:30 and saw people placed in the impressive output, this is because much want to make good time on the fly and take a good group to ride fast from the beginning. At 7:30 we heard the rocket that warns of the start of the march until 7:45 we not under the banner of departure, a little nervous about not knowing how to react legs started shooting a return to the variant Sabiñanigo entrance through the center of town where a crowd clapped and cheered us. Jaca direction and speed may not seem excessive to leave a little late but if it is true that he feared a bit those first miles of nerves and speed, fortunately we saw no drop in Jaca is impressive taking the turnoff Canfranc a bridge about 30 meters across the road, on the bridge thousands of people shouting and whistling after we pass (the hair on end, this puts you at 200) , we address France to face the first port Somport day but this is where many traveling in the opposite direction to us, and many are wondering what happens? begin to fall the first drops and it is cloudy, so the height of Canfranc we find the reality of the day the rain will not fail to accompany us to Formigal.
: Somport: Like the rest of the day was clear that my goal confronts the march was to finish all the climbs easy, even with good feelings in the legs, would not force was the first time I traveled 200 kms. on the bike and so many hours on it bothered me, so with a comfortable pace began to climb in the beginning of my chain started to worry me, was aware of the lack of oil and did nothing to look if he saw a car for assistance, To further complicate the dish jumping climbing gears so I had no choice but to drop the pace a bit to see the car, 10 for 1 minute mechanical oil deflector plate set-up and no longer remembered me but all over the day.
Here we had the sad news of the day our friend Juanmi of
Eletrodomésticos Atxuri farewell to the march with great sadness that his arm did not respond, a shame we know your goal every year is the QH, encouragement Juanmi sure next year we have again the opportunity to see us .
to provisioning, as I talk to under the water, because I had the opportunity to engage in conversation with a couple of riders who had decided Galdadakao turn when they got into it, as I said before there were many who at this point again and decided to abandon the march.
I joined Josemi and Egoitz in supplies and from there a couple of miles to the border, all in France, that decline, it is cold, water, wind, damn impressive, singing, shouting to get warm. We waited 42 kms. to meet rising Marie Blanque, here I was the worst part is spent Josemi really bad, cold hands, feet, etc ... Above we did not have a steady pace to get hot, very down with rain which was what most worried about not going into the ground and try to keep your hands on the brakes. It was impressive to see in the towns where the number of cyclists crossing below Tejaban standing houses, porches, arcades, etc. .., in a village not know if it was Urdos door was a cafe full of bikes, I understand that many needed to warm up, including us but then we had no opportunity to find any coffee yet so that we start holding up Marie-Blanque.
:: Marie-Blanque:: Here we begin together but after the first 2 miles I left behind me to find my rhythm, I was afraid of not knowing if they would respond to this challenge to raise the Marie-Blanque not get off the bike, weeks I pre-read and seen different videos of the rise where many of their bikes down unable to climb the last mile of this little giant 10 kms. to last 4 to 11% gradient half, so I quietly climbed to Marie Blanque. That pleased to reach the top, without setting foot land crowned about 10-12 minutes and Egoitz Josemi, now it was replaced in the food supply, to be late and Egoitz Josemi but decided not to prolong the wait, partly it was logical to cold and damp were spending bill and wait for the supplies was a suicide. This is where we really saw for many was to be a day very hard, hypothermia, bike accumulated near a fence, busloads of cyclists who decided to leave at this point, a hard day. Well from here
Portalet Coul few miles waiting for me so as I had read somewhere not happen with the dish we got together and shot a 15 to begin the penultimate day.
: Portalet:: We're at the end of the march 29 kms. upload, I start to notice the legs up and cold and hard muscles in the first few miles I run into a coworker with Iker Fernando've also shared a stretch of Marie-Blanque and I got to know in-Erandio Erandio, but I decide to stop, first because I needed to do something only I can do myself, and second to eat after 5 minutes of rigor, start again and I expected the worst time of day, you can not find rhythm upload it to 11 than 6 k / h, he was not happy and even supplies a 10 kms. reaching the top I had a really bad port.
Here begins the other side of the day after restoring forces start to rise in supplying me with a non-stop Asturian and together, I not only felt better if each saw more closely to see my wife and my son on top of the port and that made me feel more encouraged. ¡¡¡¡¡
That illusion was there at the last corner Bego 500 meters from the border in the rain waiting for my arrival, it is to be proud of, where they spent the whole morning, my wife Bego, my son Xavier, his friend Aritz , Agueda and Lorraine. I had prepared a hot latte, that luxury. Indeed some relatives or friends in other cycling gave me some sheets of newspaper to cover the chest to me escorted to the goal.
: Hoz de Jaca:: Descent of Portalet and sky lights, lol, the sun provides us with his presence so that we can finish the task conditions, and it was for less than we expected Hoz de Jaca 2.3 kms with points where the percentage reaches 13% with a nice horseshoe bends and a long animated final slope to the reward of seeing the photographers who are going to portray your best smile after crowning Watch the birdie!. Hoz de Jaca we reached the edge of town in some children with plastic cups with fresh water to all that we spent there and the local people cheering, amazing feelings you have. Start the decline
and surprise two closed curves and the famous mattresses, there I saw a couple of bikes so we tied one unfortunately had to prove the same padding.
:: Arrival: Once incorporated into the main road we headed to the end of the march, here it does not hurt anything and go below 40 per hour is not your thing, the desire to make you finish rolling speed, at the entrance to Sabiñanigo and when they arrived I still had fans waiting, we screamed and cheered by the success, we have completed QH HEALTHY AND WANT TO RETURN THE ....... ANY YEAR ... jajajaa who knows has been a great experience and can be repeated.
Thanks again for the tips, encouragement for the patience, for the congratulations, thank you.
