Vives

1/8/07

The air is decidedly colder today, not much wind, but there's a chill in the air and the early morning sky is cloudy. I'm early to the meeting point at the rond point in Le Boulou and take a stretch. Suddenly, there's a rider going over the bridge, red Vento velo with Spinergy aero wheels; Geoff is early, too.

Today's a climbing day, so Geoff takes me from Le Boulou west on the D115 to St Jean Plat de Cors, there we leave the flat valley road and turn north on the D13 on the Route de Lieges--The Cork Road, direction Vives. The road narrows and twist back and forth a few times up a modest grade and we hit the tiny village of Vives.

The road kicks up and doesn't stop once we exit the village and head on towards Llauro. Geoff keeps the pace constant and the grade never gets much past 9% or so and I'm able to spin without going into the red. This is only our second ride together and I'm concious of that natural tendency for competitive cyclists to test each other's legs.

The road continues to kick and climb and I begin to see the vistas of the valley floor towards my village of Villelongue and the Alberes range. Le Pic de Trois Termes, straddling the Spanish border, is easy to pick out with the mast on top. Le Canigou dominates the north and now I'm beginning to see the azure expanse of the Med stretching to the east.

I'm careful not to dip into the inside of the switchbacks, a temptation immediately paid for with a doubling of the grade climbing back to the center of the road. The occasional car peaks around a bend, keeping me from moving past the center line. I'm always concious of keeping a half wheel on my partner, a subtle statement that I'm fit and holding my own.

We reach the top in about six kilometers. This is the longest climb I've done in quite a long time and I'm invigorated. I can do this, I am a good rider; why do I need to keep proving this to myself? On the descent, I follow Geoff through the turns, some of which are damp with morning dew, and when the road straightens out on the plain, he asks if I have my license with me. There's a semi-pro race in the middle of Februrary, Le Tour de Sol.

I passed my test.
32.3, 1:57, 1540 ft