Gnome Trek: Of Bikes & Clouds...

L’Ariège, le Final Frontier. 

These are the voyages of the Flying-Brick ‘Gnome’. Its continuing mission: to explore our world, to seek out new life and to avoid all those bloody bikes. To boldly go where no pushbike has gone before...

It’s been a long, long, time (cue the Elgins) since we’ve had the opportunity to go beyond our realm into the unknown. Aka the Pyrénées. But finally we have arrived, and it’s pissing down. 

The Gnome in the Pyrenees, taken between showers.

We were lucky to arrive intact. The serpentine mountain roads had filled not just with rain, but also with pedal-powered machines, many more than normal. And normal usually involves constant avoiding tactics and general swearing. This was worse. The entire road infrastructure had been locked-down to allow a pushbike race, something that many find strangely fascinating. 

Hmmm, let’s find out why... 

We found a particularly impressive vantage point, tracked down by spotting a house draped in British flags; always a slightly dubious decor. Despite our fears, we were warmly accepted and the ‘B’ words used were only bbq and booze. We settled down to watch the much-hyped proceedings.

Ok. It’s a bike Jim, but not as we know it. This three-wheeled wonder was just a taster. Soon arrived other strange and wonderous creatures. 

I am aware that the Tour de France is renowned for its liberal attitude to drugs, but this is surely just taking the piss…

Ah. Now ‘things’ were starting to happen. Local trees had noticed objects flying in an unidentifiable way.

Then, incredibly, there arrived two of out bestest friends, Gill & Paul, clearly in the lead…

Other, more outlandish characters, suddenly appeared trying to chase our friends down. No bloody way mate!

And then even more! So many it took almost an entire thirty seconds to pass us by.

I was then informed that the leader may not actually be winning. Go figure.

Apparently, to win, you had to wear a yellow shirt. To me this seemed a little easier than actually riding fast, but very few of these idiots seemed to have caught onto it. 

Finally, we saw him!

I remain unconvinced. I thought it more likey that this guy, who has obviously found a shortcut, would be the clear winner…

After all that excitement, we headed off into remote parts of the Ariège. Arriving at Guzet (in other seasons a ski station) we found that we had far from succeeded in escaping the clouds. Indeed, for the following entire day we lived within one of them, leaving little to see except spooky trees…

After a day of damp white fluffy stuff, there were finally signs of daylight. Oops! Too late!

The next dawn was bright, flooding us with hopes of above zero temperatures.

Not all were impressed as some attempted to move house.

The change of climat (bloody climate change) freed us from the confines of the Gnome, allowing us to wander the local forest tracks, where, strangely, we saw some trees…

Sky was underwhelmed…

As usual, Sky was wrong, she being more interested in haut cuisine than haut views.

And the views were spectacular.

We finally limped to the top…

To watch the accumulating clouds.

Moving on deeper into the Ariege.

The Three Gnomes

Where three pleasant days were spent relaxing in the wilderness.

Until the lights finally went out on another Gnome Trek adventure.