Just some of the photos...

I've stuck 100 riding shots, plus 30 summit poses up on my Flickr site here

There are 1000 photos, so don't invite me for dinner unless you like slide shows... :-)

Back in the UK

This post comes to you from Chipps in Bristol. After lounging around in Biarritz last night and this morning, having ice cream and wine last night and a great breakfast this morning, I'm now back in the UK. My bike and bags made it back fine and it's going to be a case of slowly getting back to the normal world where you don't have to climb over that big mountain before you can have lunch...

I have 1000 photos from the trip that I'll edit down and post up on Flickr (though, if you're really naughty, I'll come round and give you a slideshow of the whole lot...) and I also have my daily journal that I kept, which, if anyone's interested, I can transcribe and post up here day-by-day and relive the trip all over again.

Thanks for following. I'm now tanned, fitter and not as scared about doing silly trips on bikes - so expect more to come...

Chipps, Bristol. August 13th

We made it!

"We made it sea to sea in 12 days! Now where's the wine and pizza?"

~~~~~~~~~~

Congratulations Laura and Chipps! i've almost felt like i've been along for the ride, and just had very good legs! - jon

From out of nowhere!

"What a slightly epic day! We planned to get near the coast, but once we'd gone into Spain and then north towards Biarritz, we found nowhere to camp. Got to the coast and spent two hours trying every campsite we saw. All full. Even Kirsten, our French connection, called a dozen places without success. Just as we were about to despair, Laura persuaded a full place to squeeze us in. Yay! So we're now pitched close to the beach with 8km to ride tomorrow!"

Full.

"Last full day riding today and we're starting as usual with coffee, croissants and and a ponder of the map. Might nip west into Spain, over pokey 600m pass and then swing north to Saint Pee, no, really!. Then tomorrow is an easy spin to Biarritz to box bike, eat ice cream ans dip toes in Atlantic."

Short day.

"Monday was a short day from Tardets to St Jean Pied de Port. Only 40km but up and over with nearly 1000m of climbing. We're now in a rather urban campsite, compared to our spacious and eccentric one last night. We still deserve a good meal and some Basque beers before our penultimate riding day tomorrow!"

Camp camping.

"Staying in a funky campsite run by an old lady with red hair and probably lots of cats. Every pitch gets a table with flowers. Ace! Off into town son. Only 2.5 more days of riding left. I'll miss getting up and putting the miles in every day. See y'all soon!"

France.

"Yay! back in France and drinking beer in a cafe in Tardets I was at nearly 3 weeks ago. Rode into France in a cloud. Very chilly... then descended over 1300m in one go! Staying here tonight and retracing some of my route tomorrow coastwards. In Biarritz by Weds lunchtime."

Adios Espania!

"Hola! Today we're in Ochagavia having ridden 65km from Hecho on some of the most fun mountain roads ever! Our last night in Spain. Tomorrow we go over a 1500m pass into France. Scarily, I then become the trip linguist! x"

Kit bag.

"You may wonder what all this kit looks like. Well here you go. Left to right: Epic seat bag which takes 2 green bags - 1 spare riding gear, 1 evening wear, flip-flops, silk bag liner, blue bag with Big Agnes sleeping bag, above is sleep mat, then yellow beanie, arm warmers, pack towel, Haglof jacket with bungey washing line, phd down vest, glasses, iPod, Garmin and charger, penknifes, spork. Also washbag, lock and little tool kit on bike. There!"

Thunder

"Todays lunchtime view comes from Jaca (say 'haka'). We endured our only big main road of the trip so far, plus some back road noodling to get here. Big chicken salads and a bottle of rose. Starting to get the hang of this Spanish thing. We'll head west this afternoon and camp. Then we start out trip north and a big push over the mountains this weekend into France!. Lets hope the big thunderstorms don't follow us."

Broto.

"Today's lunchtime view comes from the mountain gateway town of Broto. Right after lunch we'll have a 600m or so haul up to 1400m, but then it's hopefully downhill to our campsite in Biecas. Tomorrow we get to the big town of Jaca. They even have a bike shop, though our bikes are still running well. Cheers!"

Campo.

"This lunchtime finds us in Campo. We stayed in Las Paules at 1400m so had a mostly downhill morning today down a deep, deep river gorge. Down at 700m it's 35 degrees again, but now we're going to climb up to 1000m on our way to camping in Boltano this evening. Cheers!"

Day 14.

"Well, that's the 1380m Col de Perves done. Clear blue sky day here, stopping at El Pont de Suerte for a big lunch. Another 1400m col after lunch and an early camp I reckon. The bike's doing great and so's all the camp gear. Still takes me an hour to pitch or break camp though! :-)

~~~~~~later that day~~~~~

Camping tonight in Las Paules at 1400m. Got pokey climb first thing tomorrow, then gradual descent west to Jaca before we start heading north west back towards France."

Si, senor.

"104km today, 1555m climbing and 7 hours riding. A big first full day for Laura B, but she did great and we made it over two 1000m passes. Made it to Berga at 7pmwhere the only campsite was a 'resort' full of caravaners. Our tents are on a gravel pitch and i've only got 2 tent pegs in. Nevermind, it's only for the night. Oh look, it's thundering too! :-) A mellower day becons tomorrow."

Waffer thin.

"Met up with Laura and we're now 35k down the road from Girona. She has me out tented with a tiny Black Diamond thing. Now having pizza and wine and enjoying a Friday night in a Spanish market square. It's 9.30pm and the band havent even come on yet. Tomorrow we go west! Cheers."