A last climb to Italy

I woke after the col du Gabiler feeling rested and recovered with no ill effects. The other guests all off road mountain bikers were staying a week and were off early. Anthony the mountain man was up and made me coffee to go with the toast, corn flakes, fruit and granola. 

I had a slight problem in that I was low on cash. I hadn't seen an ATM in a few days. But Anthony said he was going into town about 10 km down the valley and we headed off in his old 4 wheel drive small European SUV. His English was very good.

He talked about growing up a little north in a nearby valley and how when younger he was on the ski patrol and would set off avalanches to protect the ski runs with dynamite. He had some books showing how people would make technical climbs up into the high peaks and glaciers and showed me some he had climbed.

And this one that he was going to climb this fall.

He told me about meeting his wife from Belgium who had been a ski instructor and how he stopped the party life to run the jete. 

...... a man who loved his work...

He had shown me a small parallel road down the valley 

This water was ice cold ......

....... and I had a great morning ride down and into Briacon, an old mid-evil city with a walled castle and moat.

....... and a most incredible old bridge built by Louis XV around 1720.

After that I had a big (about 600 meter) climb to a ski resort town and ......

.... goodby to France ....

........ hello to Italy.....

I found a nice little hotel and had a fabulous dinner. Things I has really missed since Spain ..... olive oil, tomatoes and tomato sauce, and pasta al-dente not mushy over cooked noodles like in France.

More on Italy tomorrow 

Bon journo .... Ariva derchi