Horquettes d'Ancizan ride

I really was tiring by now, and had sealed the bike away in the van. But after a magnificent lunch and coffee I began to think I might have one more col in me. Imprudent, perhaps, but at least I sensibly chose the easiest option - the Horquettes d'Ancizan from the Payolle side, which I felt would be the kind of tranquil and relatively gentle climb I could handle in my compromised state. The Horquettes essentially runs parallel to the Aspin and is a more recent addition to the Tour but I had loved my visits to the meadows of Payolle and my night on the Col d'Aspin so thought a revisit would make a great coda to the trip. So I drove over and started up through the meadows of Payolle. As it was mid-afternoon, it was now very hot and the sweat poured off me as the road kicked up through beautiful woodland. Above the woods, the sun beat down and I had to stop briefly - even on relatively gentle slopes. Above, a hairpin looked steep. As it happened, it got easier above the hairpin and I had something of a second wind. Then came a short but welcome descent to the upper pastures with fabulous views up to the Pic de Montfaucon. Ultra tranquil riding remained, steepish in places but generally steady up to the Horquette itself (apparently a local name for 'col'). Nice views down to the valleys on both sides, and up to the gentle hill I planned to do tomorrow morning (Plo del Naou). A relaxed and comfortable descent down to a rather muddy and shallow river bath before heading back up to the Col d'Aspin, where I coincidentally found myself parked right next to Sian and Dafydd Roberts from Coed y Brenin.