Hotel Roc del Castell Canillo

... having a beer and watching a man try to dig his van out of the snow. To my knowledge his van is to this moment where it was when I left the bar.

I just wanted to take this opportunity to post some pictures of Canillo when it's snowy and the sun comes out. Don't have too many, but figured it was worth a post.

... top of the first mountain, he took a little nap while the bus waited for whoever might want to get on before the departure time. As we praddled along towards Canillo I mused about our heroic bus driver, and what he might be like. I supposed his salsa music puts him in the zone in the same was as listening to “Highway to the Danger Zone” made the guys from Top Gun fly well. Maybe when he got done with his route there were women in bikinis with ...

Le plan original était d'aller à Cahors visiter un vignoble, mais puisque l'on n'a pas de voiture (considérant que les vignes sont dans des champs et non au centre ville) on n'a pas pu y aller. J'ai trouvé sur internet qu'il y avait plusieurs grotte dans le sud donc on en a choisi une pas trop trop loin et on a acheté nos billet de train.

Tarascon sur Ariege est à environ 1h15 de toulouse donc ca se fait quand meme bien. C'est un ...

... What it does mean, we're not quite sure of yet. Still dealing with the shock and going over a few different options. All while kicking myself for not realizing this sooner. Only one thing is for certain - I'm not going to let this spoil our trip, and we're going to have to get cycling! (o.k., two things).

... vegetable. Being pig farmers, we had to take 2 porkers to the abatoir to fulfill an order.

Unlike catching the wiener, there was a very different technique used to get these guys into the trailer. Since it didn’t matter which pigs went there was no need to chase a particular one. So instead the pig’s favourite thing was used: food. At lunchtime, Justin began to lure the group up out of their park and into the trailer with ...

A gory day full of raw meat, but surprisingly it didn’t bother me. Some issues that have arisen when discussing the idea of setting up our own small holding with the attempt to be as self-sufficient as possible was whether or not we could deal with it. So far it doesn’t seem to be a problem.

We’ve stayed a few extra days at this farm with the anticipation of butchering day. Took 2 pigs to the abattoir ...

... the time to see the final goal. Then the sweet feeling of triumph when you’re actually there!

Now it’s time to relax, but one of the most difficult parts is still to come: the descent. This is a relaxing ‘walk’ down the rock face while to seat yourself into the harness low enough that your legs are at 90 degree angles to the rock. Your weight born by the belayer below you slowly step your way down more keeping ...

... between France, Spain and Andorra with 3000m peaks rising up all around. Up past charming little villages where all the little homes are made of stone stacked upon one another with only the slate rooves peeking through.

We drove the truck as far up the road as possible, and then even a little farther than we should have. Feels like complete mountain wilderness, but there are ...

... we paused to look at some other markings that had been left: a series of lines and dots. Perhaps a primitive form of communication, these too have been found in many caves throughout the area. Unfortunately, they have yet to be deciphered, so as yet we do not know what they were saying with this writing and other images.

But also on the walls are some writings that are clearly distinguishable to the modern eye. A more recent addition ...

... taking us over the border questioning us if we are carrying drugs. No I wasn't, obviously. It takes us a further 5 rides to make the 100km to Perpignan, and the final of which was 80km, il leave the rest unsaid. It was a long and slow journey. But at least we made it. The two guys were unable to make it so took the last 100km by train, which did mean I got to visit 'the centre of the universe' as the train station claimed. Now I have seen everything.