Current inventory for my bike ride through the Pyrenees, riding from Collioure, France to San Sebastián, Spain. I leave Sunday:)

Ready for the Pyrenees. I'll be riding over the Port de Bales next week, same HC mountain le Tour is climbing as I write this, so excited! super pumped to test out my new bike-packing gear, replacing my rear rack and panniers with a more streamlined setup.

Flashback to that time I rode my bike through the French Alps from Geneva to Menton - trip of a lifetime. tomorrow we depart from Collioure France to ride our bikes the entire length of the Pyrenees mountains all the way to San Sebastian Spain. So excited, the timing could not be better to mark the beginning of a new chapter in my life. so grateful for the love and support of my family and friends and community. I am a fortunate man.

Day 1 - Collioure to Céret. easy day to warm the legs up and work out some jet lag. #paradise - up into the #pyrenees tomorrow...

#Catalan country, morning cafe and paper... I love France. #grateful

heading up, up, up... #pyrenees 9% steady... #ifeelgood

up the Col de la Descargues, amazing, steady 9-10% for hours, didn't see another cyclist all day... beautiful, hot, challenging.

paved road turned into this unplanned rocky dirt road decent, had to roll at 5-7mph riding the brakes for miles. brutal. not a true adventure until you go off the map and into the unknown...;) .

Parc Naturel des Pyrenees Catalanes in the distance, we tackle these mountains tomorrow...;) for now, eat and rest!

Stew at the start of the descent down the backside of the Port de Pailheres, our first HC climb of the trip - tackled after lunch in Artigues. punishing ascent followed by an incredible descent, freshly paved road at 45mph dodging cows and horses in the road! 8 hours of riding today - three major cols - grueling, spectacular, inspiring, and wicked fun - we all agree it was an all-time greatest day of riding ever.

partway up the Port de Pailheres, amazing climb. a-ma-zing. the view at the top was worth the effort, as was the descent, trés vite!

rollout from Ax le Thermes... 'the town of no love' as Stew dubbed it - grumpy front desk lady, flies in the room, and terrible breakfast - but, life is all about contrast and this town would make our next destination shine even brighter - the gem Massat, but first the Col de Port:)

up up and away - the road out of Ax le Thermes was straight up, not a named Col, but it would be in the states:) Stew and Britt enjoying the view.

hard to not love these intimate streets in little Pyrenees towns... :)

yeah, staying in a castle tonight. after seven hours cycling in the cold rain, we figured we'd treat ourselves to some deluxe accommodations (plus, it's all we could find in St Beat) - hot shower, hot bath, nap, dinner, bed.

you can see Stew's bright orange helmet as we head up the unanticipated final climb of the day, Col d'Ares

soaking wet all day, but well worth the satisfaction that comes from this sort of epic adventure...halfway to San Sebastián through the French Pyrenees on my bike with two good friends...

at the top of the Col de Tourmalet - epic climb out of the clouds. looks like a fast descent towards Col du Soulor and Col d'Abisque, biggest day of our trip - two HC's, and a Cat 2...;)

Stewskie headed up Col du Tourmalet, busting out of the clouds for some epic views...

top of the Col du Tourmalet, epic ride out of the clouds, amazing view. nothing like climbing an HC for breakfast...

our final destination tonight, Luron, incredible. HUGE day, two HC's and a Cat 2 - Col du Tourmalet, Col du Soulor and then Col d'Aubisque... whew. surprise hot tub awaiting for us in a hidden Gite, lotta love in this town... eat sleep and then two more days till San Sebastián.

at the top of Col d'Aubisque, surreal climb through dense fog along what has been called one of the most beautiful landscapes in the world - we pretty just saw shades of gray...:)