Pic du Midi - Luz Saint Sauveur

After reaching the summit of Tourmalet (see my story on its page) I ventured along a dust covered rough track off to the left of the souvenir shop. The guy taking money from cars heading here too, waved me by smiling, I was soon to see why!!! WHAT A ROAD!!! Rough, bumby and very very dusty especially as a car bumbles past. I soon took my bandana off and wrapped around my nose and mouth like a cattle rustler from a western to prevent being smothered by the dust!! The road IS very steep and the hairpins extremely hairy. Vertigo sufferers TAKE NOTE!!! The views are awesome and the Lac Bleu shimmers way below to your left. Soon you pass a sign of the Col de Secours (2375M) and the Pic du Midi looms ever larger in front of you with the TV transmitter and Observatory still seemingly miles above!! Eventually you reach a shop, yes a shop at the roads end (Les Lacquets) where Coke was 3 Euro dearer than at the Tourmalet!! The ascent had been hairy and long and Id used my 34*26 a lot but beware of wheel spin on the rough ground!!! To get to Observatory you have to walk up a very steep path, I did it with my bike over my shoulder and a pair of Sidi shoes!!! Very thin air now made this a terrific effort but was well worth it when you reach the viewing platform ay 2977M!!!! WHAT A VIEW!!! Again enjoyed peoples faces as they saw a bicycle sitting on top of the world with NO road!! The descent back towards Tourmalet was not nice and my hands were sore pulling hard on the levers and every bumby hairpin which if missed led to oblivion 100s of metres below, seriously if I ever get here again Im WALKING them!!!!! So, I managed to return to the Tourmalet summit (2115M) and the guy collecting the monies looked at me with that knowing smile!!! No wonder bikes go free!!