DAY ONE
Once their kit had been approved by the organisers it was time to get some rest before the start the following day. All 43 participants were ready to go for the 7am start in Les, on the border with France at around 600m altitude. Because of a forecast of rain, the route was changed to circumvent the first climb, which would have risen to 2,000m altitude, as the organisers feared there might be snow. David and Berna remembered that the day started out gloomy and foggy and that there was rain forecast throughout the day. Because of the predicted weather, they reserved a hostel at km180 so they knew they would have shelter for the night.
However, after a few hours of riding, the fog dispersed and they found themselves riding in bright sunshine - perfect conditions. As a result, at 9pm, when they reached 180km and the hostel they decided not to stop for the night and instead keep riding to the next town, Organyà, at 240km. By their predictions, this would take around two more hours, but in the first of a series of lessons on that day they discovered that there was a lot more elevation than they realised and it instead took them 3 hours.
When they finally arrived in Organyà it was midnight, and their thoughts turned immediately to food. In search of dinner they went into the only open bar but were told that the kitchen was closed. As they describe it, however, upon seeing their hungry, disappointed faces the owner made them something to eat anyway as an exception. Fed and watered, with 240km and 6,480m under their belts, David had the audacity to ask if they should continue riding, to which Berna promptly said “no”.
The next immediate need was to find a place to sleep. After much searching around with the help of the friendly bar owner, who even offered to let them sleep in his van, they realised that their best option was to set up their bivvies in the door of a bank, and so it was there they slept.
Day One Stats: 241km 6,480m 17h
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