With a couple terminal cases of Tourmalegs, a muted countryside spin was definitely in high demand. Fortunately, the fourth day of riding featured a relatively low intensity cruise down the valley and a Category 3 climb up to Cauterets, one of no less than 400 quaint villages dotting the Pyrenean slopes. Hardly a crushing day.
That is, at least, for us. Halfway up to Cauterets, we arrived at HC Tours' well-equipped tent -- e.g. television, multi-course picnic, lounge chairs -- to watch a plucky group of largely unknown amateurs struggle through a small portion of what we tackled yesterday. So possessed were they by the task that none of the 200 participants seemed willing to stop to help any of the 55.7 million stranded campers dotted along the route. Several of the needy people even gave chase up the hillside with flags, presumably to give some indication of their native tongue. Truly bizarre.
France Tour: Expeditionz, I think it was called.
Really though, those guys are stupidly, offensively fast. Even the Gruppetto sprint-stage fatties make our lot seem absolutely glacial by comparison. And though the day largely lacked fireworks -- owned in no small part to Team SKY's clever strategy of Watts + Cadence = A Slow but Certain Death March to Froomdom -- it was very cool to participate in the regalia and pageantry, including no less than 30 minutes of speeding parade floats barfing out all manner of useless trinkets manufactured by companies and brands most Americans would not recognize (Brumplent Sweets Co. - We Make Tires! Unless We Don't.)
Needless to say, seeing the beasts themselves blow past mere feet away was a very cool and humbling experience.
Speaking of which: Bed time. Long ride with tough climbs tomorrow, and we're looking at temps in the 90s. Thanks again to all of you!