Day #26: Vivel del Rio Martin

Text from Dad to Mum:
"Weather bad this morning so decided to stay in the same place. Weather improved. Put the small camera on the bike and went run with no panniers - great.
Love xxx"

Day #25: Vivel del Rio Martin

Da called Mum:
In a small village called Vivel del Rio Martin. Booked into a 3 star hostel (€46.00 for the room). 61km today - 1872km in total. Feeling great - get a numb bum by the last hour of cycling.
Set off this morning with beautiful weather - unusual as I have been soaked every day since Sigournais. The clouds are rolling in now and I can here thunder and see big forks of lightning.
Big cities are a nightmare on the bike - very dangerous.
I intend to be in Pego next Friday and will arrive in Denia about 12 o'clock on the Saturday.

Day #24: Belchite (Rest Day)

A great day. Washed and oiled the bike - visited the birth place of Goya and into Zaragoza. Having a siesta.

Miguel Indurain

After speaking to my Dad yesterday and the way he was still going on about his "Audience with Miguel Indurain", it occured to me that some of the readers of the blog might not appreciate how much of a living legend he is. I have "nicked" a few pictures and facts about him from around the web and stuck them here...


Spain’s Miguel Indurain, born on July 16, 1964, was the dominant Grand Tour rider in the 1990’s with seven victories in the Grand Tours.
He won five consecutive wins (1991 through 1995) in the Tour de France, Indurain being the first to accomplish this feat.

“Big Mig” also won the Giro d’Italia twice, in 1992 and 1993, which gave him the victories in the Tour / Giro during those two years.

Indurain’s strategy for victory was similar to that of Jacques Anquetil. That is, to win the time trials and hold on in the mountains.

Indurain, however, could more than just hold on in the mountains. He was an accomplished climber and could apply pressure in the mountains as well. In addition, he was a force on the flats due to his large frame.

During his peak years, Indurain was the dominant rider in the time trials. He was the first to win the time trial when it was introduced in the Olympics in 1996.
Indurain also won the World Championship Time Trial in 1995.

Though Indurain didn’t win any of cycling’s five monuments, he did win the San Sebastian Classic, one of cycling’s major classics.

Indurain never won a World Championship Road Race, but he came close on three occasions.

In the 1993 World Championship Road Race, Indurain was 2nd behind 21 year-old Lance Armstrong from the USA, a year in which Indurain won the Tour de France and the Giro d’Italia.

A win in the World Championship Road Race that year would have given Indurain the coveted “Triple Crown”, a feat which has happened only twice: in 1974 by Eddy Merckx and in 1987 by Stephen Roche.

Indurain was also 2nd in the World Championship Road Race in 1995. In that race, he played the perfect team-mate to Abraham Olana, and blocked other riders by sitting in their draft while they were trying to chase down Olano.

That year, the road race was held on a difficult circuit, and Indurain was probably the strongest rider.

Picture courtesy of www.maxciclismo.com The super climber, Marco Pantani from Italy was third which demonstrates how selective the course was that year.

One amazing fact from the race is that Abraham Olano, the winner that year, crossed the line with a flat tire. He had ridden the last kilometre or two (the last mile or so) of the race on a flat.
Indurain was also 3rd in the 1991 World Championship Road Race behind Gianni Bugno of Italy and Steven Rooks of Holland.
In other Grand Tour events, Indurain was 2nd in the 1991 Vuelta a Espana behind Melchor Mauri Prat of Spain.

Indurain was also 3rd in the 1994 Giro d'Italia behind Evgeni Berzin of Russia and Marco Pantani of Italy.

Indurain spent the majority of his racing effort in stage races.

In addition to the CyclingHallofFame.com designated races, he won other major stage races like the Paris–Nice twice; the Daphine Libere twice, and the Tour of Catalonia three times.

Indurain’s reign in the Tour de France came to an end in 1996 when he was defeated rather soundly by Denmark’s Bjarne Riis.

Indurain retired from racing after winning the Olympic Time Trial in 1996.

Day #23: Belchite

Text from Dad to Mum:
"Martin called - great to here from him - 126km, 1811km in total. Rest tomorrow. In Belchite, via Alagon and Zaragoza. Will visit Zaragoza tomorrow. In a room with a bath for 2 nights."

Postcard from Hourtin (Day #16) to Granny

Just back from Granny Meg's where Mo, Ella and myself go for our Wednesday lunchtime visit and I noticed a postcard from Dad.


"I am writing this from a wee bar in Hourtin (near Bordeaux). The weather has not been great but I am progressing fine. The bike is going well and my legs are keeping strong.
See you in June.
ps I'm saying the wee prayer
Love Michael
xxx"

Day #22: Bunuel

Text from Dad to Mum:
"In Bunuel, via Tafally and Tudela. 102km today, which is 1685km in total. I am definitely going to have an easy day tomorrow."

Spot the Difference

Please have a look at the 2 pictures belew and notice the difference in Style (both cycling and fashion) One is dressed for speed and aerodynamic efficiency, the other couldn't care less - in fact the dafter the better!

Michael Brawley (Hamilton, Scotland), Cycling to Work.	Miguel Indurain (Villava, Spain), 5 times winner of the Tour de France

Dad - Update 21 May 2007

I am on a real high: Can you believe I have just been chatting with Miguel Indurain, 5 times Tour de France winner: At his house. I cannot believe it. Javier organised it. Any hastle associated with the filming of this trip has been cancelled out in full. The man is a sporting giant. It is like chatting with Jack Nicholas or Mohammad Alli. He was absolutely relaxed and happy to chat for about 20 minutes. I cannot believe it. I had so many things to say when I got an Internet cafe but they are all forgotten now. He gave me an autograph and said if I send him a copy of the photo Jave took he will sign it and return it to me. Jave also filmed a fair bit of it.

A quick update: I am in Pamplona, but definitely not running with the bulls! My hotel is about 30 Km south of the city but Javier and I came back to see Miguel and I took the opportunity to send this Email.

The last 2 days have been wonderful. I am really glad to be in Spain. It is much more lively than France. Yesterday I climbed a mountain pass 25 km long. Non stop up. Hair pin bends up and up. Thighs burning, ham strings stretched but I made it with reasonable comfort. In fact I passed quite a few cyclists, like me fully loaded. They were just beginning the Camino de Santiago and still had very few miles in their legs. I am ashamed to say I passed one guy who was clearly struggling. He was wobbling about all over the road. As I came alongside of him I chatted away while eating a banana and was inwardly pleased to see that he could hardly get the breath to respond:
Me: "Hola, que tal, hace buen tiempo, ha ha (It was pouring rain), buen camino" at this point I smoothly accelerated away, "Adios, hasta luego". After I got around the next hairpin and out of his sight, I gasped in lungfuls of air, replaced my eyeballs in their sockets, rolled my tongue back into my mouth and slowed back down to my walking pace. Shocking is it not? I probably shattered the poor guy's confidence so much that he'll pack in the Camino.

But listen to this: At the top of the pass (over 1000m) there is a modern church. You will probably remember it Michael. Anyway, after taking some photos at the top with an Italian cyclist I decided to go into the church to say a wee prayer. I was soaked to the skin and getting really cold too. Can you believe the church was closed: Remember, this is Sunday, it is on probably the most famous pilgrim route in the world. There must have been about 15 pilgrims huddled in the doorway trying to shelter from the icy rain. "They probably keep it closed in case people sleep in it" someone said. SO BLOODY WHAT! Can you believe Christ saying: "You are not sheltering in my church. You can all stay out there in the rain: My local Priest, FR Bogan in St Ninian's in Hillhouse keeps the church open all day, every day. You can go in to say a prayer, heaven forbid, you can even go in just to get out of the rain for a peaceful few minutes. Well done Fr Bogan. Incidentally, if the Pope should, by chance read this maybe he'll kick a few backsides. On the way down the other side of the pass I had to shelter from the rain and I was chatting to a Belgian cyclist, also sheltering. He told me that only 6 weeks ago a hiker had been caught in a snow storm and had died here. Maybe if that Church had been open he would have survived.

Anyway, that is my moan out of the way. I am aiming to be in Denia on Saturday, 2 June. So I can have nice lazy days from now on.

Poetry: I worked away at my Lavender poem but couldn't really improve it. But here is a Haiku influenced lavender poem:
"Roses are Red
Violets are blue
Lavender
Is blue
Too"
What do you think of that, Matthew and Tom? Heavily influenced by the old Haiku master, McGonagal, eh!

I'll need to wind up now. When I get to Denia I hope to spend a day Reading the Blog. Martin told me that it has had more than 900 hits (as we say in computing circles). I also hope to be able to send Martin, at least the photo of me and Miguel then too. I am having a great time but I am also missing everyone and I am looking forward to seeing you all.

Adios desde Epana,

Michael XX

Day #21: Barasoain

Text from Dad to Mum:
"A great morning - 2 climbs with long descents. Pamplona was terrible for the bike. In a service station hostel in a town called Barasoain, south of Pamplona (about 20mins by car). 71km today and 1584km in total."

Day #20: Bugete (Spain)

Text from Dad to Mum:
"In Burguete, via St Jean Pied De Port and Roncesvalles. 54km, 1512 in total. Hard climb but glad to be in Spain.
I got a wringing. In a "Casa Rural". About to have a bath. Michael will know this area well.
Love to all
xx"