John's Raid Pyrenees Adventure

Best laid plans and all-- the day started witih one of our members, Tom, feeling sick-ish, and thinking he might have COVID, despite a negative test. This after Paul left yesterday to fly home early after testing positive two days ago. By the end of our cycling day Murray, my roommate of the previous 7 days, tested positive, as did Tom. Isolation, possible return itineraries for the two of them, tests for everyone else-- no other positives, including me. Clean living, perhaps, and only 17 days post-vax, perhaps. But the way this virus works, no one is ever completely not at risk. The rest of us are watching for scratchy throats or other telltale symptoms. Of course we feel badly for our three fallen comrades. I admit to a bit of relief that it wasn't me, and hope and pray I stay healthy.  A modest upside is since Murray was immediately assigned a separate hotel room, I have a lovely, lovely room to myself overlooking the town of Ax Les Thermes, and its hot springs. ...

First a word about Échappée, the name of our cycling tour company. Their name translates from the French as "escape," of which I can think of a few applications: as of or pertaining to a holiday, or any getaway from the routine; or "an escape in cycling is when a small group of riders breaks away from the main group of riders to gain an advantage. . . . Escapes can be planned or spontaneous, and often involve a mix of experienced and inexperienced riders." I like the first and last meanings best, because this is a holiday that's an escape from most elements of life as I know it back home; and the last meaning, because it exactly describes our group. For some of us the decision to sign on to the Raid was spontaneous, others a long deliberation, and we are a mix of varying cycling experience. Échappée! I've been thinking during this trip of a big downside to a cycling tour: we just haven't had time to explore the ville and countryside that w...