Mostly Bikes ⨯ Me

El Mont.

2/3/2026

Look out from the top of Rocacorba. Find the tallest mountain without snow on it. That’s El Mont, and it’s a great climb. Unlike Rocacorba, the road is smooth, dry, and almost completely free of traffic on a sunny, 60F, February morning. Of course it wasn’t 60F at the top. It was 40F with a strong wind. I snapped some photos and layered up for the descent. Within a mile I had an ice cream headache from the cold. It didn’t last long, and after some tight switchbacks down the mountain it was a warm tailwind back to Banyoles.

Volcanos

2/1/2026

A few loops up through the Parc Natural de la Zona Volcànica de la Garrotxa and down into Santa Pau for lunch.

Perpignan to Girona

1/28/2026

We rolled out of Perpignan early. I’ve done this transit before in the other direction, but overnighted in Ceret because I had plenty of time. But with all the moisture the Pyrenees have been getting, the Ceret route wasn’t feasible, the pass is likely snowed in. Instead we pointed toward the Col de Banyuls. Woof. The sustained 20%+ grades were leg breakers, but the decent on the other side was sorta worth it. We’ll be into Girona plenty early. Near the bottom of the descent, the road was a bit flooded, but passable. The next road, not so much, but a few kilometer detour sufficed. As we approached Figueres: a major construction project on the only road under an elevated train line on one side, and a river on the other. The detour would be long. Really long. Hike-a-bike got us where we needed to be, but set us back half an hour. We rolled into Girona just as the light faded. We’re only here for a couple of days to do some eating, then we’re headed to Banyoles for a bit longer. After that we’ll see where the weather goes. We’d like to ride home.

Fire Danger: Low. Very low.

1/26/2026

It’s been damp in le Comtat lately. By lunch, the morning had fog lifted and the sun shown in a blue sky. From Le Barroux, through La Roque Alric, up to Suzette and into Bedoin two cars passed me. Bedoin was busy compared to elsewhere, but as much of the economy revolves around acting as a basecamp for cyclists riding Ventoux, most of its businesses are closed in winter. The next village up the road, perched high on a hill, is Crillon-le-Brave. There’s never much going on there, but it’s extra sleepy this time of year. I stopped for a few minutes to bask in the dipping sun, one lone worker repairing bricks on the square. There’s a steep road out of town that makes a beeline for Caromb, where everything stays open year round

Preview image for Fire Danger: Low. Very low.

Mistletoe, Lavender

1/20/2026

Rode up through the Gorges de la Nesque with a plan to grab lunch in the tiny commune of Monieux. Alas the cafe was shut, despite having been recommended by Federation Française de Cyclotourisme in 1996. As Monieux has no other eating establishments it was onto Sault for kebab and fries. The south side of the gorge, returning from Sault, is all evergreens, lavender and the occasional mistletoe clinging to seasonally appropriate bare branches.