What a lovely Pyrenees

Well, this may not be a journey in the classic sense - but here is a photo essay from the recent Haute Route Pyrenees, a weeklong cycle sportive challenge of the most dastardly doing.

It's only really now, when I get to posting pics that my long and infrequent relationship with these great mountains comes back to tug at the heart strings. It was some distant 30 years or so that i first raced over these steep sided beasts, and since then I've had many an emotional encounter with their slopes - often along with several great friends - many of whom are no longer with us.

This time around i was behind the camera, with little time to dwell and muse on past escapades - hope you enjoy the images from the week.