Ripoll to Berga

September 18, 2022

It's a bluebird day in the mountains. After yogurt, granola and oranges in our hotel room, we planned to have coffees 12km uphill on the GI-401 at Gombren. The first part was somewhat busy with cars and motorcycles but they soon were gone and we shared the tranquil route with road cyclists. As we spun upwards we passed through meadows with cow bells ringing and hamlets with country churches.

After cafe con leches at Gombren, we still had 8km to reach the Col de Merolla. It was slow going, in fact it took us almost 2.5 hours for the total 20km uphill but the views made it worthwhile. The granite peaks of the Pyrenees had finally appeared, we had endless vistas into the valleys below, blue sky and sunshine. It was all we could have hoped for when planning this trip. We donned our jackets for the thrilling, swoop off the col. Car-free and windless, coasting 20km down butter-smooth pavement into Guardiola de Bergueda intending on finding a good restaurant for an extended Sunday lunch. Our first choice, to our disappointment, was fully reserved, so we circled back to the taverna on the Main Street and joined a group of cyclists and two large family groups for a more modest meal. We went for the plata del dias, which didn't quite measure up to yesterday's in Ripoll, but the shortcomings on the food were made up for by the half litres of both colours of wine included with our meal (no we didn't drink it all!)

Strong coffee and dessert prepared us for the C16 with a wide shoulder but busy with cars heading back to the city. After 12km of white-knuckle riding we were about to enter a 925m long tunnel when we saw an exit and escaped to take the longer (uphill) but definitely more scenic and car-free route the last stretch into Berga. The city sits at the the foot of the great rock formations of the Serra de Querait and so the last 5km were a 150m drop off the ridge to arrive at our hotel. The descent was fabulous but we know what that means, we have a difficult climb out of here tomorrow. Oh, the joys of cycling in the mountains, can't wait!

Uphill and views of ever higher mountains

Pont Vell (the old bridge) in Pobla de Lillet

Pantalon de la Baells, the reservoir just outside Berga water level looks low but this is the end of summer

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Today's ride: 62 km (39 miles)
Total: 416 km (258 miles)

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