Monthly Archives: June 2009

Searching for the climb to Collfred

  By MJCT | June 28, 2009 - 6:28 am | Luxury Cycling Tours
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It could be the next “testing” climb for Girona based Pros said George.  Last week I ran into Professional Cyclists,  George Hincapie and Jason McCartney and described a climb that I have been wanting to do for years.  

Yes years!  There is so much to discover… and climbing to Collfred has been on the list of  “to dos” for  a long time.

However the whereabouts to this climb are yet to be discovered.  The road does not show up on any map.  (like a lot of roads around here)  Google Earth is of little help… check for yourself .

BUT: I am determined to climb to Collfred this year.

Looking for Collfred

Looking for Collfred

I sent one of our Jemison Cycling Tours newbie guides to locate the climb but he returned defeated… as far as he is concerned its not there…..  BUT,  I know I will find it….

Here is a description of the location and my loose interpretation:

Para acceder a esta subida podemos hacerlo desde la carretera que une Olot  con Vic. Una vez hayamos  salido de Olot, debemos tomar un desvío hacia El Mallol-St. Privat d´En Bas. En  esta carretera , y pasado El Mallol,  poco antes de llegar al núcleo de St. Privat un desvío a mano derecha dirección a Vidrá marcará el inicio de la ascensión (justo al lado del campo de fútbol).

 

( I understand the start of the climb to be out of St. Privat d’En Bas towards Vidra. St. Privat is about 12kms West of Olot and just west of El Mallol  (MartyJemison.com)  )

 If  “you”  find this climb before I do….please let me know where it is and how you liked it.

Marty Jemison

Les Cols – We ordered the 16 course gastronomic menu

  By MJCT | June 28, 2009 - 4:11 am | Luxury Cycling Tours
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Les Cols

Les Cols

Les Cols in Olot, Spain

The restaurant is about a 45 minute drive from Girona and towards the Pyreneese mountains.  Olot lies at the base of  several extinct volcanos and is a vibrant mountain town.  Our meal was excellent and lasted 5 hours!

Great wines Dofi & Artadi

Great wines Dofi & Artadi

The entire kitchen is made up of stainless steel and glass. The refrigerator and food storage are all behind hidden doors.

Stainless steel glass and hidden doors

Stainless steel glass and hidden doors

To see more pictures of Les Cols visit our “gallery” on www.martyjemison.com/gallery.   Try to identify the picture that looks like a white hallway…. Looking closely you see seams in the walls which when pushed reveal the unisex toilets.  We all liked the shape of the mens urinals and hidden doors.

Below is a picture of Magret de Canard.  This was on of 16 courses that we had from the gastronomic tasting menu

Magret de Canard - One of 16 courses
Magret de Canard – One of 16 courses

This write-up in the NY Times Travel is a good introduction to the restaurant.   http://travel.nytimes.com/2006/07/16/travel/16check.html

Jemison Cycling

Cadaques to Olot in over 100 kms

  By MJCT | June 24, 2009 - 2:28 pm | Luxury Cycling Tours
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Today Jemison Cycling Tours rode from Cadaques to Olot.  Riding through San Pere Pescadore to Banyoles for lunch.  Banyoles is known for the 1992 Olympic rowing events and the lake there is fed by natural springs.  

 Along the way we stopped for water, coke, aquarius, fruit and took a picture of this:

Look closely in the center of the picture

Look closely in the center of the picture

At lunch,  possibly  because of some inspiration from earlier in the day;   this arrived at our table:

"Conill" in Catalan, "Conejo" in Spanish, "Lapin" in French and "Rabbit" in English

"Conill" in Catalan, "Conejo" in Spanish, "Lapin" in French and "Rabbit" in English

Fine dining beats riding food today…  After lunch and some Cafe amb llet we were ready to finsh the ride to Olot. 

 

Today we started to taste some of the local foods but tomorrow night will be a highlight in terms of gastronomy.  We have reservations and will be eating at Les Colls  (http://www.lescols.com/).

The New York Times Travel wrote an excellent piece which can be read here: http://travel.nytimes.com/2006/07/16/travel/16check.html.  

We are hoping for a great evening!

 

Jemison Cycling Tours

PS  Think about it… you could eat at El Bulli (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Bulli) (Restaurant has judged El Bulli the best restaurant in the world a record five times) then ride your bike from Cadaques to Olot for another haut cuisine meal.

Girona to Cadaques in less than 100 kms

  By MJCT | June 23, 2009 - 3:00 pm | Luxury Cycling Tours
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Today we (MJCT) rode from Girona to Cadaques.   Marc was puzzled and and asked “how are we going to get there”,? for he had been looking at maps. Once out on the road (yes;  paved) he commented that the government must not pay for these roads because they are not on the GPS. 

Cycling to Cadaques

Cycling to Cadaques

I smiled to myself, knowing that these roads did not live on any printed maps,  GPS or  mapping software.  These were roads that had to be discovered!  Myself and other Professional riders have logged hundreds of thousands of miles around Girona and have found countless roads that do not exist on maps. 

These “connector” roads have been paved by private monies (farmers for example) that often cross private lands.  These roads were mostly dirt even 10 years ago but provide perfect cycling and connecting us to country roads that are well maitained by the Catalan government.

Cadaques in June

Cadaques in June

Our ride to Cadaques or the summer home of Salvadore Dali was around 90kms which included a bit of exploring around Empuriabrava. 

Empuribrava is a village that lies on the Gulf of Roses.  It is a resort community where all of the residents have boat docks and access into the Mediterranean.  A very interesting concept….

Catalan fishing boats

Catalan fishing boats

Tomorrow we are riding from Cadaques to Olot….. and yes we will be riding on beautiful rural roads including sections that do not exist on any may, GPS or mapping software.

Jemison Cycling

Cre-Pe-rie Bre-tonne – Girona, Spain

  By MJCT | June 20, 2009 - 9:29 am | Luxury Cycling Tours
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The Cre-Pe-rie Bre-tonne opened in 1997

Cre-Pe-rie Bre-tonne

Cre-Pe-rie Bre-tonne

I was in Girona for the opening of the Creperie Bretonne and was one of their first patrons.  I would bet that over the years more cyclist have eaten at the Creperie than any other eaterie in town.   The salads and creps are freash and delicious.  The creperie continues to be one of the first places that we will eat at each year.

The "kitchen" where your creps are made

The "kitchen" where your creps are made

The gastronomic finds in Girona seem endless and pleasing to the palatte.  Yet another reason to visit and spend time here.

Decor in the Creperie

Decor in the Creperie

 

Marty Jemison Cycling

New Vans for Marty Jemison Cycling Tours

  By MJCT | June 18, 2009 - 11:57 am | Luxury Cycling Tours
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Actually, Jemison Cycling Tours gets a new fleet of vans every year.  We like the new car smell, the new tires, shiny paint and we think our guests appreicate it.  

After a long day on the bike we want to get into a clean and organized van if we are not able to ride directly to the hotel….

Parking:

Finding covered parking in our European base; Girona, is not easy for  9 passenger vans with bike racks !!!

Renault Trafic 9-passenger bike tour van

Renault Trafic 9-passenger bike tour van

Check out these links showing a new van being parked:  (its about the only “tall” covered parking available…)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wjw2ZWUEtM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40GNXsYsQiY

 

Marty Jemison Cycling

Faema

  By MJCT | June 14, 2009 - 7:08 pm | Luxury Cycling Tours
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Eddie Merckx rode for Faema.  But what is Faema?   ??

Faema

Faema

I rode from Girona to Cadaques today and came across a flea market near Roses.   I found this coffee grinder:

Faema Coffee Grinder

Faema Coffee Grinder

 

See... its a Faema Coffee Grinder
See… its a Faema Coffee Grinder

But this is what interested me most today:  found in Girona

65cc Moto Guzzi

65cc Moto Guzzi

Why?

Great for motor pacing....No?

Great for motor pacing....No?

The things we find on a cycling tour….

Marty Jemison Cycling

Wind out of my Sails

  By MJCT | June 14, 2009 - 5:56 pm | Luxury Cycling Tours
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Until someone handed me Johan Bruyneel’s book  “We might as well win”  ( found at: Johan Bruyneel)

I was never really given a reason as to why I was left off of the 1999 Tour de France Team.

Tonight I came across this youtube video where Johan comments about the situation.

Its been a decade….and has taken that long to heal a deep wound…. but the team won and I congratulate them.

Watch this:   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-M2kbILn8Sc


Marty


Jet-Lag and the Canon G10

  By MJCT | June 12, 2009 - 4:01 pm | Luxury Cycling Tours
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Today MJCT had to go and visit a ‘possible’  new hotel for a private trip that we will be doing.   It was an excellent opportunity to blow out the legs and the toxins from flying.   After almost 3 hours in the big-ring the toxins were gone and we had snapped a few pictures along the way.

Orriols
Orriols

We liked this wall in the center of Orriols, especially the ”eyes” starring at you.

"Eyes"
“Eyes”

Below is a Press that had Circa 1880 stamped into it.  

Circa 1880
Circa 1880
Manolo Valdes on Pont de Pedra - Girona, Spain
Manolo Valdes on Pont de Pedra – Girona, Spain

Upon returning to Girona we found this on the famous Pont de Pedra.   Girona is known for its art and architecture so to see the famous bronze of Manolo Valdes is no suprise.  The picture above is only one of a dozen large bronze sculptures currently being displayed.

You can click here to see more from a well respected photographer in Girona: http://www.pedresdegirona.com/valdes_0.htm

When Marty rode for US Postal,  Pont de Pedra was one of our morning meeting points for rides.  It continues to be a Girona-meeting spot…. unless a designated coffee shop has been arranged.

We hope that the Canon G10 delivers quality pictures for our upcomming  tours.   If you have not been to the Marty Jemison Cycling Tours  “gallery”,   check out this link:  http://www.martyjemison.com/gallery.html 

Marty Jemison Cycling

Reynolds Wheels

  By MJCT | June 7, 2009 - 11:59 am | Luxury Cycling Tours
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Last week I made a visit to the Reynolds Wheel factory in Salt Lake City to pick up some wheels.

I think those are my new "Attacks" being built

I think those are my new "Attacks" being built

I have been riding the DV46′s for nearly two years and I love them.    I am now going to test out the “attacks”  which are a bit shallower.  Atthough I have no problems in the wind with the 46′s  I may be able to take my hands off the bars a bit more with the Attacks.   Later I will post the differences I find after thoroughly test ride them.

My Reynolds wheels are my everyday wheels.  I train on them in all conditions and for those who know me well, know that just about anywhere a mountain bike can go… I may go.   I dig the looks on people’s faces when we pass them on road bikes…. as if only mountain bikes belong on dirt.

I want to thank this guy for building some of the best wheels I have ever ridden.

I want to thank this guy for building some of the best wheels I have ever ridden.

Marty Jemison Cycling