Warm-up day

We had decided that after all the travel, we should have a warm-up day so that everyone could work the aches and pains from the travel out of their systems before we started the ride proper. This would also have given us a spare day should there have been any unexpected problems.
The day started with a mix of blue sky and cloud. Breakfast was consumed with enthusiasm whilst we discussed possible routes for the day. We needed something not too tough but still a bit testing, and decided on a route heading towards Espelette - famous for its peppers (which are ripe around now). We set off on the N10 straight into a long moderate climb. It being a Sunday the traffic was light, so we reached St Jean-de-Luz without incident. This is a picturesque town (it was too dark to tell when Jeremy had been here the day before) and there were plenty of food shops open for us to stock up on banannas and nectarines. We set out following the Nivelle river with views across to the mountain that is considered one of the first proper Pyrenees, 'La Rhune'. This mountain dominated our horizon for most of the day, and is marked by a radio mast and building at the top - there's something a bit 'James Bond' about it ...
Turning off at Ascain (to look for a Roman bridge that we didn't find) we changed our minds about the route and decided to go over the Col de St Ignace (169 m) to Sare. Although a tidler of a climb by Pyrennean standards, it was nice to get a taste of Col climbing. From the Col there is a rack-and-pinion railway up to the top of La Rhune. The descent to Sare was fine and brought us quickly in to Sare. Here we were greeted by a fete (apparently part of a 3 day festival). A band of pipers (playing shrill oboe-like instruments) and drummers were accompanying a set of huge mannequins dressed as a King, Queen and various other characters up the hill into the village. The mannequins consisted of a wooden frame, upon which was perched a papier mache head and adorned with the cloth representing the clothess. Inside the frame of this heavy 10-12ft mannequin a poor soul carried the whole mannequin, even more remarkable beacuse they spun them around reguarly. In the crowded centre of the village a game of pelota was also being played, all part of the carnival atmosphere, and further drummers and pipers played accompanied by a conductor with a mace.
As the village was so full, there was no chance of a quiet lunch, so we headed on a bit looking for a good place for a picnic. As is so often the case on cycling trips, we failed, ending up in a bus-shelter. We then headed back past Sare towards the Col de Lizuniaga (250 m), finding many picnic spots of great beauty straight away - again, this is typical of cycling trips. The climb was a bit more strenuous than the earlier one, but again quite easy by future standards. A quick stop for a drink (orange juice, honest) at the summit Cafe (now in Spain) we then had a great descent with a really good road, overtaking on the way the slowest motorcyclist in Europe (approx. 10 mph down hill). The village of Bora de Bidasoa was picturesque and deserted (siesta?), but the road out was the roughest so far.
We then headed down the Bidasoa valley. This is a main road and our planned route for Day 1. But we don't like the look of it. There are a lot of road-works going on and even though it is a Sunday, the road is quite busy. It is also narrow, bound by the river on one side and steep valley sides on the other. After arriving back at Hendaye we discuss the options for the route. It will be changed - instead of using this road, we decide to repeat some of todays route (as far as Sare) and then head on over Puerto de Otxondo, at 670 m only 2 m lower than the planned main col of the day, which we will still be crossing. So, we haven't even started and we are already adding more cols ....