Carros de Foc (Chariots of Fire). The hike route that links the nine Refuges of the Aigüestortes National Park and Lake Sant Maurici

After the also classic mtb route Pedals de Foc (Pedals of Fire) last year, I did the classic hike route Carros de Foc (Chariots of Fire). This time with my cousin Isabel! that we had the same holidays and desire of fresh mountains!

Before starting, and because of the rain and the forecast of rain, we postpone the starting day of the route a couple of days. At least we don’t want to start all wet! So we do some sightseeing around the Vall d’Aran (Arhan Valley) .

We visited the waterfalls of Saut deth Pish and make a walk to the Monastery of Montgarri following the river Noguera Pallaresa.

In Viehlla two sincere recommendations:

- Hotel Iori, www.iorihotel.com , charming small hotel. (There is also the option of Refuge Iori)

- Woolloomooloo, Carrer Major 8 Vielha, bar-restaurant that you can eat well at a very reasonable price.

Just before going to rent crampons and ice axes we checked at the carrosdefoc.com if the recomendation still stand… and hapily for us they tell us that is no longer nesesary! Ufff, we just save money and weight ... literally weight!
At the organization of Carrosdefoc.com they give the card to seal at the shelters, a route map, walking sticks and a technique hat. So we started Carros de Foc!!!

Pedals de Foc (Pedals of Fire). MTB route around the perimeter of Aigüestortes National Park and Lake Sant Maurici

This September we made the Carros de Foc (Pedals of Fire) in 4 stages , 220km and 6500m of ascent accumulated .
This is the bike version of the famous Carros de Foc (Chariots of Fire)
We have chosen the cheapest option at Pedals de Foc , that include the acomodation, dinners, breakfasts, the transportation of ours bags and the transport to the southern part of the tunnel of Vielha.

So we doing the first night Vielha, we have to be at 8 in the morning at the pick up point of the van that will take us to the southern side of the Vielha tunnel .

Route

Catalonia MTB Tour #Cataloniamtbtour / Catalunya MTB Tour

In 11 Stages 

Catalunya MTB Tour / Catalonia MTB Tour

I wanted to make some MTB trip near home and decide to do one route that I found at the web www.rutabike.com named Transcatalunya (I call it #Voltaacatalunya)

Beside the route of rutabike there is another similar one Transcatalunya of the bike’s centers 

The route follows parts of the Camino de Santiago and covers the four provinces, and some of the most representative and charming landscapes (Tarragona, Prades, Solsona, Ripoll, Olot, Girona, Barcelona and Vilanova i la Geltrú). I re-design the second stage of Prades - Lleida and I ended up doing Prades - Ponts through Ivars i Vila-sana Pond.

Rediscovering Catalonia and Lisbon with Cathy

Versió Catalana - Traducción Automática al Castellano 

On Boxing Day (Sant Esteve) has arrive direcly from Honk Kong my friend Cathy that I met at Hong Kong  and we coincide again at the New Years Eve in Sydney. She wanted to come for hollidays around, and we finally end up visiting a bit of Catalonia and Lisbon.

1st part. Rediscovering the Catalonia I know.... (See 2n part)
Tarragona
Visit the city that you live as a tourist it's okay once in a while, especially if the city has so much history like Tarragona.
The first days of the we visit the Roman ruins of the Roman Praetorium, the Circus, the Amphitheatre, the Roman City Walls , the aqueduct an we also go to tuch iron (Tocar ferro) at the end of the Rambla.

Back Home, back to Tarragona

Whether I arrived to London in 15 minutes in advance, I arrive at Reus airport 45 minutesprematurely! So no one was waiting for me! Jordi and my mother arrives in 5 minutes ... I am at home!

After 528 days around the world I'm back in Tarragona. Here I have my family, friends and many places with many good memories.

The most striking news has been the baby boom has happen in to my closest circle of friends ... It will be hard to remember it cost me all the new names!

It has been great to make this dream I had for the past ten years. I've done in my rhythm, meeting many people along the way, doing a lot of CouchSurfing (which I will continuedoing it when I have my own house) and I knowing myself a little more each day, letting myintuition guide me.