BIKE CAMP BY ORBEA

Day 1

It’s the first day. Campers from all over the world start to make their way into the campsite. Some have travelled a few hours from home, others have flown from across the Atlantic. But all have one thing in common: mountain biking. We get ourselves situated and introduce ourselves. After a brief tour of the facilities we play games in English and explore the campsite before dinner. A bowl of galets soup is the perfect way to warm up and prepare ourselves for tonight’s games.

Day 2

We have breakfast and get our mountain bikes ready. It’s necessary to inflate the tires, check the brakes, adjust the seat… and all of this in English! We learn our first new words with the British counselors, specialized in BTT. Afterwards we get on our bikes and follow the trail towards Pollineres and Els Estanys de la Pera. The slope on the GR-11 is amazing! In the afternoon, Community Service. In Arànser they need help with the henhouse and at the campsite there are other tasks to be completed. But the day doesn’t end here. After dinner, tonight’s game will transform us into sneaky smugglers. Will we be able to carry all of the supplies to the other side of the river without getting caught by the police?

Day 3

Ready, steady, go! We have breakfast at the camp under the warm sun surrounded by pine trees. There is a wide variety of choices: cereal, cold cuts (turkey, ham…), jam, juice, chocolate, bread, milk… Today one of the best adventures awaits us: we ride tol Refugi Prat Miró and follow the trail until the Refugi of Coll Midós. From there we continue on to Andorra, passing by the Roc de la Barbera and the Serra de les Pinyes. There we will have lunch and recharge our batteries. After lunch we split into pairs to find the Bunkers de Cal Ramonet, following the clues on our map. It’s been a long day, but fortunately it’s all downhill back to camp.

Day 4

Today all the camps are leaving together from Arànser. We hop on our bikes, the others walking or on horseback. We pedal towards Prat Miró and climb up to Puig Punçó (2.495 m). Afterwards, we make our way to the foothills of the Monturull. We climb Monturull and Perafita then head back to the camp, passing by la Bassa de Comabella. In the evening… the camp is transformed into an outdoor cinema! Hopefully we can finish the movie before we fall asleep.

Day 5

Today we start with a Mechanic’s Workshop where we learn techniques to solve mechanical problems with our bikes. The torrent helps us identify any punctures in the tires. We have lunch at the campsite with all of the groups. In the afternoon the fun starts up again: ping pong, badminton, football/soccer, basketball, frisbee… Afterwards we hop back onto our bikes loaded with shovels and rakes to work on the trail we are making at the camp.

Day 6

Today is our last full day of our journey. We prepare our backpacks with snacks and water. Our destination is el Parc dels Búnquers de Martinet. At the top, we will have a picnic surrounded by amazing views. The ride down to the Segre river is long, and our arms might get a little sore after the 1.000 metre descent. It’s a tough trip, but flying down the mountain makes it all worth it. In the evening hamburgers fuel us up. Perfect for our final night time activity: a dance party filled with music and lights. Let’s dance!

Day 7

It’s been a fun week, but all things must come to a close. After having breakfast we pack our bags and clean everything up. The last activity is orienteering, as we make our way to Prats de Rabadà and Prat Miró. We already know the area, so it’s a race to see who can reach the checkpoints as quickly as possible. At midday the families start to arrive. These are the last moments to exchange phone numbers, hugs, and buy shirts. We’ll see each other next summer. Or maybe in the winter?