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Cycle 2000 began the pilgrimage in the Jubilee Year. It is was the ninth biennial cycle that IHCPT had organised and two of the participants in Cycle 2000 were cyclists in the original cycle back in 1982: Pat Jordan and John Leahy.

The group of 30 cyclists left Ireland on April 14th ready for the road joining the group of four who had left with the bicycles and travelled from Rosslare to Cherbourg. With the instruction to enjoy the week and to arrive safely the cycle began after the short Ryanair flight to Beauvais on Saturday April 15th.

The journey was to bring the cyclists through the French countryside, south from Paris initially to Rambouillet (75 miles), then Blois (92 miles), on to LeBlanc (80 miles), south to St.Julien (63 miles) and after another 105 miles to Bergerac, Bergerac through to Mont-de-Marsan (104 miles) and after a final cycle of 72 miles arriving in Lourdes on Good Friday, April 21st 2000.

Each day began with breakfast and most cyclists were on the road around 8am. There were four teams working in the back up team: an accommodation team, a maintenance crew, a catering squad and a team who travelled ahead marking the route. The Accommodation Team were responsible for baggage, checking rooms, collecting room keys and planning ahead for the arrival at the destination hotel. The Maintenance Crew were on the road assisting with ‘running repairs’, providing specialised repair at the end of each day (each cyclists was responsible for their own bike and for routine repairs) and also sourcing professional repairs if required. The Catering Squad were responsible for an adequate and varied diet for those on route, preparing the lunch stop and assisting with water and snacks on the longer days. The Route Team were responsible for the morning call, the distribution of maps and assisting cyclists negotiate the final few miles through urban traffic to the destination hotel.

The group of cyclists were greeted at the Lourdes gate by the members of HCPT who were already in Lourdes. Great rejoicing, threats to recycle bicycles through the French ‘poubelle’ system, relief, sadle sore, we could do it all again were amongst the variety of emotions that erupted at St Joseph’s gate.

Saturday 22nd 2000 provided a chance to go skiing – a wonderful antedote to aching mussels. Others spent the day in Lourdes enjoing the life of Lourdes which was awakening after its winter break and was springing into activity as it anticipated the arrival of the HCPT family for their annual pilgrimage.

Saturday night was a night to rejoice: to participate in the Easter Vigil and then a celebratory dinner for all the participants.

Easter Sunday was a morning of goodbyes and hellos. Goodbye to those who were travelling back to Ireland and greetings to those who were arriving on the IHCPT flights for the pilgrimage. It seemed a long time since the group left Ireland to travel south, but time does fly on a bike!

Cycle 2000 - Jubilee Pilgrimage to Lourdes with IHCPT
Cycle 2000 began the pilgrimage in the Jubilee Year. It is was the ninth biennial cycle that IHCPT had organised and two of the participants in Cycle 2000 were cyclists in the original cycle back in 1982: Pat Jordan and John Leahy. The group of 30 cyclists left Ireland on April 14th ready for the road joining the group of four who had left with the bicycles and travelled from Rosslare to Cherbourg. With the instruction to enjoy the week and to arrive safely the cycle began after the short Ryanair flight to Beauvais on Saturday April 15th. The journey was to bring the cyclists through the French countryside, south from Paris initially to Rambouillet (75 miles), then Blois (92 miles), on to LeBlanc (80 miles), south to St.Julien (63 miles) and after another 105 miles to Bergerac, Bergerac through to Mont-de-Marsan (104 miles) and after a final cycle of 72 miles arriving in Lourdes on Good Friday, April 21st 2000. Each day began with breakfast and most cyclists were on the road around 8am. There were four teams working in the back up team: an accommodation team, a maintenance crew, a catering squad and a team who travelled ahead marking the route. The Accommodation Team were responsible for baggage, checking rooms, collecting room keys and planning ahead for the arrival at the destination hotel. The Maintenance Crew were on the road assisting with ‘running repairs’, providing specialised repair at the end of each day (each cyclists was responsible for their own bike and for routine repairs) and also sourcing professional repairs if required. The Catering Squad were responsible for an adequate and varied diet for those on route, preparing the lunch stop and assisting with water and snacks on the longer days. The Route Team were responsible for the morning call, the distribution of maps and assisting cyclists negotiate the final few miles through urban traffic to the destination hotel. The group of cyclists were greeted at the Lourdes gate by the members of HCPT who were already in Lourdes. Great rejoicing, threats to recycle bicycles through the French ‘poubelle’ system, relief, sadle sore, we could do it all again were amongst the variety of emotions that erupted at St Joseph’s gate. Saturday 22nd 2000 provided a chance to go skiing – a wonderful antedote to aching mussels. Others spent the day in Lourdes enjoing the life of Lourdes which was awakening after its winter break and was springing into activity as it anticipated the arrival of the HCPT family for their annual pilgrimage. Saturday night was a night to rejoice: to participate in the Easter Vigil and then a celebratory dinner for all the participants. Easter Sunday was a morning of goodbyes and hellos. Goodbye to those who were travelling back to Ireland and greetings to those who were arriving on the IHCPT flights for the pilgrimage. It seemed a long time since the group left Ireland to travel south, but time does fly on a bike!

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