Today was all down hill.

My camp spot was great, the vie when light the view when dark and the stars at night. At 2000 meters there is near zero light polution, oh oh oh.

Packing and leaving was sadness but 6am i was on my way, it was then i discovered a fliwing water fountain and 2 or 3 shelves designed for camping. Well at least i got to replenish my dwindling water supplies.

Free wheeling down the road my dynamo lighting my way in the pitch black. Then 5kms down the descent the route turned off the road and plumeted down what looked like a black hole straight into nothingness. If i had hesitated the courage would have left me. So into the abyss i went. I cannot describe the exhileration. Twisting and turning down until popping me out onto s road again after 10kms. If i had been american i would have whooped.

About 20 kms later i eventually got to Gérgal. I had my usual but worst of all my toast and tomatoes.

This is where it a started to go horribly wrong about 5kms south of Gérgal there was a padlocked chain with a private sigh, no padlock i would have leapt over but i funnily respedt padlocks, so i returned to Gérgal and followed paralell to the main road until i could cut back to the route.

Back on the route o was feeling pretty chuffed with my self.

Then the route followed a river bed through a gorge. For most times this would be spectacular to see, and it was, but i could not cycle as the sand was so soft and i spent the whole time looking down and pushing.

The route crossed a railway line, luckily there was a guy there who said no trains were due, i leapt across. I struggled to push the bike up and the route was so gnarly i seriously nearly gave up altogether, the ledge was so narrow i had to lean into the mountainside carrying the bike to stop myself from tumbling 100m down the mountain. Lifting, shoving, dragging, crying. I must have been pushing up for at least an hour.

Its a walking track not really for cyclists. But eventually it turned to a gravel roas i smiled… down hill now. No sooner had i got going but a sign saying no through do not enter. I ignored it, but down hill 500meters further another 2 signs, i ignored then and 500m further down a padlocked gate. I saw people had carried round but i was scared. I retraced my steps alk the way back to the railway. I was shattered i lay on my mat on the ground and slept for an hour.

I designed a route back to a road, along the river bed again. Eventually i got to the road. And tried to book a hotel, everythung taken within a 10km radius. Luckily i eventually found a hostel with 1 room for 1 night, 10 kms away.

Shower, wash clothes food and now it’s 10pm.

I really am shattered and have to leave tomorrow.