Category: Spain 🇪🇸 March 2024

After last night’s shinnanikins I finally got to sleep 1 or 1.30. Then woke at about 7 and riding at 7.50. I was hoping for an easy day today and when way things started it seemed it would be. Mostly down hill. Then the Komoot curse hit me and I was diverted off road. Walking, walking so much walking.

I got some food, I topped up with water.

And what a contrast to yesterday’s lunar landscaping I had lush, verdant grassland. This carried on for most of the day. Lots cultivated.

I had in my mind that I wanted to get about 50kms from Fes making an easy ride in tomorrow morning. But last night still heavy in my mind I struggled to find a camp spot, also in this area there are so many people,everywhere men on donkeys, men looking after sheep, children everywhere.  So I took the heavy decision to ride to Fes and rock a 3 night stay.

No sooner had I made this decision than it started to rain, it went from bad to torrential. I had already done 95kms 1111m climbing at a slow 14.5kph. So the next  28kms 439m of climbing at 13.3kph in the rain were purgatory.  I stopped numerous times and just looked at the road ahead. And the Raid I booked was only for one night…  impossible to find, nowhere to store the bike.  I was shivering with  (contrasting) cold. I finally ate still in my cycling clothes at 7.30pm.

I knew today was going to be a spikey day. I’d seen the profile on Komoot. And I knew I was close to the bottom of the 1st climb.

It was blowing a hoolie when i awoke and as a consequence I didn’t cook breakfast I had the aforementioned,  5 dates and a Kiwi fruit.

Practically all my packing I can do inside the tent but footprint and the tent itself obviously has to be done outside. The footprint I fold snd roll my tent poles in to protect the poles, this was done fairly efficiently, but the tent, I usually fold and roll, but this was impossible so I use the age old just stuff it in the bag method, to my surprise it worked.

About 15mins into my ride I came to a town, not marked on my map, this does seem to be a recurring theme, best I write to Garmin or Komoot or both.

I bought some water in the town then the road went up it topped out at 1440 meters the ride really wasn’t that spectacular but definately tiring. But as I got over the pass the views were just spectacular.

My route turned off the road and onto a rough track and from then on it was just gravel.

Numerous occasions I stopped and walked, the combination of not being fully fit and some real tough climbs, possibly not fueling enough may have had an influence.

I climbed 2 and a half high passes….. there are more tomorrow (a little lower I think) I started to search for a camp spot at about 3.30 but was just not satisfied, there were so many people/kids with sheep hanging about. So I just kept riding. I was very tired at this point. As I was walking a man was coming down with a donkey. I asked if I could camp under some trees. He’s said they were not his but I could stay on his property, we walked back, found a spot.

He brought his brothers out to see me and gave me some bread and soup…. classic end of day ramadan meal.

It’s about 7.30 and i’m tucked in the tent, it’s raining and blowing a gail the tent is intermittently flattening onto my nose, its going to be a windy night.

Then at about 11, 2 guys shone a light and woke me, they said you can’t sleep here in Arabic/French. I told them I had permission from the house owner…. they said not here.  They checked my passport then disappeared but I could hear them talking. And at about 11.45, 7 police turned up…. I wasn’t well pleased. They demanded I pack my stuff up put it in their police car and that I sleep near the local police station. So 12.30 I’m unpacked again by the police station in Bad El Mrouj.

In the car the policeman said there were marajuana gangs about…. kidnapping and stuff. Despite my gruff, unhappiness all the police and all concerned were,  friendly,  helpful and accommodating in this aspect they really do get full marks.

Nador is a town in transition. I get the feeling it wants to be a resort but it really needs more money, a lot more money, injected into it.

A fitful nights sleep. As always I easily slip into my old ways and switch the phone on and fall to sleep with netflix, I hate it but somehow return to it over and over again. 

But I was up at 7ish and eventually got on my way at about 9am. As i was walking down the stairs i met my host with another apartment guest just arriving, she was from London but living in Paris, we had a brief conversation on the stairs.  I’m intrigued why/how people decide to come to Nador. It definitely does not have the reputation of Tanger or Marrakesh.

The route leading out of town in a  south westerly direction. It was pretty quickly into desert type landscape.

The route was flatish, the wind was behind me. I made good headway. Taking surreptitious sips of my water as I rode. I thought I had designated it as a road route, but Komoot likes to sometimes take me from one road to another by rough tracks. This one was about 30kms long and really desert beautiful.

I eventually got tired and stopped at a small shop that had some cover I asked the guys at the shop if it was OK I rested a while…… an hour later I awoke and ride on.

I hade a reasonable amount of water but when I saw a large drum looking like it dispensed water I ambled up, tunded the tap to get a dribble but it kept dribbling and I filled my ‘dirty’ water bag ready to filter into one of my bottles.

Then 30mins later I was done. 🥵. I searched out a camp spot and pitched the tent. There’s a bit of cloud cover. Here’s hoping it doesn’t rain, it could be a dirty walk back to the road in the morning.

As I got to the deck with my bike I was greeted with the bike on the floor and the derailleur hanger sheered off. This is what had taken the mechanic 90mins to fix the day before. I had a spare that I immediately put on but it seems slightly skew so the gears are not changing perfectly.

Anger beyond what I can verbalise.  🤬🤯

Off the boat at about 7am I rode to a park and sat on a bench for a bit trying to be relaxed.  I found a toiled block and changed into my cycling clothes. Then back into the center of town near the port, I went to the Cafe at the Puerto Melilla Hotel and had 2 cups of coffee.

I was feeling a bit despondent and could not really decide what to do. But eventually I decided to take a hotel/apartment and do nothing for the day. I headed to Nador 10kms down the coast. And into Morocco. I passed a bread van selling circular breads, stuffed it into my bag ready for later. I bought a sim, i got some cash.

As I was riding I met Ben (grrr, I wish I had written his name down I thinks it was Ben) He’s a 19 year old Aussi who had cycled from Lisbon. Then rode my proposed route but the other way. We talked for 30mins or so at the side of the road. He wasn’t a cyclist and just bought the bike in Lisbon. I was in awe of his bravery and so admired his happy attitude.

The apartment was not where it purported to be, it was more sleazy than I thought, was dirty, I’m lying in the bed now and hoping the sheets have been washed. 🤢

When I got in I lay on the bed for a second and woke a good few hours later.

The town center is a few hundred meters away. I had shwarma then a milkshake. And pooled off back to the apartment and bed.

More miles tomorrow I hope.

I met Maggie and Lillian on the campsite. Talk I could hardly get a word in edgeways! You know how taciturn I am.  Maggie and I walked her dog along the Guadalfeo river. I believe we covered a broad spectrum of topics.

I used my time well. I got up to town and visited my friend Moira, she’s just had a big operation and her daughters are out visiting. Great to see her in good spirits. 😀

Then at 3pm I loaded up and cycled off down the road. I popped into Cycle Sierra Nevada, big shout out to Cormac for giving it a good effort to fix the problem. Then I rode to Bicicletas Bike Shop in Motril.  A very big shout out the the guys in there spending 90 mins on my bike getting it ready for the next stage of the journey. 

On the ride down the air was thick with red sand blown across from Morocco. It was hard to breath and masked the sun a bit. I put my lights on just in case.

I happily rode out of there the gears finally changing properly… and new bearings.

Popped into Decathlon for a dry bag and some cooking gas….. they had neither.

Then Leroy Merlin they had gas in a long bottle. Here’s hoping it’ll work. I do have an adapter that will transfer gas from one container to another. One has to be warm and tge other hast to be cold… can’t remember which. Best I google that.

I stopped at a resturant for my evening meal. So much food,

My boat was due to leave at 11, boarding at 10.  I arrived at at the departure lounge at about 8.20/9pm. And with my bike I waited with the other passengers. I think due to the bad weather the boat was a little late in arriving. We all eventually moved towards the boarding pass control.  After this to my extreme surprise there was a conveyer belt xraying all the bags, like going on a plane, it was at this point that I was told to take all the bags off my bike 🤯🤬 obviously at this point the language barrier becomes a problem. I start taking the bags off and throwing them onto the conveyer belt. They told me to stop and move to the back of the queue…. this pissed me off.  A guy picked up my helmet off the conveyer belt and dropped it on the floor…. I’m now starting to get very angry.  Obviously some of my bags don’t come off, a security guy searched them all.  Then I got on the boat to my 1st class recliner seat, they really are all the same. But the guy behind me just started coughing continuously I moved.

Why oh why did I not go in with the cars and motorbikes. I woukd have had none of this hasselt and I would have been able to pick the best seat.

I’m on the boat to Melilla. I should be in Morocco later tomorrow.. Whoop. 🇲🇦

I organised to meet my friends Chris and Lynne at 13.30. So when I woke I got up immediately and was on the road by 9am. I knew the road well hilly with georgeous views each side. 

It was tough and just under 1000m of climbing in 54kms certainly tested my legs. 

I popped into Cadier for coffee and cake. I really like Cadier as a town.

I actually thought our meet time was 1pm so was pushing it a bit to get there, the effort/speed/distance numbers were not adding up. But I got into Orgiva Camping at 1pm then rechecked the meed time. So tent up and ride on up to town. So I was early.

Then back to the campsite and loiter for the rest of the day.

This morning I sat in the cafe. Booked my ticket back to Glasgow for 18th next month. This gives a bit of time to play with now. And I’m excited to be meeting up with my niece, her partner and kids in Malaga for the 1st week of April.

I searched for ages for a place to hang my bike to do a bit of maintenance finally found a pole that I stuffed into a hole in a tree.

I’m hoping that’s sorted the clicks and ticks out. I made a little adjustment to the saddle 🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞here’s hoping that’s better. Time will tell.  I’ve discovered that my back dynamo light is not working. Luckily I have a backup. I’m not sure how to fix it.

I was having trouble sleeping last night so I sat up and had a midnight feast of baguette filled with salami, cheese, and guacamole. Straight to sleep after that.

The night temperature was much more pleasant at the lower altitude. 

The sun came lazy over the hills surrounding me this morning eventually hitting me at about 8.30.

I tried an experiment today and didn’t turn my phone on till 5pm. So no pictures at all.

Out of the Tabernas region and the spectacular scenery there. Then it turned to more classic southern Spanish scenery lemon trees, olive trees  terraced up the sides of mountains. Then nudging the edge of the Alpujhara region the tops of the Sierra Nevada mountains showing its white snow capped peaks.

I went over 1100m of climbing today and my legs were wobbly at the end. As I started to recognise some of the places and decided it was time to stop.  As I said I didn’t look at my phone but also only looked at the map on my Garmin. So I just stopped when tired, this was about 4pm. I quite liked it. But I defibately miss taking pictures, I do like a pictorial documentation of my route. There were some spectacular roads today. But i remember them in my head.

The stones were OK to sleep on much to my surprise.

But I read my book in the morning. I had only 65kms to ride and an easy start suited me just fine. 

So I rode out at about 10. Paralleling the main road for a few kilometers. Then winding the way to Tabernes the center of the spaghetti western business.

And today much to my surprise with minimum adjustment my saddle was just OK.  🤞🤞🤞 for tomorrow. And a massive shout out to Andy Bulloch for his support.

No campsites about so I’m parked up closeish to a road. The lower altitude last night I was easily warm enough. Not sure my altitude tonight.

To say I’m in cycling heaven is an understatement. On road, off road, western scenery, considerat drivers, sunshine. Oh oh oh.

The mist was impenetrable this morning. I decided to read and get up an hour later. This turned out to be a great idea, the sun suddenly burnt through the mist revealing blue sky.

I ambled to the camping cafe and had a cafe solo (decaf all the way) as I was standing drinking the guy next to me ordered a baguette stuffed with omelette with cheese and tomatoes inside 😋 😍 I couldn’t resist so I ordered it to go. I stuffed it into my back pocket and away i went, real sad to leave this georgeous campsite.

I rolled down into Valez Blanco probably only 10 kms away. I couldn’t resist another coffee

I find it hard to express how good the roads and scenery are. Kilometers upon Kilometers of georgeous black tarmac winding its way over stunning mountains. I love this western 🤠 type scenery. I went for over an hour without a car passing me. And so far I have been lucky blue sky and sunshine.

I came over a rise and was met with this apartment grave yard. So sad, this was not the only one, pretty sure someone lost a lot of money. I did eventually pass a development that was finished the gardens lush with the owners endeavours.

I’m not sure what they were thinking its sort of in the middle of nowhere. 

I rode into the campsite near Los Gallardos. Lots of spaces available, twice as expensive as my previous campsites, stone pitches. Quite a few British here.

Saddle problems are still there. Owwwwwwww. I don’t know what to do.