Category: Spain 🇪🇸

I left Sagunt and ambled my way up to La Torre do la Sal. I had decided to slowly move up the coast waiting for a few tricks to unfold.

I got settled in I met a German guy Horst and his wife we spent a convivial afternoon together.

Then as I was doing a very unroutine inspection of my bike I discovered this,

Well no matter which way you look at it it’s not good! That’s a crack in my frame.

I immediately contacted Mark Reilly who told me this is the first frame that has ever cracked in over 9000 frames. As you may all remember I was in a substantial crash in late December last year and I can only suppose that started a weakness (but I’m not an engineer). Anyway Mark R. immediately offered to replace the frame. So I have sorted out a shop for it to be sent and the components transferred. I will then send the broken frame back to Mark to be analysed.

I am also contemplating getting a large frame instead of a medium. This hopefully would be more comfortable on long journeys and also get rid of stacks of spacers and the laid back seat post. Yet I k ow madness while already on a long journey.

So I rode back to Sagunt, where the bike shop is that is going to transfer the components.

I then rode into Valencia to find some cooking fuel as I have run out.

On the way back from Valencia I met Lori and Jonathan who are from the USA and touring Spain on a tandem. I spent an hour or 2 riding with them and talking life. I would be hard pressed to find a more pleasant couple to spend time with. I wish them the greatest of onward journeys.

I know I seem to have done a great deal of riding on a cracked frame (175km). Well I have sort of done all business now so can kick back and wait for the frame to arrive.

There were heffalumps running up and down the stairs last night. Then my room neighbour started singing, it could only have been worse if he had whistled as well, I was at least spared that.

My meal last night was ginormous, cheap and delicious, and I finished it with an ice cream.

This morning I had a slow start. 2 cafe solos for breakfast. There was no shop. So I jumped on and rode up the two 4km hills before it goes nearly down hill all the way to central Valencia. And that is just about what happened. I stopped for some food 20km in, opting for the slightly more down to earth cafe but their coffee and tostadas y tomates were excellent.

As usual riding through cities is terrible, traffic, people, multiple direction changes. But with great excitement I arrived at the end of my route whoop.

About my route, this is the route I followed Altravesur. It is from bikepacking.com a fantastic resource if you are thinking of going on some adventurous (or less adventurous) travels. The Altravesur was for me a tough ride. The route mainly followed the GR8 this is a walking/hiking route across southern Spain. As a consequence there are a multitude of occasions that I had to hitch the bike on my shoulder or pull/push manhandle it up slopes over rocks. These times were tough but for me eventually became a bit of a pain in the ass. Unfortunately sometimes a necessary evil. 🤨. We’ll see how the route in Italy goes.

In central Valencia

I plugged the nearest campsite into my Garmin and it took me here. I jumped into the sea. I washed all my clothes and am now kicking back. (2nd 100km today substantially easier than yesterday’s 😎😀.

I left late today such a good idea when I had already decided to do 100km. So into the bakery? I was keen on a bun but they would only sell 6 at a time, I have no space for 6 so I abstained.

The route wound it’s way along the gorge once again I have run out if superlatives but the scenery so evocative of the western I watched when I was young (And let’s face it some would probably have been filmed here), finally I was living the dreams of my childhood.

Some of tge route was pretty windy single track, I had to use all my limited skills to keep from falling down the near vertical drop that accompanied me most of the way. On one section I swayed off the path a bit and dropped into a small hole causing a band and that dreaded sound of air escaping from a tire. I span the wheel quickly to activate the tubeless fluid but most of the air had escaped. Grabbing the pump I pumped furiously to reinflate. The tire/rim combination gave a sudden bang as the tire reconnected with the rim. I was all smiles as the tire inflated to the adequate pressure.

Todays route was dotted with multiple climbs of excessive gradient. I know that after 13% on gravel my tires do not like gripping and I am forced to walk, so all were just below that level. Unless I am getting more skilful at negating the wheel spin at 13%.

I have been told not to do anything too dangerous…. make up your own mind. As I was riding I came to this,

I had a choice, go back and reroute (we all know that was never gonna happen), or I could carry my bike either up this,

Or this,

Walking over the collapsed bit of road first it was pretty steep down to the water on the right

So I opted for the latter of the 2 and well obviously survived. I was surprised at how dexterous I was in manoeuvring the bike.

It was a serious old hill after that but finally a down to Dos Aguas and I completed my first 100km this trip.

There was no churros only coffee.

I sat at the cafe watching the morning in Albacete come to life. 8.30 people really start to move about. Before that it’s pretty quiet.

Hopped onto my bike and pedalled off. Flat through fields of grain Camino Blanco all the way. Some with thistles growing into the lane, my shins and knuckles jabbed as I went past. Irrigated fields full of poppies.

Then quite suddenly the path took a turn downhill a windy road way into a canyon. Unseen from 100meters away.

The canyon a deep rift in the landscape with a white path winding it’s way by the river, 30kms long.

I missed my turn and had to come out of the valley for a bit, but I saw it from a different perspective.

Strange rock formations. A georgeous path way.

Then I saw these windows and balcony in the rock face.

I went round a corner and discovered a small town, with a castle.

Why would i not stay here for the night. I jumped at tge first hotel.

The windows turned out to be a bad hewn out of the rock face

Weird eh. 🤔

I had noodles on the balcony again tonight……too much salt in those noodles.

Sometimes it feel like the life has been ripped out of my legs.

I wanted to see the knife museum in Albacete. I had little energy for doing anything else. I drank and I ate a bit. Booked another night in my hotel.

As you may know I am a bit like a bull in a china shop. The excitement of being back on the road, following a beautiful, technical, demanding, off road route gets the better of me and I forget to rest, fuel and fluid up properly. And that has consequences, I’ve been feeling a bit low. Grrrrrrrrr.

But I’ve seen this,

And this,

And this,

And of course this,

And as a consequence I am feeling much better. A pizza made for 3 tonight and an early start in the cool of tomorrow morning.

I will leave you with the words of the mighty Don Quijote:

“…..he who’s down one day can be up the next, unless he really wants to stay in bed, that is…”
Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra

Last night I searched for somewhere to eat. I go out at 8pm as a compromise between when I want to eat, 7pm, and when the Spanish want to eat, after 9pm. But nothing was open at all. I got back to the hotel at 8.45pm and ate noodles cooked on my balcony. So I finished eating at about 9.30pm. This is way too late for me to then go immediately to bed…. I’m a delicate sole you know.

Anyway I slept ok. But when I awoke at 7am I felt pretty muddy and lethargic. I got it together and left the hotel at 8am straight for breakfast. Yes the usual

The day was flat and slightly boring along the Ruta De Don Quijote, I’m sure it was more interesting with a donkey and Sancho Panza probably had a good quip or 2 to the Don amused.

Anyway my day was flat, I was going to try to push on a few kms but just didn’t have it in me to be bothered. So when I got to Albacete I looked for a hotel.

The first hotel I went to told me I could not take my bike to my room but could leave it in the lounge for €3. I think this is a bit cheeky but stupidly agreed, but when I had 14 pieces of luggage in my hands and they would not let me go to the room to search for my wallet. I said I just needed to put the stuff down to search through they refused to allow me this small concession, so I reattached my luggage and went to the next hotel. Which was more pleasant and cheaper.

I added up my days ridden and kilometerage today, 596 km 10 days, 9 riding. I should have had my day off earlier and although it is down on my hoped average, 100km a day. I think my tough off roading and climbing and starting out again, and extra high temperatures in Spain have worn me down. Hence my muddy lethargy this morning. I did stop early today and am going to fuel up a bit more tonight and hope tomorrow I feel better.

I know it doesn’t look much but oweeeeee

Great day off just kicking back at the campsite. But when I want to sleep it’s a guarantee that kids will be up till midnight.

Anyway I rose early had breakfast, packed and away by 8.30 unfortunately Siles was only 2km away and I stopped for coffee.

The road always goes up. And after my massive climbing with the bike on my shoulder 2 days ago and the blisters still raw. (Yes I forgot to put my competed plasters on) when the path turned rough and too steep to ride. I was pretty pissed off when I had to do another hour or so pushing the bike.

Yes now the blisters are rubbed off, but Compeed applied here’s hoping for tomorrow. And as I am pushing I bash my shins or calves against the pedal, or stones, rocks, tree stumps. I wince each time.

Yes yes the views were great, the cafe solo was delicious but I’m sorry they are not just reward for the shitty carry/pushing of the bike. My real enjoyment is the cycling up, on road off road if I can keep cycling I will. And I have mentally signed up for a bike ride and I know I have read the blurb that it is a hiking route and 95% is cycleable. But that’s 67km of lifting/walking and that’s a lot. Yes I know it’s my own fault.

Anyway I got to a town, saw there was a campsite 12 km away. Rode there was told it was closed, rode back to the town and am now in a hostel. 😀😎

Last night I thought it was gonna be just me and Jose but 2 girls turned up so the 4 of us went out to dinner. 9pm instead of my hoped for 8pm…. I know, When in Spain……

We went to a bar/resturant, bull fighting was on the tv. Meals ordered and eaten, a fun night, I realise my inadequate Spanish, ie. I partook very little in the conversation.

I was spark out when we got back to the Ablergue.

I had read on my map that there was a campsite with a good resturant in Siles, so I headed for that. I got some bread and tied it to the back of the bike ready for cheese and chorizo sandwich at lunch.

The trail went up and up but not unrideable then as I turned a corner I spotted a ledge, it just could have been made for coffee.

As I ride on the views were similarly spectacular then I went down, boulders strewn across the road.

Then route got hard, so very hard, it is a walking route and I was just lifting the bike. It was a near vertical switch back but 2meters between turns and rocks only. Lifting and turning continuously for 2hours.

I know it doesn’t look like much now! It was hell. My shoes rubbed blisters in my heel. Oooww! I can assure you I had some dizzy moments on the way up. Meow.. the views the top. Then I discovered my loaf of bread had jumped off my bike. Cheese and olives for lunch.

Finally the Camino Blanco turned into black top, then turned off again…. I ignored it and followed the road to the campsite. Discovered the resturant is closed in the evenings. Grrrrrr.

Left the campsite at 09.30 and onto a flat gravel track, if it stays like this today will be easy. Wishful thinking. Climbs so steep my back wheel was spinning I had to get off and push, puffing like a steam train.I heard some grunting and saw 2 wild boars walking up the opposite bank. So excited about these.Beautiful flat fields of flowers on a high plane.I got into Pontones and asked at a resturant about accommodation, 2 places were full but I was guided to an Albergue. So it’s €13 for the night. I am sharing the room with Jose Antonio who is walking the GR247 route.

For the last couple of days I have been getting quite bad cramp in both hands while riding and a bit in my hamstrings while in bed. Now I have started to get cramp in my hands while eating. Much better today after eating enough. 😉

So yesterday evening, having checked in and had a shower, I was talking with the guesthouse manage about writing my blog and wanting to give him a plug in my blog. During this discussion I checked the name of the hotel and discovered it was not the one I had booked via Bookings.com. 🤨🤔. Seems they are quite close to each other and my GPS led me to this one. Too tired to move. 😏.

I woke slowly and felt tired so I had a late start. Great breakfast at the resturant next door where i struck up a conversation with a Japanese guy cycling Andalucia on a single speed 20inch fat wheel bike. I was impressed, we talked and drank coffee the forever habit of cyclists. He had done some serious trips The Baja divide stays in my mind as also one of my places I want to ride.

But time is pressing so I leapt on the bike and rode out. It’s a transition day between 2 mountain ranges (Sierra de Baza and Sierras de Cazorla) But also going from Granada to Jean. So I went to a campsite at the foothills of the Sierras de Cazorla. No one at the office. I put my tent up and am waiting. Interestingly I am running low on cash, Best there are some free camp spots on the way.

So many children turned up and kept me awake till well after midnight, grrrrr.