Vamos a España

The three amigos…

It was very nearly the two amigos, because when I was working out where my small travelling companion would live, I though back to last years trips where he lived in the pocket with my passport, then I shouted out loud ‘passport!’ With all my packing it wasn’t something that even crossed my mind to take, so close to disaster, phew! (There is now a large note with PASSPORT written on it where I store my touring paraphernalia.)

Currently in a country pub waiting for evening meal to arrive and enjoying the view.

On way down here we stopped at Burford for some refreshments.

My family are going to be following along this topic as a kind of travelogue. Really hope this trip isn’t going to be as ‘exciting’ as the one last September…

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Had we best use polite language and manners???

:innocent:

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:sweat_smile: no need…

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At least you’ll be spared French/Dutch company… :joy:

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Have a fantastic trip :blush:

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Enjoy!! I hope your trip is adventurous in only the best way this time :slightly_smiling_face:.

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Finally on ferry and have managed to grab a window seat with view of lifeboats. Ferry doesn’t land until Tuesday morning and I am really looking forward to a ‘dqy off’ with not even the internet to distract feom relaxing :grinning_face_with_smiling_eyes:

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Not even brushing up on Spanish with Duolingo?

Not without internet.:smiley:

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I’m looking forward to your new travelogue. Safe travels.

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Rounding the corner of France I surcomed to the lure of mobile signal :roll_eyes: Did a Duolingo lesson and checked weather forceast for arrival at Bilbao: good in the morning. :slight_smile:

Now enjoying the fresh air of the open deck after a hot and stuffy night in cabin with snorers.

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Have a great trip. I hope the bay is good to you😎

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Day One

After a lazy day at sea on Monday we arrived at Bilboa at dawn on Tuesday.

After the usual wait on the vehicle deck for debarkation to start we got through border checks in only 5 minutes due to efficient Spanish staff and being near the front of the bike queue. :smiley:

I was leading this day’s ride, and after some satnav confusion got us to a layby a few miles out of port so we could get ourselves properly sorted for the ride ahead. It was now 9am.

The roads were damp and the sky had many clouds but we started off without extra waterproof layers. As we wound our way up and allong forested hills we were following behind varous random traffic, but that didn’t realy matter as the roads were damp, winding, and often narrow, so I wouldn’t want to be travelling any faster anyway.

After about an hour, and a fuel stop, the rain eventually came so we added our waterproof layers. For a short spell we were riding inside the clouds but fortunately, as we approached a planned photo stop, we got above most of them and had some sun. (Though not a view of a grand vista beyond.)

The low clouds seemed to be stuck on the side of the mountain that we’d come up. So as we decended the other side we found ourselfs on mostly dry roads and could have our first spell of fun ‘swoopy’ ringing down a twisty road. :smiley:

The next mountain pass I had planned was closed for roadworks according to satnav, but I already had a plan B route, which also cut off a little distance which seemed like a good idea.

At the bottom of a this valley was our lunch stop at Vega de Pas. I had sausage, egg and chips Spanish style, i.e. chorizo in an omelette :face_savoring_food:

The next hour or so of riding was on major roads which was a nice break from the mentally demanding twisty stuff. Even though these were main roads they seemed remarkably devoid of traffic.

It’s just as well that we had this mental break because there followed over an hour of non-stop twistly roads where I bet bikes were vertical less than half the time. :grin:

We didn’t have rain but there were plenty of clouds in the sky.

When we finally decended down onto the main road that would take us to our accomodation near Potes, we found that it was only half the road it use to be, as for multiple sections one lane had completely fallen away and was being rebuild from the foundations up!

Finally at 5pm we arrived at our home for the next three days.

Once luggage was unloaded we headed to local supermarket for breakfast supplies, then to a bar/restaurant for a desperately needed beer or two.

When we went in to order food at 7pm we we’re informed that they didn’t start taking orders until 8:30 (we sorta already knew the Spanish ate late). But we were too hungry and tired to wait so returned to supermarket for convenience food we could cook at home, and some cheap wine to go with it.

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Even with the clouds the views look fantastic :blush:

You’re having a far better start than my trip in 2022. Spanish customs must have had an upgrade since because it took us 2 hours of having to endure grueling heat in the belly of the ferry before they would let us off because of customs. I hope you have a good time.

Day Two

I arose at 8 feeling far better than I had right considering how little of my bottle of wine was left. The other two didn’t rise until over two hours later so I spent this time writing here about the previous day. After breakfast was made and consumed around 11:30 the other two decided they did feel up to much riding but as the weather didn’t look toooo bad I thought I’d make the most of it and go for a ride. (The forecast for the following day looked worse.)

After fueling up I set off east and was soon heading up into forrested mountains along very twisty roads. The sky had large areas of dark clouds and blue areas and I had sun on me at the same time as ocasional light rain. As I wended my way up, the roads became damper and eventually I found myself in clouds and light rain. Rain soon became very lumpy and as I slowed my pace down even more I realise I was riding on a mass of icy ball bearings, not good. I looked for somewhere to pull over and immediately spotted a large ruined building. Abandoning bike to the elements I took shelter there until the hail passed.

After about 15 minutes it was safe to continue and a few hundred metres up the road there was a car park at a misty mountain top viewpoint followed by a small descent that got me below the clouds.

The roads now became straighter and the landcape more open as I headed south.

I had a relaxed spell of cruising along until I stopped at a village when I spotted some picnic benches in the sun. After a little rest and some of the water and snacks I had with me, I set off again.

I was now joning the road that would take me west on the bottom part of my loop. This road is the P-210 which runs for over 50km through the mountains and along a narrow reservoir. The surface was smooth, unblemished, and wide. I imagine a nirvana for those with a bent for sporty riding, thought not on a day like today where I found myself on damp roads, with damp air, and heading into mountains with black clouds doing that ominous thing.

When I had risen in altitude I stopped to try and take a photo to capture the scene, it wasn’t a good photo and a second after I took it, the mountain in the centre lit up with a flash of lightning. The weather was moving north, i.e. heading directly to me (!) and the skies on my route ahead looked better so I decided to not hang around. I kept to my relaxed riding pace and about 20 minutes later was rewarded with blue skies. Stopping to take a pair of photos that summed up the experience, behind…

Ahead…

This was around the middle of the P-210 and I had an idilic sunny ride to the end where there was a large village at the junction with the road heading north. It was here that I came upon the first traffic I had had in the three hours since I set off (I kid you not). This trafic was a small car that turned off after 5 seconds and I then headed north on a sunny, empty road, that slowly weaved along an open valley with mountains all around. About now my cheek muscles started aching from my big grin. :grin:

By the time I joined the road for the final 50km of my loop, I was beginning to look forward to get back to accomodation for a rest. But when I spotted a footbridge over a stream in a gorge I was riding though I couldn’t resist stopping to scamble over and on to slippy wet grass and stones to try and get a photo.

I had got a bit blasè about the weather so it came as a bit of a shock as I rose into the mountains and the clouds again. These clouds were really thick and damp and for quite a few minutes I was riding at about 10mph because I could barely see the windy road ahead. Coming down the other side I met my second bit of traffic of the day, a white van which I followed as we both tiptoed down though awkawd road conditions until we came to a straight clear bit and I took the opportunity to pass.

Ten minutes from home visibility became good again and I was very happy to roll back to base after 190km and 4½ hours. My friends arrived back 10 minutes later after their short jaunt and we walked to the shops to get supplies for an evening meal.

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So I just need to ride on one side of each mountain. :⁠-⁠)

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Day Three

Today was a quiet rest day as the weather was forecast to be couldy and damp, and the previous two days had a lot of riding. We made use of the washing machine to clean some clothes, did route planning for next day, and some bike maintenance things. For myself that involed lubing the chain, which necessitated moving bike to a flat road once the rain eased off. Being a cautious type I put on all my bike gear to ride up the damp and steep concrete access road, so after lubing chain I was already set up to act on the the urge to seek out those misty mountains again.

There was a dead end road up a valley about half an hour away so I headed there for a pleasant jaunt.

Once back I realised that in my haste I hadn’t picked up a house key and my friends had popped down the hill into town, so I had to go and join then and was forced to drink a beer or four.

Back home we made an improvised meal from what we had, and got some packing done, ready to move on to our next accomodation. The following three days are forecast to be sunny so hopefully I’ll get to finally ride some some mountain passes that aren’t in the clouds. :smiling_face_with_sunglasses:

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Hopefully at dome point you’ll get to enjoy some of the sun we mysteriously appear to have stolen from Spain and are currently hoarding in the Lake District :smiling_face_with_sunglasses:

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