My Summer Off

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2009-07-01T12:00:00.000-07:00

July 1, 2009
Now that I'm home several people have commented on the fact that I left the blog unfinished. When I got to Vitoria it was the end of riding and in my mind the end of the blog, so here's a quick summary.

Thursday June 25
I took a taxi out to the Aernnova office and visited with some of the people I've worked with. A lot of the group are off to other places, but it was fun to see the few that are still there.
That evening Santi met me after work (his not mine) and we went out for pintxos. Two of the bars are new and one has been remodeled. Thursday is a busy night; the streets and bars were full. It's nice to see that Vitoria is even more dynamic than my last visit in 2007. As usual the pinxtos were fantastic.

Friday June 26
I packed up and rode to the bus station. There wasn't any problem taking the bike on the bus, it only cost 8.5 euros. I got dropped off in Bilbao within a half mile of my hotel. After packing up the bike, I headed out around Bilbao. I spent a day there in 2007 and it's a fun city to walk around. Like Vitoria there has been and still is a lot of new construction. The only thing I knew about before visiting in 2007 was the Guggenheim, but the city is very nice in it's own right.

Saturday June 27
I left the hotel at 6AM for my long trip home. The flights were on time; my luggage and I were deposited at Seatac at 1PM.

Future
It's time to plan the next trip.

Vitoria

2009-06-24T11:14:00.000-07:00

June 24, 2009
It’s fun to be back in Vitoria. I made three week-long trips here in 2007 so I’m already familiar with the city. Vitoria has a nice pedestrian area of the new town and a nice old-town. The pintxos have been really good since Pamplona and this city is no exception. My hotel room has a balcony that fronts a pedestrian street with a dozen bars where we usually bar-hopped for dinner.

view from my balcony at Hotel Dato

The road from Lekietio was nice, but had a fair amount of traffic. I missed a back road because I couldn’t place the signed names on my map. After climbing into the mountains the road dropped down and intersected the main highway between Bilbao and San Sebastian. At the closest I was only 14 miles from Bilbao. It felt strange to be that close to where this trip started. I’ve seen so much that I test myself by trying to name every place where I’ve stayed in the last 25 days.

The route went east to Durango then got really interesting. In five kilometers it gained 500 meters (1640’). It averaged 10% grade with sections of 12%. That’s the same steepness as Alpe d’ Huez in the French Alps. I sure would’ve had a much harder time doing those grades at the beginning of the trip. It’s going to be fun to get on my 16.5 pound road bike after riding a 50+ pound bike for 24 days.

view from the climb

celebration cerveza at the top

Once at the top of the pass it was a quick and easy ride into Vitoria. I went past the industrial park where the Aernnova office is located, so I recognized the roads into town.

Tomorrow I will go to Aernnova. It will be fun to see some of the people I worked with for the past four years. I haven’t seen most of them for almost two years.

Assuming I take the bus to Bilbao it’s time for the statistics.

Distance ridden: 2254 km, 1400 miles
Average speed: 20.8 kph, 12.7 mph
Time on the bike: 108 hours
Total elevation gain: 25,803 m, 84,634 ft
Temp’s while riding: 11-39 C, 51-102 F
Frowns: quickly forgotten
Smiles: too numerous to count, but will be long remembered

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Lekeitio

2009-06-24T06:01:00.000-07:00

June 23, 2009
I’m getting into this slow and easy lifestyle. Today’s stop is Lekeitio which is only 22 miles along the coast from Zumaia. Let’s see, that’s less than yesterday’s mileage. At this rate I might not make it back to work. Hmmm, that sounds about right.

As opposed to the last couple of mornings, Zumaia is so small there weren’t any problems finding my way out of town. The road went inland for a bit, then back to the coast at Deba. I might have stopped there, but it was only 9 miles and I really needed to do double digit distance. Mutrika is another scenic town which looks like a working fishing village.
Ondarroa mixes a fishing port with a couple of nice beaches. Finally after a grueling day I stopped in Lekeito. The road goes inland from here to Guernika so I decided to stay on the coast and spend another afternoon at the beach.

coast road

Mutrika

Lekeitio

Tomorrow I’ll head south through mountains to Vitoria. Hopefully my legs haven’t forgotten how to pedal for an entire day. The weather is still perfect so that should help.

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Zumaia

2009-06-22T10:07:00.000-07:00

June 22, 2009
My day has been relaxing, once I was able to get out of San Sebastian. I tried taking a very narrow, very steep road west of the city, but turned back because I was afraid it would dead end. It’s another episode to blame on the map, and ultimately on me.

The coast is very scenic. I stopped for a while in Zarautz before continuing on to Zamaia. I’m only a little over 20 miles down the coast, although I rode further with my trial and error navigation method.

Zarautz

downtown Zumaia

I spent most of the afternoon at the beach just west of town. It’s in a dramatic setting wedged between slate cliffs. The weather couldn’t have been nicer today.

Itzurun beach in Zumaia

looking back at the beach from further down the coast

Tomorrow I’ll continue along the coast, maybe to Bermeo. Wednesday I’ll probably head south to Vitoria.

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San Sebastian

2009-06-22T09:33:00.001-07:00

June 21, 2009
I just got back to my hotel after watching the sun set at 9:50PM over the San Sebastian bay. I was here for a day in 2007 and the city is just as beautiful as I remember. The weather is really nice and I have high hopes for the final week.

summer solstice San Sebastian

Getting out of Pamplona was confusing since my map doesn’t show the new freeway. There were lots of cyclists out this morning and several of them gave me directions. I still wasn’t sure since there were large signs warning of road construction and suggesting alternate routes. That might have been okay if the alternate routes were on my map. While still debating what to do, a couple of cyclists came up to me. One of them could speak some English, said they were going my direction for 40 km, and that I could tag along. I could keep up without too much problem on the flats, but had to work hard on the steep climbs because of the extra weight I’m carrying. It was nice to ride with others for a change although we went faster than I would have on my own. After they turned off, I left the highway to follow very small roads through the mountains to San Sebastian. There was a very steep climb, a nice descent, a steep climb, then a descent that ended a few miles outside San Sebastian. Once again I was rescued by a local rider who showed me how to get to the downtown area. My biggest challenge has been to stay off the freeways. My map of this area is: 1) not up to date; and 2) doesn’t have the accuracy that I need in and out of the cities.

3 guys making hay, one on a tractor, the other two with wooden rakes

There are lots of tourists here. Pamplona and San Sebastian are both on the Camino de Santiago so there are lots of backpackers and hikers in town. I notice a few other Americans, but not as many as expected. Since it was Sunday there were probably more locals here than on the weekday. I expect it to be a little calmer tomorrow. Speaking of which, I have a little time cushion and am not sure how far I’ll go tomorrow. I plan on riding the coast until just before Bilbao, then heading south to Vitoria.

La Concha Beach in San Sebastian

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Pamplona

2009-06-20T09:52:00.000-07:00

June 20, 2009
I made the correct decision to stop early yesterday. The wind was still blowing today. It was recorded at 24 mph in Pamplona and definitely much stronger (low 30’s) in the hills south of here. I averaged a whopping 9.7mph over the 25 miles. It took four hours before I was in my hotel. I think I was destined to stop early yesterday, either in a hotel or curled up in the ditch.

There are still a few weeks until the Festival of San Fermin (running of the bulls) but it sounds like they’re getting an early start. A brass band has been marching around the old town all day and just came down the narrow street of my hotel. The hotel clerk warned me that the room fronting the street will be noisy. I’m pretty sure it will be louder than noisy all night.

view from my hotel balcony

The closest I got to the bulls is the big statue of bulls and runners. It could be a corny tourist attraction, but is very interesting. The kids love climbing over it also.

running of the bulls statue

Tomorrow will take me through the mountains to San Sebastian on the coast. The weather forecast is for the winds to calm to about 10mph. After the last two days I’ll believe it when I see it.

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Blown away in Tafalla

2009-06-19T10:37:00.000-07:00

June 19, 2009
I got my wish for cooler temperatures today, but at a steep price. There was a little rain (which in itself wasn’t bothersome) but the wind was fierce. No place to run, no place to hide, it had me in the sites of its gun. After 65 miles I threw in the towel, raised the white flag, and cried uncle. It’s only 20 miles to Pamplona which would have been another two hours on the bike. Tomorrow’s weather will tell me if I made the right choice. For now I’m enjoying the air conditioning and a bottle of local Navarra red wine.

I don’t think the wind is unusual since I saw hundreds of windmills today. I took a back-road first thing this morning (which unbeknownst to me climbed almost 1000 feet) up to a ridge where I counted 80 wind turbines.

some of the many wind turbines

much of the land was terraced

This is the best bull shot I've gotten so far.

I had one fun encounter this morning. I was climbing a hill a few miles out of Tudela when a serious looking biker came by me. This guy was standing up, pounding on the pedals, and didn’t even glance at me as he passed. I might not be able to speak Spanish, but I’m completely fluent in the universal language he was speaking with his bike. I dropped a few gears and chased after him. When I started gaining on him I pushed harder and came up on his rear wheel. I decided there were three options: 1) pull up alongside and say halo; 2) go around him; or 3) sit in his draft. He already showed that he wasn’t interested in talking, and I didn’t think I could ride faster than him into the head-wind, so I picked option 3. He played the perfect victim; half glancing behind to see if I was still on his wheel and repeatedly sprinting to try and drop me. We flew along for a couple of miles (including several traffic circles) before he finally put an end to it by diving off on a side street. For those few minutes my legs weren’t tired, the bike wasn’t heavy, and I wasn’t bothered by the wind. I finally had a conversation with a local where we understood each other perfectly.

As to dealing with locals in verbal conversations I’ve finally broken the code. “Hablo espanol un poco” doesn’t really mean “I only speak a little Spanish”. It means: “Please talk as fast as you can and use all the words you know.” It happens time after time, and I just stand there like a deer in the headlights. What I need to do is ask them to slowly repeat themselves, but I always think that if I listen harder I’ll be able to understand. It’s gotten better over three weeks, and I’m now confident that things would be fine after three years.

It’s strange to think about flying home a week from tomorrow. I just got here, and yet I’ve been here for long time. How do you put the genie back in the bottle?

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Lucky in Borja

2009-06-18T09:48:00.001-07:00

June 18, 2009
First things first, I’ll answer to the title. I got to Borja at 5PM after riding 103 miles. I had planned to stop in Tarazona but it’s another 15 miles so I got a room in the local hostal. Within 30 minutes a thunderstorm (that had been lurking behind me all afternoon) let loose. It’s been two hours and there are still huge rain showers, thunder, and lightning. Hence this hostal is perhaps the best place I’ve stayed in three weeks.

a few miles from Borja, the monster looms behind

30 minutes after getting to my room

A 7:30AM start was very pleasant. It was already 70F degrees so there was no suspense that the day was going to be very hot.

My riding partner was ready first thing this morning

The terrain was varied like yesterday, but drier and more open. One difference is that I rode through orchards today. They were harvesting cherries, which have been a real treat when I can find them in the supermarket.
Borja is about 2500’ lower and flatter than Molina. A lot of the day was easier because of the elevation drop, but there were enough climbs (including a bonus pass ten miles from Borja) that I gained 6000’ for the day.
At times I was on some very narrow roads in the middle of nowhere. It became an issue since I was going through water very fast. A couple of well placed villages with town faucets saved the day.

The truck drivers were cautious and courteous but I stepped off the road anyway.

Very well timed village faucet

I couldn't pass this picture up. Isn't this sign a little bit late?

All in all I feel much better today. I took it easy on the hills (like I had any choice in the matter), drank a lot, and ate regularly, including salty snacks.
Pamplona should be about 90 miles tomorrow. If I haven’t used up all my luck it might be a little cooler after this storm. The thunder is still booming in the distance but the rain has stopped. I’m not the only happy camper; my room faces the town park and I don’t think I’ve heard as much birdsong as right now.

It's 8PM. I'm hydrated, have updated the blog, and done my laundry. Now it's off to find a restaurant for food and drink.

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Molina de Aragon

2009-06-18T09:16:00.000-07:00

June 18, 2009
Everything worked out better than I expected yesterday after discovering my pump won’t work. Roberto picked me up at the hotel at 9:30 and we got to the sporting goods store just after they opened. He is from Paraguay where he worked as a police officer for 16 years. He speaks a little English, but talked to me almost entirely in Spanish. I’m not sure I totally understand why he came to Spain, but he’s been here for three years. When I offered to buy gas for his car he told me it wasn’t necessary since he’s always worked at helping others. Between his English, my Spanish, and the dictionary we were able to carry on a conversation there and back.

A funny thing happened last night as I was leaving one of the local bars. A group of 6 women were huddled around as one of them opened two bottles of wine. I think they decided to buy the bottles rather than pay for it by the glass. The one with the cork screw looked up and said something to me. I made my usual reply of “hablo espanol un poco” then added “pero vino es vida y agua es para los pescados” (but wine is life and water is for the fish). They laughed then just as I went around the corner I heard one of them say in English “I want to go with him”. She was embarrassed when I looked back around the corner but everyone had a good laugh.

I left Albarracin at noon and am now in Molina de Aragon. I am very tired although I felt good on the bike. It’s hard to manage the physical side of things in the heat. I’m never able to drink enough while on the bike and have to drink (water) like a fish when I get to the hotels. After the day off and with the late start I probably pushed harder than was wise.

Molina de Aragon

The route went through more amazing countryside: Pine and oak forested mountains; hills with green wheat in the valleys; and open dry hillsides. There was also plenty of climbing.

In the mountains

wheat growing in the valleys

Just outside Molina I met a touring cyclist. Florin is from France where he rides his bike every day as a mailman. He left Versailles ten days ago, crossed the Pyrenees, and is headed to Andalucía in southern Spain. He’s suffering from the sun and rides with long pants and long sleeved shirt. He gave me some information tomorrow’s route since I’ll be taking the same small roads. Florin makes the forth touring cyclist I’ve talked with (not including the ones I saw doing the Camino de Santiago). I did see a couple on fully loaded bikes three days ago. We passed on a very steep climb, I was going up and they were heading down. The man didn’t say anything and the woman just said halo. They seemed like they could be Dutch or German and I’m still confused why they would just ride by. I don’t think they had time to notice how bad I smell.

Tomorrow I’ll get an early start and try to make it halfway to Pamplona. It might get interesting since there aren’t that many towns in the next stretch.

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Adventure begins

2009-06-16T07:08:00.001-07:00

June 16, 2009
The word for the day was relaxation.

I climbed up to, and on the town walls. The east wall has been restored. The west wall is in original condition.

East wall, the tower at the top was the first structure, built in the 10th century.

You can walk on the restored east wall.

I took a tour of the town museum and the castle. The guide talked primarily in Spanish, but gave a few words of English for me and the Japanese tourists. It was very interesting and worth learning more about.

Albarracin with the town wall in the background.

castle tour

Since I had the afternoon free I decided to rotate my tires. I've ridden just under 1000 miles so far with no problems. When I went to pump them up I discovered that the valve end of the pump is gone. It's been a good pump, better than many I've owned. Pumps can be the bane of a cyclists existence. I've been on rides where 2 out of 3 of us had pumps that wouldn't work. Well that's fine when there are three, and that's where the adventure is about to begin.

the culprit

Teruel is a larger town about 20 miles from here. The web shows two bike shops in town. Now I'm going to try to get the hotel staff to call them, see if they have a pump, then decide how and when to get there. I am so lucky that this happened here and not in the boonies, or whatever they're called in Spain.

Update:
Roberto works at the hotel. He called the bike shops in Teruel, but they aren't open yet. He checked on the cost of a taxi and found that it would be 80 euros round trip. That's a lot, but would still be much better than taking a bus. He then offered to give me a ride there in the morning. I didn't believe he was telling me that so he wrote it down in Spanish. We're to meet at 9:30 tomorrow morning.

We'll see what happens next,but I'm very hopeful.

Laughing out Loud

2009-06-15T23:45:00.000-07:00

June 15, 2009
This was a five star, laugh out loud, serendipitous day. I now realize one of the main factors for a great day is to not be going to a major destination. I’ve really enjoyed seeing all of the cities, but on those days the riding can take a back seat to just getting there in time for sight- seeing. When I started out from Cuenca this morning I thought it would be enough to just spend the night in Albarracin. There was no pressure to get here, or thinking ahead of what I should do when here. Having said that, Albarracin is a great place and I’m going to stay here an extra day.

But beyond the freedom to take all day on the bike, every bit of the 80 miles was great riding. I left Cuenca on a bike trail along the river. The woman at the tourist office had told me that almost all of the traffic would be on another route and I only saw a handful of cars. The only thing I knew about the area around Cuenca are the weird rock formations called “ciudad encantada”. They require admission and are probably a zoo on the weekends, but were fun to see.

Ciudad Encantada

My route was through mountainous terrain all day. Some of it reminded me of Northern Arizona with pines and reddish rock cliffs. No that’s wrong, it reminded me of Spain.

Other parts were through canyons with fast flowing streams and lots of greenery.

I detoured at one point to climb several hundred feet up to a village set on the side of the hill.

I kept looking for signs to Albarracin and was curious why there weren’t any. When I finally got to my turnoff it was a very narrow path with a sign saying that the pavement was bad. The road climbed 1000 feet up and the rough pavement didn’t bother me at 6mph. The first car going my way was surprising since no cars had come by in 1 ½ hours.

It was so steep I almost fell off

There were good winds all day. I expected tailwinds going up the valleys, but it was blowing down the other side also. Just before town I met a touring cyclist headed the other direction. He’s from Madrid and it was fun to talk with him about the area.

Eduardo

Near the end of a perfect ride

Albarracin is built on a rock promontory created by the adjacent river. There isn’t any room for a modern road so it tunnels under the narrowest section of town. The uphill side was protected by a wall that arches high on the hillside above. I’ll climb up to the walls tomorrow.

Albarracin

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Cuenca

2009-06-14T10:20:00.000-07:00

June 14, 2009
I got to Cuenca by 1PM. There were strong headwinds for the first half. I saw windmills on the horizon when I left Tarancon. That usually isn't a good sign. The terrain didn't offer any break from the wind so I just had to keep going and not think about it too much. The second half was better because: it was higher and trees were growing; the wind died down; I was able to get off the freeway onto smaller roads; and I finally found a bar open for coffee. This is my third Sunday and it's more difficult because a lot of places are closed.

My room has air conditioning and wireless. At this stage it almost doesn't matter what else is in the room. The rest of the room is nice though. It's interesting since this is the first room I've had since Bilbao that has any traffic noise. Almost without exception the room have all been dead quiet at night.

There was a religious procession just ending as I got into town. I don't know what it was all about.

Religious Procession

Cuenca's old town is built on a rock promontory. Many of the houses and buildings continue straight up from the cliff sides. I think this is another day trip destination from Madrid. It wasn't very crowded this afternoon.

Cliff edge of the old town

It was bad lighting, but these are the most photographed buildings

Old town main plaza

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Hotter, I think

2009-06-14T05:52:00.000-07:00

June 13, 2009
This morning I walked to the train station to see if I could get one to Cuenca. I would’ve had to go to Madrid first, and that seemed too complicated. The bus or a rental car may have been other options, but I didn’t know where the bus station was and didn’t think about trying to rent a car. I did meet a couple of women at the train station who are just setting out on a four month self-supported (no hotels) bike tour. When I asked one of them “donde vas?” I got the same deer in the headlights look that I’m so good at giving. It turned out that they’re from New Orleans and Portland. I envy their free time, but not camping in this heat.

In any case things seem to have worked out since I’m a little over halfway to Cuenca, in a small town: Tarancon. I may have pushed things a little since the one-star hostal I’m staying at seems to be the only game in town. But then again one room is all I need.

After walking to the train station I made sure to be at the Toledo Cathedral at opening time: 10AM. It’s another impressive building, and it’s beyond my comprehension how they could build those massive structures almost 800 years ago. A guided tour seems like the only way to do it justice. I tried to take my time, but in the back of my mind was the fact that it was already very warm and getting hotter.

View of Toledo and the Roman Bridge

Banners are hung above the streets for shade

Setting off at 11AM it was already 91F degrees. I use whatever units are handy and it’s just not as impressive to say that it was 33C. That reminds me that this is the kind of heat I will look back on next winter when I’m commuting in 33F weather, or maybe 0 degrees C.

I very efficiently found the wrong road out of town. It wasn‘t a severe mistake, and only added a few kilometers to my route. In my defense it was one of the rare times when the signs weren’t obvious. Almost all the other times they’ve been very easy to follow.

It was hot today and I made sure to make the most of the heat by riding until 5PM. Most of the road was new blacktop which seemed to be a couple of degrees C warmer than the aged grey roads. My bike computer read 40C (in my shadow) on the new sections and 38C on grey asphalt that looked to be a couple of years old.

More open wheatlands

This evening in Tarancon it has definitely cooled down. The sky is overcast and thunderheads have formed. At 8PM the outside temperature is a cool 82F. I saw something on TV that looked like Toledo may have reached 40C.

With an early start tomorrow I might be able to finish before things heat up. I’m not sure what idiot planned my original itinerary with a 115 mile day from Toledo to Cuenca. It must have been someone that thought a few inches on the map couldn’t amount to much. They were probably sitting in the comfort of their living room and lost sight of what is really practical. In light of this failure I’ll have to double check what other tricks might be in store.

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Comments

2009-06-12T12:29:00.000-07:00

Since I don't want to leave this air conditioned bar, here are answers to most of the comments. I enjoy reading them all.

Chris, does D3 really pay you overtime for 33 hours in a week?

Amane, All meals are better if you ride a bike far enough.

Brendan, there is life over the fence. All I ask is when they haul me back to my cubicle, that you'll have my glove and baseball ready like Steve McQueen in Great Escape.

Alberto, I realized when I was in Zamora that it was really stupid not to have gotten your recommendations before leaving for this trip. However I do think Zamora is an unknown secret and I'm glad to have stopped there.

Tania, I still don't know what a "big head of salt" is. It doesn't make any more sense in English.

Steve, let me know when you're ready for the Camino de Santiago. Also I hope that all of the hills will keep the bad kind of flats from happening.

Steve P, all my plane spotting data is on my secret blog. You know the one.

Jani, I have a thousand places in Spain I want to share with you. Next time.

Well it's time for dinner (10PM). So until next time this is your loyal correspondant in Espana.

Officially Hot

2009-06-12T11:44:00.000-07:00

June 12, 2009
I made it 87 miles to Toledo. I now know that “Holy Toledo” applies to the temperature. If today doesn’t qualify as hot; I’m in trouble.

I left Avila at sunrise. The light on the city walls was beautiful, and the only other things moving were hundreds of swifts.

The town wall at sunrise.

Requisite shadow rider photo

The road climbed up to open range land, dropped into oak woodlands, then climbed up to pine forests. The landscape reminded me of California. It’s amazing how many different types of countryside there are in Spain.

California?

About 50 miles from Avila the hills ended and I was back into rolling hills of wheat. Some of the fields were being harvested as I rode by. This area looked very much like eastern Washington.

I was comfortable in the shade.

The road got much busier the closer I got to Toledo. Once in the city, it took me awhile to find a hotel. The Old Town is a veritable rat maze of narrow streets, and they can be very steep. This is the hardest city to find my way around. I didn’t know at first, but my hotel is in a good central location. Better than that, the air conditioning that just turned on at 7PM.

I’ll stay here until noon tomorrow. The Cathedral was closed by the time I got here today. It should already be hot (or really hot) when I leave tomorrow; my plan is to only ride about 40 miles. That way it should only be about 65 miles to Cuenca.

My room is just beginning to cool down. I’d better go out before it gets too comfortable.

I'm in an internet bar and checked the weather for Toledo. At 8:30PM it's 93 degrees and reached a high of 99 degrees (37.2C) today. I think that qualifies as hot, and it will be fine with me if it doesn't get any hotter. I don't feel bad about riding 87 miles in that heat.

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Avila

2009-06-11T13:06:00.000-07:00

June 11, 2009

I never know when talking with people will be productive. There’s a shared frustration in most conversations, especially if people are busy doing their jobs. Three conversations have stood out in the past couple of days.

The first was with a woman running a fruit store in Segovia. She has an autographed photo of Pedro Delgado (winner of the Tour de France) in her store and told me he’s from Segovia. We talked about Spanish bike racers and her son who works in Boston. Second was when I checked out of the Segovia hotel and the owner asked me about my trip. I was able to tell him where I’ve been and where I’m headed. Then this afternoon in Avila I met two Argentinean tourists and we talked for quite awhile. They didn’t speak English and were very patient in dealing with my limited Spanish. Neither of these encounters lasted very long, but they’re a big part of why I’m here and what I’ll remember.

I left early this morning for the 20 miles climb up to a 6100’ pass. I wanted to make use of the cool morning. Shortly after leaving Segovia the road was in forest, first oak, then through pines. I only saw one other cyclist on the way up, but at the top there were dozens of cyclists. On my descent from the pass there must have been a hundred cyclists. Luckily I hadn’t climbed up that side or I’d have pushed harder than would be prudent.

Climb to Navacerrada Pass

I descended past the town of El Escorial and started up another climb. This time there were a few cyclists that passed by. They were going quite a bit faster so I could let them go. This climb started in Oak woodlands and soon climbed into open and dry country. I had asked a local about the climb and had been warned that there were very many motorcyclists. Since this is Thursday it seems like people should have been at work, but it looked like all of Madrid was out for a ride; even a couple of motorcycle cops came roaring past.

I let these two get away

Once on top (of the second pass of the day) the terrain was constant hills. They weren’t as long as the climb up the pass, but kept going and going. It was warm (I’m still saving the word hot for later) and not too windy so I made good time.

I’m starting to expect these towns to be located on top of the local hill. As fortress towns that only made sense, and Avila is no exception. It’s another elegant town with the distinction that it has a continuous wall around the old town. I made a tour of the wall; now it’s 9PM time for
dinner.

Outside the town wall. Swifts have been in every town.

Inside the town

Storks are nesting on every spire

Well I just had the worst (possibly first bad) meal in Spain. The last two dinners were at the hotel in Segovia. They were good as well as cheap (9 euros). Wine came with the meal and I don’t mean a glass of wine; they put a full bottle on the table. I must have pushed my luck because this Avila hotel dinner was on a par with dorm food. In a country full of fresh vegetables they just served up instant mashed potatoes, canned peas and beans. As bad as that sounds, the ambience more than makes up for the poor meal. I’m sitting outside my hotel in a small plaza. At 10PM it’s still light and warm out. The locals are all around having their drinks, the swifts are doing excellent imitations of Star Wars fighters through the narrow streets, and best of all I can have another glass of good and cheap (there’s that word again) house red wine. So don’t weep for me; I’ll get through somehow.

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Tomorrow I head east to Toledo. It’s supposed to be in the low 90’s. If I’m lucky there won’t be too much climbing and the winds will be favorable. I’ll have to keep in mind that this is the weather that I wanted when it was pouring rain.

Into the Heartland

2009-06-11T07:48:00.000-07:00

June 7, 2009

It was a rough day of riding.

The day started out well. It was easy to get out of Leon and onto lightly traveled roads. The morning was very quiet and fairly calm, but I was apprehensive since the weather forecast was for moderately strong winds out of the southwest. The first forty miles were generally to the southeast with side winds through some scenic farming country.

This area of Spain is known as the meseta. It’s at about 2500’ and reputedly very flat. I had been wondering if it would be boring to ride through. I shouldn’t have worried since I enjoyed riding across Kansas. On a bicycle there’s more to look at, and listen to, than in a car. There are also many more hills than you would notice in your car. It wasn’t hilly, but it wasn’t dead flat either.

somewhere in kansas?

The last 30 miles were directly into a strong headwind. At times I couldn’t maintain 10mph, even on slight downhill sections. The wind was so demanding that it was hard to focus on anything else and I would forget that I was riding in a different country. If I’d been going the other direction my outlook would have been 180 degrees opposite.

I arrived in Zamora after 91 miles and a full 9to5 day on the bike. It’s an interesting town and not as touristy as Leon. The only other English speaking person I talked with was a Japanese tourist who was really happy when he found out I speak English. He said it was unbelievable that he finally found another English speaker. His luck ran out when I told him that I don’t live in Zamora and couldn’t help.

There weren’t too many places to stay in Zamora. Luckily happened on a good hostal (not hostel). Hostals are like a guest house and usually located above other businesses. The owner was very nice. She spoke to me in Spanish at first, because I was trying to speak the language. Then later she spoke with me in English. She was curious about my thoughts on Obama and I told her that it’s nice to travel without being embarrassed by my president. After giving me a beer the owner offered to do my laundry. No hotel has done that for me, but she does it for all guests.

typical rural town with cathedral and castle ruins

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June 8, 2009

It was a rough day of riding.

The weather forecast was for rain today, so I was pleasantly surprised to see some blue sky in the hotel courtyard. It was a nasty trick; I didn’t get past the city limits before the rain was bucketing down. At least the wind was mostly from the side. If it had been yesterday’s winds combined with today’s rain; it would have been brutal. There were just a few brief letups in the rain for the 4 hours it took me to get to Salamanca. Pouring rain and 50 degree weather are not what I expected, although last week was very hot and that wouldn’t be a picnic either.

Salamanca has a lot to see. I’m pretty worn out and seriously thinking about taking tomorrow off. It would be a lot better sightseeing with a fresher outlook.

Salamanca

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June 9, 2009

This has been a spectacular day, and I don’t feel the least bit guilty. After the last two days I deserved a break.

The pension in Salamanca wasn’t bad for a night, but I didn’t want to stay longer. My plan was to find another hotel for a second night in Salamanca, but the wind was still blowing, and in the direction of Segovia. I wanted to take advantage of my earnings and blew out of town. A tailwind is to a cyclist what spinach was to Popeye. Two days ago it was hard work to go 10 mph, today I could cruise along at almost 25 mph. I’ll gladly pay two headwinds (when I get home) for every tailwind in Spain.

flying with the wind at my back

After climbing a little from Salamanca the terrain was very flat for miles and miles. It was a lot like Kansas, except that instead of grain elevators visible on the horizon, there were cathedrals (in every town) visible for miles.

every town had a cathedral

My mood was so much better; I felt like a character in some corny Disney movie. At any moment the birds were going to land on my hands and sing to me. What a change, I used the same swear words for the wind, but in different ways. Instead of “#$%^& wind” it was “this is a #$%^& fantastic wind”.

As I flew through one town I heard school kids yelling at me. I didn’t understand anything more than “camisa” and “amarillo”. I was wearing my yellow-colored jersey. They were referring to the Tour de France; not a true comparison but I’ll take it just the same.

The tailwinds stayed with me for almost 90 miles. The last 11 were a little slow, but nothing like two days ago. It’s a beautiful approach to Segovia from the west and I knew instantly that this was the town/city where I should take a rest day. It’s much smaller than Salamanca and is in a much nicer setting. There are still a lot of college students running around, but not as many other foreign tourists. I don’t know what makes the other tourists think they can come to the same place I do. It’s especially aggravating if they’re Americans. What gives them the right to be in Spain while I’m here?

Pines started appearing as i got closer to Segovia

I spent some time trying to get a wireless connection in bars and only ended up drinking beer. The computer is frustrating although beer helps to dull the pain. Tomorrow I’ll drink more canas (schooners) and vino tintos (house red wine) in the pursuit of web posting.

Hasta luego.

June 10, 2009

It’s been a relaxing day with one exception; I can’t get connected up to wireless. The laptop will act like it’s hooked-up, then give a no connection warning. I didn’t want to become a slave to the technology, but here I am. So these entries might not be posted for awhile.

I went out at 8AM to find my typical breakfast: coffee and a croissant. Things were still fairly quiet. After collecting things from my room I set out on the bike. The city was crawling with tourists. They must come here for the day from Madrid.

The bike let me get to the fringes of the city away from the crowds. I explored the Aqueduct up the hill to where it ends. From there I rode to the edge of town to understand how to get out in the morning.

2000 years old and built without mortar

Segovia Cathedral

I also visited La Iglesia de la Vera Cruz (the church of the true cross) which was built by the Knights Templar in the early 13th century to hold a sliver of the cross. It’s a small church (since it only had to hold the Knights) and fairly plain. Quite a difference from the big cathedrals.

Church of the true cross

carvings next to entrance

Tomorrow’s route to Avila will take me across the Sierra de Guadaramas which are northwest of Madrid. It’s really close to Madrid so I hope the traffic won’t be too heavy. For the most part my routes have been secondary to major freeways.

June 11,2009

I just got to Avila. Another fantastic day of riding. 76 miles with 7800' gain over 3 passes. More to come, including pictures. Now it's time for a shower then cerveza, or wine, or both.

Leon

2009-06-06T11:41:00.000-07:00

June 6, 2009
The good news is that I’m conserving sunscreen. Today makes it even, three days of sunny riding, and three days of riding in the rain. Having said that it rained, I don’t want to anger the weather gods; it only rained for the last 20 kilometers into Leon. The forecast is for more rain and it’s a sure bet that things can be a lot worse. Rest assured that it will have to be a really wet day in Spain before a dry cubicle at Boeing is more appealing.

Last night I watched the fights on television (with the locals) in the hotel bar. It was like any other sporting event except that this was man against bull. I was apprehensive about watching although I’m glad to have stuck around. It was a little gory with blood streaming off the bull’s shoulders, but the final blow didn’t seem that traumatic, to me anyway. I was impressed with how still the matador stood as the bull passed within inches of his back. The beef that makes it to Safeway’s meat counter may come from cattle that have been abused more than the bull. I don’t want to sermonize or romanticize, just comment.

View from my hotel room

Today’s ride was an enjoyable 57 miles. Even the rain was bearable since the temperature was about 60 degrees. Of course there was plenty of uphill in what seemed like it should have been a flat or downhill day. The lesson for me, should be to treat every day with respect.

Poppies are in bloom

Temporary shelter from the storm

The road I took into the city led directly to the main tourist area near the Cathedral. The tourist office recommended checking at a local college dormitory. The room has its own bath, wireless internet, and breakfast for 20 euros. It may get interesting later tonight since there are still enough (i.e.- more than one) students to make an unholy racket.

The Leon Cathedral has the most amazing stained glass I’ve ever seen. It is even more impressive than the cathedral in Paris across from Notre Dame. There are lots of tourists here. I’ve heard a few English-speaking people for the first time in a week. Once again I am on the Camino Santiago and there are lots of people with backpacks or bikes doing the route to Santiago de Compostela. It looks like another reason to return, like I don’t already have enough reasons.

Leon Cathedral

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Tomorrow may be challenging getting out of the city and to Zamora. I should be ready for a full day since it looks to be about 90 miles. The furthest day to this point was 77 miles.

If anyone knows why my pictures are sideways (operator error isn't a satisfactory answer) leave me a comment.

Into the twilight

2009-06-06T06:41:00.000-07:00

June 5, 2009
This has been another interesting day. The weather held off just long enough for me to reach the top of a pass I had to cross. It then got worse and worse until I decided to stop early and outwait the rain. So far it’s not playing along.

I was lucky that it was not raining this morning. The road south of Cangas follows the river Sella almost 30 miles to its source at the 4200’ Puerto (Pass) del Ponton. The air was very humid from the rain that fell overnight. That combined with the lush vegetation and bird songs made the river valley seem like it could be in Western Washington. There were even slugs in the road. Not little slugs; these were big, black, shiny ones that would make any Northwestern person proud.

The Pueblos Blancos in Andalucia are scenic, but I like all the colors in Asturias

The middle section of valley was through a very narrow gorge (Desfiladero de los Beyos). The road is cut from the sides of the cliffs which are so steep that the only views of the river are from the many bridges that cross the chasm. It was a very narrow road, but luckily there wasn’t much traffic and all the drivers were patient in waiting to pass.

Through the Gorge

The upper section of valley opened up into more pasture lands. The road also steepened up for the final climb. The pass was almost into the clouds. Just like yesterday, I’m sure the sights are amazing on a clear day. I expected that the weather would be better on the south side of the pass, but there were big squalls visible.

Village near the top of the valley

It was only 9 miles downhill to the next town, but the rain was through taking it easy. I sheltered in a bar in Riano and had a cup of coffee. The rain didn’t let up so I ducked in another bar for a second coffee. The weather seemed a little better, then let loose again just as I was leaving town. I couldn’t motivate myself to spend a few hours in pouring rain and thus am in Riano for the night.

Riano is a really odd town. At first glance everything seems okay. It’s in a beautiful setting, on a lake and surrounded by mountain peaks. All of the buildings are new, but on closer inspection there’s almost no one living or staying here. It looks like a planned resort/retirement town that didn’t really work out. I keep expecting Rod Serling to step out from a doorway and explain that I have entered the twilight zone and won’t be leaving. There are two young girls playing in the hotel. If they float along the hallway or disappear through a wall then my doubts will be confirmed. In any case I won’t be following them. All joking aside, any port in a storm will do just fine. The rain showers have continued and there has been thunder and lightning this afternoon.

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Tomorrow should be a fairly short ride to Leon. I had hoped to spend another day in the Picos, but they’ll still be here for a future trip.

The Picos have piqued my interest

2009-06-04T10:39:00.000-07:00

June 3
I can see that it would be a mistake to use up all my adjectives this early in the trip. Hot, hotter, and hottest are safe bets to make their true appearances later. So in that spirit I’ll have to downgrade what felt hot, to comfortably warm. I’m confident that describing the scenery of the Picos de Europa as majestic will hold up over the next few weeks, but I’ll have to wait before anointing any one day as the best scenery of the trip.
Now that the disclaimers are out of the way; it was a warm and beautiful day. I left Comillas at 7:30 when it was still very quiet. My freelancing along the coastal roads allowed me to see a little more of the countryside than I had planned. I wasn’t lost; I knew I was still in Spain. The next town from Comillas is San Vicente de la Barquera. It’s a pretty town, but a little too touristy. Shortly after leaving the town I headed inland, then along the northern edge of the Picos. The road follows a river upstream, has great asphalt, very little traffic, and on this day a great tailwind. It felt good to move along at a reasonable pace, but all things even out in the long run. Shortly after leaving the river I saw a road high above me and wondered where it was headed. Won’t I ever learn? It was my road up there in the sky. A worthy climb to a pass and an even worthier descent to Cangas de Onis.

"Flat" coastal roads

Great road into the Picos

Tomorrow I’ll leave the panniers at the hotel and do a ride that Alberto (from work) told me is a classic. The road climbs from Cangas to Covadonga which is famous for being the site of a battle that started the Christian reconquista of Spain in the year 718. My focus is the climb from there up to two lakes.
The weather forecast is for rain and possible thundershowers. The hills around Cangas are already covered by clouds so I hope it won’t be too bad in the morning.

Roman bridge in Cangas de Onis

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June 4, 2009
I’m finally starting to settle into the Spanish schedule. A nap and snack in the afternoon make it bearable waiting until 9PM for dinner. That’s my bedtime (or later) in Everett. Early to bed may make Jack healthy and wise, but in Spain it will make Gary very very hungry in the morning. So I stayed up and had a local Asturian dish, fabada (bean and chorizo stew) and roasted pork ribs.
It was nice to sleep later this morning, knowing that I’d be in town for one more night. My hotel was not that great, but fortunately they only had a room for one night. It didn’t take long to find another hotel and this time I upgraded from two stars to three.
After moving my stuff around the corner I set out for the mountains. The clouds were low in the valley and rain looked likely. It didn’t take long for the road to start climbing into the clouds. For the most part it was just a heavy mist, but there were several rain showers that made me question going to the top. The saving factor was that it was still about 60 degrees and I had extra clothing for the descent. Visibility was no more than 10 meters, but at my slow pace I wasn’t going to slam into any of the many cows in the road. They wouldn’t move so I rode right between them. They’re harmless….right?

My good friends

The climb was a steady 10% grade topping out at almost 4000’. The fog didn’t let up and I couldn’t see anything. It was amusing to see all the viewpoint signs pointing at nothing. Doubts were creeping into my mind about being able to descend safely on a (rain and cow-crap slickened) narrow road in a blinding fog. I thought seriously about asking one of the tour vans if they would give me a ride down the mountain, but after putting on my warm clothing I noticed that the sky was much brighter. Not only did it get brighter, the clouds opened up to give me glimpses of the surrounding peaks. When I started down it was amazing to see what I’d ridden past. Unfortunately it didn’t last. A few hundred feet lower and it was back to the pea soup. I made sure to keep the speed down and at times could follow cars which I hoped would act as cow catchers.

The fog clears

This sheep herding dog picture is for you, Jani

Can you spot the cows?

This afternoon has been leisurely. I’m sitting in a café, drinking Rioja as I write this account on my laptop. It’s a dirty job, but somebody has to do it.
I’m not sure where I’ll end up tomorrow. If the weather is okay I plan to circle around the south side of the Picos to Potes. If the weather is bad I may decide to go straight to Leon. From what I’ve seen the rain in Spain falls mainly on the mountains.

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Over the mountains to the beach

2009-06-03T11:17:00.000-07:00

Tuesday June 2nd
This was a hard but rewarding day. When I got up this morning there was no one to be found in the hostel, but (as promised) they had left breakfast for me in the dining room. I stopped in town at a farmer’s market and bought some cherries and carrots. Vegetables and fruit aren’t part of the normal bar menu so I’ll have to grab them when I can.
The ride started through grasslands and Oak woodlands similar to California. It was a beautiful morning in the low 50’s, sunny, with only the sounds of birds to keep me company. After 40 km I turned west along the shores of lake that is at the top of the Rio Ebro, which eventually empties into the Mediterranean near Barcelona. The countryside along the lake was open grassland with the snow-covered Picos de Europa as a backdrop. It reminded me of Colorado.
West of of Reinosa I talked with a passing cyclist who told me about my route. He said there wasn’t much traffic on the climb up to Puerto de palumbra, but the descent had muchas curvas and muchas vacas (cows). It was an outstanding climb, all above treeline accompanied by the windchime sounds of cowbells. As warned the descent was very curvy and there were cows in the road. I’m still not very comfortable descending on this bike (with the extra weight of panniers) and the thought of hitting a cow made me extra cautious. Even when there weren’t any cows visible there were huge pee and crap stains in the road to remind me of their potential presence.

One thing worth mentioning is how much I like kilometers/hour and how much I dislike climbing in meters. I feel 1.6 times better in kph, and 1/3 as good when climbing in m/min. Maybe I'll see if my computer will measure mm/min.
I descended 4000’ over about 20 miles to the town of Cabezon de la Sal (head of the salt?) from where I thought it would be an easy 10 miles to Comillas on the coast. The good and bad thing about going places is that you get to add the third dimension (verticality) to maps. Whereas I had imagined one long interrupted descent to the ocean, there was a large pesky hill in the way. Oh well, I know this will happen and the only uncertainty is where and when the topography will reach out and slap me upside the head.

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Comillas is a very nice coastal resort town and also happens to be on the Camino de Santiago. Not the same route as last night, but a more northern coastal route. There seem to be a fair number of people in town and I only found a hotel on the third try. The hotel reminds me of Faulty Towers in the best sense. There is none of the fumbling/bumbling, but they are very, very anxious to please. I decided to have dinner at the hotel since it’s a set menu and they start serving at 8Pm which is an hour earlier than usual. I was the only one in the restaurant and in a remarkable coincidence they put Bob Marley on the stereo. It was probably the only English speaking singer they had. The waiter and manager were constantly walking by to make sure that my every need was met. It was the first real dinner I’ve had in Spain and I really appreciate all of their concern and attention.

Comillas

Tomorrow “should” be an easier day along the coast then inland to Cangas de Onis. Stayed tuned for stories about how the coastal roads aren’t flat.

Espinosa de los monteros

2009-06-01T08:34:00.000-07:00

June 1st

Today I had an interesting time trying to find my way out of Bilbao. I didn't leave the hotel until 10AM which was a couple of hours later than planned. After several false starts I found the road I wanted, but it didn't want me as it was signed for no cyclists. There were side roads up the same valley so I got off at the next exit. Still wondering what to do I saw another cyclist ahead. I caught up to him and asked if he could help me. We didn't get very far (because of my lack of comprehension) before stopping to look at my maps. His name was Alejandro and he was out for a morning ride from Bilbao. He gave me directions then rode with me for an hour. Our routes diverged at a point where I'd been planning on heading higher into the mountains. Fortunately he told me to take the low road because even it had some hills that were up to 9% grade.

I had lunch in a beautiful little town, Balmaseda. Alejandro told me (or I should say that I'm pretty sure he told me) that this valley is on one of the many pilgrimage routes to Santiago de Campostela.

I'm spending the night at a youth hostel near Espinosa de los monteros. There is only one other person here for the night so I get a six person room to myself. It costs 13 euros which will leave me plenty of money tonight for cervesa and vino tinto.

Tomorrow had better be an earlier start since it will be much further to Comillas on the coast. I don't think it was all that hot, but it felt warm enough climbing in the sun which is another reason for an earlier start.

This is a map of my route except I was able to stay on smaller roads.

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Clicking above will open the page on google maps.

Balmaseda

Near Villanueva de Mena

Espinosa de los Monteros

Bilbao

2009-05-31T12:37:00.001-07:00

Saturday May 30th
I'm at Seatac waiting for my flight to Frankfurt with feelings reminiscent of starting my ride three years ago. This day has taken forever to get here and at the same time has arrived instantly. In a few days I hope to relive another feeling I experienced riding cross-country; laughing out loud at the sheer joy of living out another dream.

Sunday May 31st
Well this is it, I'm here. The flights went smoothly and I arrived in Bilbao at 1PM. My baggage wasn't showing up and it started to feel like one of the Boeing trips through Bilbao when my suitcase didn't find me for four days. An airport worker finally came over to tell me and a few other lost souls that the international baggage came out on a different carousel. Sure enough both bags were there going around in circles.

I'm staying in the same hotel that I used in 2007. It's nice to have something familiar, and I have one less worry since they will keep my bike case until I come back on the 26th.

After assembling my bike and doing a short test ride I spent a few hours walking around the city near my hotel. It's Sunday so the shops are closed, but like the other European cities I've visited, the streets are filled with people of all ages. Torturing locals with incomprehensible Spanish is one of my goals and I got started right away. Some of them are very receptive while others (some bartenders) are too busy to teach me remedial language skills. Oh well, it should only get better from this day forward and no one has laughed at me.......yet. I alternate between feelings of "oh no what have I done" to "four weeks won't be long enough and we should just move here."

Preparation

2009-05-28T20:02:00.000-07:00

In my usual fashion I have obsessed, fretted, and worried every imaginable detail and won't stop until the rubber hits the road. The plan is to stay in hotels which means the bike will be heavy, but much lighter than self-contained touring. As I mentioned before, the bike is new, and specially built for travel. It is a normal steel road bike (Rodrigues Rainier from R&E cycles) with couplings that allow the frame to be split into two parts. It fits in a suitcase 10x26x26 inches which is right at the limit of what airlines will carry without extra charges.

Bike ready to be packed

Packed

Ready for the airplane

Most of my gear consists of clothing for on and off the bike. I'm also well stocked with electronics: Ipod, camera, and mini laptop (netbook). Hopefully these devices will help me enjoy the journey instead of taking it for me.

I did a shakedown trip a few weekends ago, riding from home through Arlington and LaConner to Deception Pass State Park for the night. The next day I completed the loop down Whidbey Island to the Mukilteo ferry. It was a very valuable trip because I finally decided against taking camping gear, and was also reminded that patience is the most valuable asset for touring. Strength and impatience are no match for weakness with lots of patience. Something about aspiring to be the tortoise instead of the hare. Anyone who's ridden with me knows that I almost never identify with the slow and steady philosophy, but there is no denying F=ma when dealing with a large mass.

About to get a lesson in patience the hard way

LaConner Bridge

Ebey's Landing on Whidbey Island

One of the attractions of touring Spain is the opportunity to improve my rudimentary Spanish. I have been studying in my spare time. Four weeks on my own should really help force me speak Spanish. I'm a little apprehensive which is a good indication that this trip is pushing my boundaries.

Not the Whole Summer This Time

2009-05-26T18:42:00.000-07:00

I thought I'd finished this blog three years ago, but once again it seems like the easiest way to keep in touch during an extended trip. Last time it was Jani, Kira, and I going across the US in 12 weeks. This time it will be me, bicycling in Spain, for four weeks.

Bike touring in Europe has been a dream for awhile. One dream among many others. What put Spain atop the list were the three separate trips I took there in 2007. Boeing was working with a company in Vitoria (northern Spain) and I was lucky enough to go there for design reviews. I also managed to add side-trips to Madrid, Barcelona, Bilbao and San Sebastian. Seeing some of the country made me want to see more. One trip always seems to beget three more.

I spent a lot of time two rainy Christmas' ago staring at maps, planning a large loop around Northern Spain, going close but not too close to Madrid. I found that most of the cities I wanted to visit could be combined in a 1500 mile trip starting on the north coast in Bilbao. Bilbao is a large city, but not nearly as intimidating as Madrid. From there I will head east to the Picos de Europa, a small but significant mountain range near the coast. Hopefully the weather will be good and I'll be able to spend several days in and around the mountains. After that my route will go between cities that I've wanted to visit: Leon, Zamora, Salamanca, Segovia, Avila, Toledo, Cuenca, Pamplona, San Sebastian, and back to Bilbao.

I need to give credit to my brother for helping kick me in the butt, even if it was unintentional. Last fall I was still talking about cycling in Spain even though I'd done nothing to make it happen. His reply was, "Is this the same trip you were talking about last year?" I didn't want to let another year go by and decided to finally make it come true. Buying a special bike that fits in a suitcase for airline travel gave me even more incentive. It will never pay for itself (unless the airlines start charging much more than $100 to carry regular size bikes) but I'll have fun trying to justify the bike.

Trip Details:
I leave on May 30th, arrive in Bilbao on the 31st, and start cycling on June 1st. The route should require about 19 days of cycling, leaving me with seven days off whenever and wherever needed. I need to be back in Bilbao on June 26th for my flight home on the 27th. I also want to leave a day open for visiting the people I've worked with in Vitoria.

Here is my route: