Cycling in Spain (1 Viewer)

[DBK]

I am off on a trip to Spain tomorrow to do some cycling - without the MH!

A crack of dawn start from Bristol airport, the 07:05 EasyJet will hopefully take me to Barcelona where I will, also hopefully, meet up with my brother who flies in from Glasgow. Assuming the bikes arrive in one piece we will then travel by train to Girona to start a trip along the edge of the Pyrenees to San Sebastian and from there catch the Santander to Plymouth ferry on the 22nd of May.

Unlike our trip up the west coast of France last year we are not going to be camping. Partly because hotels are not too expensive in Spain but mostly because we expect to encounter some big hills so the less weight we carry the better!

The weather forecast for the Girona region is looking good for the next week or so but our route goes into the mountains and we will reach 1500m or thereabouts so we are expecting everything from rain to snow.

I have started a little journal of the trip and will update it whenever I can. I am taking the Motorhomewifi Mifi device with me and the EuropaSIM so this will be their first test outside the UK.

The journal can be found on the link below. I am using this site rather than my own blog as this dedicated cycling website allows daily updates to be sent as plain text e-mails, which is very useful when you can't get a good mobile 'phone signal. The journal has a Guestbook so if anyone want to send me insults or even ask a question it can be done there. I will probably be able to visit this site (MHF) from time to time, assuming the mobile signals work or I find some free wifi while I am away. If not, see you all in a little over 2 weeks!

www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/spain2014

 

[wizzer59]

Good luck bud, My legs are sore already

single speed as well

 

[DBK]

Good luck bud, My legs are sore already

single speed as well

No, its got a Rohloff hub gear - 14 gears. A bit like a Sturmy Archer. It's a miracle of German precision engineering. Eye-wateringly expensive but they have a reputation for reliability second to none.

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[Taran_Las]

Hope you have a great and safe trip. :thumb:

 

[scotjimland]

Respect..:thumb:

have a good trip and post plenty photos..

 

[wizzer59]

No, its got a Rohloff hub gear - 14 gears. A bit like a Sturmy Archer. It's a miracle of German precision engineering. Eye-wateringly expensive but they have a reputation for reliability second to none.

Oh easy then

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[UK Pete]

Sounds great, i lookforward to hearing how you get on
pete

 

[DBK]

I seem to have sorted out the technical problems of uploading photographs and files so the blog now has pictures and routes. Here is today's little story. https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/page/?o=1&page_id=367506&v=f

 

[Ridgeway]

No, its got a Rohloff hub gear - 14 gears. A bit like a Sturmy Archer. It's a miracle of German precision engineering. Eye-wateringly expensive but they have a reputation for reliability second to none.

Wow just watched a Rohloff video of the Speed Hub, amazing piece it kit !!!

Good luck with the ride and enjoy those 14 gears

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[DBK]

We have to climb up to 1450m tomorrow so I suspect bottom gear will get a good work out.

Just had a 12 euro menu at the restaurant across the road, including water and a bottle of wine. Hard to fault Spain for prices, and every hotel so far has had FREE WiFi.

Will be coming back to Spain in September with the MH - ferry already booked.

 

[UK Pete]

I am following your blog john ,seems like your having an amazing time, dont forget to get tony to take some pictures of yourself , have a great ride and i lookforward to your next blog update
pete

 

[DBK]

I am following your blog john ,seems like your having an amazing time, dont forget to get tony to take some pictures of yourself , have a great ride and i lookforward to your next blog update
pete

Many thanks. I think there is a blurred picture of me in yesterday's blog entry. Today started badly, the local shops didn't open until 10:30, which no doubt suits the locals but not impatient cyclists.

Amazing scenery on the ride today and hardly a car in sight all day. We had the road to ourselves for most of the time. My write-up doesn't do it justice but there was something magical about cycling up to a col and having it entirely to yourself apart from the birds and a few cows with clanging bells. Very alpine.

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[UK Pete]

Just read through your updated blog, great to see you in the pictures now, if i havent already said this , i am well envious of your trip, i feel like i could really learn from you and your experience, it gives me inspiration to take my cycling to the next level, i am quite good with endurance and can cycle all day long my trouble is that none of my friends share my interst in cycling so i have to ride solo which as you know can be dangerous at times ie raising the alarm in the event of an accident etc
stay safe john and keep up the well written blog,
pete

 

[jumar]

Reading your blog with interest. We are starting our own bike ride, on the Camino del Cid from Burgos to Valencia and then probably back to Totana, on 26 May. It's always good to find another route to do for future trips.

Continue to enjoy and post the photos.

 

[DBK]

The Last Day

Just about to set off on the last day's cycling, about 50km mostly downhill from Leitza to San Sebastian. Should be there by midday and it should make a change from a hard day yesterday, when we climbed well over 1200m.

Rain is forecast for this evening and tomorrow, but we can't complain, we have had two weeks of sunshine.

The journal of the trip is here: www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/spain2014
It needs a few extra pages added, including a list of all the birds seen, around 60 species roughly. Spain has been a delight, after being ready to write off Spanish food we had a cracking meal here in Leitza last night followed by a good breakfast this morning at a cafe in the main street. Life is looking rosy again.

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