Getting ready

Last minute details. COVID test (negative - phew)! And final packing.
Time to fly

Last minute packing. Bike boxes come in just under 50 lbs. drinks in deschuttes. Relatively empty plane.
On our way

Relatively easy check in process at PDX. Bike boxes just slid under 50 lbs! A few drinks for the road and an on time departure. Able to spread out across 3 seats! On time arrival in heathrow but stuckLue lisää
Lisbon sights

Late night arrival into Lisbon and despite some challenges finding transport big enough to haul us and bikes to our AirBnB, made it around 2 am and crashed. Awoke to a sunny late morning. Coffee andLue lisää
Lisbon Day 2

Quick ride to check bikes and walk towards Belem. Sample pasteles - twice! Enjoy the sights including riding a trolley.
First 3 days

130 miles in and we are adjusting to life on the road. Many highs and many lows. Highs: temperature, smooth bike lanes and roads, beautiful scenery, hummus Sammie by the coast, kindness of strangers.Lue lisää
A short day to enjoy the beach

Some days you call it quits to enjoy some beach time. After enjoying lunch looking out at the beautiful beach and having ridden 25 miles or so decided to stop and enjoy. Eyeing the uphill awaiting usLue lisää
The ups and downs of beach towns

Tried to get an early start but it wasn’t meant to be. Go down only to be confronted with unrideable surface. Long push up. Followed by lovely pavement and then another down to go up. And why are weLue lisää
Rest day

Decide to enjoy the westernmost tip of continental Europe. Check out fortress, lighthouse and town. Cloudy and cool and a nice change.
Heading east

After hitting the most western point we head east across the bottom of Portugal. The route throws us many hills, dirt roads and finally a strong wind at our back. Day is broken up with pastries, aLue lisää
Flexibility is key

Hot and windy day spent navigating large towns. Though some good bike lanes still hard to get anywhere. Very built up area flush with golf courses. After a long day find the only campground closed.Lue lisää
A day through the marshes

Left the hostel and out of pretty beach town. Wound out way through yet another golf course. Found our first big EuroVelo signs. They would have helped quite a bit earlier. Stopped in another niceLue lisää
How many ways can you travel in a day

Strong wind all around us as we set off for Spain. Trying to make time by staying on main road which is not much fun. Get to Santo de Monte Gordo and are warned about a bridge being out. Make it toLue lisää
Sevilla

Beautiful day seeing the sights of Sevilla. Even took a free walking tour where we learned to flamenco dance. Later found a real performance! Beautiful city.
When plans go awry

We had it all planned out. Catch the 9:15 train to Granada and then on to Almería. however, the high speed lines only take bikes bagged up. Where can we go on a slow train. Malaga here we come.Lue lisää
First days by the Med sea

While we never intended to ride along this part of Spain’s coast, we have found it to be beautiful! The blue sea sea and sky have been incredible with great views around every turn. The riding hasLue lisää
On to Cabo de Gata

Windy road along the sea to Almería. Lovely bike path through town. Contemplated taking a ferry to Africa. Saw our first EuroVelo sign. This could take us all the way to Turkey. Headed to campgroundLue lisää
Cabo de Gata “rest day”

Spent the day meandering around. Headed up and down the coast leading to the Faro (lighthouse). Hiked amongst the cliffs and enjoyed some beach time.
Hacia mucho viento

Wind had changed direction as predicted and not in our favor. Strong wind in our face as we began a slow ascent across the peninsula. Travel through rather deserted deserts. Slow descent to Aqua NegraLue lisää
An endurance test

Got a nice early start and stopped quickly for coffee , breakfast and pastries. Nice quiet road along the coast. Make good time to Aquila which takes awhile to navigate through. Beach lunch and swimLue lisää
A day to enjoy the scenery

Given we missed most of the beauty, de died to stay and enjoy it. Spent the day meandering the paths without bikes and stopping at beautiful beaches
On to Cartagena … Valencia…..

One last windy climb and it’s time to head north. See very little of Cartagena and hop on a long and slow train to Sevilla. Late evening arrival but meander a l bit into the city. A seeminglyLue lisää
Valencia… Barcelona …. Girona

Early morning train - first of three Manage each boarding and disembarking relatively well. Affine in Girona with plenty of time to see the sights. An evening stroll for dessert found us wanderingLue lisää
Back to the Med

Early morning stroll to find pastries unique to Girona. Back up from our university dorm hostel and head out amongst many cyclists out for their Sunday ride (Girona is a big cyclist town). LovelyLue lisää
Dali and onto France

More nice roads to get to Figueres to see Dali’s ‘theater and museum’. A repeat for me but new to Doug. Get ourselves out of there rather late and the day had heated up. More country roadsLue lisää