Clouds, Blowholes, and a Dinosaur Egg

Day 22: Arriondas to Llanes (40 miles / ___ ft.)

We woke in Arriondas with the town once again engulfed in clouds. After another beautiful breakfast spread, we started along the cool Sella River before climbing through Bode and Tresmonte into the hills between Monte Moru and the Sierra del Sueve.

Eventually, we climbed above the clouds and caught our first view of the Bay of Biscay, something Lisa had dreamed of seeing since she was a little girl. We stopped near the top and looked toward the brilliant blue ocean while clouds still filled the valleys behind us. From that peaceful mountain viewpoint, it took only about five minutes of descending to reach the beach.

We stopped for coffee and a snack, then walked along the shore searching for sea glass. Lisa found what may be the largest rock anyone has ever decided to carry on a bicycle tour. It resembles a dinosaur egg and it’s a perfect souvenir for Gopal!

After passing through Ribadesella, where the Sella River reaches the sea, we continued east along sections of the Camino del Norte. Pilgrims normally walk west toward Santiago, so once again we had a steady stream of Camino walkers coming toward us.

Before reaching the Bufones de Pría, we found a vending machine and bought two icy cold Cokes. Our hotel had encouraged us to pack sandwiches from breakfast, giving us everything we needed for a magnificent picnic near the cliffs.

The bufones are blowholes created by waves entering caves beneath the limestone cliffs. The trapped water and air become pressurized and escape through openings in the ground, producing geyser-like sprays and a deep roaring or whistling sound. The ocean was fairly calm, so we didn’t see the giant sprays they can produce during rough weather, but hearing and feeling the air rushing through the rocks was still impressive.

Then came the most adventurous part of the day. Our route became a narrow, rocky singletrack that was nearly impossible to ride. Sharp rose bushes and sticker bushes crowded both sides of the trail and large rocks from the singletrack. At one point Lisa disappeared behind me, and I later learned she had fallen directly into the stickers while being attached to her pedal!

We finally escaped the craziness and reached a gravel road that felt as smooth as pavement. From there, we continued along the coast through small villages and past one beautiful beach after another. The water here is locally called the Cantabrian Sea, the southern portion of the Bay of Biscay. Its English name comes from Biscay, the Basque province farther east.

Traffic increased as we approached Llanes, but so did the scenery. Limestone cliffs, hidden coves, green pastures, and blue water seemed to surround us. We arrived in Llanes, a medieval fishing and whaling town squeezed between the sea and the mountains.

Our hotel check-in couldn’t have been easier. The woman was friendly and immediately helped us secure the bikes in the hotel garage, which always brings a huge sense of relief. After cleaning up, we ventured back out to find a laundromat and some dinner. Naturally, we found a kebab shop, because that is often what we do. It was good, easy, and perfectly timed while our laundry dried.

We dropped everything back at the room and went out once more to enjoy the town and the sunset. Every day seems to get better, and the pictures will never fully capture this one. We took plenty of video too, so maybe another Instagram video will appear under Jimboyvw or JimC.

What a day!Read more