Wrong Turns, Rock Music, and Two Passes

Day 24: Puente Viesgo to Vega de Pas (61 miles / 6265 ft.)

Have you ever had one of those days when you kept making wrong turns? That was exactly how our morning started. It felt like we had never toured before and were just learning how to read a map. Maybe all the coastal traffic and crowds had thrown us off our game, but we finally shook it off once we reached the mountains and countryside.

The route gradually carried us into the Valles Pasiegos, three green valleys shaped by the Miera, Pisueña, and Pas rivers. Cows grazed on steep hillsides among scattered stone cabins traditionally used by farming families as they moved their animals between seasonal pastures.

The beautiful weather continued, and mushrooms were springing up along the damp roadsides. Autumn mushroom gathering is a popular tradition across northern Spain, where the cool temperatures, frequent rain, and forests create ideal conditions. We also encountered plenty of motorcycles enjoying the winding mountain roads.

We knew our two biggest climbs were waiting late in the day. The first followed the Miera River deep into the narrowest and most rugged of the three valleys. Somewhere across the valley, a rock band was practicing. We never saw them, but their music echoed through the mountains and gave us an uplifting distraction from the climbing.

The final section to Alto del Caracol gained roughly 1,150 feet in less than three miles at an average near 7%, topping out around 2,675 feet. From the summit, we could look back into the Miera Valley before enjoying a magnificent twisting descent into the Pisueña Valley.

Then came La Braguía, our second mountain pass. It climbed for about five miles, gaining more than 1,500 feet at nearly 6%. Whenever we climb these mountains, the reward of looking back into the valley and seeing how far we have come makes every bit of tough riding worthwhile. This is the kind of touring we love, far more than fighting traffic through coastal cities.

From La Braguía, we descended through open pastures, stone walls, and Pasiego cabins into the Pas Valley and Vega de Pas. Crossing two mountain passes late in the ride made it a tough day, but the descents into those valleys were some of the most beautiful riding we have ever experienced.

We reached our rural accommodation around 5:30, completed our usual “chores,” and walked into town looking for dinner. We found the only place open, but naturally, they didn’t begin serving until 8:30. That gave us an hour to decipher the menu and talk about the day.

With help from our very patient waitress, we ordered cocido montañés, Cantabria’s traditional mountain stew made with white beans, berza greens, and different cuts of pork. We also shared a pizza and a bottle of Spanish red wine. It was the perfect dinner after a long mountain day.

Afterward, we enjoyed a quiet moonlit walk back to our hotel through the cool mountain air.

Until mañana. ❤️

P.S. A mile 39.1 we have 1000 miles for the trip so far.Read more