Arrival

Delayed flight wasn't great and glimpses of the terrain I'd be traversing later on also didn't help but having been here before it can't be said I wasn't aware. Bike picked up & a few quizical looksLue lisää
Hassling Spanish strangers

Early start - lessons due to start at 8. Breakie was only due to start at 7.30 so that was 30 mins of face filling - a little torment thrown in for good measure - vast swathes of cakes, donuts &Lue lisää
We've conquered all of Europe...

Things started to get a little intense - talk of prepositions, adjectives & sentence structure. That said at least it wasn't the advanced group looking at subjunctive and imperative verbs. Anyway aLue lisää
Spanish & octopus.

A full day of lessons through till 8 looked like hard work at tge best of times let alone with a hangover. An early start wasn't ideal either. Battled through gamely - verbs & adjectives don't help aLue lisää
Sunshine at last.

Morning run, though not Ipanema, was the closest so far - beachside run with some hint of sunshine ... promising. A late final lesson (11.30) left time for a little relaxing in the sunshine & littleLue lisää
Back on the bike

Formal lessons done (until next time) things were a little more relaxed. A rather grey run along the beach suggested the weather wasn't going to be upto much. The plan was to take the bike out & checkLue lisää
Scorchio or so it seemed

Woke up to the sound of rain and this wad supposed to be the sunny day of the week. The morning involved a market task - the thought of treking into town to wander round a market didn't really, in theLue lisää
Coastal cycling with no coast.

While having paid flights & accomodation all sorted should mean a certain sense of gratitude, having to hang round till 9 for a meeting didn't help my mood. In said meeting being told the feedbackLue lisää
Crossing by various means

Earlier start than the hosts would've wished but he hid any displeasure he might have been feeling, very well. In fact he couldn't have been more hospitable - that said for all I know he could've beenLue lisää
Coastal treats

From the bridge, just the small matter of getting to Saturday's hotel where I was hoping to leave my bike bag. Yet more industrial landacape to admire. Chatted to a French guy on a recumbant - justLue lisää
A very lumpy one.

Was worried about a late start - as it happens there was someone at reception sorting breakfast - not that I was aware breakie was included (may have been extra) For all that only got away at 8.50 butLue lisää
My own back to front Camino

From Ondarroa cue all sorts of up & down except now with the constant accompaniment of a fishy smell - Ondarroa was a big fish port and numerous boats came in while I was eating. Wagons were loaded &Lue lisää
A tale of 2 vistas.

The plan for the day was to take in the two hills at either side of San Sebastian's main bay. Initially to go up on the funicular before it got too busy. However the sun dictated otherwise so MonteLue lisää
Shade hopping

Had a rude shock on getting down. Text message from LFC saying payment for the semi had failed. Stands to reason since Nationwide cancelled my credit card the first day I was away - great timing.Lue lisää
Two tripple poppers in a day.

What could possibly go wrong - an early start, route all sorted to avoid the excessive hilliness of my original plan and the weather was looking spot on. Scooted through San Sebastian without too muchLue lisää
A relatively pain free & 'easy' 70 miler

Not sure what troubled more - how my aching limbs would respond to another 70 miles; whether Spanish roads would play ball or whether the alleged relatively limited climb would prove to be decepetive.Lue lisää
Summit cheat.

Early start to get to Bilbao, get checked in & find a stream of the match. Again something of a chilly start & again something of a worry about elements of the journey - the main one being that thereLue lisää
A final dart.

A nice lazy breakfast for once & then the task of packing both bike & paniers. That sorted a final mooch around Bilbao was called for. As luck would have it the transfer mini-bus was already there -Lue lisää