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A 15-day adventure by John Read more
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  • John BickerstaffCycling Green Spain
    Day 15

    A final dart.

    April 22, 2018 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    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 - for the first time however they were asking for tickets & a German couple were getting arsey with the driver. They only had 45 mins before their flight left - Germans not being efficient & on time - shocking. Told the driver not to worry - I'd wait for the next one. Queued up for a ticket & I'm sure to spite the Germans he made a point of coming & getting me when it became apparent there was space. Got a glare when I got on - not my fault you didn't leave enough time. Bus to town was waiting as well - all going swimmingly - on the way in examined the map to try & find something new. Unbelievably there was a tram up the nearest hill that offered great views of the city - how had that been missed. Had to be done. No queue, a couple of euros & a superb view - can't say fairer than that. Back down & a little mooch around the old town - bit of a market frenzy - flowers, pets, junk - you name it but not food. Found an ice cream place to tide me over till the airport. The ticket issue raised the issue of whether it might be slightly more difficult getting the bike to the airport so decided to give a little extra - so headed back working on the assumption that the buses wouldn't be as clockwork as before. They were. Oh well get to the airport & get some lunch. Got my ticket for the final transfer & unsurprisingly wasn't asked for it. But boot was too full for the bike - promised he'd be back in 10 mins. No hurry. As it turns out there reaaly wasn't - easyjet had cocked up - 45 min delay. Plenty of time at the airport - nice. Flight full of drunk Leeds guys on a stag do - two almost got arrested at immigration - trying to take his stamp. Then three got chucked of the flight - god knows what for but I can guess. All that delayed it further. Got to do some planning when I get in. Hmmm...Read more

  • John BickerstaffCycling Green Spain
    Day 14

    Summit cheat.

    April 21, 2018 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C

    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 there seemed no way over the river other than on motorways - so unlike the Spanish. There was a routing but it looked dodgy at best - gravel track for 3 miles. Turned out to be a great little cycle way - of which Vitoria was well blessed - admittedly it did turn to gravel in the last few miles but that compared to some of the horrendously busy roads I've 'enjoyed' over the last week - I'd take any day. May not have said that if I'd had a puncture. It's a while since I've seen so many cyclists & not just because it was Saturday. Has to be said the friendliest havw been around Bilbao - elsewhere I've been studiously ignored. Steady & easy climbing for the next few miles to Barazar Pass - just over 600m. It was a bit of a fraud - Vitoria was at about 500m so not a huge amount of climbing. I like to think of it being banked from the ride to Pamplona - loads of climbing & no descent. All that descent was today - yay. From there it was pretty much downhill all the way to the hotel, who thankfully were ok with me having an early check-in & threw in a free drink. The less said about the footie the better. By the time that was over the restaurant had closed so headed into town for a little explore & hopefully loosen up my knee - the airport bus was dead handy for town. Strictly speaking explore isn't correct having been before but it was good to be off the bike for a while. Wandered & snacks consumed headed back past a workers protest against H&M (noisy) and claimed my free beer.Read more

  • John BickerstaffCycling Green Spain
    Day 13

    A relatively pain free & 'easy' 70 miler

    April 20, 2018 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    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. Decided to get breakfast done & dusted - an early start can't hurt. Busy road out of Pamplona - bit chilly - had to fleece up for a little while, well till the climbing started. For a good while the road seemed to plough through a long valley with mountains either side - keep it that way. A couple of short breaks in pretty little villages with hideous eyesore industrial estates on the outskirts. It was after one of these that there was the only road issue & this time it was google to the rescue. Route that was supposed to carry on stopped at gated services. Referred to phone & found a way round that didn't involve the motorway. Vitoria-Gasteiz was a nice enough place - lots of parkland on the centre & a crocodile (not real) outside the cathedral. Hotel was 4 miles out of town on a industry / retail park so my site seeing would have to be before checking in. Suited me - rest & recuperation...Read more

  • John BickerstaffCycling Green Spain
    Day 12

    Two tripple poppers in a day.

    April 19, 2018 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    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 much trouble, though I almost ended up on a motorway - oh the irony. The plan was to go up the coast to the border and take the main road to Pamplona. Google had suggested a shorter route but that was on motorways - thay should have been the warning but it was not headed. 20 miles in and in theory with only 44 to go, admittedly on a very busy road, and I'm informed bikes are not allowed - I'm assuming it was tunnel issues but if that's the case designate it as a motorway. Two choices - go back & do the orginal route amounting to a total of 110 miles or take a 25 mile detour into France & the Pyrenees - that isn't going to be flat but a total of 90 miles. Unsurprisingly there were some hefty ups - you know it's bad when your ears pop three times before the summit. Having made the decision, the concern was really maintaining supplies - it was going to have to be a little often but that required shop intervention & nothing had been viewed. Thankfully in a liitle village - Elizondo, there was an Eroski - open far more consistently than most. Another detour, another banning order & another tripple popper - an absolute pig. Even after all this there was still 40 or so miles to go. Plodded on & a good chunk of gradual down & flat helped. 15 miles to go & the first glimpse of Pamplona was sweet. As it happens probably the best - not the most inspiring of places. Good job as the hotel was a good 4 miles out of the city in an industrial estate.Read more

  • John BickerstaffCycling Green Spain
    Day 11

    Shade hopping

    April 18, 2018 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C

    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. Spent the next half hour trying to fixnd wifi so the booking could be completed. Ended up back at the hostel. Not the end if the world since the tram was in those parts. The Funicular was a bizarre set up - just get on - ticket office closed - pay at the top, and yet you have this fancy big building at the bottom. Picked my spot away from the kids - surprised how quiet it was, considering the beach was packed. The views from the top were, again very good. Decided against returning on the tram and walked back down. The lady on the entrance gate warned me of the journey time - whatever it was would've suited me. Back to the hostel to cool off & found that I'd been joined in the dorm by snorers - nice. Popped out to have a look at the Miramar Palace and gardens - lots of shade which was handy.Read more

  • John BickerstaffCycling Green Spain
    Day 11

    A tale of 2 vistas.

    April 18, 2018 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    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 Monte Urgull & yet another JC statue. Breakie & then a wander & paddle along Onderrata & Concha beaches. The sea unsurpringly was just a little chilly. There were a range of paths up & decided on the most scenic - less steep. Learn from your mistakes. Where-ever you looked there was a stunning view of the beaches, city or sea. At the top was a free museum which I hoped led to a viewpoint, not that they gave any hint of this. Worth a try. Indeed, tucked away was a small sign suggesting there was a vista up a small winding flight if stairs. Result. On the way down balanced on a wall to get a view of the waves, slipped took a chunk if skin off my foot - which was nice.Read more

  • John BickerstaffCycling Green Spain
    Day 10

    My own back to front Camino

    April 17, 2018 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    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 & departed. At every bend or slope fishy water / juice streamed out the back - nice. At Orio I managed to find a cycle trail along the river - for once a useful way mark. All the way from Santander I've been seeing Camino signs though i can't think why - I'm going the wrong way. Anyway this was going the right way but created a dilemma - do I follow to the end & take the dodgy route (but shorter) or do I leave half way, add 3 miles and probably have slightly less climbing but busier road. Gambled on the dodgy - & lost. It was epically steep. Ended up pushing for probably 1 out of tge 3 miles of climbing. Then when finally the final 3 miles down hill to San Sebastian came I hit a pot hole & had a blow out. Not HP. Still with all that, got in at 5.45.Read more

  • John BickerstaffCycling Green Spain
    Day 10

    A very lumpy one.

    April 17, 2018 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    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 but every little helps. On the plane coming over I saw Mundaka & Guernica and it looked flat as a pancake between the two. It was not. And that kind of summed up the day. Guernica is infamous for being where first tried out his Blitzkreig strategy during the Spanish Civil War, however rather than targetting miltary or industrial areas they tragetted civilians. The Air Raid Musuem based at a factory that wasn't targetted looked an interesting stop but was closed. Pushed on & upwards - 3+ miles of climbing. Then down to the first of numerous ports with attached vast expanses of sandy beach. Quick explore & then on to the next - Ondarroa - likely lunxh break, assuming it had a supermercado. It did & a beach side picnic did the job even though it was a shade under half way.Read more

  • John BickerstaffCycling Green Spain
    Day 9

    Coastal treats

    April 16, 2018 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

    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 - just doesn't look safe to me. The receptionist started out as a jobsworth but either she saw how knackered I was or reason prevailed - he's on a bike - how big can it be? Anyway bike bag dumped - onwards to the coast. Some piggish hills between. They don't believe in hairpins here - just go straight up with slight bends so you can't fully appreciate how cruel they are being. Muchos sweating. Altitude signs are always good - got to be downhill. Wound up in Bermea, a nice harbour that was once the equal of Bilbao. Had a little explore and then onwards to Mundaka. On first sight a pretty coastal resort - beaches, surf, harbour - all good. Found the apartment & cleaned up. Having a kitchen meant less stress about where tk eat provided I could find a shop. Off out for a mooch & shop. Microwave paella wasn't going to be great...Read more

  • John BickerstaffCycling Green Spain
    Day 9

    Crossing by various means

    April 16, 2018 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    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 been calling me all names under the sun. We muddled through - some very nice honey & fruit muesli. Loaded up & was assured that the weather would pick up. From the start things looked bleak - straight up hill & within a couple of miles roads didn't exist - twice. To top it off - big climb, only to find that the road had been closed for tree felling. All was not well with the world. Found a main road & battled with the traffic until I was taken under the wing of 2 wisened cyclists. They were quite taken with the bulkiness of my task & insisted I follow them tk a better route into Bilbao. And indeed it was - a cycle path that was as flat as a pancake - no mean feat around these parts. Mentioned about the Vizkaia Bridge & they made a detour to make sure I found it. At which point they scooted off happily waving - their work was done. The big deal about this bridge is that you ride a lift upto the top of the towers & see the workings. Oh & get great views of the estuary. Helps that the sun made it's first appearance. Took the bridge across & then walked back along the top - twice.Read more

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