Arcos to Grazalema

November 24, 2021

Brrrr!

Today’s ride was quite enjoyable, except for the cold. More on that later.

We, or rather I, started off by missing a turn in our descent through Arcos. I often find my Garmin hard to see, especially with my sunglasses (without which I’d be able to see the screen but not read anything on it as my glasses have reader panes) and most especially while bumping down a steep cobbled street. Not to worry, though, we could take that very low little bridge I photographed yesterday, or perhaps the road highway bridge behind it, and carry along to join our planned route. Al chose the road bridge.

On the wrong road out of town we saw this gateway with a life-size statue of Mary and child blessing those who entered.

Looking back at Arcos. We didn’t get such a view on our way in from the west.

When we got to A372, the road we’d follow all the way to Grazalema, we found a fairly new highway with a very smooth surface and good shoulder…and more traffic than we like. When the opportunity came to switch onto A372a for a few km, we did it. The road was narrow but the surface was good—until we’d climbed and descended and then it got rough. Not nearly as rough as the Via Verde de la Campiña, but still, it seems unfair to lure cyclists with a good surface and then downgrade it significantly once they were too far along to consider turning back. Once we returned onto A372, we stayed. No more diversions!

Approaching El Bosque. We are heading for the mountains!

We stayed on the highway and bypassed El Bosque as we weren’t yet in need of food (the hotel breakfast was substantial) and the clouds were coming in. The road tilted up in earnest now, but it never got too steep. The climb was very manageable but it sure seemed endless. Perhaps that was because the temperature was dropping. By the time we got to Puerto del Boyar, I was almost too cold to put on some layers for the descent. Although there were some beautiful vistas along the climb and at the top, we were too cold to take more than a commemorative puerto shot each.

A little blurry. Perhaps Al was shivering a bit? I probably was.

Al had his bike positioned and his toque on by the time I arrived to take the photo. The gilet and arm warmers went on a few km back. He then added more clothes, as did I.

I got all my descending layers on before posing with my bike but I still froze going down. I think it was only 2 or 3°C at the top. It was 5°C after lunch in Grazalema (according to my Garmin).

It wasn’t a long descent into Grazalema but it was enough for my Reynaud’s syndrome to make my hands almost useless. We beelined for an open café/bar where we could sit inside and thaw. Al even got our puffies from our panniers to wear inside. Hot tea and a bowl of soup provided more warmth.

We have an apartment here for 3 nights. I hope we get some good weather since it looks like a beautiful setting (and there’s a loop ride I really want to do).

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Today's ride: 49 km (30 miles)
Total: 1,086 km (674 miles)

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Scott AndersonI’ve been wondering how the cold would be for you two. You’re about three weeks later than our ride though there and it was already getting cold then.

Is the loop ride you’re considering down to Zahara and back up through Palomas pass? I hope you can do it - it’s really a stunning climb - but you know of course that Palomas is another thousand feet up.
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2 years ago

Jacquie GaudetTo Scott AndersonWe’ve paid for 3 nights here, hoping for some decent weather. We do plan to do that loop ride by I suppose we could do a lower-elevation out-and-back to Zahara.
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2 years ago