April 14, 2023 to April 16, 2023
Teruel - Aliaga
Stage 7
| Heart | 1 | Comment | 0 | Link |
A pleasant day's riding through changing landscapes had us at Teruel at 4.30, for the unpleasant discovery that my hostel had cancelled my booking because they didn't have the CVC number from my card. When I booked, the page did not have a field for CVC, so hardly my fault!
I managed to get another hotel within 1 km, much higher spec and with a bike washing and repair station. Wally gets another bath!!
| Heart | 1 | Comment | 0 | Link |
I enjoyed a brief wander through the Friday night crowds, taking in the vibe and the scenery. This is a small city that would happily take several days to explore, and I recommend a visit if you are in this part of Spain.
Next morning I met an engineer involved in developing a Euro 40m solar powered aeroplane. The project had fallen victim to Brexit turmoil and he had a warehouse with a lot of parts looking for a purpose.
After Wally's bike wash, a muIti-lap buffet breakfast and several pods of coffee for me, we left Teruel and rejoined the trail.
The ride out of each of these towns is made very simple by the GPS track and the courtesy of the local drivers. It is a pleasure to ride on the larger Spanish roads as they have a wide, smooth shoulder, and drivers invariably cross the centre line to give even more space.
Dog walkers, mtb bikers, runners, and walkers were all out using a nice forest park on the outskirts of Teruel. The gravel road wound slowly up to a ridge line, making a pleasant first hour of riding.
Then came the NW'ly.
Initially it was just a cold and blustery breeze that had me thinking about adding a layer. By the time I was serious about needing the layer, it was difficult to find a sheltered spot to stop in.
The climb topped out at 1600m, mostly through sparse forest and over rocky ground, and turned more N'ly as we came into more exposed farm land. Then the grovelling started. Uphill, into an icy 40kmph headwind, hardly able to stay on the bike let alone propel it forward, the fun definitely tipped into Type 2.
Even the down hills were tough, needing 2 hands on the handlebars to counter the gusts, and using all of the lane to make a straight line. Lucky it was another road with no traffic.
I was pleased to get to Aguilar del Alfambra and stop the fight, having taken 4 and a half hours to ride 52 km. It had been so cold I had only drunk 1 bottle of water, and was way behind on the food intake.
After a shower and some focused eating at the restaurant downstairs, I checked the trail direction and the forecast to mentally prepare for a repeat experience next day.
My early departure for Aliaga meant I was there before the wind picked up, and also before the air had warmed. Coffee in the sun (and downwind of a dope smoker) helped me thaw out after that first 15km.
That wraps up Stage 7, Casa Bajas to Aliaga, planned at 167 km and 3220m of climbing. My Stage 7 was Teruel to Aliaga: 72km and 1110m
Today's ride: 72 km (45 miles)
Total: 1,444 km (897 miles)
| Rate this entry's writing | Heart | 5 |
| Comment on this entry | Comment | 1 |
2 months ago