October 15, 2021
Salamanca to Cuidad Rodrigo
Of the options for today's ride we chose the middle path which ended up as a long but very scenic route.
The sun rises late here so it was still damp and cold at 9am as we lugged our bags and bikes downstairs, but it wasn't long before we were out of the city and warmed up for the big day ahead. Other bloggers described two routes, the fastest is taking the more direct N620 which has a wide shoulder and runs parallel to the new highway, or a series of back roads through the countryside that adds 15 km and lots more hills. We like the country roads so decided to start there and cut over to the the highway half way for an easier finish to our longest ride yet.
This was our first real day of riding since coming into Bilbao so we were entranced by this different landscape. After climbing the first long hill we were treated to open vistas of fields and pasture dotted with scrub oak and, sometimes, cattle, horses, sheep and even some pigs. It could have been a hundred years ago apart from the modern fencing and roadway. Steven was reminded of his favourite childhood story of Ferdinand the bull who loved to sit in the shade of the cork trees. We didn't see any bulls sitting but plenty lying down or standing and, unlike the illustrations, the real trees don't have bunches of corks hanging from the branches. The road was perfectly smooth which we had to share with only a few cars and small trucks.
Hungry when we reached our first town, Matilla los Canos, our hopes for a restaurant lunch were dashed by the eerie quiet and shuttered buildings. Finally we found the dispache de pan where we bought rather tasteless bread and pastries, and dug the cheese and jam from our panniers for a lunch by the church. Reminder to self: pack food for this next week as we ride through thinly populated regions that may not have anything open.
Google maps showed our turn off to the highway after 40km, but here was our second setback: the road quickly turned into a dirt track temporarily blocked by a farmer driving a herd of cows along the roadway. We had to agree with the sign telling us the road was in bad shape and plot a new route. With our energy already diminished, we didn't want to tackle another 67km of the steeper ups and downs of the country roads, so found another route to the highway. Although a bit of a backtrack, it was a lovely 12 km ride on a very quiet road up and then down one long gentle hill.
At the highway we were back in the present era and stopped at a huge gas station to use the bathroom, fill our water bottles and eat an ice cream bar. The next 55 km were smooth, easy cycling and we kept a good pace but agreed that the scenery was much better on the country roads in the morning. Hotel prices are more reasonable than in Salamanca, so within our budget was a hotel in a historic building looking out over the Plaza Mayor. Tomorrow we are staying for a day to explore.
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Today's ride: 103 km (64 miles)
Total: 1,553 km (964 miles)
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