To La Alberca, Spain

June 24, 2023

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This morning seems far away already. What did I do in the morning? That is the reason I have to journal daily - even if it's imperfect and I haven't researched information to include. I need to get out my impressions before they are lost forever.

Our fancy Parador had air conditioning. That doesn't mean it was working. For two nights in a row we have had non working AC. The temperature stayed at 24-25C every time Jacinto checked the thermostat. I was slightly too warm all night long. Only when I got up and opened the window (that Jacinto said wouldn't open), did I get some relief from the heat.

We walked down to the buffet breakfast. Now we know to ask for cooked eggs. This time our tortilla Francesa came with ham inside. It was very salty and I ate around the center and gave that to Jacinto. It seemed to me that the other breakfast patrons were well dressed, and definitely not planning to bicycle for hours after breakfast. We did get ice from the attendant, so will have cold water again today!

I've had that giant descent from La Alberca on my mind. I can't think of any other descent we've done that has 6,600 feet. Grand Mesa, Colorado is 5,000 feet. From the top of the Slumgullion Pass to Lake City in Colorado is 4,000 feet. Brian Head, Utah and Washington/Rainy Pass were both big climbs the direction we went, but not as big of descents. Suffice it to say I've been thinking about my brakes for days. Remember on Day three when I heard metal on metal as I went down the pass? I scooted the brake pad back in the holder, and have kept my eye on it ever since. These are V brakes. The pad has a silver wire that holds them in place. One pad is missing the wire. I should have been thinking of this last night, because the bike shop was open until 8 PM. Instead we wait around for opening this morning, at 10 AM. The man at Meta Bikes told me that the wire is a safety feature (I like those!) and not necessary. He said my problem is that a curved piece the brake post goes in was missing on both sides. He installed a couple of those and pronounced me good to go. I asked again (and again!) about the missing wire. No problem. I'm not convinced. But, we left. 13E. He was quite taken with my bike and took a photo. I thought he would be more impressed with Jacinto's belt drive Rohloff, but he wasn't.

Exiting town was easy. We didn't give Ciudad Rodrigo a fair look. There were many things to see and we saw none of them. In the heat of the evening (when I could hardly stand sitting in our hotel room), I told Jacinto we really should go walk the ramparts. In the sun . . . even Jacinto didn't want to go. We also missed a Roman bridge. We are failed tourists - but great bicycle riders!

Today was basically uphill all day. We had a few downs as we passed drainages. We were headed into the mountains. I saw a number of Camino signs and several camping spots. I don't think heading to the mountains on the weekend is a thing in Spain. There was no traffic on our road this Saturday. In Colorado the traffic is bumper to bumper, creeping along.

I was very hot today. We didn't get out of town until almost 11 AM. The high was supposed to be in the 90's, and that's in La Alberca! Tomorrow we are in Moraleja, where there is a heat warning. I plan to start earlier. I think Jaicnto and I are taking different routes. He's going to go down the switch backs through the park. That adds a 500 foot climb at the beginning of the day, and an extra 500 feet of descending. I'm going around, no climb to start, and no extra descending. I have 'only' 6,100 feet downhill. Our two routes come together in 8.5 miles, although the chances of us meeting there are slim to none. Jacinto waited for me several times today, although I told him that I knew I was slow, it was only one road, and to go ahead and go. I questioned him on why he waited anyway. Jacinto's reply was that he wanted to do everything he could so I would like this trip and want to come back again! I think I can get some mileage out of that, don't you?

I drank both of my waters, and one of Jacinto's. My stomach was growling, starting about an hour from town. I must not have eaten enough at the buffet. Shame on me! I was too busy thinking about brakes. I did clean my chain today. It's hard to wipe my bike off at night when I don't have access. Today it felt like the chain was silky smooth running. This evening our bikes are in the bowels of the basement. The woman apologized for the lack of lighting. She said the 'tormento' last week took out the lights in the basement. I'm happy we weren't riding here during a storm hard enough to take out the electricity! She did say we could put our bikes in the room, but my bike wouldn't fit in the elevator. Maybe it would have, standing on it's rear wheel, but now we are getting accustomed to unloading the bikes each night.

We saw 6-8 bicycle riders spaced out during the day. The ride uphill towards La Alberca must be popular with the locals.

When I pulled into town, Jacinto was waiting on the side. We could see two restaurants with seating outside. We went to the one with the most customers. They served only tapas and racciones, and were open all day long. We plan to go back there tonight for a tapa and a drink, and to get something for breakfast to go. We ended up eating at the fancy restaurant across the road. By the end of lunch, I think we smelled pretty bad, but they hadn't sat us in a corner. No other patrons were obviously wrinkling their noses. It was a more expensive meal. They didn't have menu' del dia, but when we asked did have a daily special that was the same thing, except at a 24E per person price. We both had an excellent mixed salad - it had a little iceberg lettuce, fresh corn, white asparagus, red peppers, shredded carrots, a generous slice of fresh onion, a hard boiled egg, tuna fish (!). No tomatoes. Served with vinegar and oil. It was a meal in itself, but was the starter. I had pot roast for segundos, and Jacinto had some sort of ribs. We were full. But not too full for ice cream.

Now Jacinto is gone to the store, and I'm writing this up. Then we are going for tapas and a drink. We have a large apartment here, with a sitting area and a king size bed. Our bathroom has a tub and a shower. The shower is so small that I turned the water off accidentally several times with my elbows. Bending over is completely not possible.

Today was a good day. I will be glad to get tomorrow over with. I've talked so much about the descending, I didn't even mention the 4,000 feet of climbing or the severe heat warning of 105 degrees!

later - We walked into town. La Alberca is most charming, with it's very narrow streets and stone buildings. It was the first town in Spain to get rural historic status. Neither of us brought a phone, which is a real shame. We ate at a restaurant on the plaza. I paid 4E for four hard boiled eggs from the restaurant for breakfast. Then we stopped and bought a tortilla with patatas to go with it. I also have a banana, cherries, and yogurt. The hotel here has a cold breakfast for 5E at 8 AM. It's coffee and joyas (prepackaged baked goods). Jacinto's going for the coffee.

I’m still feeling guilty about taking my bicycle in a palace. It’s a cool photo though.

We went to Meta Bikes to have my brakes checked. 13E later and I was good to go.

It was another day without traffic. Ho hum.

Why do the churches in this area have two bells?

Many houses have pots of flowers outside. I saw plenty of roses.

To my eye, the cows here are chunkier than in the western USA. Typically they are cream or sorrel colored with short horns.

First -what does that black and white sign mean? I’ve been seeing it on fence lines for days. Second- notice how clearly the boundary of this corner is marked. This is a rare case of using green metal posts.

I saw this abandoned church near El Maillo.

I have trouble reconciling the idea of ferns and ice. I have limited fern experience, namely on the coast of Oregon where it rained and rained on us!

The road was deserted enough to get a photo of my bike in the middle of the road! Notice that there’s no center line. Why bother, if there’s no traffic?

I was quite puzzled by this odd object. I’ve had several FB comments that it is a bug catcher.

Jacinto chatted with this 81 year old woman while he waited for me. She was quite concerned why I was so far behind and insisted he call me. Later she came back out with a candy bar for him to share with me. He said she walked down the road at a fast clip, looking quite spry for 81!

Here’s the candy bar. A mouth puckering 72% cacao. I bet she has red wine with it, insuring her old age will continue.

We bicycled down and up a number of drainages today. It rather takes the fun out of the downhill, when you can see the up side coming.

Dinner tonight started with an excellent mixed salad. This tasted like pot roast to me, except it came with fries! It was a tasty meal. I was hungry. I still don’t like having to hurry and eat with sweaty bikes clothes on, but at least I got food.

Today's ride: 29 miles (47 km)
Total: 322 miles (518 km)

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Mike AylingThe "silver wire"
In an emergency you can straighten half a paperclip and stick it into your brake pad.
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1 year ago

Kelly IniguezTo Mike AylingI did think it’s too bad that wire is so thin, a paper clip would be just the thing. But it fits?
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1 year ago

Mike AylingKelly
The correct fitting to hold the pad in place in the metal holder is a very small split pin which you open to hold the pad in place.
If you have lost the pin the paper clip which can extend 12mm or 1/2 inch below the pad will hold it in an emergency.
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1 year ago