June 16, 2023
To Lozoya, Spain
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By the time we ate dinner last night, went to the grocery, and futzed around a little, it was after 11 PM when we turned out the lights. This is not our typical bicycle tourist behavior. Perhaps it's just as well we took so long to go to bed, the bar patrons were just getting started. The bar did close at midnight, but we kept hearing people all night long. We stayed in bed until 8 AM, but I can't say it was a restful sleep. We didn't have AC, but the cross ventilation in the room was excellent with the windows open.
I ate yogurt and three hard boiled eggs for breakfast. Jacinto offered to share his cheese and lunch meat. I declined in the interest of gastronomic health. We both tried to accomplish our stretches - aging bodies want a little more love. I used a blanket on the hardwood floor as a yoga mat with a medium of success. Jacinto showed me one of his IT band exercises. You lay on your side, lift the top leg straight up, and then backwards behind you. It's a small move, that has a big feel in my gluts.
We finally got organized and went downstairs at 11 AM. I made a couple of trips, but tried to minimize. The stairs were steep. I sure didn't want to walk them in bicycle shoes, but I didn't want to use slippery socks either. The wooden stairs were in good shape. I went barefoot up and down.
I was already sweating before we left town. The street signs were a little too small to read easily. I needed RWGPS to say 'turn here', as opposed to turn at Gallegos Street, as I couldn't read the street names. I took us wrong after the first couple of turns. Jacinto's Hammerhead brand bicycle computer reroutes on the fly. After I took a couple of wrong turns, Jacinto took the lead. We went up a couple of super steep streets. I ended up walking the last one. Not even a half mile into the day and I was walking! This didn't feel good. We got up to the main road and kept pedaling. I was panting heavily for miles. This is what happens when you don't do enough training climbing, AND gain weight over the winter. I was wishing for a couple of extra gears that I did not have. I mentally ran over my pannier contents. There really was nothing to get rid of. I did bring some food/energy items from home that Jacinto felt was unnecessary. I had a bag of Tailwind brand electrolytes, 12 Quest bars (lots of protein, not as much sugar), and also a carefully counted out package of Hammer Perpeteum tablets. Here's a special thanks to Oren for sharing his supply when Hammer was out of supply all winter. Those are the only things I might have left behind, but we are having such trouble getting used to the food here, that I'm happy to have those basics. Specifically, I wanted to buy some granola or muesli for breakfast. Have I found any? Not in the grocery store. They do have some for sale here at the CicloLodge that is made locally. Now I have found what I want, I'm debating the purchase, as we have an even steeper climb tomorrow. In the first eight miles today, we gained 1,200 feet. Tomorrow, in the first eight miles, we gain 2,200 feet! There is an alternate route, that two different cyclists told us about. It has two puertos (passes) that are gentler, but the climbing is longer, and there's more traffic. Both RWGPS and Hammerhead suggest the steeper road. We are going for it. Gulp!
Somehow I've skipped over the climb today. It was painful. I was really panting. I tried not to stop, because my muscles complained when I got started again. We saw many cyclists. Today, almost to a one, they were friendly, saying something encouraging as they passed. I didn't see a single woman rider. Most were very thin men who appear to have years of experience. That is a polite way to say old. Old being a relative term - my kids think I'm old. I think old is ten years older than I am! It's a moving number.
It's interesting how close we are to Madrid, yet already we are on a small road with no center line, up in the forest. We passed a couple of fields of cows. They don't look like Colorado cows. I told Jacinto tomorrow to take a photo when he sees cows. He said I was riding the same road, I could take a photo. I told him I was too busy surviving to take a photo. That got a laugh from him. Jacinto said tomorrow he might be busy surviving also. The knee update is that it's feeling good. His butt, not so much. Jacinto is afraid to ride more than a few pedal strokes standing up.
After the top, I started down, braking. I heard a metal on metal scrapping sound. I tested the front and then the rear brakes. Rear. OK. Squeeze, squeeze. No, it is not stopping. No way can I go down a pass with front brakes only. I stopped and opened the brakes up and felt the brake surface. Nothing. But suddenly my rear brake seemed mushy. I knew how to adjust that at the barrel. I gave it another try. No, still a bad noise. I stopped again. This time I noticed that one of the rear brake pads was working out of the holder! I slid it back in. Just then Jacinto showed up. We look at it some more. Off we rode. No more noise! I checked the pad placement a couple of times on the downhill. All was fine.
This side of the pass had a couple of super tight switchbacks. They were truly kiss your ass style. Road surfaces were excellent all day, with no debris of any kind. I kept my speed low, because that's how I downhill. Jacinto eventually passed me. After the switchbacks, it was a great, no brakes or pedaling required type downhill. For some reason, there were only a couple of cyclists on this side. We were soon to the town of Canencia. We both had to stop to take a photo of the storks nesting on the church tower. We soon hit the turn to Lozoya. It was four more miles. This time on a road with lines and more traffic. We also had a shoulder. Best of all, we had an aqueduct! Had we known, we would have taken a photo up the hill from Canencia. The aqueduct was large and dominated the entire valley. That was a great note to end the day on.
As well rode into Lozoya, we saw two tadpole trikes (Tucson style) on the other side of the road. I waved wildly, and they waved back with less enthusiasm. We kept going. I had a bobble or two finding the driveway size road to our lodging. It was so steep, I walked the end.
The reception man didn't introduce himself, but the CicloLodge is quite a place. All things bicycle in decoration. It's worth walking slowly from room to room. There is a bicycle garage, with three rooms inside. Our bikes are in room one for the night. Our room key also opens the bicycle room. Too fancy. When I made this reservation it was the only thing I could find in town, and they only had one room left.150E. It looks like quite a large lodge. I haven't seen any other guests. Perhaps we are too early in the day. It should be far quieter than last night, we are on the edge of town.
We wanted to eat early today. We showered, and hurried off to the bar closest to us. The menu de dia was 13E. I had fresh tomatoes with garlic and olive oil as a first (starter), and grilled chicken with fries for a second (main course). Jacinto order the soup of the day and cooked blood with fries. Yes, you read that correctly. I think we are in the country, to have blood on the menu - only 50 miles from Madrid. He said the blood was good, except he needed tortillas. We had cheesecake for dessert. It wasn't USA style, but it was very good. I think that's been my favorite meal of the trip so far.
It is 84 degrees here at 6 PM, but feels much warmer. I think we are not eating dinner? Breakfast is served here starting at 8 AM. Jacinto couldn't find a coffee spot this morning, so had to settle for a soda pop. I couldn't imagine that the locals in Miraflores don't drink coffee in the morning, but google sure couldn't find anything open before 9 AM. Tomorrow, he gets coffee! I think I'd be better off with an earlier start, but I would like a good breakfast also.
We have only a fan in our room, no AC. We are on the second floor (at the far end). It's pretty warm. The lodge looks quite large. I haven't seen any other patrons yet. I accidentally gave the whole bathroom a shower. The shower head was pointed straight to the side. When I turned the water on, I got a face full of water. I yelled. Jacinto was afraid I had fallen down. No - but I don't need to get IN the shower, as I've already had my shower! It's a good thing we had an extra towel to wipe up the floor.
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Today's ride: 19 miles (31 km)
Total: 56 miles (90 km)
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