Alora

November 7, 2013

Through the beautiful Puerto del Viento

Our habit for much of this tour has been to arrive in places late in the day, explore them a bit before sun sets (around 6:30 now), and then go out for a second look after breakfast. We've really enjoyed this pattern - it works well with the season because days are getting short and it is still a bit cool for cycling first thing in the morning. Also though, these places have a much different feeling in the morning - having other things illuminated in the morning light gives places a fresh look, and the streets are typically nearly empty - even in a tourist Mecca such as Ronda.

After touring the town we set off on the last section of our tour - a four day mountainous zigzag eastward to Granada. Today's leg began with a long, gradual climb over Puerto del Viento ( the pass of the winds) and then dropped more steeply out the other side to bottom out at El Burgo. This is really a beautiful pass, particularly on its eastern slope as it drops through a remarkably varied, karstic landscape. We had cycled this pass in the other direction on our first trip to Andalucia but I don't recall it as being this beautiful. I recall it mostly as being hot, and coming at the end of a too long day. We have really come at the perfect time, I think - it makes a huge difference to be cycling these hills when temperatures are in the mid sixties instead of the eighties and higher.

At El Burgo we provisioned ourselves for a picnic lunch at the top of the next climb. We found a great store and walked out with an exciting stash - great looking whole wheat rolls, cheese and sliced meat, plums and figs. We hauled them up the next climb, a surprisingly gradual ascent to Yunquera high in the Sierra de Los Nieves, another large natural park. We enjoyed a great feast at a lookout point high above the town overlooking the village and surrounding mountains.

We ended the day with a fast drop - we were really going the right direction today, because the grades are much stiffer westbound on both passes - and then settled in for a functional ride through the orange groves and up the Guadalhorche valley to Alora. Alora is quite a quiet place, not really set up for tourism, but we were pleased to find a pizzeria open for our evening meal. Over dinner our conversation drifted to thinking of the trip home. First though, three more tough days of hills lie ahead - next up, a visit to el Torcal.

Elevation log: 3800' today, 64,900' total.

The Arab Bridge, older still than the Old Bridge.

Below Puerto del Viento - the longest goat parade I've ever seen. It must have been about 300 yards long.

Puerto del Viento (pass of the winds). No winds to speak of today though - conditions were perfect, the grade was moderate, and the pass was beautiful.

Descending Puerto del Viento, dropping through a remarkably diverse and colorful landscape.

Stall descending, through a beautiful karstic section.

Freaky self portrait - hair styled by bicycle helmet.

El Burgo, wedged between puerto del Viento and the Sierra de Los Nieves.

Mount Torrecilla, in the Sierra de Los Nieves.

Yunquera, at the high point of our route through the Sierra de Los Nieves.

On the fast descent from Sierra de Los Nieves.

Heart

Comment

Link

Today's ride: 47 miles (76 km)
Total: 1,193 miles (1,920 km)

Rate this entry's writing	Heart	0
Comment on this entry	Comment	0