September 30, 2019
Ponferrada
Taking stock (continued)
Unfortunately, we took stock too soon. There’s more.
6. And on day fourteen, we lost one of our Garmin devices.
This one is the worst of the lot, and completely baffling. We know that we had both of the, last night, because Rachael loaded tomorrow’s planned day ride from Ponferrada onto them at our hotel in Vigo. We didn’t use them for navigation today on our way to the train, but it was gone when we arrived in Ponferrada. So, it was left in the hotel (we checked and they didn’t find it but will look again); or it fell out of a bag somehow between the two hotels - in a cafe, on the train? Nothing makes sense.
It could be anywhere, so if you see us please let us know. It looks like this:
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In the meantime, one of us will use the other device, and one of us will use a phone. We’re experimenting with using the RideWithGPS app on the phone, and will see if we can find a handlebar mount for it at a store here. Most people don’t use such a heavy-handed approach to navigation anyway, so on the bright side this forces us into trying something new.
Am I forgetting anything? Oh, yes. There’s this:
7. Rachael thinks she’s getting a sore throat.
On to Castilla y Leon
But other than that, things are going great! Our plan is working well, and at the end of the day we’re in Astorga, having dinner at our restaurant’s hotel in Ponferrada.its on the margin of a beautiful small square facing the baroque 17th century town hall:
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It’s a beautiful evening, and we feel immediately at home here. With this evening’s balmy conditions, the square feels like it could be late fall someplace in southern France. The weather looks perfect in the coming days - sunny, in the high sixties - and we can look forward to some fine rides as long as our health permits.
Getting here was easy. Our train didn’t depart until 2:35; so in the morning Rachael went for a walk while I stayed in the room until checkout; and then moved on to the hotel’s cafeteria to catch up on the blog, until it closed for midday break at 1; and then moved back to the hotel lobby until Rachael returned and we biked over to the train station.
So, lots of possibilities here: our GPS could be in our hotel room; the hotel’s cafeteria, lobby, or garage; the train station cafeteria; or on the train.
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We arrive in Ponferrada at a bit before 8 PM, after a five hour ride involving I believe 39 stops along the way. It’s only a half mile from our hotel, the Hotel Aroi Bierzo Plaza; but it takes us about a half hour to get there because we first navigate to the Hotel Aroi Ponferrada, having selected the wrong hotel from the list. On finding we were not expected there, we navigated to the correct hotel this time, but via the wrong mode - walking, which annoyingly took us up a series of steep cobblestone streets ending in a thankfully short staircase.
Whatever. We’re here, celebrating our arrival in a new province over a fine meal corned with chestnut tiramisu.
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Rachael’s morning constitutional
Lastly, since Rachael’s morning walk in Vigo was the only real activity today, let’s look at the photos she brought back. As usual I’m not captioning them because I don’t know what she went. Maybe she’ll come along and fill in the blanks some day. Or not. No pressure, Rocky.
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But so great that the end-point hotel came through and offered to reimburse the shipping charges.
Hope Rachael's sore throat does not turn into a cold .. here's to better days ahead!
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