November 25, 1997
To Avila
Today's ride was physically much easier than I had feared it might be. Its drama came from the weather rather than the terrain. The first 50km were on very quiet roads, passing through a string of somnolescent villages. The countryside was for the most part rather featureless, as we spent much of the morning passing through flat farmlands. For lunch we stopped at a cafe in Sanchidrian for a fine assortment of tapas, all of which were very satisfying.
After lunch, we picked up a pair of cokes and retired to a a bench in the plaza to digest our meals for awhile. Almost immediately after returning to the road though, we heard the first rumblings of thunder that would confront us throughout the remainder of the day. After a few kilometers, at Blasconsanco, we left the road again, fearful of the lightning flashes encroaching from the southwest, and found shelter under the porch of the village church. We hid out there for about an hour, reading our books as we waited for the front to pass over us. It was really quite a pretty spot from which to wait out the storm front as it flashed and rumbled impressively, bringing strong winds and a brief downpour before passing on to the east.
As soon as it appeared safe again we hopped back on our bikes and dashed southward, covering a fast 8 km before we were once again brought short by yet another approaching thunder storm. A few hundred yards past Santo Domingo del los Posados, we lost our nerve and quickly reversed course, dashing back to that tiny village for shelter. We spent yet another hour there huddled under the very small porch of its ruined church.
Finally a good-sized break opened up and we made the final 20 km to Avila, only minutes before the skies upened up in earnest and a downpour cleared the streets for most of the rest of the evening. We parked at a promising newer hostale - attractive and clean on the outside, but with thin rickety beds on the inside - and during breaks in the weather made forays to see the town and hunt for food. We didn't see much - we arrived after the cathedral was closed, and it was too wet to invite strolling through the streets or along the city's famed walls. For dinner we made our selections from the market and feasted in our room.
Today's ride: 53 miles (85 km)
Total: 914 miles (1,471 km)
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