September 23, 1997
To Segovia
We experimented a bit with today's route, choosing the Puerto de Fuenfria rather than the main highway as our way through the mountains. We did this partly to avoid traffic, and partly because it appeared to be a bit shorter. It qualified as an experiment because we were uncertain about whether it was even bikable at all - it was unclear from our map whether a road really existed along this route, but our hostess at the hotel indicated in very broken English that it was passable.
She was correct, but barely. After about 10 km the pavement ended, an we started on a switchback mountain bike trail up to the summit. The road was adequately surfaced at first but eventually deteriorated into a rocky, scarcely bikable path. The route was lovely however, with fine views back down the valley. We were interrupted from time to time by an occasional wild bull in the brush beside the tral, and by sporadic hikers or mountain bikers.
Beyond the summit the road dropped steeply into the Eresma river valley - but the first 4 km continued with the same miserable rocky surface until we finally returned to pavement. After that we flew the remaining miles to Segovia, where we quickly dropped our bikes off at our hotel and stepped out to a sidewalk cafe at the base of the famous Roman viaduct for a three course lunch. For the next half hour we relaxed and feasted as we looked up at this remarkable relic - a free-standing, morterless structure, 300 feet high at its center - and still intact after nearly two millenia.
While in Segovia we stopped in at the bicycle shop so I could replace my lost gloves and pick up a new cycling shirt as a souvenir. This took us a bit longer than we had hoped because the store did not open for the afternoon until about 4:45, and then only a bit grudgingly - the owner was busy watching the Vuelta and was not too interested in interrupting it for commerce.
Afterwards we strolled though the old town, visiting the cathedral and the Alcazar. Segovia is perched on a hill, with lovely views down from the Alcazar to the neighboring hills and churches. The view from the hill for some reason reminded me a bit of the vew westward from Castle Hill in Budapest.
Today's ride: 28 miles (45 km)
Total: 861 miles (1,386 km)
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