Finally leaving Madrid

April 21, 2019

Talavera de la Reina to abounded restaurant station

Quiet easy booking bike ticket onto the Media Distance train at the Madrid Atocha railway station. I was the only person with a bike on the train and the train was half full, so sat where I wanted to. Only weird issue was that you had to lift bicycle up short stairway to bike area. They have 3 spot where your suppose to hang your bike but I just laid it up right. Was a relaxing ride to Talavera de la Reina.

Bike space of Media Distance trains in Spain but you can see some require you to lift bicycle up stairs

One in town explored a little, seeing remains of a castle and rode across an old bridge before leaving town on a bike path before joining a quiet road, getting lost once when I took a wrong turn at a roundabout while leaving town. Just before the town of Calera y Chozas, is an abounded railway station with a sign for the start of Vias Verdes de la Jara, a rail trail. There were signs for a tourist information centre at the railway station but it wasn’t open and didn’t provide any information. Was able to fill up my drink bottles at the station and drop off my rubbish.

Clearly railway station is not used anymore

At the started of the rail trail there is a map of the rail trail, while the gravel surface was okay to cycle. After crossing bridge over the highway, rail trail starts proper, where you go under first of many stone bridges, most of which are abounded. Instead roads cross the rail trail on the same level but with little traffic not an issue. There are numerous signs telling me how far to next former station site, but most cement stations have been abounded and are covered in graffiti with rubble all over the floor. Next to stations there is often picnic tables and drinking water fountains but no toilets. Only saw one town close to the rail trail otherwise stations are in the middle of nowhere and so no chance to get some food.

Went though numerous tunnels all without lights but most are short enough to not need lights. While I crossed a few viaducts, in particular there is one long high viaduct that was built in 1962 but never saw a train as the line was abounded in that year because of issues with tunnels further along the line. You climb through cuttings along most of the way following a river and sometimes there will be people out enjoying the trail and in other sections never see a sole for 10kms.

So many of these bridges on the trail, most are not used as level road crossing is used instead and some just connect farm paddocks

So many of these signs with kms to next former station

Silos station, thought it may contain grain silo when I read the name

Built in 1962, the same year the railway line was abounded, so assume train never used it

Felt isolated here, no people, roads or towns

As the weather was becoming more overcast and cold decided to stop at a railway station that has been converted to a restaurant but appeared abounded but only recently as there is some stuff that could still be used but there is also graffiti and smashed windows. Toilets had no water but still toilet paper there. In fact while cooking dinner at picnic tables nearby, a man jumped the fence and started graffitiing a train. Despite being in the middle of know where a few people where around but they all left so I was able to relax and sleep using my new sleeping mat and sleeping bag.

Today's ride: 59 km (37 miles)
Total: 61 km (38 miles)

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