Day 30: Los Rios to Puerto Lope

March 19, 2025

Heart

Comment

The Booking.com listing had placed our guest house in Almedinilla, but for what it's worth, it was actually in Los Rios. Well it's worth something, because we were able to look over to Almedinilla as we set off, in the direction of Granada.

Almedinilla is typical of towns here - all white and nestled in a hollow, up some mountain.

Very quickly out of the gate we found we were having to push the bikes up a long slope. We had at least chosen a real road, so we were pushing on pavement and not gravel or mud. But the slopes seemed almost infinitely long. It was one of those cases where the road curves, and beyond the curve it goes up again, and again.

The slope behind us, it carries on a lot in front of us as well.

As was the case yesterday, the surroundings were very beautiful. There is no doubt that this is a tremendously scenic region.

The population here is sparse, but we can still spot houses on the hills - houses that we do NOT want to buy.

We would not buy, even if this is the view. Too lonely!

Eventually the road we had pushed up headed down. From this shot you see it goes down, down. But never fear, it will soon go up, up!

Dodie liked the yellow and purple by the roadside here.

And she wanted to record the mountains in the distance. Soon these would be dwarfed by the Sierra Nevada.

Scenery like this on every side, all day.

Faced with a big hill it is natural to get off the bike and push. But our bikes are too heavy to just push, so you really have to use the "walk assist" feature. But walk assist does not seem all that efficient. In pushing up the first 10 km, Dodie's bike lost 20% of its total power, needed for the day. We responded to that as we pushed by something called ITV. This turned out to be a state vehicle inspection station. We went in and got an ok to plug in our battery charger. With this, in under and hour, we were able to mostly restore Dodie's battery and to give mine a little tweak. They also had restrooms, so ITV scored big with us.

After ITV the road itself was a lot more reasonable, but still with some slopes that needed pushing. We were much happier, though, knowing that we had enough juice. During these episodes of pushing, however, the idea that this was not exactly fun began to seep into our heads. The idea is built on not wanting to be stranded in the middle of nowhere, and the actual strain on our aged bodies of pushing these darn bikes. So while sitting at ITV we checked the situation on trains. There is an extreme lack of trains of any sort, in some directions - like Granada to Motril, or trains that will take our bikes, like Granada to Madrid. So we started to think about renting a van, In Granada we will see if it's possible. We would then follow our bike itinerary but with the van, as far as Denia or Valencia, and having skipped the hills that way, we would then sail off to cycle Majorca, France, and Germany.

Our route took us past Alcala, which is a fortress with town, or now, town with fortress. The fortress was built in about the year 1000, and used by the Moors to fend off Vikings, Christians, and other riff raff. It fell to Alfonso XI of Castile in 1341. It was then that it got the title "Real" or Royal. So today it's Alcala la Real. Much of the original fortress is still intact.

At this point a line of view opened to the Sierra Nevada. I have not seen white mountains that are white from top to bottom like that, since Nepal.

Sierra Nevada offers Europe's most southerly skiing. We were surprised to learn that the main ski town is just 27 km from Granada! According to Wikipedia:

"At the foot of the slopes there is a resort village, Pradollano, which stretches up a hill to the north of the pistes. The bottom of the village is about 2,100 m (6,890 ft) above sea level, while the summit is just below 3,400 m (11,150 ft). Pradollano is home to a large number of shops, including many that sell or rent ski equipment, souvenir shops and a small supermarket. There is also a variety of ski schools, restaurants, cafés, bars and nightclubs."

Here we are rolling along N432, with the mountains visible in the distance.

Our destination for today was Puerto Lope, another compact white town, but this one mercifully not up a hill.

When we saw this, we thought we had arrived in Puerto Lope, but our hotel Escudo de Granada was actually the last building at the far end of town.

Dodie has had continual issues with her brakes, first one side and then the other. Today the front decided to not work, at all. That threw a bit of a monkey wrench into our forward progress, because we might push up a hill, but them could not fly down the other side. Instead, the speed limit had to be 10 kph, to keep control of the bike with rear brake only.

I had some time as we pushed or slowly coasted along to puzzle over the symptoms that Dodie's brake was showing. And by the time we reached the hotel, I had a treatment plan. I stayed down in front of the building, to rip the brake apart, while Dodie got to unpack and set up the room. She appreciated the chance to do that, without me in the way!

I think I got the brake working fairly well. Now it was time to hike the bikes up the many stairs of the hotel, and to eventually stash them behind the reception desk in the lobby.

As I write this, it is 7:45 p.m. We have been patiently waiting for 8:00, for the hotel restaurant to open. I took a picture of the menu board, and got Google Translate to have a look at it. Not too thrilled with what it had to say, but there may be some other choices. We have some calories that need replacing, after climbing 746 m into a headwind today!

Today's ride: 38 km (24 miles)
Total: 1,001 km (622 miles)

Rate this entry's writing	Heart	6
Comment on this entry	Comment	6

Tricia GrahamThis does not sound a lot of fun to me. For once I feel glad I am sitting at home on a coach. Think a van an excellent idea.
Reply to this comment
2 weeks ago

Scott AndersonRegarding renting a van: do you have an international driver’s permit? You won’t be able to rent a vehicle in Spain without one, and I don’t think you can get one over there. You’d need to have done it before you left home.

Also though, remember that you can take the bus. Alsa allows bicycles, as long as they’re bagged; and at larger stations they stock bags there. That’s how we got from Cordoba to Malaga several years ago when it got too wet and cold further inland. You’re past all the significant hills and not far from Granada now and I’m pretty confident you could catch a Alsa bus from there to Valencia, and probably to Denia. You could check the Alsa website to see what its routes are and its bike policy. Good luck!
Reply to this comment
2 weeks ago

Steve Miller/GrampiesTo Scott AndersonPlan B or C or whatever plan we are up to is percolating in our brains. Stay tuned.
Reply to this comment
2 weeks ago

Bob Koreis" . . . the idea that this was not exactly fun began to seep into our heads."

Which reminds me of the old refrain, are we having fun, yet? May Flying Spaghetti Monster grant us all the wisdom to be able to say "to Hell with it" and change plans when the misery index gets to close to the fun index.
Reply to this comment
2 weeks ago

Steve Miller/GrampiesTo Bob KoreisAlmost at the "to hell with it " stage.
Reply to this comment
2 weeks ago

Steve Miller/GrampiesTo Tricia GrahamCar rental seems to depend on having an international driver's license, which we do not. Sigh! Still thinking.........
Reply to this comment
2 weeks ago