To Huelva

March 24, 2024

Today’s ride to Huelva looked to be a “just get there” grinder sort of day – a more-or-less direct route on what I had hope would be lower-trafficked highways. Adding to my lack of enthusiasm for the ride was the dull, overcast day. After breakfast, I lingered in the hotel working on the journal and it was after 10 am when I retrieved Vivien George from the laundry “room”. I then spent almost another hour looking around El Rocio in the hope of improving on my initial impression of the town.

In large measure, the second go round was much more successful. Not only did I see horses, ponies, wagons and tourists, I found a route through town that didn’t bog me down in 6 inches of sand. I’d discovered some harder-packed streets on my way to dinner last evening, and these led me directly to Charco de la Boca, the small lake at the south end of town. The lake is rimmed by a wooden boardwalk, which proved to be an excellent walking surface. And, there was the added benefit of viewing a large variety of waterfowl while taking a scenic stroll along the lake.

What's behind the beige curtain? Vivien George in the laundry room

I loved watching them stomp their feet to churn up the bottom and release fresh nuggets of flamingo food

As I neared The Hermitage, the wooden boardwalk was replaced with a nice stone walkway

Near the end of the boardwalk I happened on the hot spot of El Rocio – the plaza surrounding the Hermitage of El Rocio, which is home to the small but venerated wooden statute known as the Virgin of El Rocio. Each year during the Pentecost, an annual pilgrimage of up to a million pilgrims (many with horses) descend on El Rocio to venerate the Virgin of El Rocio. The Pentecost falls fifty days after Easter Sunday, and due to the link between these Catholic Holy days, I expected that there might be a large Semana Santa celebration in El Rocio. Not so. Even though this was Palm Sunday, I could see no evidence of either palms nor processions.

Although the pomp of Semana Santa was missing, there were a large number of tourists milling about the plaza, entering the Hermitage, or enjoying a horse-drawn carriage ride about the town. I surmised that these were likely day visitors, no doubt ferried into town on one of the large buses I spied in the car park.

One of a group of wild olive trees in the Plaza del Acebuchal, the Wild Olive Square. Most of the trees are hundreds of years old, and comprise the Acebuches del Rocío Natural Monument in El Rocío

The ride was pretty much as expected – medium to high traffic on a shouldered two-lane highway. Nothing frightening, but not relaxing. I stopped briefly Almonte in search of pastry, but could find no bakery. It seemed my only option was a packaged donut, which I bought along with Twix bar. Fortified, I continued west toward Huelva.

It was 20 miles of highway before I crossed the Tinto River and reached San Juan de Puerto. From there it was a straight shot into Huelva, taking me through the industrial zone, past miles of apartment building and innumerable red lights before reaching my hotel, arriving before the evening rains. Vivien George got a nice spot behind the reception desk, while I took advantage of the hotel dinner menu. Similar to the rest of the day, it got a passing grade but was not at the head of the class.

Friendly folks in Almonte - they couldn't point me toward a bakery, but tried to find someone who could.

My lunch spot off the side off the A-486 highway

In San Juan de Puerto. I originally thought these two fellows on horseback were stopping at an ATM. It was soon clear that they were engaged in a lively conversation with a woman on the second floor, and that there was no ATM

Miles of apartment buildings, and red lights, welcomed me to Huelva

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Today's ride: 38 miles (61 km)
Total: 87 miles (140 km)

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