To Granada

October 27, 2023

We get going early this morning, leaving at 9 for the short ride to the bus station. The drive to Granada will take eight hours so we're heading towards a market first to pick up some sandwiches. We have almost an hour before the bus departure, should be plenty of time.

The ride is fraught with long traffic light stops and navigation goofs, again. Ultimately the detour is fruitless; there are no sandwiches at the market. With time growing short, we give up the lunch errand and cut through the Jardins del Turia to the station. There's more adventure in the park - a long cobblestone ramp up over speed bumps, unrideable, and more maddeningly long traffic lights.

With 20 minutes to spare, we arrive at the bus station, bump the bikes down the stairs to the dock and get to work dismantling them. There's just one problem. Neither of us can extract the handlebar stem from the headset on my bike. Barry tries tugging and kicking it out, no dice. By now it's 10 minutes before departure, a crowd is gathered waiting to board and we're completely in the way.

If I take off the front wheel I think I can get most of the bike in the bag. A sweet young woman offers to help hold it as I pull the zipper around. Only the handlebar sticks out on top. Barry loads it into the bay and we hope for the best.

Nothing to see here folks, just a little stretch of the regulations

We're last in line to board, waiting while the driver has a long friendly chat in Spanish with the people in front of us. When it's our turn he pulls a more serious face, points at the bike and jabbers on in Spanish, something about Granada, Malaga and another bus. I smile and look helpless, not faking it. Then he grins and gestures at us to get on the bus. I have a feeling he was messing with me but maybe he just cut me a break. Anyway, we're on.

On the long bus trip there's time to study the plan for our ride through Andalucia, the longest stage of the tour. The original plan looked something like this:

We've decided to skip the part from Sevilla to Cordoba. It would have been 94 miles over two days, more than we really want to do loaded. Instead we'll take the train and use the extra time in Cordoba for a day ride. There will still be plenty of work over the next two weeks - almost 18,000 feet of climbing over 7 travel days, plus a few day rides. The romp in the mountains of Mallorca last week was a good confidence builder for this stage.

While we're en route, the host for the apartment where we're staying in Granada pings me on WhatsApp, in Spanish, about our arrival time. Usually messages from lodging hosts come automatically translated over Booking.com. I pull up Google Translate for a reply in Spanish that it will probably be after 7. I guess that's longer than she wants to wait around because the next message I get is a picture of the lockbox code.

This is what we get for check-in instructions. I'm used to more communication.

The bus gets in late at 6:40 and time is short to get to the apartment in the old El Albaicin district before dark. We don't see any bike paths, just sharrows and bus/taxi lanes. It's faster than the bike lanes in Valencia, but I don't love sharing lanes with taxis and buses at evening rush hour.

By the time we find the apartment it's quite dark in the narrow alley. There are two lockboxes, so we try them both. The lower one opens, presenting us with three sets of keys and no indication of which one to use. I turn on the phone flashlight while Barry tries them all. Mercifully, one works and we're in. Good thing because I have no phone connection here to contact the host. Inside there doesn't appear to be any Wifi information. We're tired and hungry and I'm crabby. Let's go find some dinner.

My phone is back on the grid at Ossobuco, an Italian place nearby. I message the host about the Wifi and we settle in for what turns out to be a wonderful meal. They bring a small gazpacho appetizer, no charge, then the prettiest Caprese salad I've ever seen. We both get the house specialty, Ossobuco, for the main.

Caprese salad with coppa and the best tomatoes. A treat for the eyes and the palate.

For dessert, Barry orders tiramisu that the server prepares table-side. That and my cannoli are both yummy, and the service has been top tier. It's all helping me relocate my sense of humor.

An hour after my message, the host replies that the Wifi info is on the back of the door. Ah, didn't think to look there. I have more appreciation now for all the helpful information we've gotten from most of the other places we've stayed. I'll definitely have some feedback to offer for this one.

Well, we're here and excited to see the Alhambra tomorrow. Time to crash.

Today's ride: 8 miles (13 km)
Total: 616 miles (991 km)

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Scott AndersonHow frustrating about your stuck stem! I recognize that problem, because it’s happened to me before too. The last time I had to take it to a garage, and it took a few doses of penetrating oil and some hammering and wrenching the handlebars by a beefy guy with much bigger biceps than I’ve got to break it free. Now, I pack a tube of grease in the suitcase and grease it well before assembly. Don’t wait until the last minute to deal with it or you won’t be able to suitcase it for the flight home.
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1 year ago

Kathleen ClassenOur drama with bus a bike was much less dramatic, but I remember the stress! Leaving Tarifa last year we were told we only had to remove the front wheel, and I loved this, tie it to the bike with string hehe. Keith had the zip ties ready, waited until the last minute and then my quick release wouldn’t release. Helpful strangers kept making suggestions in Spanish. When it finally released, we threw the bikes under the bus, got in line last, and our bus driver hadn’t even noticed we had bikes. Phew!
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1 year ago

Kathleen ClassenI was looking at your route. If you have a chance to ride through Setenil de Las Bodegas it is worth it!
https://www.cycleblaze.com/journals/portugalspain/olvera-to-ronda/
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1 year ago

Janice BranhamTo Scott AndersonGood plan Scott. We have time to find our own beefy guy before the next train hop. I was surprised because this has never happened in all the times that I have bagged the bike. Seems like there's always a new curve ball when traveling by bike. Keeps it interesting.
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1 year ago

Janice BranhamTo Kathleen ClassenInteresting. We're never sure what the story will be with these bikes on trains and buses. It's all part of the adventure.
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1 year ago

Janice BranhamTo Kathleen ClassenWhat a cool town. Good for you for taking the detour. From Ronda we're going through Grazalema on the way to Zahara de la Sierra, a little less demanding on the quads, hopefully with it's own scenic charm.
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1 year ago

Janice BranhamTo Kathleen ClassenHey, we're going to get to Setenil de las Bodegas after all. The sun is shining and it looks perfect for a day ride from Ronda today. Thanks for the tip!
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1 year ago