It's a perfect day for a bike ride. Temperatures were cool as we set off and the high in the afternoon reached 25C (77F). The breezes were always in the right direction. The countryside continually changed as we rode along crossing from one drainage to the next. Everything lined up so nicely that we don't feel like we rode over 100 kilometers. Yeah! Just the way we like it.
After we climbed away from Guadalupe into the next drainage, we were delighted by the view.
The route today gave us a bunch of kilometers along a road that was full of rolling hills. We'd gather speed going down to try and make the climb over the next one easier. Fun was had by everyone along this section of the route.
The landscape along the rollers was really pretty and helped us keep the momentum.
When we reached the village of Helechosa de los Montes, there were a few of our group hanging around since it was the first store/cafe/bar stop on the route today. I gathered a few of the BRNW/OBR riders together for a photo op so we could send the photo to our favorite bike mechanics back in Bend.
At about 67k into the ride, we came across a store and we're able to replenish our water supply before finishing the ride. With the cooler weather, water wasn't quite a concern. (L to R: Steve, me, Chuck, Charlie & Terri)
After leaving the village of Helechosa de los Montes (the water stop), we rode along the reservoir on fresh new pavement. We did pass a sign indicating road work for the next 30k, but who knows what it really said. But we were riding new pavement!
After leaving the village of Helechosa de los Montes (the water stop), we rode along the reservoir for quite a ways, and it was on new pavement. We happened to notice a big florescent yellow sign as we left town and guessed it was saying road work for the next 30 kilometers. We were delighted about the new pavement with new concrete edging. Well, the adventure began at 78.5k into today's ride. The new pavement abruptly ended and turned into gravel: some hard packed and some loose with decent size rocks. Our travel slowed down significantly for the next 7 kilometers. We descended and we climbed several hills and we're thankful that there was very little traffic along the road. The last kilometer or so, which was a descent, we were once again on new pavement but it was coated with a thick layer of orange sand. I think I preferred the gravel! I am so thankful my "captain" is such a good bike handler.
Tonight's lodging is a bit different from the hotels and paradores we've stayed in on this trip. The hotel in this town closed a few years ago and there wasn't really any way to reroute this section of our trip. The tour operator found a perfect solution. We are staying in cabins in a campground on top of the hill (my Garmin said 17% on the way up) overlooking the village of Horcajo below. Our cabin has a/c which is very unlike these cabins in France.
