Spain 2024 – day 11: Through the Sierra de Seguro
The morning starts out bitter cold in the valley at the foot of the Sierra de Segura, the next mountain range that I'm going to tackle. As the sun slowly creeps over the mountain tops to the east, I enjoy every ray that manages to hit the road. Soon the uphill start,...
Spain 2024 – day 10: Sierra de Baza and the Baza valley
I start off late on my 700 m climb up the rest of the Sierra de Baza. The sun isn't shining for once and I can see rain in the distance. Progress on the uphill is slow, at first just because I'm still warming up then because the asphalt turns to bumpy gravel quality...
Spain 2024 – day 9: East is West
Wow, today was up and down, literally over many hills and up some mountains, with 111 km and 2100 m elevation a long day. Also figuratively, because I had to change my route and felt disappointed at the 60 km detour I was having to take. But more on that later. I...
Spain 2024 – day 8: Granada
The day isn't really just Granada, but it's the goal and the focus of the day. From somewhere after Antequera I ride up and down quiet mountain roads. I the village of Alfarnate I pick up some water and continue onwards on gravel. The day is already getting hot and my...
Spain 2024 – day 7: Ronda to Antequera
After I managed to escape Ronda yesterday evening on a very busy main road, today I keep to the quiet side roads. For the morning this means old tarmac, concrete and finest gravel. Not much going on here aside from a few cars and a herd of sheep. I take my lunch break...
Spain 2024 – day 6: Serranía de Ronda
The mountains of the Sierra de las Nieves await and my next goal is Ronda, the city on the cliff. Until then I have 60 km to go on smooth gravel and a quiet mountain road, with my first official two mountain passes, one of which at exactly 1000 m elevation. The...
Spain 2024 – day 5: Gibraltar and Castellar Viejo de la Frontera
It rained all night but that's all right. I pack up camp at eight, in the first pause of on and off downpours of the morning. Problem 1: my tent pole broke in the night. I have no idea why; it certainly wasn't windy. Well it's probably fixable. Problem 2: the road...
Spain 2024 – day 4: On the Coredor Verde de Dos Bahias towards Gibraltar
From Puerto Real, I continue towards Cadiz, but then decide to skip the 60 km detour to the city. Somehow all the bridges are for cars only. Also, the wind blows from that direction... So instead of urban sightseeing, I spend most of my morning on gravel and trails...
Spain 2024 – day 3: Sevilla to El Puerto de Santa Maria
I follow the river towards the sea, first the smaller Guadaira, then the mighty Guadalquivir. Both are muddy and unappealing but the local bird population seem to like it. Flamingos, herons and other long-legged birds stalk the flat lakes along the road and storks...
Spain 2024 – day 2: Gibraleon to Sevilla
As I made excellent progress yesterday, I take it a bit slower today. Also, there's less winds and the terrain is more rolling hills than flat sections. The orchards and closed fruit farms are giving way to corn fields and olive groves. In Niebla, I take a long lunch...