#177 . . . . . . 1066km in 9 days.

How I rode from Lisbon to Denia. I went through parts of Spain untouched by tourists (and not many Spaniards, either) I went through Portugal's Alentejo to Spain's Extremdura, Castilla La Mancha, a bit of Murcia and finally Alicante. An interesting ride, sometimes exciting and sometimes a bit boring (but in a nice way).



















Prologue. Friday 15th June - 15k
Flew from Alicante to Lisbon via Sevilla with Iberia - nice surprise, we were given Håagen Dazs ice cream on the second leg - they don't do that on EasyJet! Then rode from the airport to Oriente railway station and took the train 25 min north to Vila Franca de Xira (so as to
avoid the Lisbon city centre traffic).

From there biked to Porto Novo and stayed in the Albergaria S Lourenço. Small mis-translation from my Spanish to their Portuguese, I didn't get the ribs for dinner, just one big piece of cow on the bone . . . . maybe it was a big rib?

Here is a picture of some typical Portuguese road.















Stage 1. Saturday. Porto Novo to Évora - 105km
The rain in Spain stays mainly in Portugal. It rained - drizzled - rained for four of the five hours on the bike. Fortunately have excellent Assos rain jacket so stayed relatively snug.

Évora is a UNESCO heritage site so is full of ancient buildings, cobbles and tourists. Ate out, had grilled tuna.




























Stage 3. Sunday. Évora to Olivenza - 115km
Rained all night and all morning so rode half of stage in the wet. Realised that the last time I rode my bike with rain stinging my face must have been . . . years and years ago! However made good time as the winds have been favourable, except when I crossed back into Spain and had a fight for the last 20km, then to very nice hotel, Palacio Arteaga, in Olivenza.

Pictured below: the frontier between the land of the people that say vozshh and the land of the people that say ñ.














Interior of Palacio Arteaga, Olivenza.














Stage 3. Monday. Olivenza to Pueblo de la Reina - 110km
Out in the wilds (see pic below). Very little traffic but good roads.Went down one hill and touched 68.8kph (thats quite fast with a big bag jumping around your handlebars).















Couldn't find a hotel so stayed in a self catering chalet (only 35€+tax) and cooked a baked potato and tuna for me tea.














Stage 4. Tuesday. Pueblo de la Reina to Almaden - 145km
Long day; counted at least 9,000 sheep, 4 dogs and 2 cars. Got chased briefly by one of the dogs. Went up big hill. Came down other side. Saw a lake.



























Arrived 7 hours later in Almaden and the nice hotel I had hoped to stay in was completo :-( so went to another joint. Dined on consomé and monkfish.

Stage 5. Wednesday. Almaden to Almargo - 120km
First 50km on tiny rural roads, all uphill (it seemed) and poorly surfaced. At the top passed a load of firemen playing vollyball and waiting to jump into their helicopter and put out a forest fire. Apart from that didn't see any humanity. Stayed in very chichi b&b but had dreadful meal, beans and chicken wings (I think). Almargo is very nice and has a summer arts festival.














Stage 6. Thursday. Almargo to Ossa de Montiel - 111km
More flat roads, diverted to look at the Lagunas de Ruidera. Looked then carried on. Met a couple of mountain bikers who were charging around the Ruta Don Quixote.

Ended up in the cheapest hostal of the trip. Beer and Doritos on arrival. Evening meal; soup, lamb chops, ice cream, full bottle of wine. Room (with choice of 3 beds!) and breakfast = 38€. Not bad, eh?



























Stage 7. Friday. Ossa de Montiel to Hellin - 134km
Big roads and no traffic. In the Hotel Reina Victoria in Hellin, had a beer and some tapas including some torrednos which turned out to be deep fried pork belly fat - excellent! I think I've discovered the new Power Bar, just need some fancy packaging . . . . . .






















(the white line continues)

Stage 8. Saturday. Hellin to Biar - 105km
After 7 days of good condition, I'm absolutely shattered. Its all uphill, into a stinking headwind and the road surface has been made from bits of left over ashphalt thrown at random to give an unpleasant cobbled effect. If this had been the first day, I would have thrown my bike in the ditch, hailed the first taxi and ordered it to "Take me to Denia - Immediately!"

Horrible riding! The only nice bit was the last 10k when I got on a Via Verde, one of Spain's old railway lines that has been converted for the pleasure of bikers and walkers.

But! Sally came out to meet me on my last night and we stayed in a finca rural Les Fanecaes and had an outstanding evening meal - worth all the day's grumbling :-)










































Stage 9. Sunday. Biar to Denia - 105km
Last day and although its mostly downhill to Denia, it wasn't easy. One longish hill, more wind and tired legs, I was happy to just follow the signs :-)














ahhh . . . .

#176 Three Breakfasts on Sunday

Breakfast 1. 8:00 Mango, Banana, Black Coffee.
Ride 21k to Pego, swim 2k. Meet up with Sally and some of our English friends, Christine & John.
Breakfast 2. 11:30 Special Cyclist's Breakfast put on in local caf; Gerkins, Olives, Green Peppers, Palm hearts, Beer - then a big platter of sizzling . . . Rabbit! and more beer :-)
Ride back to Denia.
Breakfast 3. 14:00 Coffee, toast and marmalade and read the Sunday papers.

(Last night we went and watched open air Jazz just near our house).

#175 Shark! Shark!

Somewhere very close to where we swim, a shark was hauled in by local fishermen. This shark was BIG, 8 metres long and weighing 4 tonnes.

I might not go in the sea for a day or two . . . his Mummy and Daddy might still be looking for him :-)













photo : Las Provincias

#174 Listerine?

Most of the restaurants round here bring you a free drink when you ask for the bill, usually a sweet wine or a shot of liqueur. On Sunday we were given what looked (and tasted) like Listerine Mouth Wash . . . !
I didn't think there was *that* much garlic in the paella.

It seems that, along with a ban on smoking, catering establishments will now have to send customers away with sweet smelling breath so as not to endanger the general public with second hand, potentially polluting and greenhouse effect inducing, hazardous belches.

#173 No Time Toulouse

We went to France for a week. Stopping on our way to see Tom and Carrie in Barcelona.










Then to visit Dave and Jackie in Valras Plage. We intended to ride beside the Canal du Midi for a few days but it was so windy that one day's riding was enough.
Not only that, the WC had something missing . . . . . .












We drove north to see Brian and Maureen who live in this farmhouse near Cahors.









Got one more bike ride in, then back to Spain, stayed a night in Berga, had another drink in Barcelona and then after 5 hours cruising down the A7 . . . . . home :-)

#172 Dos Mayo

As it's my birthday we went for luncheon at the Mena restaurant which has wonderful views overlooking the Mediterranean - and nice food, as well.

The boss gave me a bottle of Moscatel as we were leaving :-)

#171 Music and Movies

Lately I have been watching Withnail & I (old '60s Brit film).
Mulholland Drive, David Lynch surreal film set in Hollywood.
And listening to Bryan Ferry's Dylanesque (it's fab!)

#170 Paella & Co

Lunch with mates before picking up Sally at the airport. The speciality at the restaurant El Era in Parcent is paella cooked on a wood burning stove. We had to drive about 20k uphill out of Denia and as you go up so the prices go down.

Our meal for five; two salads, two servings of sepia, one of abondigas, before a big paella for five, bread, wine, bottled water, fanta (? - yes), coffees all round and two deserts (one coffee cake one almond) = 59 euros. Not each - the lot! Seriously inexpensive and the reason why you have to reserve two weeks in advance to get a table.

#169 Film Bluffing

No it's not me, it's Jacques Tati, famous French film director.


















According to a survey in the Daily Telegraph Britain is a nation of "film bluffs" with many people lying about the films they have seen and their favourite titles in a bid to appear more intellectual.

As I still can't ride my bike and the weather this week in Spain has been miserable I have spent my time torrenting some old 'art house' films.

Two from Tati; Jour de Fete (in colour) and Mon Oncle. Two from Luis Bruñuel; The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie and Belle du Jour. A 1969 British film, Withnail & I and not quite so old, the first series of Extras.

All high scoring on the film buff's Intellectual-o-Meter, I hope.

ps
Just saw Bruñel's Un Chien Andalou - it's a bitch!

#168 New Cesc

I changed one of my "Fours" (I've got sixteen of them).

Each set of four has some sort of theme - except this one . . . . . . .

#167 Run - Bike - Run

Talking about Mat Brick (#166) I unearthed these pictures which I took at one of our duathlons, quite a few years ago.

Some interesting people standing shoulder to shoulder (L-R) - the American, Greg Watson, who was a prolific duathlon winner. The Italian, former New York Marathon winner, Orlando Pizzolato. Mat Brick (NZ) even more prolific duathlon winner. From Australia, ex Tour de France racing cyclist, Allan Peiper. Jamie Hunt from NZ was a world junior champion and controlling the start, Duncan Rolley who was a very good Olympic standard swimmer. Hidden in this picture, along with the other 900 or so entrants, is Steve Ovett who was taking his first steps in the sport of duathlon (he's just behind Orlando but thats not his hair! there is someone a row behind him with the full Barnet)
















Nearing the end of the race, Allan Peiper has a conversation with the camera crew - he tells them it's the last time he does one of these stupid races, and that climbing Alp d'Huez at the end of a 160km stage is a LOT easier!

#166 This time last year

This time last year I was in Auckland NZ eating noodles at Wagamama's before enjoying the theatre together with Mat and Tracy Brick :-)

#165 Scan Man

Don't you think other people's injuries and other people's dreams rather boring? Well be bored now 'cos I'm still suffering (#162) with the same pinched nerve in my lower back that's sending pain down my left leg.

Been gulping enough medication to win the Tour de France (anti inflams, steroids, relaxants, mega vit B, etc) and as my douleur has not gone away I've just had a MRI scan in this rather super scanning machine that cost (my insurance company) loadsa dough to use.

Now have to wait to see specialist man on Tuesday for the prognosis . . . .

#164 Spend! Spend! Spend!

I've rejoined the consumer society. Can't stop buying stuff. Look at this water bottle, but its not just any old water bottle carried by a lowly Italian Gregario in the wake of his team leader. No this is a Camelback! It's a hydration solution! Beat that!

#163 Look now Roubaix

I built a bike (#155)
For my proposed ride across Iberia (#154)
But then found the frame had a crack (#157)
So bought lovely Specialized Roubaix Pro
frame at great expense (#163)
But can't ride it yet due to (#162).
Hmmm.

#162 Pain in the butt

Pinched nerve in lower back - referred pain down left leg -
can't sit comfortably - not very nice :-(
lots of medication :-)








for the medical men among you:
Espidifem, Omeprazol, Inzitam, Myolastan

#161 New Ferry

Here in Denia we have a ferry service to the Balearic Islands, Ibiza, Majorca etc.

Now we have a new boat, as seen here, but I understand that its going a bit further and taking a group of conquistadors in search of the New World where they hope to discover the potato - then we can enjoy some chips with our fried fish.

#160 Hello Moto

I needed a new mobile phone and these young ladies on the Motorola website suggested a RAZR V3 - so I bought one :-)

#159 Get yer syrup here!

Some old trades just about survive in Spain. This man is touring the streets selling treacle made from the spent grapes after wine making. We used to have another moped man come round with a knife sharpening attachment on his back wheel, in fact I've just dug out a very old pic - here it is:

#158 20 years ago

No reason to put these pics up - except they are now in nice new frames in our downstairs room - and they remind me not to even think about entering another Ironman triathlon - ha!