Day 176 11th January
A truly fantastic day. I was awake at 5.30 with very noisy neighbours snoring and preventing me from any more sleep. It started well with brekkie of toast, jam and two coffees, which was included in price of the hostel and taken in a nearby cafe. I left at 10 and managed to go the wrong way, but climbed back up a cobbled street to get back on track. Then a big climb up from below Ronda, which was a wakeup call to my tired legs.
On the road from Ronda
It was a lovely morning and I enjoyed the long climbs. The scenery was stunning and with a tail wind making life easier, I soon made it to the top. 360 degree views meant it was hard to keep my eyes on the road.
View of the mountains
Next town
After a long downhill stretch I made it to Atajate where I stopped to take in the view of the village. There are many other tourists along this road and quite often I have bumped into the same people on the way down. With a few people taking pictures the vultures decided to put on a show for us. The next village was Benadollid and then on to Algatocin for lunch at the Ermita roadside bar. I had a ham and tomato roll with two coffees to warm me up.
The vultures putting on a show for the tourists
Even had wifi and Mandy sent me directions from Gaucin. It was a lovely downhill run to Gaucin where I paused to take in the views of Africa and dream about being there next week.
On the way to Gaucin
Then it was about 15km downhill all the way to Jimena. A fantastic ride consistently over 30mph.
View
On the way down the temperature rose and became much greener.
Warmer and greener
It was like spring has sprung even though its only January. There are calves feeding, a few newborn lambs in the fields. Also lots of birdsong and activity in the hedgerows.
Signs of Spring – Cow and calf
It was then a fairly flat even ride to San Martin where I stopped for a beer in the Aussie bar. I went on to Torreguadiaro and had a drink in the new Moroccan bar and then sat on the beach to watch the sunset.
Sunset
I met Mandy at her house, showered and went to a bar for tapas and then on to the Dubliner for drinks and back to Moroccan bar where we met Angela and Steve and talked cycling and touring. Back to Mandy’s for a nightcap and bed at 2..30. A very long but rewarding day.
Mandy’s house