Day 68 25/9/16
27 miles ( Alcaucin to Competa) Average 7.8 mph Top speed 36 mph
Brian with Raul and Eva
Woke at 8 and went for walk around river by restaurant. Beautiful sunrise in mountains.Raul and Eva were surprised at how early I was up at 8am, I thought I’d had a lie in! Waited for Raul and Eva to get up and then had a wonderful brekkie of toast meat cheese and preserves.
Restaurant
Cortijo de Alcazar restaurant
Raul took me to their bungalow (4 Km away) to collect my bike and have a hot shower. I made a phone call to mum while Raul had a shower
People are great.
I am intending to move on to Competa to meet up with Gaye who is on holiday and then move on to Vernon’s to leave panniers and relieve the bike of most of the weight I am carrying.
I said farewell to Raul and then I hit the road all the way down to Alcaucin; a very steep decline and my hands went numb from squeezing brakes. Bought 2 cans of lemon and some magdelenas.
Descent to Alcaucin
Road to Alcaucin
Checked out restaurants and bars
restaurant or bar?
and then took wrong road out of town and had to climb all the way back up. Found correct road and had a great ride even though it was tough.
Winding roads
House in the hills
Sculpture on a hairpin bend
Winding roads around mountains are hard work.
Into Canillas de Aceituno overlooking lake Venuela. Another big climb and into Sedella with clouds rolling in over mountains.
Clouds over the mountains
Took pictures of a British van and had a warm up on exercise bike!
British van
Warm up bike?
Stunning views and very hot. T shirt soaked through but it dried out a bit on the way down.
Hills, clouds, roads
Villa, town, fields
Stopped to take photos and was clicking away when I realised I’d turned into paparazzi as there were a couple frolicking (in a sexual nature) in the pool directly below me!
Then on to Competa and rang Gaye to meet them by tourist office as I couldn’t find a statue of a donkey or a man?? I didn’t fancy climbing all the way up to have to go back down again.We met and after a few sweaty embraces, I loaded my bags into Steve’s boot and raced them back to the villa which was up a bit and then down a dirt track for about 3 miles. All worthwhile when I arrived to find a great villa with pool. Was handed a beer by Dot and some peanuts to replace salt lost on a very sweaty day. It was great to see Gaye and Craig and meet Tom and Greg. Lots to talk about and it was strange to talk freely in English for the first time in a long while.
With Gaye by the pool
Steve and Dots paradise villa in the campo below Competa.
Villa in Competa