The first third of today’s route was a nice plane bike path and neither head- nor tailwinds.
The second third was a wide road mostly with a shoulder.
And the last third included a 200 meters climb and the same downhill.
Like it is very often. I was scared about the climb at the hottest time of the day when others do their siesta.
But doing the climb made it easy. I was concentrated and relaxed at did one cycle after the other breathing normally.
The ascent was about 6 % thus comfortably.
I arrived at 4 pm so I had time to enjoy some beers at the beach promenade and later for a little hiking tour to a bay were I could swim and enjoy some cliff jumps.
A ferry boat and a great and used sailing ship. The climb starts. Really nice road with less traffic. I come nearer to the highest point. Done 🙂 I would like to climb this mountain called „Cruz de Xàbia“, 735 meters high. First view to the south side. And the second with sea. Beer at the beach promenade. At that village very many British people are to hear. The hiking to the bay were many sailing boats lay at anchor. Another view. The swim bay with the jump rock. Xàbia / Javea port. Inside church „Parroquia Nuestra Senora de Loreto“. Coming back from swimming I saw a curious building towering the surrounding houses. Soon I found the building and identified it as a church. Doors were open. But these doors on both sides of the building were doors like windows to let fresh air flow. I walked around the elliptical building and found the real entrance door. Nobody was in except the servant preparing for a holy mass. I sat down and took the opportunity to do my meditation practice. Nice and gentle music was played. The building is special. Ecliptic and becoming wider to the top with pillars towering the walls and on these pillars is a wooden ship positioned as roof. So between pillars and the ships bottom windows arise. From Gandia to Xàbia / Javea 46 km in 6 hours. GT 2.663 km.
I started late because I had to dismantle the pump holder. It was to thick so the screw was to short and the water bottle holder wagged.
I drove through the Turia River bed, the Turia parc about 10 km to the seaside and followed the bike path.
I wasn’t in my best shape. Maybe my body suffered the temperature.
Later I bought some cheese and bread and a huge tomato and had a lunch break in a little parc on a bench under a tree and afterwards did a nice nap 🙂
The bike path ended headwinds arose, maybe Scirocco, that slowed me down.
I arrived at Gandia (sounds like mahatma Gandhi) first at half past seven.
Unfortunately the mattress of the bed has two wet spots. So I put my air mattress on it covered with two blankets and the sheet so I’ll have a dry night.
Here the redirected Turia with some bridges. Beach next to València’s freight Port. Nice and huge lagoon in the wildlife park Albufera. I didn’t take one of the excursion boats. Never before I have seen such a thick palm forest. Mountains come closer. Will there be a climb? In the foreground orange trees. The mattress with the two wet spots 🙁And my solution 🙂 73 km from Valencia to Gandia in almost 9 hours. GT 2.617 km.
Today was one of these lazy days. I got up late. Breakfast and a long and nice phone call.
In the afternoon I went to the historic city with the main target to visit the cathedral. So I was disappointed that the access was and is scheduled. It’s a normal church it is not the Sagrada Familia. Strange.
Tomorrow will be hotter than today. 36 degrees. But tomorrow I will continue cycling so I can enjoy the airstream 😉
On the right hand side the bull arena (Plaza de toros). On the left hand side the railway station (Estacio del Nord). In the center a modern building. The station from outside. One detail of its facade. And the counter. Some modern architecture.
I have planned to stay at Valencia for two days. At the one hand to relax and give my body the chance to regenerate and on the other side to get input to the brain 😉
First of all I have to get an overview how the city works. Metro, busses, distances and delicious icecream of course 😉
I always look to do everything online. It’s a pity here that the Valencia tourist card for 48 hours to get you have to go to the office in downtown. But okay. They offer lots of paper in addition to the plastic card but I don’t take it. A picture of the metro schedule is enough.
Really a highlight at Valencia is the Turia parc. The Turia is the river through Valencia. But „through“ isn’t correct anymore. In the 1950 s Turia caused some devastating floodings so Turia was relocated to the south and outside the city. The old river bed now is used as a parc. On about 20 kilometers you can cycle, jogging, walking or simply hang out under a tree or in the sun on a clean and neat lawn. There are also some sports equipment such as steppers and „home“ trainers and of course children’s playgrounds.
At the sea end of the Turia parc the „Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciències“, the city of arts and sciences. It was built at the end of the 20th and beginning 21st century and is by now the sightseeing magnet of the city.
I visited the L’Oceanografic and saw dolphin, beluga whale, penguin, sea lion, walrus, seal, crocodile, turtle as well as flamingo, scarlet ibis, pelican.
It was very interesting to see penguins on land and under water the same time. Wow, how fast the are under water and how much they like to play tag, speed up and jump onto the rocks outside. Amazing!
Also the huge walrus swim up and down and all round the basin like dancing and it looks pretty nice.
The beluga also dance through the huge basin but they do it pair wisely.
The busy market hall. The silk exchange from outside. The orange garden inside the silk exchange, Lonja de la Seda. The advisory hall. The pillar hall. The basement. The impressing wooden ceiling in the tower. The board inside the tower. The tower’s ground as a reversible figure. The Agora one of the buildings of the city of arts and sciences with the 125 meters high bridge pillar València’s highest point. Feeding of the pelicans.
Flamingos. Sea lions. A diameter of about 15 centimeters. Inside L’Umbracle. View onto L’Hemisferic that includes an IMAX 3 D cinema. After sightseeing I went to the sea to swim and cool.
Today started with looking for a bicycle shop to buy a new tire pump. After some searching I found a store. Now I feel better. A flat tire is no problem but only if I have a functioning pump
Most of today’s tour was on bike paths. Most of them along roads but even so.
Around Sagunt I had some detours and lost about one hour. It’s always the same: rivers, railways and highways. This time it were different highways and other barriers.
Firstly I saw on the map that the used road N340 was continued by V23. I have seen A and AP roads. Both highways but never saw a V road. So I drove and hoped to be allowed to take this road. But at the point of change I had to turn and drive back.
Next I had to cross exactly this V23 and found even a bridge. But on the other side of this bridge I found myself in an industrial area that was not totally in use why not every street was connected. So I had to go back and take another way.
After passing V23 I followed a two-lane-road to southwest. Bevause the wind came from northeast I drove really fast. After about 5 km I saw blue road signs and supposed to be on the highway or on the way to the highway.
Well, soon I saw AUTOVIA 🙁 but fortunately there was an entrance ramp with nearly no traffic so I took this way out and drove again through an industrial area with wide and new roads nearly without traffic and also southwest 😉
At the end I met the bike path that I could use for the last 15 km and through Valencia to the hotel. Very comfortable 🙂
A loquat tree spended some shadow and let me enjoy his fruits. In Italy the fruit is called Nespoli. In Austria Japanische Wollmispel. A 90 km ride today from Castello to Valencia in a bit more than 8 hours. GT 2.544 km.
This morning I didn’t need suncream and fortunately the direction of the wind was the same.
I planned to visit the citadel at Peniscola but there were too many people.
After Peniscola a dirt road followed. Soon I stepped off and walked the bike. It was too steep. Later I could enjoy some downhills. But it wasn’t really a pleasure. I had to drive concentrated and tried to avoid the badest holes and stones. 12 km up and down on heavy dirt track.
Nearly at the end of the track I felt somewhat wrong with the rear tire. Less air and I had to pump air.
Three times I pumped then arrived at a view point were the regular road ended with some people.
I started the maintenance procedure but couldn’t fill the tube with air. Obviously the tire pump was malfunctioning.
As soon as I started maintaining an older man in bicycle dress came over and talked to me in Spanish and looked at me.
As I saw that the pump didn’t work I asked him for a pump and he helped me to fill the tube. I had used a new one.
Asap I will buy a pump!
At the next market store I bought something to eat and water and went on.
Driving along the beach I saw a kite and hoped to see a kite surfer because I admire these guys.
Yes there was a real hand. I looked for a place to sit and eat my lunch and look at him.
I put on the primaloft because the wind was heavy. He was an expert and I had so much fun with his show. For turning the direction he jumped and turned. Also he did some jumps 5 meters high and 10 meters long. Unbelievably!
Later I took the N340 (via Augusta) to make kilometers 😉
The last 12 km I found a bike path to Castello de la Plana.
Nice village Peniscola. There were crowds of people so I passed without visiting. Wikipedia says that the citadel was setting for Game of Thrones. From the south. Also to see the heavy clouds. A more far view from the following amazing cliff coast. Wonderful cliff coast with heavy up and down dirt road. View back with Peniscola in the background. Bushes formed by the wind. A little pine forest spends shelter. A new sort of crop: melon. Still 1.000 km to Cadiz 😉 A view to the northwest. And to the east, the seaside. The Concatedral de Santa Maria at Castello. The market place. Going along gives a nose of fish. Impressing. Seen on the city hall. Today I drove from Benicarló to Castello in nearly 8 hours and 80 km. GT 2.454 km
Although the Saint Juam celebrations caused lots of bangs I slept very well and after a hearty breakfast I started at 10 am.
The route followed the channel through the rice fields so I can say it is the „rice road“ 😉
Very comfortably were the change the direction of the wind made since yesterday. From SE to NE. So I was twice as fast or cycling was half as exhausting.
On an ideal beach with stones instead of sands and only a few people and a shower option I had a nice swim break.
Also I took lunch today and ordered patatas bravas and an avocado salad. This was too much but I ate up and was tired.
Fortunately I found a nice beach with a kind of a bench to enjoy a relaxing nap.
The tailwinds made cycling very easy so I drove by today’s destination.
Fortunately there was a Häagen-Dazs I came along that made me stop and enjoy an icream. Una tarrina con tres balas. A tub with three scoops 🙂 I sat on the terrace in a comfortable lounge chair with a view onto the Mediterranean.
By the way I saw that Benicarló layed actually behind me. So I realized the difference between head and tail winds. But not more than 10 minutes.
Nice mountains but not to climb 😉 The agave shore 😉 Along the coastline. And another part. From Amposta (Catalan) to Benicarló (Valencia) 51 km in 7 hours. GT 2.374 km.
Bang bang bang! No, no flat tires 😉 but Sant John or Saint Juan, June 24th.
The shortest night the longest day will be celebrated. It is tomorrow but it looks like they are going to start today 😉
Very common: the Sant John’s fires. Save fires of course. No mountain fires like in Tyrol because this would cause heavy bush fires.
And the young people use like it to bang hundreds of thousands of firecrackers and torpedoes.
Fortunately my bed is in the firth floor and I close the window.
Remembers me on Sylvester at home.
Today was a relaxed cycling day. Many beach promenades also Via Augusta (N 340).
After the tunnel at paradise beach I stopped and had a nice conversation with a young French how was obviously on great bicycle tour because of the pockets on his bike and the trailer. Also a little dog named Willem accompanied him.
He is from north west of France and since 9 months on tour and now heading for his home.
He recommended not to go to the Spanish interior because it’s very hot there. At Cordoba, he told me he faced 46 degrees centigrade. My weather app predicts 41 for Friday.
Enjoying a break under the umbrella pines. The N340 follows the Roman road Via Augusta. So I believe to Cadiz – the starting point of EV 8 – it will be the shown distance. Here to see the large shoulder and the downhill to the Mediterranean. For today’s celebration Saint Juam in the nice village l’Amettla de Mar decorated their streets. L’Amettla de Mar Port. As you see I am impressed by these agaves 😉 At the end of the tunnel under railway and highway the paradise beach 😉 An unexpected irrigation channel. Again with absolutely clear water. Bike paths on both sides. Nearly the whole area is under water for rice cultivation but here I have seen some artichoke fields. According to Wikipedia rice cultivation is the main economic factor here. Today’s target Amposta lays on river Ebro or Ebru so I had to cross the bridge. The river brings a lot of water. Surprisingly in this area of aridity. On the river shipping is seen. Ebro is the second largest river on the Iberia peninsula. Longest river is Tajo. Area of drainage of Ebro. From Wikipedia. The bridge from the city side. On the asphalt lots of independence signs. REPUBLICA. Catalan independence. The Catalan flag to see on so many buildings. This symbol of a ribbon is also very often to see. Either painted on roads or buildings or yellow ribbons on fences, ports etc. Symbol for the Catalan independence. From Miami Platjes (beach) to Amposta in 7.5 hours for 57 km. GT 2.323 km.
Today was no breakfast included so I started to the main road at Sitges and saw a crowd people in front of a shop and took a closer look. I had found the best bakery and coffee shop in town. I put myself into the queue so I had time to study what they talk, what clients ordered and how the staff worked. They are a good team and gave me no chance to make my order in Spanish. They talked in English.
I ordered one baguette for lunch and two croissant and a Cafe Americano.
The croissant were delicious and the same quality the French were!
After yesterday’s breakdown I started slowly. There were no difficulties with the track. More or less I drove along the beach promenade that was easy and relaxing.
Only sometimes I had to turn to the national road but there was a large shoulder so cycling was comfortable. Only a few but short climbs.
I took some breaks and listened to the radio at noon for one hour and took a nap on a bench after eating cheese and baguette.
Then I asked booking.com for a room and found one but 66 km to go. I said to myself I will be able to do it.
In the afternoon permanent headwinds arose.
It was really a long distance but after ten and a half hours I arrived at half past seven so I was ready to see the Yoga-vidya Saturday satsang online because I had dinner in the room with baguette and cheese and olives. The Spanish olives are really delicious! All food I had bought at SPAR an Austrian company 🙂
From Sitges to Miami Platja in 10,5 hours for 93 km. GT 2.266 km.
To leave such a huge city is quite difficult. Although there are lots of well signed bike paths throughout Barcelona this ends at the peripheral areas. And than barriers like rivers railway tracks or highways appear.
I decided to leave Barcelona by driving through Parc Montjuic. That meant I had to do a little climb of about 50 meters. After a few meters I had to get off the bike. I felt totally weak. Slowly I walked the bike up and layed on a bench for more than an hour. After this break I cycled again but very slowly.
Most of the road was without bike paths but lots of traffic. Unfortunately there was more or less no shoulder so I had the lorries on my tail especially during the climbs.
It seems there’s some indigestion but now in the evening I am hungry and enjoy spicy Indian dishes 😉
Last view over Barcelona. On the left side of the three chimneys the construction site of Sagrada Familia. From Barcelona to Sitges. 49 km in 7 hours. GT 2.173 km.
