Training Log Archive: Stijn

Casas de Ves to Calles. Got an "early" start, anticipating heat and a long day. Fortunately there was some cloud cover so it was quite mild actually. Very average day with lots of decent views, but mostly rolling farmland. It got fun after Utiel with a long swooping downhill, but then the fun ended when an attempted short cut turned into an 18km gravel mountain pass right at the end of the day. Let's just say our relationship was tested! ;) In a comfy cottage now - rest day tomorrow!

http://www.movescount.com/moves/move61131505

Albacete to Casas de Ves. Brilliant day - one of our best! Got an "early" start as we had to get the tent down before first light. Then 20km of dead-flat cycle path riding across the plains, dumping us straight into a morning market in some random little town. Coffees, churros, strawberries, yes! Then we dropped into a narrow little gorge which our road followed for 30km, with the river on our right and 50-100m cliffs on our left, sometimes having whole villages built into the cliff face. Lunch at the castle at Alcala del Jucar, before a fast, hot ride to our campsite.

http://www.movescount.com/moves/move60982383

Penascosa to Albacete. Most of the day was spent on one of Spain's Via Verdes - converted rail trails for cyclists and walkers. 75km of fast riding, mostly good gravel, bridges, tunnels (some lit, some not) and even some singletrack. With a tailwind nogal! Then we spent 5h in a very dead Albacete, wiling away the time while people-watching, quaffing wine and finally getting some dinner. Just before it got dark, we cycled 8km out of town to a picnic spot where we stealth-camped as it got dark. Was a pretty nervous night, with people driving, walking and cycling past our tent as late as 3am..

http://www.movescount.com/moves/move60983105
http://www.movescount.com/moves/move60982507

Cold morning and a nice late start after having fried sausages as our 2nd breakfast. Into Riopar to stock up on food & cash and then into the mountains over 2 passes with a narrow, remote valley between them. Felt like we were in Switzerland... At Camping Penascosa now and heading for Albacete tomorrow, where we may need to wild camp as town is all booked out for the long weekend.

http://www.movescount.com/moves/move60781541

Another relaxing morning and fairly easy ride. Cruised along the rest of the lake and then took a hillier but more scenic route via some small villages. Lunch in a town called Siles followed by a long gradual climb which started feeling quite alpine. Camping near Riopar tonight.

http://www.movescount.com/moves/move60690318

Slept in a bit this morning, stocked up at the supermercado and had coffees and tortillas for breakfast in Cazorla. So we only really got going by 11ish :) Long but very gradual pass to start with, which was made somewhat harder by the 2kg of saucisson donated by a kind stranger halfway up! Then for the rest of the day, gravity was on our side as we descended through the Parque Natural Sierras de Cazorla alongside a huge dam in the mountains. Beautiful! Camping tonight on the shores of said dam.

http://www.movescount.com/moves/move60598659

Alicun de las Torres to Cazorla. Overcast and cold day with a fair bit of climbing at the end. Also took a 20km gravel road to link up to the reserve we want to cycle through over the next few days. Next 3 days should be pretty chilled.

http://www.movescount.com/moves/move60504381