Last night I stayed at Hotel Mota. Totally automated you walk thru the outer door to find a check-in machine. It asks you a few question, scans your passport, takes your money, & dispenses your room card key. Worked perfectly – but room service was rubbish! The hotel did basic automated breakfast which I exploited whist chatting with a Portuguese couple – the gent spoke perfect English – taught by a Scottish friend. Chatted about usual stuff – Brexit & each other’s journeys. They were doing a mini tour after visiting relatives.

Once out of town the route was almost all dirt road. Landscape was undulating & more remote with metalled roads giving way to a network of dirt signposted roads, much the same as America. The landscape was open, undulating, semi arid with occasional pine woods giving off a strong aroma. Although the ride didn’t offer any breathtaking scenery it did provide a great days ride considering the lack of serious hills.
Big change today was the cloudless brilliant blue skies – the climate is certainly getting hotter & rivers crossed were all totally dry.

In the morning, to watch me stretching is not for the faint hearted & anyone into yoga should certainly look away. Still it gets me mobile. When I started my ride, nine days ago I was totally unfit. The plan was to ride into fitness. I can now report that this approach does work, the bad news is that at 68, it’s bloody hard work & unfavourably compares to SAS boot camp. Today, for the first time this ride, I raced myself up a hill & it felt really good!

I couldn’t quite face the servings offered at my accommodation so headed into Valladolid city proper for a second breakfast. This city is exceptionally pleasant & extremely cycle friendly.

Previously, Valladolid was unknown to me, yet is one of the most impressive places visited in Spain so far. Modern, vibrant, clean & designed around its residents with parks, river walks & attractive modern architecture.

According to Wickapedia : Valladolid is a city in northwest Spain. It’s known for medieval religious sites like the Spanish Gothic San Pablo Church, with a history dating from the 1400s, on San Pablo Plaza. Nearby is the Royal Palace, home of Spanish kings in the early 1600s. The National Sculpture Museum occupies a Gothic building. The Christopher Columbus Museum chronicles the life of the Italian explorer, who died in Valladolid in 1506.

I couldn’t do it justice this time round but will be one place to come back to.
The ride itself was either along the city cycle ways or on dirt roads through rolling countryside, passing by, but rarely entering the nearby small villages with only a church tower or dome to give them away.

The climate was certainly changing. Yesterday’s sunflower fields were now vineyards & expanses of wasteland. Stopping, for a photo or water, immediately attracted swarms of flies – better than mozzies I suppose.

Reaching Medina Del Campo, it’s a beautifully compact place with large square, about an acre of which is given to a children’s playground, then spacious areas for hanging out & outside dining. Then fine buildings.

Wickapedia notes: a town and municipality of Spain located in the autonomous community of Castile and León. Part of the Province of Valladolid, it is the centre of a farming area. Almost all the buildings of artistic interest date from the 16th century; examples are the country house known as Casa Blanca, the Palacio de Dueñas (Don Rodrigo de Dueñas Manor House) and the Hospital of Simón Ruiz. These buildings were promoted by rich merchant bankers who prospered thanks to the General Fair of the Spanish Kingdom held in Medina del Campo during the 15th and 16th centuries. The Museum of the Fairs was created to exhibit items connected to this open market, and it is a popular visitor attraction.

I woke up to a high level of activity outside my door. It was 7am & pitch dark. I discovered later it was the rush to the single shower that serves all bedrooms & the need to vacate before 9am. Which I managed – only just!

I did not mention in yesterday’s blog that when walking the old Fromista street last night, I peered through a window of one of the dwellings to discover no floor & below ground, large, grand arched chambers – obviously from a much earlier time

My ride south had no serious hills, no head wind & managed to dodge the rain so kept on peddling & landed on the outskirts of Valladolid.
En route, the landscape & places visited were nothing exciting. Even Palencia failed to impress. Yes it has the San Miguel church but it also has a non descript city centre and a multitude of anonymous housing blocks. What set the day were the miles of rides along the irrigation canals.

The surprising thing is there was no one fishing them. I saw a few fish jump – so they are there, waiting!!

Kristina, my waitress at La Cueva, impressived me with her English & for making me feel really welcome thru my stay. My bike had been stored overnight in the garage which was full of model buildings. Kristina explained they were of ‘Catedral de Burgos’ in Burgos City, a principal stop on the “Way of St James” (Pilgrims Way). Models were the efforts of Jesus Duque, the proprietor’s nephew.
After a photo shoot I took off south into the 90% rain forecast.

My ride today to Frómista took me through a gradually flattening landscapes also the lush greens of the north were being replaced by browns & plants more suited to a sunnier, drier climate. The limestone rock was now sandstone, rivers crossings were often dry beds, and large expanses of withered sunflowers were everywhere.

The track was a good mix of dirt and paved roads but, despite having less hills, the persistent strong headwind & drag from the wet dirt roads still left me working for every mile.

Arriving at Frómista was a very pleasant surprise. Accommodation was easily found & I discovered the town is bigger than the insignificant name on the map suggests.

According to Google- It is a major overnight stopping place for pilgrims traveling along the Camino de Santiago, the Way of St. James. The church of San Martín de Tours de Frómista was underwritten in part by the widow of Sancho el Mayor of Navarra who imported artisans to build a church in the style of a Jaca cathedral.

Jack, an American from Wisconsin was stopping in the same hostel. He was walking the Pilgrims Trail alone & as keen as me for a good chat in English. Nice evening was spent chatting on USA stuff & travel generally. He’s a surgeon specialising in osteoarthritis and, like me, close to retirement.

Packed & ready to ride, breakfast = one croissant the size of a dinner plate, fresh orange juice & coffee, then a fond farewell to my host & it was time to leave Reinosa.

My ride first took me to Cabria, mainly along N611 – an old, lesser used highway, superseded by the A67 highway. Reminds me of the old routes that crisscross the USA in that the interstates take the traveller away from the once important settlements & trades, leaving them a little shabby where they serve no further use to the traveller.

At first sight, Cabria looked to be a typically old style village surrounded by rich, arable land. Look a little closer & there’s money. Shiny jeep rangers, range rovers, etc. In front of sympathetically restored buildings. The bar/restaurant did not care too much for my service so grabbed a Coca-Cola & but didn’t hang around. Cabria itself sits atop a hill with metalled & dirt roads peeling off & great views.

Crossing into the province of Palencia, rode through Aquilar de Campoo and was most impressed. According to wickapedia “ It is one of the locations of the St. James’ Northern Way (Ruta del Besaya). Since 2017, the municipality has been included in the Geopark of Las Loras,^[3]the first UNESCO Geopark in Castile and León.”. It was built to impress & worth a visit.

Alar del Rey became my final destination. This a chance find after it began to rain – a very pleasant place, not so grand as Aquilar de Campoo, but has stunning buildings, lovely river and canal walks & lots of cafes.

Clothes washed & decorating my room to dry, then feet up listened to BBC radio on the Sounds APP, followed by a very late breakfast in a nearby square before venturing out to explore the town

What I’ve found out since leaving Santander:

Cash is rapidly becoming the only way to pay. People are shorter here in town. At 5’8.5” I’m above average and could afford to drop the half inch I always tend to declare 🤣. Similar to many places in Mid West America, drivers of motor vehicles are courteous to a fault to cyclists & pedestrians. Road layouts are similarly focused – lots of pavements & cycle lanes even in remote places, speed limits on minor roads are often reduced to safeguard cyclists. Landscape feels big & wild, again like USA, long, wide wooded valleys with steep sides with no road access,

What I haven’t yet discovered is how people here get to enjoy such a great quality of life – most appearing to enjoy the cafes, bar & restaurant lifestyle, and live a slow unrushed life.

In yesterdays blog I failed to include these four guys who directed me to accommodation. We chatted the best we could & they were keen to get on my blog.

At the hotel, Reserva Del Saja, although nothing seemed to work as it should, shower, door lock, WiFi, etc, i had a good nights sleep. Its claim it to be carbon neutral which means no ac, toiletries & dimly lit corridors. However breakfast was quality & generous & in a sun lit room so you could see what you were eating.

The ride continued up a steep sided valley, along the CA280. For local racing cyclists, this is the road to ride & being Saturday it very busy. All wizzing past me on their carbon bikes in their club colours. Though travelling differently & much their senior, I am too competitive to feel comfortable about it. The pseudo “top” of another climb & another great stop,

The Mirador Pena Colsa. Most of the cyclists enjoy a coffee here & head back down. I needed to continue up & the locals looked at me & gestured the length & steepness of the climb, especially in the heat. The Pass was 4,133ft (1260m) about 300 ft short of the height of Ben Nevis. Shortly before the summit I decided to get off & push. A couple stopped offering to load my bike in their camper & ride with them into town. I declined but they kindly filled my empty water bottles.

Once in Reinosa, I found a nice Hotel Abrigo in the centre of town at €22/night. Tomorrow will be resting & washing so booked for two nights.

Showered & out for food & a beer

The buildings & buzz of Torrelavega were gradually replaced by fields, forests and the constant ringing of cow bells from every direction as I entered Parque Natural de Fuentes Carrions y Fuente. I came by the spectacular hamlet of Reocorvo, a contender to a World Heritage Site.

Thanks to Google Translate, I chatted to a couple whose dog took a fancy to my ankles. A long, hot climb followed but was rewarded at the top of a 700m climb with coffee & tapas at Meson san Cipriano. Here I taught the staff how to make Americano the American way – I think they were appreciative!

The route chosen to Reinosa was not the most direct, in fact the original 40km became 90km. Soaking up the main square with an el fresco breakfast & a few to many stops meant en route meant I managed only 50km to Selores. Considering my fitness, the terrain and getting the most out of the impressive surroundings,

I’m very happy with that! The ride took me through delightful, medieval villages, lush mountain scenery & a few tavernas so guess I can say it was a pretty good day!

If cyclists have a choice, I would definitely recommend a ferry over flying. Its cheaper, less hassle, saves time & healthier for your bike & the planet. No need to spend time breaking the bike down into bits, packing it & building it back up again & same for the return; reduces risk of customs or handlers damaging or losing kit; much cheaper – airlines charge up to £150 extra each way for a bike, my round trip ferry cost was £240 total (without a cabin mind); all trail food can be packed on your bike ready to ride – so no shopping needed on arrival. Not having a cabin was not a problem though I recommend warm clothes, toiletries, towel, ear plugs, mask for eyes & drinking water. The reclining seat allocated was not working for me so around 1am I ventured out into the empty ship, found a nice long padded bench & slept like a baby. The cleaner finally woke me at 8 which got me to breakfast before the queue.
The morning was uneventful enough then, around 1pm, passengers were asked to make their way to their vehicles- at which point all hell broke loose. I would have blamed it on the booze the average passenger consumed the night before but I didn’t have a drop & was stumped myself. Because staircases are many & they don’t all open at every level, one essential bit of info needed but not advised to obtain was the staircase number each of us used to enter the upper decks on arrival. Example, those who parked at level 3 started down at level 5, passed level 4 to find the next door opened onto level 2. I point out these passengers are no athletes, but carried huge cases & the occasional dog!! Despite this, they bravely turned around, fought their way back up, through the opposition, to arrive back where they started, dishevelled & panic stricken & like all good Brits, blamed this failure on themselves. As with most things, I believe the majority got to where they wanted to be by squeezing through bumper to bumper cars diagonally across the length of this rather large vessel! Those that didn’t had a slightly longer cruise than planned & had all the answers to the mining’s quiz show! The cyclists amongst us were a little more logical & were by our bikes swapping gear & route notes. Some were doing the Pilgrims Trail, one group were riding some were riding a similar trail to me – be it on road. One brave guy was riding to Cape Town!! These nice all when the boat docked & will all split – that’s how it is. Straight away I decided on a route deviation & headed to Torrelavega, on the edge of the Sa de Pana Sagra. Santander was bypassed for now, I will likely check this out later as I await my COVID test. This region of Spain is lush & enjoys lots of rain. It’s supposed to be the least sunniest place in Spain but not today. I arrived at Torrelavega very hot indeed & tired. This sizeable town is lovely though, full of cafes grand buildings & a Santander bank on nearly every corner. I found a basic but clean hotel for €37, wrote this blog so time now for a beer & sleep in a bed!

With the disappointment of no 2021 America behind me, now at the start line of my next adventure, I’m warming to the hastily arranged alternative – bikepacking down through mainland Spain thanks to Komoot & an old Map.
Gear changes: Since being rear ended in Yellowstone, for on road stints I’ve double up on rear lights & reflective stuff, Headlight is upgraded to an Exposure Toro mk12, plus battery backup to deliver up to 72hrs of light between charges & will give me daylong on the trail if I ever need it! My tent is now a carbon fibre job, super light, robust, with good headroom. – may be overkill for Spain in September & with my preference for comfort, it may not get the outing it deserves this time round but should get a useful trial.
Christine was, as ever, incredibly supportive – including driving me to Plymouth for the Santander ferry a 10 hr round trip for her!
Being a cyclist got me to the front of the queue & was first on board giving me lots of time to explore Pont Evats empty restaurants, bars, shops, pool before the crowd.