Day 13. Olot to Girona

This day's ride turned out to be more difficult in reality than it did on paper. The reason was the rain of the previous night made the sandy surface fairly soft, requiring more effort for pedalling.

Cool and lush

We awoke to clearing showers although it remained cool and cloudy for most of the day. We had breakfast at the hotel and then set off on the road until we could link up with the via verde. There was an American couple also riding the via verde who had arrived after me at Can Blanc. They set off first but in a "hare and tortise" effort we met them again a few times because of their inferior navigation. We used the footpath alongside a fairly busy road for a while, then turned down a quiet country lane. Almost immediately we were passed by a bunch of roadies out for a morning spin and I had to resist the temptation to sit on... oh well.

Onto the via verde which zigzagged through some small residential areas, almost certainly not the original rail route. Finally after a short sharp climb we were on the rail trail proper and the slow climb of a few kilometers to the saddle between one river valley and the next. This route passed through cuttings mostly, with glimpses of the rich farmland below.

A rolling Ortlieb advertisement

We regrouped at the top of Col de Bas and then it was downhill and flat thereafter. The secenery was lovely, a mix of farms and forest, but there was light drizzle and it was cool riding. We stopped at Sant Feliu de Pallerols for a warming cup of coffee and then continued. The cool weather and the heavy surface were taking a toll on strength and enthusiasm and it was fairly regular short stops thereafter.

The impressive entrance into Angles

At Salt the via verde transformed into various in-town cycle routes and we more or less followed our nose, riding on the road until we were back at the Girona Cycle Centre. It is hard to get lost with the Cathedral standing on the hill above the old city anyway.

We had some reviving beverages and returned the bikes. We bumped into Chloe Hosking again. Julie asked here if she knew where there was a laundromat and she said no, but then volunteered her washing machine in an act of real generosity! Having handed over the bikes it was up the hill to the apartment, this time of course without having to lug the bags up the stairs! We got cleaned up and walked back down the hill for a drink and then dinner.

The eight travellers all dined together: this was the last night where we would all be in the same place at the same time, so we enjoyed dinner at Artusi and said our thanks and farewells. The food was good although the portion size a little unpredictable: some wanted a light dish and got a mountain, others vice versa... it certainly didn't depend on price.