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.

Day 12. Ripoll to Olot

Wow what different riding compared to Los Ojos Negros!

Decrepit, but with a solar panel on the roof

Cow with bell

We breakfasted at the hotel and set out under coolish partly sunny skies. The first part of the ride was from Ripoll to Sant Joan de les Abadesses, about ten kilometers of slightly uphill riding through mostly farmland.

We saw donkeys, cattle and sheep and saw lots of farm workers and other users of the path, mostly on foot. This alpine region looks like parts of northern Italy or even Switzerland.



The surface was quite different to Los Ojos Negros also. For large sections it was sandy and not bound together. So a smooth ride but more rolling resistance than we had experienced down south.

At  Sant Joan de les Abadesses the route moves off the rail trail (which continues on for another ten kilometers). We initially had to do some casting about to find the route down to the centre of town, over the quaint angular footbridge and then along the main street for one hundred metres or so to the turnoff. There we stopped at a bar for coffees and to use los servicios before tacking the next segment.

Footbridge on the route in Olot

A local dianthus on the side of the road

This segment is a quiet secondary road that winds up and up to the pass at Col de Santigosa. As we climbed higher we rode into the cloud so it was quite cool and pleasant for climbing. Even when you couldn't see far the sound of clanking bells on the sheep and cattle told you that farms were just off the edge of the road.

Along the way I stopped to snack on red currants and blackberries. The blackberries were not as good as the ones down south. We saw a couple of other cyclists and only very few cars on this road. None of the climb was steep but it didn't let up so most were glad for a break at the pass.

As experienced by some

As it actually is

Then it was downhill on slightly slippery road still in the cloud. You wouldn't call it rain but we still got wet. At a fork in the road we regrouped and had to remove Christine's chain guard which was preventing the front derailleur from moving onto the big ring. So the demon descender didn't get to set any new speed records :-(

The road kept on dropping and there was a lovely fast section almost into Olot. We managed to make the correct turn and joined the dedicated cycle route though town, although we soon left it to continue down the main street to find some lunch. This ended up surprisingly well! We found a nice looking restaurant, run by an Indian family that served mostly Spanish food. The menu del dia was fabulous, with many lovely choices. For first course I chose the potato blinis which were stuffed with a slice of morcella. Sensational! I think all eight of us were happy with the outcome. There was one token Indian dish on the menu (a chicken curry) but we talked to the waiter who was quite happy to be using English and he said they tone it down a lot for Spanish tastes.

We then rode out through town to Hotel Can Blanc which was down a quiet road with a very agritourismo feel, including a large restaurant, La Deu with nice grounds next door, which we used for dinner. This must be a popular destination for Barcelona residents to go for weekends. We checked in, and after the usual cyclist preoccupations (showers, washing and beer) we spend a relaxing afternoon. There were a couple of light showers in the afternoon and while we were having dinner it rained quite heavily, but luckily it let up for us to get back to the hotel about 200m away.

Day 11. Girona to Ripoll

Another coffee maybe?

 Everything went will in Girona for our departure. The cathedral bells gave us a wakeup call at 6 and then again at 7 :-)

We had breakfast at a restaurant on Plaça de la Independència overlooking the river. Then back to the apartment to pack and check out. I was very happy when the proprietor offered that we could leave our bags in the apartment for the  two nights that we would be away, which significantly reduced our effort! Then down to the bike shop to pick up the bikes and depart for Ripoll.

Everything went well there, and we were soon on our way in a van with the bikes in the back. Fitting our pedals, my seat, getting the heights right and so on was quickly done. This was despite a steady stream of customers of many were Australian! Dave told me that they had 100% of their rental bikes committed so things were busy.

The narrow streets of the old city were a bit of a challenge in the large van but we made it eventually and were out on divided roads for most of the way. The country became more lush and mountainous the further we went. I was sitting in the front with the talkative driver who spoke no English so my Spanish comprehension got a workout for an hour or so!

We discussed the scenery, other drivers, the volcanoes that we drove past, the various routes available and much more. As we came through the edge of Olot he told me where our hotel was.

Plaça de Sant Eudald

In Ripoll we quickly found Hotel La Trobada and settled in. Once again they were well prepared for us and our bikes. The hotel is only about 200m from the via verde so they probably get lots of cyclists.

We strolled across town looking for some lunch (barely adequate) in Plaza del Ayuntamento and then took in the sights of the town including the picturesque buildings in Plaça de Sant Eudald and elsewhere.

Cloister at Santa Maria

Christine went back to the hotel and Keith, Julie and I visited the monastery of Santa Maria's church and cloister. Ripoll had been the location of an important scriptorium in the 12th century.

Later Jeff and Gerda, Peter and Sandy arrived having taken slow trains from Valencia. We all went out to dinner at La Piazzetta which as the name would indicate serves pizza (along with other dishes). The pizza flavours were unusual and interesting and the wine was good!

Day 8. Mora de Rubielos to Segorbe

The group with Carlos

Julie and Christine volunteered to escort Keith's damaged bike on the train so they loitered on at La Casa until after lunch. The rest of us set out mid morning with Keith on Julie's bike. Today's ride was pleasantly downhill for the most part. One intriguing section of the route took as winding through a large wind power generation facility. The loud noise and deep humming from the turbines was almost deafening. Also there was the terrible stench of the hundreds of dead birds scattered around. Can you spell irony? On our train trip from Barcelona to Valencia and our later return we passed one of Spain's eight nuclear power plants at Vandellòs on the Med. I know which one I would prefer to live next to. Spain is one of the largest producers of wind-powered electricity and every where you go you will see turbines on the ridgelines.

Albentosa.
If you cross the viaduct and go through the tunnel,
you'll come to a very nice patch of blackberries.

Tunnel coming into Caudiel.

The route today included several charming small towns including Albentosa, Barracas, Caudiel where I stopped for a quick lunch and there was some sort of local festival going on and Jerica where for a few kilometers the route left the old railway line and diverted through the streets of the town. There were many nice looking bars and restaurants. I stopped at one for a quick beer (it was pretty hot by then).

Actually I was doing a fair bit of stopping as my rear tyre had developed a slow leak and I was waiting for Keith to catch up with the special security tool that was needed to remove the wheel. He never did, so I had to make a stop every couple of kilometers to put more air in the tyre. Very tedious.

The last part of the route into Segorbe used a section of dirt road into Altura and then I "followed my nose" to Segorbe. Hotel Maria de Luna wasn't hard to find and was a nicely appointed city hotel. All the riders turned up, and Christine and Julie arrived on the train. We tried in vain to get Keith's bike fixed. The two bike shops did not have a mechanic working on the day, so Julie and Christine kindly volunteered to take the train again the next day to Valencia. In fact all of us decided to ride and then take the train from down near the coast.

Keith and  I repaired the flat tube only to have the valve stem break off. We fixed another punctured tube and it appeared to be holding air OK.

For dinner Christine and I went to the restaurant associated with the hotel, which was actually about a block away at another hotel property. We we pleasantly surprised: decor, table settings and service all at a high quality and food to match. The winelist was many times longer than the menu and we settled on a Ribiera del Duero which went down well.

Day 6. Monreal del Campo to Teruel.

This was a longish day in the saddle for those who do not ride regularly, and the warm weather added to the challenge. In the end it was probably "a hill too far" for some but we all made it!

A farmer moves a flock of sheep past an irrigation channel

The day started with breakfast at the Hostal and we rolled out on quiet country roads. Quite noticeable was the elevated concrete irrigation channels, some it which appear to be still in use.

Arriving at Villafranca del Campo

Shepherd with donkey. The two sheep dogs did most of the work.

The first village along the way was Villafranca del Campo, then through Alba. Along the way some sights of rural life, including shepherds grazing their flocks on the roadside.

On to Santa Eulalia del Campo where we stopped for refreshments and a comfort stop. I asked for directions to the Via Verde and was given several routes, which would all probably have turned out OK. In the end it was a simple matter to find the right road out of town.

Onto the via verde

From there it was only a couple of kilometers out of town up a gradual hill to where we met the rail trail! We were pleasantly surprised by the quality of the riding surface. In general the Ojos Negros was not well signposted but the surface was better than parts of the second via verde. The next stop was at Caude for lunch. The ride into town is down a gentle hill, past parks and similar amenities. Very attractive.

Viaduct approaching Teruel

We probably sat for too long over lunch, because after that it was quite warm. We had a few navigational difficulties soon after town (poorly signposted temporary diversion) but the use of the GPS helped me to spot where we needed to be and a quick cross-country section over a field had us back on track. The next section was fairly fast although some riders were starting to feel the distance (over 70km in total). Getting close to Teruel the terrain was much lumpier and it was not at all clear as to where we should get off the via verde onto the road. In the end we probably went further than we needed to but at least it did take us over one of the more impressive viaducts.

There are two of these towers in Teruel.
The story goes that they were built by
rival suitors for the local noble's daughter,
with the builder of the best tower winning her hand

We crawled up the last of the hills and stopped for a refreshing drink at a service station, then followed the GPS directions into town.

The first pleasant surprise was this fabulous tower. Then it was just around the corner to our hotel, the El Mudayyan which was very pleasant. Once again they were all prepared for storing our bikes, so after a quick shower it was off to explore this very attractive city.

Beer and salty nuts.
Great post-ride refreshments!

My first stop was for a beer in the plaza half a block from the hotel. I was very impressed with the quality of the architecture right through this city. Over time (and a couple more beers, most of the crew dropped by and then we all set off to explore the various sights.

Teruel is a city with fantastic Mudejar architecture,
listed as a UNESCO world heritage site.
Our hotel was only a few meters up the lane
that you can see on the right.
These stairs lead down to the lower town where the
railway station is.

Beautifully decorated pedestrian bridge links the old town to the next ridge.

The timing of our trip meant that we caught the end of the famous Jamon festival in Teruel. I dropped in and found a tasting plate. Five euros for the plate and glass of wine.

At the Jamon Festival

There were three carvers working nonstop to supply the slivers of jamon for the tasting plates. It was a real family occasion with jumping castles etc. for the children, music and a real air of enjoyment.





We then headed back to the plaza where Christine and I had dinner with Keith and Julie. Not too bad and certainly deserved after a longish day of riding.

Day 5. First, and very short, day on the bike.

Thanks to the work that Carlos did we had train tickets and authorisation for our bikes all sorted. We took a couple of trips to ferry our luggage and bikes down the hill to Valencia Nord. We decided to leave the bags in lockers at the station, but we didn't know that we would need exact change in coins to make the lockers work. We eventually got that sorted and had time for breakfast before the train.

The via verde goes over a viaduct.
As seen from the train window.

On the train we hung three bikes from the vertical hooks and just stacked the 4th one against them. The hooks have built-in security cables so it was all fairly comfortable. On the trip we were able to see the via verde for a large part of the route, including some of the high viaducts that we would ride over. We could aso spot our accommodation for several of the nights as the train rolled past.

Ready to roll.

The conductor was very solicitous to ensure that we got off successfully at the right stop and so we arrive at Torrijo del Campo without incident. From there it was a short and easy ride for the four of us to Monreal del Campo, through the town and out to the Hostal. As per the arrangements that I had made they were prepared for bike storage and we checked in. Over the course of the next couple of hours we were joined by Peter and Sandy and Jeff and Gerda who had stories to tell of their cycle touring.
The Hostal featured fairly ordinary truckstop food and drink but it was OK. The rooms were fine and there was no traffic noise to speak of.

Day 1. Leaving on a jet plane

Goodbye rainy Canberra Airport. Not a bad day to be leaving town... we were packed and to the airport in plenty of time so there was time to relax and to look forward to some warmer weather!


The flight from Canberra to Sydney was delayed and then we spent a fair time in a holding pattern out near Warragamba Dam because only the E-W runway was in use due to the strong westerly, which also made for a bumpy flight. Everything in Sydney went smoothly and we weren't rushed despite arriving 40 minutes later than scheduled.

Onto Emirates, a 777-300 and an uneventful flight to Bangkok. A variation from QANTAS in that we didn't have to disembark for the refuelling stop. Dinner was pretty good, a beef stew washed down with a Ventoux Controlle. Not bad.

Memory management for the travelling photographer

Carrying all that electronica means that I have to give at least a little thought to how I will manage all of the data while I am travelling. Here is the solution!

The key is the flexibility of the Asus Transformer tablet. It has USB and slots for SD and microSD cards. I can even plug in the cameras directly if I need to. The other nice thing is the 5D which I have set up to write raw files to CF and JPEG small fine to the SD card. So for publication while I am travelling I will use the JPEG versions, and keep the raw files for handling in Lightroom when I get home.

My biggest pre-trip dilemma

The age old question. Well not quite: probably a small fraction of people have been asking themselves this for a small part of human history but nevertheless the question is there...

Which cameras to take?

Next month we are travelling to Spain for a three week holiday that includes two five-day bike rides, with a few days either side in Valencia, Girona and Barcelona. I'll want to capture a record of the bicycle riding including my friends and the scenery we pass through. This will include both stills and video. It might be raining and cycling in the rain requires REALLY waterproof cameras. Other cycling characteristics require reasonable shock resistance. I'll want to take photos at the football (going to see FCB vs Granada), which may be a night game. I want street photography in the cities. I want food photography. I want everything but I can't afford the weight or space for a complete library of cameras.

At least one camera must be suitable for the cycling segments of the trip, but it is possible in addition to also have one that is only available in Valencia, Girona and Barcelona which are non-cycling times.

Here are the choices:

1. A Canon 5D MkIII with a fairly comprehensive library of lenses, strobes etc. to choose from:
• Disadvantages: Heavy and bulky. Probably not suitable for on-bike use. Expensive so a little bit of anxiety.
• Advantages: The best images. No question. Probably the only camera that can take meaningful images at the football.
2. A Canon G12:
• Disadvantages: Not weatherproof. Low light performance not fabulous.
• Advantages: Compact. Versatile.
3. An Olympus TG-1:
• Disadvantages: Image quality compared to the above. Maybe not much worse than the G12.
• Advantages: Weatherproof. GPS. f/2.0
4. Contour GPS:
• Disadvantages: Still images are not usable. No zoom. No viewfinder.
• Advantages: Durable. Handlebar and helmet mount. Sports video OK. GPS. This one is almost certain to go.

Actually there are more choices but that will do :-)

So what to take? I'll take more than one camera and probably less than four. Opinions welcome! If you suggest the 7D, what lenses (I have several primes and zooms from 10mm to 400mm, mostly L quality)?