Biarritz to Madrid and beyond: Sunshine, Tapas and a few hills

Crossing the river Bidassoa, south of Biarritz, and you’re in Spain.

Not a sign to tell ya but the sudden change in architecture, people out and about (fellas standing on street corners having a fag), confusing road signs (its seems the Spanish have a motorway death wish on all cyclists ) and finally some decent sunshine …  but with sunshine came the hills – and innocently we thought that the Pyrenees were the only thing to worry about without realizing the whole of the central Spain is at a crazy 700m + elevation – Ollie cursing the tectonic action all the way through.

We hit San Sebastian, Tolosa, Pamplona, Tafalla, Olite, Alvega, Atienza, Madrid, Yepes and yesterday Halloween in Cuidad Real.

Pamplona

Stayed in a Camino Lodge in Tolosa (confirmed by the strong holy smell) and educated at first hand by Josu on the Basque culture.Town after town, big and small alike, has a castle, old church, cathedral or some other ridiculously old stone structure – gets me thinking what we were doing in Ireland when they were mad building stuff over here … drinking in hedges, fighting over potatoes ….!

Downtown Olite

Also more wifi spots, less bicycle lanes, more wind turbines and solar panels and Tapas go leor – yum yum ….. and Madrid, who’d think u’d find a place with more bars than Dublin.

Setting up a book of condolences for the phones we’ve already gone through – 2 drowned and 2 lost!

The Spanish, in comparison to the French, do seem more like the Irish – more straightforward and overt culture (now who have I insulted by such a statement!) – convenience is allowed (you can get a sambo and a cup tea in the one place and even at a petrol station and u can find vending machines), you can always find a shop or someone on the street at night time to ask a question, although the mystery of the vegetarian sandwich prevails – ethnic cleansing by starvation of Vegetarians , Vegans, Coeliacs, Lactose Intolerants …. down here.

All the way through France and Spain people have been extremely helpful and welcoming however a continuing great mystery unfolds of how some people don’t know the most basic local knowledge – the bubble of existence.

Uncovering also what seems the McDonalds of drinking – Irish Pubs – finding them in the most obscure of towns.

Progressing our camping skills – town parks, industrial estates,  decking of unrented chalet – sometimes some normal spots! - weather hitting 3 degrees at nighttime here now so wearing fleece, hat and the whole wardrobe in the tent – normally hang out in the local Tapas Bar for a bit of warmth until they kick us out at midnight – happy to be heading south!

Camping Osuna, Madrid

Trip Total 2084km – 4 weeks on the road today - Derek’s time is up so he’s back to the Emerald Isle – Ollie and I onward to Tarifa, in about 5 days for the ferry to Tangiers and the start of the North African cycling season :)

Mainsteet Atienza

More road kill for the local Chinese

Cycling by Moonlight

Plaza De Toros, Madrid

Random Orange Grooves I think

Funny Roundabout Guadalajara

Inspiring Road

Nantes a Biarritz - Le Fleur de Fleur

The much anticipated Euro Velo Route 1 to Spain turned out to be like Dublin Bus Nite Link – all over the feckin place.

We followed it from Nantes, along the Loire to it’s Atlantic estuary and then south to a town called Pornic. From there we abandoned it and hit La Roche Sur Yon, La Rochelle and Royan, boat to Verdon Sur Mer and then Bordeaux, Sauginet, St Julien en Born, and yesterday Biarritz. 

Nantes was impressive but the old city of La Rochelle, cycling through the vineyards and past the chateaus of the Medoc region and a rest day in the mini Paris of Bordeaux were even more impressive.

South of Bordeaux – peering out from under the rain coat, seemed to have lots of nice sea-side resort towns, but with the bucketing rain we just kept blasting through them ending up in the flash town of Biarritz. Stopped for a day here, as we couldn’t face the rain again, and headed to an agricultural show for some cheap wine and cheese.

Bodies are starting to adjust to the shock of 100km a day. Continuously having to organize and research stuff is also a bit shocking but getting used of it. Finding wifi spots trickier than expected, campsites that haven’t closed for the season, weather forecasting, finding places in towns/cities to buy equipment , bus timetables and tram timetables to get in and out of cities from remote campsites if you don’t fancy locking up your bike in city centres …. blah blah.

Bordeaux a great town to go out in - funny named bars like Sherlock Holmes, Frog and Roast Beef & Charles Dickens.

Crossed paths with the Tour De Vendee and met a few French cycling heads at our hotel -Daniel Mangeas being one – the voice of Tour De France.

Meeting some fellow cyclists along the way – bumped into one French lad touring France as if it was the 1920’s.

More comments on the French – you get a tissue instead of plate, where are the bins, what’s a vegetarian, where are they all hiding in the small towns and who’s eating all the cakes ….  but full respect to the French road signage- it will be missed.

My brother Derek, who makes no effort to learn French, upon meeting French people who don’t speak English, repeats made-up French words to frustrate them – funny to watch - 'Le Fleur De Fleur' is his favourite.

Trip total is 1262km – no injuries, illnesses or breakdowns – tomorrow Espana and the end of the flat terrain.

Funny Roundabout

The Man from Lucan

Sinking Buildings Nantes

Some Roadside Camping

Irish Bogger in Biarritz

Il Fait Pleut

France has greeted us with rain, rain and more rain, so a Bear Grylls spirit has been conjured for cycling in torrential rain and setting up tents in same pissing rain … and thus a nomadic / gypsy spirit is slowly replacing the casual spending spirit as I post from the campsite laundry room with the only free plug.

France has been teaching some basic lessons in touring. Route planning was disastrous at first – ending up on motorways or cycling through farmyards …  being over choosy about accommodation causing trips from place to place at night in the rain … opening/ closing times – skipping breakfast after a late Sunday start (Cherbourg top party town!) when ALL food places are closed for the next 70k (my other brother Derek, who has since joined with a strange looking bicycle trailer, resorted to going into a field to pick carrots for some cycling fuel!

Soaking up some beautiful French countryside and lots of sleepy French towns and villages (apart from local gun club) with a detour to Mont Saint Michel and lots of war memorials along the way.

The French really have a particular way of doing things – to get a sandwich and a cup of tea – I go into the only Café looking place in town – he tells me to go up to the Boulangerie and bring my sandwich back to sit down with the tea - that’s the afternoon rules  – different rules for evening, depending on whether it’s a Wednesday evening or a Sunday evening!

On the cycling front – all going well – trip total 551km - gradually increasing the daily km rate – yesterday being the longest day by far with 128 covered to make it to Nantes … today is a blessed rest day … novice cyclist Ollie is doing pretty good.

Finishing off Week 1 in a quirky bar in Nantes – next main stops La Rochelle and Bordeaux – hoping to hit the Euro Velo Cycling Lane all the way to Spain.

And they’re off ….

It’s quite a peculiar feeling cycling out your gate and down the road thinking to yourself “ I’m on the way to Africa … really … Is that not a bit mad”…. but on Thursday afternoon, with lots of things left on the To-Do list and the war of organisation incomplete, it was time to hit the road for Wexford to get the ferry to France the following day.

Having never ridden the bikes with luggage on them, never tried out late changes on racks, saddles, shoes, bike computer … and cycling with my crazy brother who’s not a cyclist – I figured it was slightly risky attempting to make the journey to Wexford in one day.

After scrambling to do a few last things around the house, we chucked stuff at speed into the pannier bags and then time for a quick and stressed looking photo with the neighbour.

We headed into the city and out to Templelogue  - the disbelief fading minimally that I’m finally on the road …. after all the speculating, planning, googling, e-baying, talking …. like that nervous feeling of doing something for the first time.

But on the road surely we were and some Irish rain to prove it  …. cycling with the over-packed 25 kg of luggage taking a bit of getting used of and especially with after a wrong turn up by the hills of Dublin City Golf Club towards Brittas.

With the descent of nightfall we made it as far as Baltinglass … feck the camping … some 2* hotel luxury here we come … not too sure if we will last a couple of days or a couple of months but Day One is behind and time for a bag of chips to celebrate.

The following day, rain free and easy street to Rosslare, with a few detours in Wexford town and beaches surrounding we made it in plenty of time for the Ferry – France here we come.

Planned Kick Off Oct 2nd .... organisation mania until then!