Bikepacking Spain

[ZeroDarkBivi]

Interesting article on Cyclingtips:

https://cyclingtips.com/2018/11/last-go ... n-by-bike/

Stu will appreciate the camp fire on day 5 bivi, but far less vegan beard wax, etc than you might expect. Sadly it does lack detail on the specifics of the route, substituting pseudo-intellectual observations and road-trip philosophy, but some nice pictures.

Must spend more time exploring Mediterranean Europe next year...

[Scud]

This is where i am going wrong with my trips, i keep forgetting to pack a professional photographer...

[pistonbroke]

[quoteq]Must spend more time exploring Mediterranean Europe next year...[/quote]
If only there was someone on here that lived 15km from the Med and ran a trip in May that goes through at least 3 of the places mentioned in the report.
Burgo de Osma is the nearest town to the section that DaveB called some of the best singletrack riding he'd ever ridden, the Canon de Rio Lobo is 20km of winding trail following a river featuring Ermitas built into the rock face and nesting eagles. This year we came across a large flock of sheep being herded by a pack of friendly dogs but missing the shepherd! They seemed to be marshalling them using their own skills.
https://i.imgur.com/4nTHNwu.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/IVjn2mC.jpg

[ZeroDarkBivi]

Sign me up, Duncan!

At this time of the year I do wonder how bikepacking ever got any traction in the UK...!

[Bearbonesnorm]

At this time of the year I do wonder how bikepacking ever got any traction in the UK...!

[Charliecres]

Launch the roflcopter!

[pistonbroke]

You'll never pass the Captain Birdseye audition with language like that Stuart!
I've come to the conclusion that after 40 years of character building in Welsh weather, going out in all conditions is a mugs game, obviously you should be able to cope with a range of circumstances should things go pear shaped mid ride but chosing to ride in a nice climate isn't taking the soft option. Ask anyone who's done my C2C trip, it's not to be taken lightly.

[Lazarus]

i also find the older i get the less i need a character building ride
Yes i can survive them and cope but in all honesty none of my top ten rides had vertical rain and 40 mph head winds.

Its rarely cold enough to stop me but the wind that really annoys me and deters me.

Forgive me bit i dont know about your trip is it a commercial thing or just turn up and ride?

[pistonbroke]

Lazarus, this is a good read about last year's trip. http://phased.co.uk/musings-on-a-spanis ... -to-coast/.
I'm running it again next May, final date will be published soon.
I don't charge for the trip.

[Wotsits]

Gotta say, Canon de Rio Lobos was one of the highlights of the trip last year for me. Never been anywhere like it before, was amazing..

Just a shame you’re not supposed to bivi in there..

[Lazarus]

magic and cheers for that
I note i happened to read it in November clicking around on the internet
Hopefully get over there next year

[pistonbroke]

One of the many route mods I've done for next year is to increase the Canon section. I've found that the singletrack extends beyond the place we turned onto the road last year, doubling the distance. Due to the wet spring this year, some bits were flooded but we still got through. The route avoids Salas de los Infantes as the town has been declared a bio hazard due to Dave's toilet antics at the disused signal box! Instead we go via the film set for the good, the bad and the ugly, quite appropriate.
Bivvying in a cemetery where Clint Eastwood and Lee Van Cleef had a shootout seems too good to miss.

[Wotsits]

The route avoids Salas de los Infantes as the town has been declared a bio hazard due to Dave's toilet antics at the disused signal box!

Was rough that night, the heavy rain on the courtyard roof woke me up

[pistonbroke]

I wasn't going to dob you in about that as this is partially a Stop Being Soft thread, what happens in Salas stays in Salas

[Wotsits]

I want to go back to Salas just to see uncle Dave’s log..

The other Spanish Bikepacking write-up was exactly what we experienced too, rural Spain is stunning..

If anyone is thinking of going on Duncan’s trip, go for it, it’s a great experience

[pistonbroke]

Found a new clip of the Rio Lobo bit which includes the new section for next year. https://youtu.be/ui9WjSvgWwY
We previously turned onto the road at the Puente de 7 Ojos (2m45s into film ). Should make for a grand day out.

[Dave Barter]

The route avoids Salas de los Infantes as the town has been declared a bio hazard due to Dave's toilet antics at the disused signal box!

Was rough that night, the heavy rain on the courtyard roof woke me up

That whippy I did was a work of @rse art.

[ZeroDarkBivi]

i also find the older i get the less i need a character building ride

Precisely!

I just don't understand those who claim to prefer suffering in rotten weather; why not just put some broken glass in your shorts for extra macho hard-nut points?

I've had some glorious days riding in the upland regions of this nation, but they are generally the exception. When I think back to some of the mountain days I survived as a youngster living in Jockland... the fun part was the relief of getting to sanctuary (usually a warm rural pub) before the reaper claimed another mug!

Having moved to the southern reaches of this island, I certainly don't miss that (mostly) miserable climate, but the trails here are a bit limited. Indeed, all over the UK, there appears to be a correlation between the best riding and crapiest weather! The logical conclusion would be to continue that migration to somewhere with good weather and great riding... which takes us back to Spain.

[Bearbonesnorm]

I think we live on a truly stunning and diverse little island - even the SE has some nice parts To avoid enjoying it on the basis of wet, windy, cold weather somehow seems wrong and not a little ungrateful. Where's the joy of huddling up indoors watching the rain bounce of the windows, get outside and embrace it. Sure, part of the joy is in getting back inside but at least there is joy ... there's none to be had sat inside wishing you were somewhere you aren't

[Lazarus]

It depends there is what i term couch weather - that is weather that looks awful from your couch but in reality it is not its perfectly tolerable then there is actually awful weather - Is there not a BB welsh ride clip of everyone on top of a mountain in vertical rain with 50 mph winds - no one there looks like they are having fun. Those sort of rides I just cannot make myself do anymore.

Dont get me wrong i commute all year and on the same days so whatever the weather i go out[ only 80 mins each way though] ,however, the days of hours and hours and days and days in shitty weather are behind me

[Bearbonesnorm]

Is there not a BB welsh ride clip of everyone on top of a mountain in vertical rain with 50 mph winds - no one there looks like they are having fun.

On the contrary. If you look, you'll see that people are actually smiling. It's true, the weather was awful and Mike, Scott and myself were on our third day in it at that point but it's probably one of the most memorable trips I've ever done and that's not because of the weather but in spite of it. I believe you've got to do stuff while you can because the day when you're forced to sit looking out of the window could come in 40 years or it could come tomorrow.

[middleagedmadness]

∆∆∆ this ,never a truer words said as I found out being off my feet for 11months ,the only thing that kept me sane was planning what mischief I could get upto once out of the metal frame ,I've also lived in Spain for 10yrs and doing anything between June and September can be as arduous as doing anything here through the winter ,( I accept Spain is a large country and the weather up north does not get as arid as it does down south )

[Scattamah]

@Laz...I will never forget that Winter bivvy...I laughed harder on that weekend that I had done in quite some time. Sometimes, those are the rides that the greatest memories are formed from. And for the record...the rain was horizontal and barely making it to the ground before being whisked away.

Back on topic...Duncanland is pretty good. Dry weather, dirt 2 track that goes for ever...I quite enjoyed it. But when it gets wet, that clay is harsh. Carry your cheese cutter. :)

Greetz

S.

[pistonbroke]

You're absolutely right that Spain has a very varied climate, where we live benefits from being close(ish) to the Pyrenees with the temperate weather that gives but far enough south to enjoy mild winters. I can honestly say that we can ride comfortably all year, even in the height of summer this year when I was doing 150-200km rides 3 times a week in preparation fot Turin-Nice it was a pleasure to be out on the bike. Unfortunately a visit from RichardG coincided with the hottest week of the year which resulted in a rethink of a long 5 day trip I'd planned but we still managed 3 days of early morning rides totalling 300km. Each to their own, I've had memorable adventures all over mid Wales and vividly recall a Trailquest that I organised based at Nant Yr Arian where heat-stroke was the order of the day and the finish looked like a lobster convention.

[benp1]

I think we live on a truly stunning and diverse little island - even the SE has some nice parts

Oi! We have really nice places down here, you can choose between a flat white, a double espresso or a double shot soya milk latte