After climbing comes descending…

…on the long way down back to the coast, we enjoyed calm and understanding between us and effortless cycling accompanied with a real tailwind! We picked our routes through the valleys heading towards Alicante while we enjoyed gorgeous views of the mountains around us, slowly raising temperatures without having to climb tough climbs.

Passing by some castle…

..or what is left of them.

They each have stories, but one can only take in so many of those until we felt like leaving the mystery a mystery and just enjoying their view and imagined stories.

What a beautiful change! A much more eas(ier)y way of living down here. Lunch stops are no longer held in bus stops hiding from wind and rain and then piling on our clothes and hurrying back on the bike before our hands are too cold to hold the handle bars.

We even hit the Eurovelo #8 (Mediterranean Route) accidentally down here:

Meaning we got to cycle lots of cycle paths which means: no cars! 

Including a no car tunnel:

Lunch stop entertainment near Murcia the day before Mother’s Day:

So cool to see parents enjoying their kids. In Spain people don’t hurry as much as we are used to -here mostly all is “tranquillo”!

Once we hit the coast we hit some coastal cliffs to climb, but they were short and sweet, but none-the - less: breathtaking.

Nature along the water was pleasing as can be, but the architecture leaves to wish for. Cities lost their  feeling of ancient history making room for quick build high rises and tourists galore. 

Some seem quite unique on their own, but have not much to do with the Spanish culture.

We - I- sure enjoy the fast approaching summer now…we are just one of the many tourists that have arrived from the northern cold countries and who can blame them and us? We humans need sun! And warms! Blue skies and ice cream.

Around it all we had a bit of a self imposed time goal:

One of our female solo cycle friends from back in Peru (in 2013!) who had started a family in Scotland since then, had announced to us a planed 10 day vacation- coincidentally near our path up the coast to Barcelona.

We thought we could time it, but it appeared we would be one day short and miss them, so we packed up and hit the train to catch up and meet them before they leave back to Scotland. 

If we would have known…..

To change platforms at the station…some had ramps, but on the other side there were stairs…

The conductor was not at all pleased with us piling our stuff into her train…in fact, after I carried my bike in, she whistled for the doors to close leaving James, his bike and all our gear behind…or trying to. I wedged myself in the door and yelled in panic: No! NO! NO….we are not done! She didn’t really have a choice and we got to load it all in while she gave us a look of utter displeasure.      

Wish I had a picture of her…but this will do:

I think she made way too much of a fuss about the space…we neatly tucked bikes and gear in corners and were in nobodie’s way. Though the train was pretty crowded. 

..but as we left the train she gave us another ear full in fast Spanish which literally went right over my head.

We each have a 60kg bike including all our gear. And it so happened to be that - right from the beginning in Oropesa (tiny town at the coast)- we had to take platform #2 for the regional train which was on the other side of the station across the tracks.

In L’Aldea-Amposta we got to change to the fast train on platform #5 which was not where the first train had left us.

We hassled our gear and bikes up and down stairs (if there was an elevator, it was not even close to being big enough for one of our bikes.)

The fast train did not stop where we needed to go, so we still rode 30km back to meet up with the Scots (and that last station in Tarragona left us to carry our belongings one-more-time to another platform to exit to a road) in a fancy resort. Though, we payed more than ever to set up our little tent, it was all so worth it!

After 9 years we got to meet up with my beloved “Schenkelchen” (another story!) and her playful, wonderful family.

Quality time was spend with these fine people. In fact it was the definition of: super short and super sweet visit. 

I am grateful beyond words…

…..off to Barcelona.