Sahara-Mike: Spain - Cycling Spains unknown Castilla & León

After the fun, I had some weeks earlier during the Extremadura tour I could convince Ros, my wife to give me some more days of freedom to realise another trip through Spain. I was looking for a quiet place, with open spaces and long straights, just to bike for pure pleasure.
The initial idea was to start near Caceres and ride along the Spanish Portuguese border to the north, trying to reach León, Astorga with it's palace designed by Gaudi and some mountains near Ponferrada. For the return I considered to ride to Castelo Branco and take the train back to Lisbon.

Day 0 - Lisbon to Monforte

On a warm summer day we left Lisbon, crossing the beautiful Vasco da Gama Bridge and were soon in the middle of sleepy Alentejo province. Despite a expired rear tire near Estremoz, we reached Monforte, 30 km south of Portoalegre after lunch time. I built up the bike, had a fast drink and then kissed Ros goodbye. A deserted country road in good condition, the sun above my head and a smoothly working bike under my bottom was all I really wanted and that's what I got that afternoon.

Nothing really happened for the rest of the day, a little desperate I arrived at the end of the day in Alcantara and finally found a fountain. To wash off the sweat and dust from face, arms and legs was a relief. With enough water for cooking and washing I only had to find a good place for my camp. But there was only open grassland, surrounded by fences. And after all the snake, I saw earlier I was a bit reluctant to sleep in the high grass. Finally, at a crossing I found a place behind an earthen wall and settled down. With some Parmesan noodles and a coke I enjoyed the stars above, called Ros and was gifted with a brilliant fallen star.

Day 1 - Membrio - Zarza la Mayor - Moraleja - Sierra de Gata Camp

Not an easy day for biking. It turned out to be terrible hot, with long distances between villages and my nose was running all the time, only interrupted by allergic outbursts.

In the afternoon I arrived in Moraleja, a small civilised town with fountains, a "Dia" supermarket, bars, working public phones, hotel and a shady central place. Definitely a good place to stay over night, if you have too much money. Now within reach of the Sierra de Gata it was clear, that I shouldn't push too far. Camping spots were rare and once starting with the climb over the Sierra de Gata I could be trapped between rocks and vegetation.

I found a clearing near a dense forest, just before the first ramp up the Sierra. Snakes, dogs, wolves, foxes with rabbis where lurking between the dark trees ? Better not to think about it. A hot meal, a warm Coke and a short call home made me forget this dangers and soon I closed my eyes.

Day 2 - Ciudad Rodrigo - Lumbrales - Meadow Camp (Vitigudino)

Trying to avoid the intense heat, I rolled out at 7:30. The road winded up the Sierra with some mean, steep ramps and very few shade. I welcomed several fountains on the way up, a great places to play around and have some fun building dams, flood the whole area etc. After 8 km I reached Puerto Perales (860 m) at the top of the Sierra and some delicious 30 km began. Wind in the back, rolling on a light descending road through forest, filled with the song of birds, that was great fun.

At lunchtime I pulled my bike up the cobble pavement into Ciudad Rodrigo, another World Heritage Monument. The old part looks a bit like Caceres and is worth a visit. Then the fun was over for more then 30 km, riding to Lumbrales it followed the worst leg on Spanish soil of the whole tour.

Intense heat on bad roads in hilly terrain with little fluids under heavy allergic attacks. Only 12 km before Lumbrales appeared the first fountain, and in Lumbrales I could stock up on Coke, sweets and the latest edition of "El Jueves".

For the last hour of the day, things turned out fine with great fresh tarmac and easy rolling. While looking for a nice camp, I was disappointed by the sewers which were too small or too dirty and finally I just entered a dirt road and slept in a meadow.

Day 3 - Vitigudino - Presa Almendra - Zamora - Waterhole Camp (Castronuevo)

Day 3 was pure fun ! Flat out, supported by the strong wind and more open spaces to come. Rolling out at 8:30, I picked up some water in Vitoguindo and reached the impressing Almendra dam after 45 km of easy rolling at noon. Wow, this dam is a real big one. A pity, that it had low water level. Should be great to watch the opening of the giant gates.

More easy going until Bermillo de Sayago, where I had a rich lunch in the shade of a super market and then rolled further on to Zamora. It was 18:00 with 105 km already under my belt and there was reason to feel plainly satisfied and lucky. But I wasn't, I had realised, that I couldn't make as planed to León and to the mountains around Ponferrada. So what should I do and where should I go ? It was to early to return and no destiny of any interest near me. I was just killing time, making km without any real sense. These thoughts left me a bit depressed.

For the rest of the day, I enjoyed easy rolling through the fields north east of Zamora and found a very charming camp in a dried out water hole.

Day 4 - Castronuevo - Vilamayor de Campos - Medina de Rioseco - Toro - Sand Camp

What a great camp ! I woke up by the song of the birds, which populated the ring of trees around my dried waterhole. I took it easy, wrote some diary and read some "Jueves". As a result, roll out was only at 9 a clock, with a strong wind already blowing. The lack of purpose on the first km was obvious: Riding with a strong wind in the back and knowing, that 25 km later I had to turn around and bike in the opposite direction.

While the leg between Vilamayor de Campos and Medina de Rioseco was still acceptable, it turned really bad on the stretch of 50 km back to Toro. I tried to trick the wind by improving my angle compared to the wind direction, but to no avail.

Exhausted I arrived Toro - judging on my brief impression, another very nice city with an beautiful old core - just in time to do some shopping for the night and found a rather mediocre camp on a pile of sand.