Cycling The Globe

Distance: 123.5 km
Ride time: 6:33:12
Average: 18.9 km/h
Max speed: 51.8 km/h
Total: 54646 km

Today we had considerably better luck with the road choices compared to yesterday; no crazy service roads next to busy highways. Instead we were enjoying a number of quiet country roads into the highlands at 1000 meters above sea level. The altitude meant comfortable temperatures and strong sun.

Our breakfast consisted of cafe con leche with churros. I don’t know how big a role the breakfast played, but things on the bike were surely going much easier today compared to yesterday. We both agreed it was a very good decision to take this inland route from Granada to Murcia. The Spanish coast is beautiful, but once in a while its good to spice things up with something different.

The rest of the day consisted of cycling through wild mountain landscapes with an Arabic caste thrown in for good measure here and there.

The Moors from Morocco were in Andalusia for 700 years, leaving a strong impact in society still visible today. The battle with the Christians further up north lasted several centuries – hence the large number of castles and fortifications around here.

From our late lunch in the mountain village of Velez-Blanco the rest of the day was steady downhill towards Lorca at 300 meters above sea level. It’s quite a while since I have been doing 123 km in a day, and it felt good to be making some progress. The temperature kept rising all the way down, ending up at nearly 40 degrees. I guess we can expect a hot ride into Murcia tomorrow.

We ended up in another Spanish camp site, enjoying a cold shower before going to bed. Spanish camp sites are nice, the only problem being that people generally stay up very late. Our neighbors had quiet a party going on until 3 am, making it difficult to sleep.

Tomorrow its a short ride into Murcia and then we will take a break to meet my sisters who are coming down to Spain from Denmark!