Coastal Spain

           The Coast of Spain has certainly lived up to its name!  Every day has been sunny and bright with temperatures right around 72. Even the sea temperature is a bit warmer than Maine in summer. Today we have cycled 20 miles inland to stay a night with our daughter-in-law's sister, Ariel, and her fiancé', Steve, who live here. Over the previous six days we cycled from our easternmost point at Cabo de Gata to Torremollinas just west of Malaga.  If you follow along on a map, the middle four stops were Garrofa, Balerma, Castell de Ferro, and Torres Costa. Each day's ride has been unique. Sometimes we are riding through the main streets of towns or along a bike/pedestrian path by the water or up in the hills.

 

 

 

 We are primarily on a road that parallels a big dual lane highway where most of the traffic tends to go, so we are surprisingly car free. The first three days were through terrain that was covered in greenhouses. It is an area in Almeria that covers over 100,000 acres. The greenhouses themselves are full of tomato, pepper, cuke, zuke, and other veggie plants. One day our route meandered among the plastic houses for hours. We did a little research and found out that it is the largest greenhouse area in the world. The first one started in 1963, and they now produce over half of Europe's vegetables. It was amazing to see.  

Yesterday was almost perfectly flat for 42 miles as the road stayed right along the shore all the way. It was fun taking in the beach scene in every town we passed though. The previous day's ride was quite the opposite as we had to climb steep roads over each mountainous headland. We had seven tough climbs of half a mile to a mile and a half. Four of the climbs topped out through tunnels which are a bit nerve wracking as the sound of cars is greatly amplified. And we had a .75 mile ride uphill to our campground!

 

         Coming through Malaga (population 500,000) was so easy as there is a bike path along the shoreline and harbor allowing us to bypass the city center completely.  Tens of thousands of people were enjoying a beautiful day on the beaches and promenades. We soaked it in as we went by.               Cycling in Spain is such a pleasure.  There is a four and a half foot car/bike clearance law that drivers all abide by. In Maine it is only a three foot law, and many drivers don't even abide by that.  On small roads with no shoulder we have had drivers follow behind us for more than half a mile before feeling it was safe to go by. There is never a horn honked or a sign of impatience. One day we were forced onto a major highway for a while with vehicles going upwards of 70 mph.  While the sound of speeding cars wears on one after awhile, never did we feel at great risk. Drivers left the lane near us empty as they shifted left to go around.             Spain appears to have a huge cycling culture. Every day we see mostly men on road and racing bikes flying by. Weekends are their favorite days by far. Yesterday, a Sunday, we had pelatons of up to fifty bikes go by us constantly!  It somehow makes us feel safer to be riding in a place where cycling and cyclists are respected.      Camping is also nice. Campgrounds are rated from 1 to 4 stars -- although we stayed in a 4 star that was only $9 and not very nice, and a 2 star that was $20 and quite sweet. All have bars and restaurants, some have supermarkets, and some have pools, tennis, soccer and basketball courts. Some are on the beach, many are tucked into a leafy section of a residential area.

              Tonight we will enjoy a comfy bed in a nice house with good company. We are staying with Ariel and Steve in Alhaurin de Grande. Homemade pizza in the outdoor pizza oven for supper.  A nice treat!

  A little side note: at our campsite last night three women arrived to start a bike trip through Spain. One was from New Orleans, one from Thailand, and one lives in Scarborough, Maine in the summers. The Thai woman had once biked from Florida to Bar Harbor and had even made a side trip to Deer Isle and gone out lobstering with a fisherman from Stonington!