Fwd: The Anti Blog...

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Begin forwarded message:

From: Nicola Stanley <nicolastanley55@sky.com>
Date: 29 August 2014 15:05:26 CEST
To: Roger Stanley <roger@farmerschoice.co.uk>
Subject: The Anti Blog...

...a little later than planned

It was as Roger says, another fantastic bike tour, which to the hour, took us exactly 2 weeks, from the time we left Portsmouth to the hour we arrived at the Grand Cafe for that well earned, ice cold beer!

I do have to admit though, that I have not sat on the bike since .

'How was that for you dear'? Daunting  at the start but you soon settle into a routine - washing the smalls every night and the kilometres slipping by through the day. However the kms were slipping by more slowly this time. It seems Roger was telling me it's only a 50 km ride today or it's a long 65km tomorrow when in fact it was miles!  B.....d and here was I thinking I can't do this anymore. Not having the right pants didn't help matters either - 'your problem, you get on with it'. Yep, He's all heart.
Yes it had its moments like Camping Au Savage . I did wake him up just to tell him he was hogging all the soft grass and that's why I couldn't sleep! And the creepy crawlies - ahh !
Oh and then the test match started. Well he was gone - ear plugged into his iPhone listening to TMS - he just disappeared into a dot on the horizon -arms and legs akimbo as the wickets fell. I was left to cycle on my own for most of the day which is a little unnerving on the back roads of Spain - and did he turn left back there at the cross roads?  You don't get these things happening on a cruise..
But then we would never have discovered Corinna and it's beautiful wines - which is the second largest wine area in Spain to Rioja.
Nor would we have met the other bike riders all with their own stories to tell, or characters like Roberto, or families who let us share their table under the bar awning whilst it rained all around us.
All In all I do enjoy these sort of trips ( not to be confused with holidays) even for everything that happens along the way. Why do I do them ?-because I can - and proud that I can . And - more importantly - I'd been invited ! Will I receive and invitation next time ? Who knows - and if I am favored with one - will I accept.....you bet !!
CU Nic xxx
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The Epilogue

Better late than never ! Well - it was quite a cycle ride and I was trying to think of the most memorial thing about it . A couple of things for me stood out and later Nicola can have her say .... but that bit might have to be heavily edited!
A lot of friends and family think we're a tiny bit crazy doing these sort of rides - but one of the things that did strike me was that how many couples were also doing the same thing . We've met more people in the last couple of weeks than we had on all the other trips put together . I hope that we can keep in touch with them all .
The best day 'pour moi' was the camping 'au savage' under a wonderful starry starry night . We certainly got lucky with the weather - don't think it would've been much fun if it had been wet ! Don't think Nicola thought much of it anyway - but at least she did count 8 shooting stars .
Favourite days cycle was through the Sierras - tough climb but well worth it . Best meal ? - got to say the salmon and hake we had at Bobby's Bar in Cataluyad . He was a terrific character and to show our appreciation we sent him a thank you postcard from Ceret .
Best hotel probably was The Eidleweisse on our last night in Camprodon - but it was also the most expensive . I think the best value one was on our second day in Briviesca - but generally everywhere we stayed was really excellent - good size rooms ( important when there are 8 panniers ) and all immaculately clean. We generally budgeted for about a 100€ a day and we rarely needed to exceed . And I do enjoy the culture in Spain . There is a real vibrance - bars selling tapas and 'plates' well into the early hours - all washed down with cold beer and great vinos.
The other standout was Nicola . How someone can cycle across Spain and up 1500m mountains without any prior training never ceases to amazes me ! I suppose you would probably say 'no sense - no feeling' - but credit were credits due . Well done her .
So there we have it ! We might seem bonkers to you but I'm sure we'll be doing it all over again next year ! CU .... and a big thanks for being 'arsed' to read it !
Read Nicola's 'The Anti - Blog' tomorrow !!!

The Last Day

We had a really lovely last night in Camprodon - pushed the boat out and stayed in a 4 star . They weren't too sure what to make of us -especially when my cycle pants fell off the balcony - only to be handed in at reception by a pass a byer ! Our meal also had a slight comic touch to it . Me ordered duck - her something porkie . Got to half way through and I thought my duck was very nice ... but a bit porkie . Nic said she loved her pork but thought it duckie ! I blame the bottle of Cava before . Never mind - we swapped over plates and had a chuckle .
Breakfast was superb - lots of mountain meats and cheeses - yogurts and fruits - all too much to cycle on - so we made ourselves a picnic to have when we reached the border .
So breakfast at 8 - leave 8-30 . That's been the standard for the past two weeks . Only problem this morning was that it was raining ! No point though in hanging around though - so we got all togged up and headed into the mist . Anyone would think we were going skiing ! The climb goes to over 1500 m - but it's not too steep . On a normal day it absolutely gorgeous - today misty drizzle . But we made decent progress and got to the top by lunchtime - and had our made up feast in the clouds ... and it was cold - Nicola said b.....y freezing .
At least the cycle into Ceret is all - well - mostly downhill . And it warmed up!
We arrived at The Grande Cafe mid-afternoon and met up with friends Chris Sue and their son Conor who were visiting Ceret . Sue cooked us all a sea food spaghetti - lots of garlic and coriander - for the evening - our first real home cooked meal for quite a while - bloody lovely ! CU
Ps sorry about the posey photos - just too wet and cloudy on the ride!
pPs Epilogue to fo

Solsona to Camprodon

We got into Solsona just before the heavens opened up . Solsona is a
very beautiful town and a perfect penultimate stop . A couple of years ago we found a family run hostel on the edge of town - the restaurant is superb - tapas based with larger 'plates' available . It's always full with families - all sharing tapas banquets and has nice atmosphere. We managed to dodge the downpours and get into town for an aperitif - a glass of cava with a tapas of 'pulpa' . It was here we met Annie and Victor ( photo a few days ago ) - then back for to the hostel for supper.
Up early the next day to bright sunshine and probably the most scenic ride of the trip . Uphill to Berga - across to Ripoll - where we lunched -and then on into Camprodon . As it was our last stop I had pre-booked a superior room in a 4 Star hotel ! - unheard of on one of my trips ! A pre dinner bottle of cava - and watched the rain lash down again. CU

Taraga to Solsona

We've been cycling on the flat plains of Aragon and Zaragoza for the past few days and apart from the unpredictable weather have made good time . However - from Taraga we start the up hills towards the Pyrenees . It's only 55km to Solonsa but that counts for nothing .
Sosona is the gateway to Catalonia and the long climb was rewarded by the wonderful scenery . Our main concern though was the weather - every day starts sunny but by mid afternoon the black clouds would gather ! We've already been caught up in one storm and quite honestly didn't fancy another - especially in the mountains . And the sky was just getting blacker and blacker . We had another 10km to cycle and we could smell the rain . I started to go as quick as possible - but keeping an eye out for Nicola - but no point in both of us getting drenched ! Luckily the last 3km is downhill so I relaxed a little - and then to my indignation Nicola overtook me !! 'Ya gona get wet ' as she sped past . At least I know now what motivates her ! We got in with seconds to spare before the heavens opened up !
CU

Day whatever - Zaragoza to Tarrega

We intended to leave Zaragoza after lunching on our sardines and cava - hoping to ride out for a couple of hours before setting camp -but the weather was against us . We had a partial dry-out from the mornings deluge and we didn't possess any other dry clothes so we took the opportunity to have - no not sex - but just an afternoon off !
Which gives me a perfect opportunity to tell you about a few wonderful people that I have imposed myself on in the last few days . Meet Heinrick and Corina - a Swiss couple who were starting on the first day of their tandem bike ride - down the river Ebro for a fortnight. However - Heinrick was a bit of a Pete Morgan having bought the tandem with them in bits - he was about to take the next two hours rebuilding it!! Their next project was to take their motor bike to Australia - but hopefully not in bits.
Then we met Annie Taylor and a 'Peter Ustinov' look alike - though Annie thought him more of a Victor Meldrew - in a little tapis bar . An English couple and chatting to them we discovered they live in Prades - just up the road from Ceret. I thought Annie really lovely - think she might be an artist - and him - well - sort of a professor type . We hope one day to find out . CU

Day - lost count - Carinena to Zaragoza

We've been experiencing horrendous weather here - but up to this point it's all been after cycling. Anyway - round here things are pretty flat and we left Carinena and got to Zaragoza by lunchtime. It's amazing how many MAMILs (Middle aged men in Lycra) you see riding the flat lands - not so much in the clouds - all very friendly with all the waving and ola's as we pass each other.
We were nicely surprised to find how easy it was to cycle into Zaragoza - very cycle friendly - as is most of Spain. Zaragoza is one of my favourite towns and we were heading for one of our favourite (and very famous) sardinery bars when it started to rain . Like any discerning people we took shelter under a tree . No good ! Within seconds we were being bombarded with golf balls - but harder with jagged edges. There was a bus shelter across the road but we would have been killed by the hail had we made the dash for it. After what seemed like an eternity (three minutes) we emerged as drowned and battered rats .We had a quick dry and a lovely lunch - 12 sardines and a bottle of cava for 15€ - great stuff . CU

Day 7 Calatayud to Carinena

Well - we left El Cid country and Roberto and took a small road to Carinena . After Rioja - this is the most important wine growing region in Spain - and the town takes it name from the grape - Carinena .
Going back the evening before in Catatayad - I was cycling in ever deceasing circles looking for our hotel when I was stopped by a rather sweet Catolonian girl 'I am Catalan - not Spanish '. I said we were having exactly the same problems with the Scotish ! She sort of reminded me of my daft - but very lovely - sister inlaw Bridget . Anyway - her companion was Gertje - a super fit Dutchman ( didn't think Dutchmen did hills ) and they were travelling to Barcelona . I was slightly worried we were all going in the same direction - not because they weren't good company. To the contrary - great company - but they do about 120km a day ! We had a lovely evening drink with them - I hope we meet again .
We've been experiencing horrendous weather the last few days but luckily for us it's been in the evening . Last night in Carinena we managed to dodge a downpour by joining a family birthday party under the restaurant's awning . I have a translation ap on my phone and everyone was asking questions through it . Best one was 'are you lost'. CU