Playa de Gandia
90 Kms
442 vertical
Mechanicals : John dropped his chain
Medical nil
Misadventures nil
Wine 4
Cup Lawrie for chain oiling , accounting and other administrative services
Farewelled Geoff this morning...it has taken a bit of time to get used to only pulling up 5 chairs at our stops and looking out for only 5 bikes at roundabouts.
A great ride out this morning on a quiet but freshly sealed road through heavily planted fields...almonds and olives under planted with tomatoes. Caught our first glimpse of the Mediterranean. Lots of orange trees and they were harvesting persimmons. Donkeys were feeding from a huge pile of dumped tomatoes.
A bit of climbing, some good downhill and we had 33kms covered in no time at all. A great morning tea stop . The local men were breakfasting with their litres of beer, red wine , shots and coffee which consisted of half cognac( flamed) and then topped up with coffee. Judging from the vehicles in the car park many of them were involved with small construction related businesses.
Lunch at Tavernes de Valdigna which was after a 38 km run down a beautiful scenic valley with huge rocky outcrops above more orange and persimmon orchards and some grapes on the higher terraces. The only drawback was that it was a busy road.
Have now made it to the Mediterranean...swum in the sea at Gandia and now just one more day of biking to Simon's at Benitachell. The Med was beautiful to swim in... warm and a beautiful long beach.
We have cycled over 2000kms ...people can't get their head around that when we are talking to them and think we are having them on .
Posted by greatgraperide
at 9:32 AM BST
