Bilboa

We're in a bar/restaurant here in Bilboa where we're trying to decide, beer or wine. Anna took the unbeatable glass and COLD San Miguel, on tap, ask my brother Steve if you can really tell the difference between tap and bottle, and me a glass of wine, Crianza, Spanish origin, cool and refreshing; normally never cold for a red wine in france BUT boy, was it good! But hey, I'm jumping ahead, way ahead!

We're on what some refer to as an adventure, "an unusual, exciting and possibly dangerous activity." It has been unusual, yup, it has been exciting, to say the least, and it has been dangerous,  not to over exaggerate,to a certain degree. If we put all that has happened in the short week we've been on the road it would be a very long unintended blog. We've done ALL but a bit over 100kms including the toughest, most difficult biking we've done so far. They say it rains a lot in this part of the world, yup, rain it does! They say there are hills in this part of the world, THERE ARE HILLS! Put the two in a days ride and you have some tough biking coupled with the fact that setting up a tent, in the rain, when you're exhausted, is NOT fun! Then you sleep, listening to the rain drumming interesting rhythms, hoping the tent keeps the rain out, which it did! Ahhh, the morning and there is an opening where the rain has stopped and we can pack up, accompanied by wet gear and a bit of mud! We just make it before the rain starts again so we bike in a downpour to a cafe where we drink our daily cup of coffee accompanied by bocadillos omelette sandwiches which we devoured and at the same time we kept looking out hoping there would be one of those short let ups, which there always seems to be.

Going back to the struggles uphill, we ran into a cycling club from Guernsey on our way to Zumaia, a small port. They overtook us on a long steep climb but when we finally reached the top, they, about 30 of them, were all in a layby and were all  clapping as we appeared. G, who had gone ahead, was already up there eating a banana they had offered him of which he gave me a much appreciated half! 

Another camp site and more rain which we were getting 'slightly' tired of and began talking about an alternative plan for a number of reasons. The first was that many people we spoke to reminded us that we were in the Basque country and it rained a lot! Having just come from our home in the Corbieres where it hadn't rained for about two and a half months, that fact didn't quite register with us. There was also the steep hills which we wouldn't have minded had it not been for the rain! So with water, mud, winds and steep hills, considering we were only out for six weeks, we were seriously considering jumping on a train or bus to Bilboa and then another train or bus to Lisbon where we would bike over to the Algarve, in the deep south of Portugal. 

While biking the following day we ran into two bikers that had arrived by train directly from Irun where we had biked from. They were told by other bikers to skip over that part of their trip as being too tough to ride, especially if, like us, they were on a short trip. When we were exchanging war stories about our trips and we mentioned the thought of jumping to Bilboa, they said there is a train in 20 minutes that was 50meters from where we were that would take us and our bikes there. Anna looked at me and we both shook our heads, said very quick thank you's and goodbys and the next thing we knew we were tucked away on a little local train happily bound for Bilboa.

We're well, a bit damp and smelly but so far enjoying the 'adventure'....

down the road.....

G&A xox

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next blog......... found the sun!