Our hotel only had few overnight guests and we were by ourselves in the breakfast room this morning. Our host was very helpful as she smiled and tried to find the English word to describe various food items. The owners work very long hours, not only serving dinner the night before but serving us breakfast this morning. This is a very nice place to stay if you are in Maestu.
The ride today was short and as a result we were in no hurry to get moving. We spent time planning our next stops and booking hotels. It is a bit concerning that according to the weather forecast our cloud free, warm days will be coming to an end by the weekend. We will need to factor this change in weather into our planning.
We knew that today`s ride would not compare with the great scenery of the previous two days. Scott could only find one route running between the hills to get from Maestu to Vitoria-Gasteiz and most of it was on the main highway.
Leaving our hotel shortly after eleven there was still a chill in the air which made the uphill ride quite comfortable. We rode to the edge of the village, turn right and joined the wide shouldered A-132 highway. The road quickly began to climb up the 200 metres at a very manageable grade. We were pleased that the traffic was light and that we were riding on a wide shoulder as we made our way to the top of the hill. Reaching the top, we added a layer for the descent. The ride down was insanely fast (top speed around 57 kph for those of us not riding with prudence) as there were no cars to contend with on the perfect surface, perfect grade and perfect cornering highway. Although we did not see any, unloaded road bikes must be exceeding 80kph.
Nearing the bottom of the hill the road surface changed. With a speed limit of 80kph it is not so much fun when cars speed past. We have had great success avoiding these roads so far.
After 15kms of highway riding we were very happy to switch to an unpaved, old railway line to take us the rest of the way to Vitoria-Gasteiz. The rocky surface went to pavement then back to gravel several times over the last 10 km length. It was good way to enter the city. We found our hotel near the heart of the city and checked in early. We think that the bottle of wine at dinner last night may have slowed us down today or maybe it was the big inviting bed but but we both enjoyed a great afternoon nap.
The old railway line is quite extensive, going all the way back to Estella-Lizarra some 64 km in that direction. We are only 6.7km to Vitoria-Gasteiz.
Our lunch stop in a small park beside one of the original station houses. It had the strangest picnic tables and benches. Each table had the same four chair backs, but in a different position.
We explored Vitoria-Gasteiz in the late afternoon stopping for some beer and pintxos as we went along. We knew that the restaurants would not open until 8 or 8:30 pm and began a random hunt to find a suitable place for dinner. Wandering aimlessly, we passed many many many bars with lots of people drinking but there was no food on the tables except for pintxos dishes. We were hoping for a bit more.
A local craft brew house with many varieties on tap - all nicely described on the chalk board. We chose their only locally brewed cervesa - an amber ale.
We were truly getting desperate when we seriously considered a fast food joint, but we stuck to our search. We eventually found a busy place with several empty dining tables set inside for dinner. We took a seat and were asked if we had a reservation. Of course not, but there was one seat at the long bar as well as suitable standing room right in front of a man carving slices off a large leg of pork. Salivating over the sight of the grilled meat we pointed to large plate as our order. Adding a bowl of fresh bread, a beer and a glass of wine, we loved the experience! The whole time we were there it seemed like the man never stopped carving and when one leg was complete, a new one was put in its place. The tables behind us for the most part remained empty. So much fun!
Bohio is known for their roast pork piled high on the plate and covered with a ladle full of drippings. Excellent with fresh bread.
We found our way back to our hotel and called it a day. Tomorrow we will be celebrating Día de la Hispanidad, a national holiday in Spain. From our first experiences it looks to be a great place to visit.
Today's ride: 26 km (16 miles) Total: 695 km (432 miles)
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Rachael AndersonWe really loved this town! Sorry it was so hard for you to find food! We mostly do late lunches and either have food on hand for the evening meal or eat leftovers. Last night we had a hard time finding food in the evening but finally found something that served tapas and raciones. We have a dinner reservation tonight. I hope I can make it until 8:30 pm. At least I have snacks which I always carry with me! Reply to this comment 7 months ago
