Today it’s me that wakes up thinking a walk would be better than a ride. This thought comes from reading up on the history and sights of Calatayud and seeing what I’ve missed so far - especially, the castle that crowns the hill above and the Santa Maria La Mayor church that’s included in the list of mudéjar architectural sites of Aragón that were given a World Heritage designation. I’m feeling like the day would be best spent walking around town before it gets too hot out.
I mention this to Rocky, who instantly beams and says she’s thinking it’s the right day for a walk too, and starts plotting a route. And since she’s walking, let’s start with her slide slow of images from today’s walk and yesterday’s.
Once I wake up though and sip the coffee I think again. I’ll see the church after lunch, and pick up the fortress at the start of a short bike ride with its epogee at another World Heritage site, the Church of Sant Felix in nearby Torralba de Ribota. Rachael’s out the door a few minutes later when I start climbing through the Muslim Barrio toward the fortress, first biking and then pushing up through its steep, crooked alleys.
In the Muslim Barrio again. So of course there’s a cat around, if you look closely enough.
Eventually I push through the upper end of the neighborhood and start getting views over the town and surroundings; and finally it levels out enough so I can bike again and I work my way up a dirt road to the fortress.
Higher up, we start getting views of the broken remains of the outer walls of the fortress, surrounded by barren gypsum hills.
Another view of the outer walls. The fortress itself looks large from a distance, but it’s startling to be on top and see how far out it’s walls extended.
Keith AdamsI assume the terracing is from centuries (millennia?) of human excavation for building materials? In other words, you're inside what's effectively an immense open pit quarry or mine? Reply to this comment 7 months ago
Scott AndersonTo Keith AdamsMaybe, but I think it’s more likely terracing for agriculture. Not that it looks particularly fertile here, but there’s a lot of terracing in the region. We’ll see other examples tomorrow. Reply to this comment 7 months ago
Patrick O'HaraI was wondering the same thing about the terraces! I assume the climate may have been a little different over a thousand years ago! Reply to this comment 6 months ago
Eventually I have my fill of the dilapidated fortress and get on the bike again, heading north on an unsealed road toward Torralba. It’s not long before I notice on the Garmin that Rachael’s in my path, maybe a mile ahead. It looks like by chance we’ve selected virtually the same route for the start of our outings.
I’m on bike so I’m gaining on her, but not all that quickly because it’s rough going - especially when my path comes to a water trap at the Rambla de Ribota, more or less a small stream that still got enough water to give me pause.
Heading north. It’s remarkable that I’m at most a mile out of Calatayud here.
A steep drop that’s fortunately more-or-less paved at first. Halfway down though the pavement stops and the gravel is steep and rough enough that I get off and walk the rest of the way to the bottom.
This is more like it, scenic and comfortably bikeable. I’m sure Rachael will have taken photos through here so I’m anxious to compare trophies when we’re both back.
It’s not what I mapped and there’s nothing showing on the Garmin, but it looks like the path I’m on continues aways and might hook up with a Via Verde that parallels it in a few hundred yards. And it does. Unfortunately it’s quite rough and a think I must have high centered my derailleur on one of its rocks - not enough to break it fortunately, but enough that it rides rough and could use another trip to the LBS if I can find one open when I get back to the room.
My derailleur hangs so close to the ground, I should know better than to take it places like this. Just asking for trouble.
The Via Verde is a reasonable surface so I don’t mind biking it the next few miles, and the scenery is excellent. And in a surprise, I look at the Garmin and see that Rachael’s on it too, and coming my way. She must have turned back and be heading home.
Looks like a former rail line, like nearly all of these are.
We stop and exchange pleasantries, she reminds me not to be late for lunch because she hates dining alone, and then we both continue on. Soon I come to the turnoff for my destination, Torralba de Ribota. I’m looking forward to seeing the church, another mudéjar masterpiece on the world heritage list, but I’m worried about the time too so I vow to make a fairly brief visit. It ends up being even briefer than I’d intended though because it’s closed so all I get to do is check out the impressive exterior.
It’s only a minor disappointment to not be able to see the interior of the church, because the outing as a whole is another big success. Three fine bike rides in three days, and there are still two more from my initial list that didn’t get ridden. Calatayud has been a great stay for us both, and we’re a little sorry to be leaving already. Maybe we’ll make it back someday?
For now though, I’m on a mission to get back in time for lunch so except for a set of mandatory stops I bike straight through, on pavement the whole way. I make it back with fifteen minutes to spare, maybe five minutes before Rachael.
Heading home. For about half of the way I’m on this typical Aragonese provincial road, and like all the rest we’ve ridden so far it’s an excellent ride.
Andrea BrownIn her later years Audrey starred in "Always", a movie that was filmed in my hometown. All were beguiled by her, as well they should be. Reply to this comment 7 months ago
