To Briñas

September 18, 2023

Today’s ride south begins with a stop at the nearest LBS for an urgent errand. As we packed to leave Rachael realized she couldn’t find the butt cream that helps smooth out the occasional rough patches that somehow keep showing up. Departure is stalled while she unpacks and repacks everything and we conduct a last, futile search of the small apartment.

We aren’t hopeful, but as long as it’s only four blocks away and on route anyway of course we stop in at well-regarded Ciclos Gasteiz, which fortunately opened just a few minutes ago. There’s no surprise though, and she’s unsuccessful in replacing the lost lube tube.

It’s good that we stopped though, because I’ve got my own problem I’d forgotten about. The allen-head screw that tightens the collar on the down tube is starting to strip out, and so I can’t fully tighten it down because the wrench starts slipping. As a result, I’ve been stopping about every fifteen miles to raise the seat up again and tighten it down as best I’m able and then having it slowly sink down again. Fortunately he’s got the right replacement screw, so my knees and lower back will appreciate being able to maintain the right biking position again.

And, as long as we’re stopped here Rachael remembers that we’re down a water bottle cage because the packer can’t count correctly. So that’s replaced too, not that we’re likely to need that much water anyway because the rides are mostly short.

Finally, we’re off and heading toward the southern wall of the depression Vitoria-Gasteiz sits in the middle of. The city feels like it’s situated at the center of a small caldera, ringed by ridges but the only nearby elevated ground being that almond shaped hill where the old city stands - and the reason that the city even exists here probably, because it offered strategic advntage a thousand years ago.

Another day, another climb. Such is the lot of a cycling vagabond.

By design this is an easy tour, but it does have a few challenges scattered around. Here’s another one this morning, about a three mile climb to a low summit before we start dropping down into the Rioja, one of Spain’s renowned wine regions. The climb doesn’t really start for about a mile, a mile that’s a strait shot south through open pasture land with nothing to stop the wind from howling, which it’s doing this morning. It’s pretty much a straight head-on, so we’re both actually looking forward to reaching the start of the climb in hopes that it will break the wind some.

And it does break the wind. Some. And the climb isn’t bad, sticking to a comfortable 5-7% for the next three miles before we top out.

Maybe halfway up, looking back at the city in the distance.

Rocky keeps her Queen of the Mountain jersey for another stage.

Rachael’s been waiting for me so she can shoot some downhill footage, but first we need to stop and admire what’s ahead.

With that behind us there’s not much real work left in the ride. There’s one more small rise ahead, but other than that it’s mostly downhill for the next then miles and then generally flat after that as we near the Ebro, the longest river wholly contained in Spain. We drop down from the saddle for a mile or two and then turn off to the southwest on a low-maintenance farm road that slows us down because the scenery is so stunning, a patchwork of low hills and contoured pastures that makes me think of Andalucia.

And then the other thing that slows us down is the wind, which picks up again in full force as soon as we’ve dropped out of the trees and are exposed again. We’re heading southwest following a minor stream, and the wind’s pretty much blowing straight at us at 15-20 mph. It’s a good thing the next miles are downhill or it would be a rough ride.

Heading southwest. The ridge in the distance is along the south bank of the Ebro.

I promised Greg I’d show the caribou a good time. He seems pretty happy so far.

Reminds me of autumn in Andalucia from four years ago.

I wonder what that formation straight on is. It might be a gap where the Ebro cuts through the hills.

It’s a relief about fifteen miles later when our route finally bends to the east and converges on the Ebro. Most of the rest of the ride to Briñas is wind aided and fast on the wide shoulder of a four lane highway, except for a shortcut along a rough patch that reminds Rachael that she’s lost her butt cream.

Variety like this is good for you. It’s like getting something from the four basic food groups every day.

Video sound track: El Patio, by Abel Sanchez

We arrive in Briñas at 1:30, and head directly to the only open restaurant in town. This is what we hope will be the basic model for our days. With the shorter distances we should be able to make it to our destination in time for a late lunch, which should work much better than waiting for the restaurants to reopen for dinner at 8:30 or worse.

And lunch is a super deal. We both pick from the options on the fixed price three course menu and labor through our generous portions. We’re done at three, just in time to check in to our inn and take a nap. Later we’ll both take excellent walks - myself along the Ebro and Rachael up into the hills - but we’ll post those separately.

We were really frustrated by eating in Spain in our earlier tours because dinner is served so late. Lunch is really the best option when we can fit it in like this.

Two other things to say about the day. First, Rachael fixed herself a cup of tea by heating water with the new heating coil she brought along for the first time. She’s excited about this, because it will let her fix coffee or instant oatmeal early in the morning when breakfast is late like it will be tomorrow. She’s happy it’s here, because for a few days she was sure it had been lost or left behind until it finally mysteriously showed up in her pannier.

This is the first time she’s used it, and she’s astonished by how fast the water comes to a boil - it just takes seconds. When she takes the coil out it’s glowing red though, and as she’s walking over to the sink suddenly there’s a loud poof and a cloud of smoke or steam. It looks like it must have needed an adaptor for European current.

And then, later in the day, she returns home from her walk in the hills and shows me the tube of Vaseline she picked up in town as a replacement for the tube of lost butt cream - which also mysteriously resurfaces in her pannier not five minutes later.

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Ride stats today: 27 miles, 1,700’; for the tour: 91 miles, 5,100’

Today's ride: 27 miles (43 km)
Total: 413 miles (665 km)

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Susan CarpenterRachael’s pannier seems a bit like a Mary Poppins bag - with different items appearing each time she looks inside. I’m sure she’ll ride easier now that she’s found the butt cream!
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7 months ago

Scott AndersonTo Susan CarpenterA good analogy! I’m still holding our hope that my missing wallet or glasses will turn up some day.
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7 months ago

Steve Miller/GrampiesTo Susan CarpenterAww darn, you beat me to it. That was exactly the thought I had. I wonder what will be produced from Rachael's magic panniers tomorrow?
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7 months ago

Rachael AndersonTo Susan CarpenterI’m carrying a lot more stuff including food so I’m putting stuff in weird places. I probably should keep notes on where I put them!
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7 months ago