To Castello d’Empuries

March 23, 2022

Yes! We look out the window and see a blue, nearly cloudless sky to the east for the day’s ride, a special one - it’s Rachael’s birthday, which she informs me of immediately when she wakes up, not giving me a chance to remember it and speak up on my own.

I of course knew it was her big day, because she reminded me of it last night when we discussed our route north to Castello d’Empuries. She frowned when she saw it was only 39 miles long, and she wants a complete ride (i.e., 42 miles) today so she can show the world that she’s back finally after her month-long cycling hiatus. She doesn’t want to resort to this nonsense of playing her current game Round-up, where she’ll dash off a short distance from time to time to add a few hundred more yards to the day’s total, trying to pad it just enough that she’ll be able to round up to the next mile. She wants it to be an honest 42 miler for her special day, so I go back to th3 drawing board for some minor editing.

And, she has a quibble to share after reading yesterday’s post over breakfast. I didn’t give her credit for her three Round-up miles yesterday. And I didn’t make note of her frustration with the final one, which she rounded up to only to see it rounded down again when we came to a tiny mapping error in the route where I’d included in an accidental side detour of a block or two that we of course didn’t actually ride. Frustrated, she watched for a suitable spot where she could dash off again - which didn’t include this stupid mile on muddy, rocky, rutted EV8 which she doesn’t care to ride even once much less to double back on, thank you very much. Finally we come to a smooth, clear stretch and she’s off again and doubling back, grinning because she’s added just enough to re-round-up.

And then, what’s this? Another mapping error that reduces the length by a few hundred yards again! Curses! We’re running out of road, but there’s just enough left so she can re-re-round-up before we reach town so she’s spared the indignity of having to loop a few times through the tiny park opposite the hotel when we return.

So that was yesterday.

Today begins with carting our gear and bikes down to the lobby, which in this otherwise very nice hotel is a Pain in the Posterior. It’s great that there’s a balcony off our room to put the bikes on beneath the protection of an awning, but even better would be if the tiny square-shaped elevator were just a half foot wider because then a bike would fit in stood up on its end. But it won’t. So Rachael takes the luggage down in the elevator and waits for me to carry first one bike and then the other down the stairs (fortunately we’re only on the first floor) where she waits helpfully at the bottom holding the door open, which otherwise is a particular pain when you’re carrying a bike down the steep but narrow staircase and have to hold it straight on your shoulder carefully so you don’t bang it against the walls and mar them while you awkwardly reach down and out to reach the door handle and push the door open without the front wheel of the bike banging into it with the concierge sitting behind her desk just on the other side and listening disapprovingly to the commotion.

So finally we’re checked out and are off, just at eleven.

And how was the ride, after all that? The ride was great! Excellent weather, in that it wasn’t raining and the strong wind that seems to be a fixture here was at least a cross-wind today. And, it’s important to note that we padded the ride by three more miles at the end when we rode out to the end of the Muga and back to check out the sailboarders doing loops in the mouth of the river and to admire the view of Roses climbing up the slope on the opposite side of the bay.

And, in spite of all that extra distance, it’s important to note that she decided to play Round-up again today and added still another two miles.

Congratulations Rocky, and Happy Birthday!

Video sound track: Otras Vidas, by Carlos Rivera

An interesting bike path structural feature, but not a good one.

The Montgri Massif, again. We got a partial view of it yesterday, but this is the whole enchilada; or the supine bishop, or the naked lady, or the face of a dragon(?), which it’s also supposedly described as.

Still mixing it up with the rape fields, Baix Emporda.

Torrent, another interesting village in the Baix Emporda.

Montgri castle crowns the massif. Below it, the town of Toroella de Montgri.

Tree fruit orchards, near Toroella de Montgri.

The medieval bridge over the Daró River, near Gualta. The bridge was the site of a battle against Napoleon’s invading army. I’m sorry that the lighting is so poor that you can barely see it’s five arches, but we’re here at the wrong time of day.

The bridge over the Daró River, near Gualta.

Approaching Albons. Behind, it looks like there could be rain over the Pyrenees. Maybe we’ll get a view of them in the next few days.

Crossing the Ter. The river ends just around the bend when it empties into the Gulf of Roses.

I was game to take off my shoes and wade through this, but not Rocky. It’s her birthday and she has the right of first refusal so we backtracked to go around and added another mile to the ride.

First dessert! As soon as we checked in to our room Rachael rushed back out to a nearby bakery and returned with a piece of chocolate cake.

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Ride stats today: 45 miles, 1,300’; for the tour: 123 miles, 6,300’

Rocky Round-up miles today: 2; for the tour: 6.

Today's ride: 47 miles (76 km)
Total: 124 miles (200 km)

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Gregory GarceauHappy Birthday, Rocky. And good job on making Scott keep track of another daily statistic--Rocky Round-Up Miles.
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2 years ago

Rachael AndersonThanks. It was a fabulous day and I loved building up all those Rocky round up miles! After my nose surgery and my recovery I finally feel like Rocky’s back!
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2 years ago

Jacquie GaudetHappy belated birthday, Rachael!
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2 years ago

Patrick O'HaraAdrien!!!! Happy Birthday, Champ.
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2 years ago

Rachael AndersonTo Jacquie GaudetThanks!
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2 years ago

Rachael AndersonTo Patrick O'HaraYou got me stumped. What does Adrien mean?
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2 years ago

Bruce LellmanHappy Birthday, Rachael. I'm still wondering, though, why you didn't ride your age on your birthday.
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2 years ago

Scott AndersonTo Bruce LellmanOh, I knew I left something important from this report. That was one of the reasons she cited for wanting more than the 39 mile ride I presented her with. For just a few hundred yards more she could ride her age in kilometers.
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2 years ago

Rachael AndersonTo Bruce LellmanAs you see by Scott’s comment I rode more than my age in kilometers but there was no way I could ride my age in miles. Hopefully I can in the future with an unloaded bike. I think I’m finally recuperated from the surgery and getting back in shape!
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2 years ago