May 19, 2025
Torres del Rio to Logroño
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We have been doing a European tour for four years now and every year as we prepare we worry whether our bodies will hold up. Every year we have had more time and opportunity to work out while home in Bend so in many ways we are stronger than we were in 2022 when we first started. When we left in April I felt I was in the best shape I had been in since 2011 which was the year my ankle first started bothering me. Once my ankle started its antics I was pretty limited in what I could do physically and for many years survived on Pilates 3 times a week and some swimming. I couldn’t do more than walk to the car. So, I felt pretty happy this spring as we took off that I was in a good physical place.
I had had a a little trouble with my knee on last year’s trip - mostly minor crankiness in the right knee but it lingered when we got home last summer. We were planning a hike in Japan this past fall so I was anxious to get out and do some hiking to prepare and my knee was hindering my ability to do so. I got some physical therapy and some ideas from our trainer and the strengthening seemed to really make a difference. We successfully weathered the Japan hike and I thought that I had the problem licked for awhile. So this latest knee thing is really a bummer. I go quickly to a dark emotional place when something like this happens because my thinking reverts to what happened with my ankle (years of inactivity, uncertainty and frustration), and it scares me. So, the last few days have been a bit depressing for me.
The good news: I am still able to cycle. I don’t think the riding is hurting it any. If it behaves like it has in the past, it will just get better on its own. The hard part right now is that my walking is now pretty limited (fyi: we are taking the lift rather than the stairs) and when I put my right foot down with any pressure, which happens often when riding on uneven gravel, I feel the pain. That is part of the reason why the gravel is aggravating me. There are a lot more times my foot needs to go down. In addition, next week we are off the bike for an entire week meeting up with friends in Bilbao and San Sebastián. It will be inconvenient if I can’t comfortably walk around with the group, as I am sure a fair amount of bar hopping is in the cards.
So, we shall see.
Today, we are off to Logroño - officially coming off the Camino and into Rioja wine country. This morning we came down to breakfast to learn there is no formal breakfast at our Hostal San Andrés. You just pay for a breakfast sandwich and a cup of coffee/tea in the bar. It was pretty basic and in keeping with our experience last night. And, in truth, although we ate a cold egg sandwich, which sounds unappealing, it was actually quite good. It was fun seeing all the peregrinos.
A front was coming in and the worst day was to be Monday so we had this on our mind as we kitted out for the day. The weather report said the worst rain was to occur by 1 pm so we took off a little after 10:30 thinking to arrive in Logroño by then. As it turned out the rain started at noon, so we didn't escape it and it was very blustery the entire ride. As soon as a drop came down we pulled over and donned rain pants and jackets.
There were many peregrinos on the road.
| Heart | 1 | Comment | 0 | Link |
| Heart | 1 | Comment | 0 | Link |
We think Komoot is a wonderful tool but it has been less satisfactory on this trip, mostly due to the heavier emphasis on gravel on the EV routes. This has meant that Dave and I have had more discussions on where we are going as we go there. In past trips it was pretty rote. He followed the Komoot route I had scrupulously prepared and there was no quibbling about it. In previous years I would sometimes give him a hard time because he wouldn't read signs (which can occasionally be very helpful) and tended not to focus on his surroundings. What can I say? Typically he was not terribly spatially-aware and he trusted the technology too much.
This year that has changed. He is now reading signs and the tea leaves about the route and paying attention to his external space! This is good and bad. Good because it’s necessary on this kind of route but bad because it creates a lot more opportunities for us to have to dissect where we are going, especially when we have to make judgment calls and the information is invariably incomplete. (i.e.: The trail ahead looks fine now - will it look fine in 2 km?) Those conversations can occasionally get heated. I think he mansplains and he thinks I womansplain! The ease or difficulty with which every day decisions get made while traveling together is illuminating on how well, or constructively, we are communicating. We both have to work hard to avoid getting snippy with each other and are making progress. Our roadside discussions this year have been less contentious and more collaborative.
Today we didn’t have much gravel but what there was turned out to be pretty bad, and of course it started to rain just as we came upon it. I was tense due to my knee, and then a tractor came down the narrow track, requiring us to dismount and scoot around him, jamming my knee a little. It took me so long to calm down after the tractor passed Dave turned around to come back for me.
Komoot wanted to put us on the road after 2 km but it was pretty busy and raining so after some discussion we opted for some additional off-road until the outskirts of Logroño, which had a very nice bike path all the way into the busy downtown.
Logroño is a city (150,000 population) and the Capital of the Rioja wine region. Happily our Mercure Hotel was willing to let us check in early. The front desk staff had to rearrange some room assignments to allow us to do so and I was happy to warm up in the tub before our planned 3 pm lunch reservation. Hey - we are to getting into Spanish hours.
Everything is closed on Monday in Logroño. I struck out on many restaurants that looked appealing for dinner but all were closed. Restaurant Sabores served lunch on Monday, but not dinner. It is a gastronomical place doing a tasting menu and we just decided that in lieu of our normal lunch and dinner we would have a blowout lunch at 3 pm. And we did.
It was fun. The place has six tables and all were fully booked. We selected the 5 course menu along with a bottle of Rijoa.
We are finding Spanish dining to be a lot of fun. Afterwards we laid down on the bed and digested for 4 hours before going downstairs to the bar next door to use our free drink coupons provided by the front desk. The bar was a very local place and it was kind of fun to hang out and be part of the scene. Spaniards like to party and even on a Monday night the place was pretty busy until 10 pm.
Today's ride: 25 km (16 miles)
Total: 802 km (498 miles)
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3 weeks ago
3 weeks ago
Good luck with your knee.
3 weeks ago