Day 46 - Jaca to Torla Ordesa - Gorging in France ...Then Basquing in the Pyrenees - 2023

June 2, 2023

Day 46 - Jaca to Torla Ordesa

Tunnels to the Rescue

Another great day of riding in Spain, or Aragon to be more correct. We’re also catching on that when we see a big vertical spike in the RWGPS route elevation profile we shouldn’t freak out. It always turns out to be a tunnel and saves a hundred meters or more of climbing on the overall ‘route’ RWGPS calculated. We had that today and were quite grateful that our projected 700 m climb turned into a 600 m one, all on very reasonable grades that probably averaged out at 5%.

As noted in yesterday’s post, our day started at the brand new post office just after the doors opened at 8:30. We left 11 kg lighter as our camping equipment and colder weather clothing was sent home. Given that the staff was literally unpacking in a new office, the whole process was pretty efficient and the staff were very helpful.

We also discovered that you can buy good quality bike boxes at Spanish post offices for €14, and you can ship your bike anywhere in the EU for a reasonable rate. We’ve stashed this info away for when we finish in Barcelona. Rather than do our normal ‘box trolling’ around various bike shops, we’ll just head to the nearest post office and buy a couple of boxes. One key and potentially frustrating thing is now ticked off our to-do list!

The weather followed its normal pattern with beautiful clear skies in the morning with clouds building in the afternoon and culminating in rain showers in late afternoon. Thankfully, due to a short day and the reasonable grades we had during our one decent climb of the day, we were in Torla enjoying our post ride recovery drink before the threat of rain arrived! When we checked into our hotel we were dry, and the rain came a few minutes later.

We still had beautiful country to ride through, and the descent from Col de Cotefablo down into Torla was spectacular, and once again, we had the roads largely to ourselves.

Two on-the-road encounters deserve a mention today though. The first was more of an ‘UFO sighting’ rather than an encounter, and ranks up with one of the oddest things we’ve seen during our travels.

We were a few km’s east of Jaca on the empty N 330 highway (another of these great cycling roads that parallels an autoroute) approaching a roundabout. Both K and I spot two bikes coming our way, both pulling trailers that look like they are loaded with construction material (doors, plywood?)and or furniture (beds maybe?). We’re both wondering if someone is moving and using their bikes, and as they get closer we see that it’s a couple about our age, on e-bikes, pulling trailers with a big dry bag inside ….. and a solar panel about the size of a large double house door on a frame above the trailer.

They give us a quick wave as they continue to pedal by. K and I stop, look at each other incredulously, processing what we just saw, and then more or less laugh in amazement at what we just saw. We really notice the wind resistance of our front bags, and after having literally minutes ago reduced each of our loads by about 5kgs, we could just not get our heads around pulling a contraception like they had. You would go backwards with any amount of headwind … and off the side of the road with a cross wind.

We were bantering about this strange sighting for about 20 minutes when what do we see …. Another one of these contraptions coming down the road, this time being pulled by a more middle aged guy. Crazy!

Our second road encounter was the type that you regularly get while touring, and the type that make touring such a rewarding pastime. K had just got to the top of our climb, the Cotefablo tunnel entrance and the ubiquitous col sign, and I wasn’t too far behind, just as a touring motorcycle came through the tunnel. K remarked to me when I arrived that there was a large Ortleib rack bag strapped to the motorbike (only a cycle tour nerd would notice these things). As we’re stopped to have a break and get the Col picture, the same motorcycle is coming back up the hill and pulls in to stop beside us.

The gent on the bike, who we will soon know is Markus from the Black Forrest region of Germany, strolls over to have a chat. He’s on a trip to Portugal (camping no less !!!) and has done quite a bit of cycle touring (much more lightweight bike packing style). We spent the better part of 20 minutes engaged in a really great conversation that ranged from travel destinations to Jack Welch’s management style and legacy at GE (seriously).

With that, we rode off into the tunnel and emerged on the other side for a great 10 km(ish) downhill ride into Torla Ordesa, a beautiful vacation town in Ordesa National Park. No rain on this decent either, a huge win for the team!

Just a few pic’s for today, not because there wern’t beautiful things to take pictures of, but I was having too much fun on the downhills and I tried not to stop that often on the uphill to give us a better shot of avoiding the rain, and that seemed to work.

We’re taking another day off here tomorrow, and the original plan was to do some hiking or unloaded biking in the park, however the forecast is for rain for much of the day so we’ll see what transpires!

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SOTD - You’re not Alone , Allison Russel with Brandi Carlile. Beautiful song by a beautiful artist.

We have spent so much of our time over the last few days literally on our own. It’s not a bad thing, it’s largely by choice, and we know that we are connected to many people that we can reach out to, and as our encounter with Markus showed …. Some will reach out to us, just because they can, and it’s wonderful when they do.

Good functional hotel in Jaca. Getting a little tired but good location and great breakfast

At the brand new post office in Jaca. Very pleasant and helpful staff as we sent a bunch of stuff home.

Agnes, her Featherd Friend sleeping bag, Exped mats, cooking pots, LPG stove and some surplus clothing for cold weather we’re unlikely to encounter!

We’re having so much fun on the gravel that we added another ~ 5km section that started in the construction site for a new autoroute interchange

And then back to quiet paved country roads. Beautiful flat riding for the first 30 km’s

Heading towards the Col de Cotefablo on the very quiet N260a, the clouds are starting to build now too

Time for a quick roadside lunch before the final climb to the col / tunnel

And here we are … climbing done for the day

And here’s Markus, the friendly German motorbiker who stopped for a long chat at the col

Thanks for taking the picture of both of us Markus!

This is at the east side if the Col / tunnel. This herd of sheep was making an incredible racket. Each one of them has a bell around their neck and its amazing the amount of noise they make!

Beautiful town of Broto, we’ll be cycling through there when we leave Torla

K racing the clouds on the downhill into Torla

Looking back up towards Cotefablo and our downhill run

K managed to pass the herd in the tunnel

They kept parading through the town on the Main Street. It had the look of a regular occurrence

Great dinner at El Duende (the Goblin) starting with a shared salad …

Then shared grilled asparagus and zucchini …

Followed by grilled plaice and prawns. All very fresh, simple and well prepared.

Today's ride: 59 km (37 miles)
Total: 1,934 km (1,201 miles)

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Scott AndersonYour roadside encounter reminded me of the tiny house Racpat saw a biker hauling behind him in France: https://www.cycleblaze.com/journals/Racpatmoroccotoholland/day-105-mulhouse-to-lisle-sur-les-doubs-966/#44436_x6o2h1gvmlyjqxy37urc3q8fei5.
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11 months ago

Lyle McLeodTo Scott AndersonJust opened the link and showed it to Kirsten. ‘Holy Shit’ is was what came out of her mouth. That guy wins for sure!
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11 months ago