Melide: A hard 40ks but some fine tractors

September 17, 2013

Written by Ken

We met Jo and Charles and Mary (the American cyclist) in the afternoon. Mary’s husband Larry has the Ds and Vs so they are having their problems. Jo and Charles are going over the route at an amazing pace.

Today we had the breakfast along the main street at 7.50am, it was still half dark with walkers going by. We set off by 8.30am with no fog today, we had our flashing rear lights going to make us more obvious on the road which had some traffic. It was relentlessly uphill for the first 2 hours and mainly uphill all the rest of the day. The few descents were over so fast that we spent 90% of our time climbing. It was also cold all day so our coats were on nearly all the way.

We went through some forest and saw the first of the gum trees, lots of new planting so they must feel they are worthwhile. Mainly it is dairying with grassy meadows, lots of maize and in the villages barns and cows. At one point a herd of 20cows came out and walked down the road with us behind for about half a kilometer. We also saw a milk tanker, very like those in New Zealand.

Part of the way was on tiny local roads and that was great. Some of it was on quite a busy road the N547. We had a beautiful egg and ham sandwich at Palas de Rei. And on the descent out of town we came first to a tractor grave yard where among others I saw another Landes Iberica – complete but behind a security fence , also a little articulated vineyard tractor I could not identify. Then 200m down the road a perfect little 4WD tractor – an Astoa with a 2 cylinder air cooled MWM motor, double PTO at the rear – a really neat little machine, I presume Spanish made. Then on this fairly busy road another Seat 600 (Fiat) in lovely order by the roadside.

Finally into Melide which is a fair sized town. We have a good room above a bar for 36E. We should get to Santiago tomorrow – but not in time for the midday mass.

These are used for grain storage and are rat proof. There is a fine stand of Kale, used in Galacian Broth

A Bullock cart pulled always by 2 bullocks - it has a rotating axle

I have never heard or seen one before it is an Astoa - a little beauty

The back end to show hydraulics and 2 PTOs

We went on our honeymoon in a Fiat 600 like this 52 years ago

The church at Melide some of which dates from the 14th Century

Today's ride: 40 km (25 miles)
Total: 2,699 km (1,676 miles)

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