Girona to Olot

July 1, 2016

via Banyoles and Santa Pau

Breakfast this morning was okay, but there was only me. Also, I wasn't hungry yet after the big late lunch yesterday. I think there were others also staying at the B&B, but I never saw or heard them, except yesterday when one of them asked our host, Javi, to arrange a taxi for this morning.

I went by La Fabrica, the cyclist café on my way out, but I'd just eaten breakfast and drunk a couple of cups of coffee, so I only looked in the door. There were a few roadies around, but it was 9:30 and already warm.

The "street" the B&B is on is right across from the tourist office. The photo shows the entire street.

The door is nicer than the street. I think the building used to be the residence of someone important.

The B&B nameplate. The host was very nice.

Garmin routed me on the C-66 for the first 20 or so km but that's what I expected. My research had indicated there wasn't an alternative route to Banyoles. Once through Banyoles I joined the quiet GI 524 to Santa Pau and Olot. A nice ride, though the high-thirties temperature made the climbs challenging for me. At the top of one, I met a fellow cycle tourist coming the other way. I'd seen a few roadies but nobody else with panniers; this fellow stopped to chat. He had passed through Vancouver in 2010 on a trip to South America on a recumbent trike. He gave me a card with his blog website.

First Garmin routes me along the C-66, then it sends me here? On the way out of Banyoles.

The last climb into Santa Pau wore me out. However, Santa Pau was where I'd planned to take a break and eat the sandwich and apple Javi had given me when I didn't eat very much breakfast.

The mediaeval town is worth a short stop. I locked my bike in the main square and had a cold Clara at a café before moving to a bench to eat my sandwich and apple. I seem to be drinking a lot of Claras; very refreshing and almost the same price as water.

The lintels above the doorways were carved to indicate the name or profession of the resident.

Info sign, Santa Pau. I thought it weird that a church would be build in the crater of a volcano.

Street, Santa Pau. These medieval streets were steep and treacherous to navigate wearing shoes with recessed SPD cleats.

The Catalan flag is everywhere. It fits well here. [The sky wasn't white, but it was very bright and the camera I had couldn't cope.]

Santa Pau, taken from a location where visitors were requested to take a selfie (same word in Spanish) and send it somewhere. I didn't.

Another hill out of Santa Pau and a nice descent into Olot. For whatever reason, Garmin could not find my hotel or the street it's on, but there were signs for it. The receptionist gave me a twin room with private bath even though I'd booked a single with shared bath. Made my day!

Olot is built right around a volcano, Montsacopa. There's a walking trail to the top and around the crater, with stations of the cross leading to the remaining derelict chapel. It's not a big volcano but the crater rim is intact. In fact, it's tiny as volcanoes go.

View of Olot from Montsacopa. Yes, that's a bullring. No idea how frequently it is used.

At dinner, I learned something. "Menu de Dias" does not mean "today's menu". It means "lunch menu" or daytime menu and is not available at dinnertime, though the quantities and prices would suit me better.

Returning to my room. I also learned that the air conditioning does not work. Oh well, at least it's a spacious room. It had cooled somewhat outside so opening the window helped a lot, but I couldn't leave it open overnight. The east-facing window affords a nice view but the street was noisy. Plus the window is large and low and there was no covering other than the metal roller shutter, whose controls were "up" or "down".

Distance 54 km; ascent 765 m; descent 401 m

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Today's ride: 54 km (34 miles)
Total: 140 km (87 miles)

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