To Soria: Over Puerto de Santa Ines

September 18, 2017

We both slept like logs last night, for the first time on this tour. I think we might finally be time-adjusted now. Breakfast at our mountain hotel was as good as it gets - a windowside table in a stunning location, a wonderful breakfast, delicious coffee. I won't be surprised if we look back at the end of our tour and remember this as our favorite stay.

Overlooking Montenegro from our breakfast table

It's very tranquilizing to sit savoring your coffee, watching the cows work their way across the meadow.

Today's ride begins climbing immediately, after we pushed/coasted our bikes down the ferociously steep access road from the hotel to the highway. We're climbing up Canyon to Santa Ines Pass, up 1800' in just over six miles. After yesterday's push up to Pina Hernado, this feels pretty tame - there's a short 12 percent patch about half way up, but for most of the way it's a steady 5-6. It's a very narrow road, but we pretty well have it to ourselves, save for four or five cars and two oncoming trucks that take nearly all the pavement.

It's pretty chilly when we leave the hotel, and gets steadily colder and windier as we climb. A bit dark ahead too, making us anxious that it may turn wet at the summit. It is very quiet, with little sound other than the tinkling of cattle bells. Toward the top it starts lightening though, and we stay dry. At the summit, where there's a small ski area, we find a flock of sheep milling free and a large, very protective sheepdog standing guard on the shoulder of the road.

The view south from our hotel. Our route today starts up the valley ahead, to Puerto de Santa Ines.

I think this is one of the pair I took a photo of from our breakfast table. I hope she's going to allow us to leave town.

Looking back, from about halfway up the pass. Montenegro is out of sight, around the bend.

At the pass, keeping us honest. He looks pretty fierce, but he relaxed as soon as his flock moved back a bit.

Hey! This is the first I realized that my new Bike Gallery jersey matches my Bike Friday. Tres chic!

After this climb, our work for the day is pretty much done. We have a cold, windy eight mile descent ahead of us to the Douro Basin, followed by a flattish, wind aided twenty miles to Soria. The weather steadily improves as we move away from the mountains, and by midday it is sunny and almost warm. We've followed fine cycling roads all day - the surface has been consistently smooth and well-surfaced, and we experience very little traffic until the final miles, on the national highway. The shoulder there is fine though - consistent and reliable - and we feel perfectly safe. Soria, a small city, is very simple to cycle into.

Here's Rachael's video from the beginning of the descent.

We arrive at about three, with lunch foremost on our mind. We stop in at the first promising place we come to in the city center: the Red Lion, a trattoria. We're getting late into the lunch hour, and are the only diners - fine with us, since we're not sure we're really fit company after our ride.We have a great meal: a delicious salad followed by equally good mains.

After lunch we check into our room, freshen up a bit, and then we go our separate ways for a few hours - Rachael goes on a shopping spree (she packed for a warmer season), and I catch up on the journal a bit and then go off to wander through the town.

We feel like we're doing well - after three straight days with a significant climb, we both feel well, fit, and confident about the challenges that lie ahead.

Total elevation gain: today, 2,800'; for the tour, 16,700'

Things are pretty laid back up here at the pass.

In El Royo. Many of these old villages have stone slab benches lining the street.

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Today's ride: 42 miles (68 km)
Total: 202 miles (325 km)

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