Osuna: Ruta de Washington Irving

October 21, 2017

I've been roughly following the Ruta de Washington Irving. Washington Irving is a famous guy in these parts. I tend to think of him with The Headless Horseman, more appropriately called The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, but he's known here for Tales of the Alhambra. He travelled the region between Seville and Granada, and his journey is recognized by the designated Ruta. Not that the ruta is an actual route. It is just some places where he visited, and a traveler is left to find his or her own way along the ruta. I'll need to get a copy of Tales from the Alhambra when I get home and read it.

Estepa, where I stayed last night is on the ruta, and so is Osuna, where I reached today.

I had breakfast at the hotel, standard coffee and toast. When I settled my bill, I asked about the room rate. I was told that I was in a special large room, not a "singulaire" and that was why it was more expensive. I had asked for a "singulaire", and didn't think my room was big, but at least I wasn't charged for parking my bicycle.

I left the hotel, and immediately pushed my bike up the hill to the next parallel street. It was just one short block, but my Garmin said I had gained 51 feet in elevation.

Leaving Estepa. This road looked like it ended high up in the air.

The ride today was fairly short and not too bad. I rode the service road along the highway, though, and as yesterday it was unpaved and in bad shape. It shook me and rattled my bicycle luggage. There were some good descents where I had to control my speed due to the bumpy road and loose gravel.

Descending toward the highway. Notice the nice wide shoulder, where bikes are not allowed, and the service road to the left which undulates and is mostly loose and bumpy white stone.

I left the service road at Agua Dulce, and stopped in a bar for coffee. These bars tend to be full of men, some drinking beer and others coffee, and they don't seem bothered by my presence.

I went on from Agua Dulce following a road from Google Maps, which I had decided was more reliable than maps.me. Google Maps failed me, and lead me off, not only on an unpaved road again, but one that just stopped. I was squeezed between a fairly deep drainage ditch on one side and a fence for the railway one the other.

I turned around and went back to Agua Dulce and crossed to the other side of the highway, and followed the service road to Osuna.

No, Google Maps, there is no road or even a path here. The drainage ditch was deep. I turned around here.

I'm staying at the Hotel Esmerelda, close to the center of Osuna. It's an elegant old building, with some sitting areas that I've taken advantage of to write this update. My bike is stored in the garage.

I've been sitting and updating my journal here in the hotel.

Today's ride: 29 km (18 miles)
Total: 243 km (151 miles)

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Scott AndersonHi, Susan. I stumbled across this page because we’re in Osuna tonight nd I was curious if anyone else on the site had been here yet. You beat us to it!

It was easy to relate to your frustration with the service roads alongside the A-92, because we’ve put in way too many miles on them biking here from Granada. Pretty terrible!
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2 weeks ago

Susan ShoreTo Scott AndersonThanks, Scott. My recollection of Osuna was a nice quiet town. I hope you enjoy it. I looked up your journal. Quite a journey. I went back to work after my tour in Spain and Portugal, seven years ago. Now I have my own 7 year itch, of a different sort than yours. I hope to be back at it before too many more years pass. Travel well!
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2 weeks ago