CYCLE TOURING

Today will be a great cycling day. It is Half past eight a quarter of hour till the sun has risen. I get ready for a 6 hour ride from Seville to Los Caños de  Meca small village next to the seaside and near the fishers town of  Barbate.

I inflate my racing wheel to 100 psi or 8 bar. I oil the chain. My machine is ready to go. I pick up some food and put into a little back sack I take an apple and a sandwich (un popular bocadillo de chorizo).

It is nine o´clock I ride to the south of the city going forward Cádiz. I avoid the cycle path,it  is dangerous when you ride at 33 km per hour on a sharing  pavement with pedestrian and you must be warned of pavement step, the cross road with such a slim tires (23mm), the cars that jump the traffic jams, the mommy with a child coach, the ancient people…

I ride to la palmera avenue and towards Bellavista and them forwards to Dos Hermanas. I´m going to the National Road IV . Normalyit is a busy road with lot of  truck but with a 80 to 100 km/h speed limit, the borders are wide enough and most of the way is flat. The landscape is full of great extension of cereals field all is brown and yellow some green spot over there on smooth hill overthere, green lines made of  cane growing  by the streams,tall eucaliptus by the  road.

At a croosroad next to a roadside called venta Julia or Julian, I left the National road 4, I turn right and head south-east to Gibalbin village.

From that point I am driving  peaceful quite road through a pasture ground landscape and rounded hills.

Gibalbin hill are planted with grapevines. The grapes have been already picked up, the air smell like mosto ( it is a kind of alcoholic juice ).

I arrive to a small village at the feet of Arcos de la Frontera and next to a river cross. The rivers Guadalcacin and Guadalete mets each other here. I have meal at a roadside in called: «Cruce de los Rios».

Then I continue my way. The next town i am getting is Paterna ( Cádiz ). From Paterna to Medina Sidonia the road is bump and full of  holes so i take it slow and rest.

Once again i´m in a crossroad. I head along to Vejer de la Frontera.

Vejer is a moorish town on a hill. I decided to climbto Vejer. from top i am able to admire the the surrounds landscape. What a wonderful view!, looking back the way riden I feel like those grounds,rivers, trees…are part of me.

At the south-east is La Janda´s lagoon. It use to be a lagoon but now is dry and plant with rice went rain comes is refilled with water and you make yourself about what once upon a time was the hugest lagoon in Europe. Crossing by the lagoon is the river Barbate wich die flooding the ground. The town of Barbate  is by a salt marsh at the mouth of  river. Now on i am just 7 kilometres to destination; Los Caños de Meca. I head  the fishing port , climb the clift and ride along a pine forest finally I ride down hill admire the Tafalgar´s cape the lighthouse welcome myself  home.

Today is Sunday the 27th. I wake put and look at the clock. It is 9:25 am. Time to get up and and put on my clothes, pick up the bicycle and go for a walk. It is 9:30 and near my home there is a group of cyclists ready to go . I am still having breakfast . I am late today but it does not  matter me . I think: – » I will find then by the way».

As regular I ride to the north of the city , cross the roads that surround Seville and cycle to La Algaba. I do not  see any ciclist´s group yet, they must have taken other road this sunday.  Anyway, I enjoy beautiful landscape, some corn fields over there, cotton fields, a huge extension of  terrain with lot of huge and healthy oranges trees. 

I cross the river Guadalquivir and past near  la Algaba. At the round square I turn my way left  and continue cycling till i get to a cross roads and  follow the national road N630 . During almost 20 km I climb with the Guadalquivir valley on my back and in front the gate of an old group of mountain in northern Andalusia, Sierra Morena.

I am in las Pajanosas 25 km from Seville, now it is time for carving and downhill. Half the way from las Pajanosas to Gillena I stop near a prickly pear which is by Gapagar stream. The fig from  that tree are small but delicious  as honey.

From the cementary gates to las Pajanosas and back to the grave

I continue my way down  to Seville city rolling fast as a motorbike and as happy as a man who is enjoing his freedom could be.

Música: Queen – Bicycle Race – Uncensored

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brevet_(cycling)

A portuguese randonneur on his racing bicycle.

 
Almost every bicycle is suitable for practising cycle-touring.Although travelling on a bmx could be a little uncomfortable, climb a mountain road on a single speed is an unnecessary effort as well as going downhill with a full loaded fix bike would be very dangerous.

Nowadays the bicycle industry offer a great diversity of products.
But what would be the suitable bike?
It must be: comfortable enough for riding several hours a day, tough and durable because a full loaded cycle weight at least 15 kg more. Tires must be polyvalent, you must be able to use them off road too. A thick tires grip better than a slim ones but you would ride slower with the first on the road.
As an advise 35c or 1.5″ wide with round section an some deep drawing (tire print).

All of this is just about comfort, reliability and efficient.
Think about your necessities and choose your materials.

I´m here to stay.

I would like to begin  with a description of my blog´s tittle.

Park & Rest

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bicycle_touring