Day 7 - Yecla to Murcia (89km, 360m)

Saturday, September 26th

Another crisp, but sunny start to the day - it will eventually get quite warm. We're almost the last to start, again...

Graham and I leave before the Tonys, and the fog is still hanging over the valley ahead.

We seem to have left the orchards behind for a while, and the grape vines have returned - indeed there's a lot of fruit still waiting to be picked.

The landscape continues to be dramatic, and during the morning we cross back into the state of Valencia, then again back into Murcia, leaving Valencia behind, finally.

It's Saturday morning, and once again there are a lot of cyclists on the road - Tony D and Richard manage to get onto the back of one group and stay with them for about 10km.

Over the mountain pass the countryside changes significantly, becoming apparently much dryer, with a lot of erosion evident. More spaghetti western country?!

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, perhaps?

I couldn't resist this composition, including the artifical grass roundabout.

We stop for a final coke about 20km from the end of the day's ride.

We arrive about 12:30pm, and by 2:0pm we're looking for a good meal, especially for Graham. And we found the perfect place just a few blocks from the hotel.

Even the busker seemed appropriate.

Nearby, many other restaurants were also doing good business. Indeed, we later found just about every open area had outdoor restaurants, all full. The temperature was 32C, but out of the sun it still felt comfortable.

A perfect lunch in a perfect restaurant.

Our main courses - yes, chicken soup for Tony D and fish for the rest of us.

Washed down with a bottle of the local white, the local red, and the local dessert wine!

After lunch we went looking for the cathedral, but some the team were more interested in the local girls!

More restaurants, now packing up - it's already after 5:00pm!

The cathedral.

And a Virgin in one of its chapels.

Another nice square.

And the view of the street from inside the cathedral.

We went looking for the Teatro Romeu, but the church across the plaza was more interesting.

Meanwhile, back at the hotel, what's the collective noun for a group of Steves? Well, it makes a change from a group of Tonys I suppose.

Just in case we didn't realise we had entered bull fighting country, the hotel lobby has a few paintings to remind us.

After a short rest, and another drink at the bar, we adjourn to the local Irish Pub to watch England play Wales in the World Cup - there was at least one Englishman and one Welshman in the group, after all.

Final score: Wales 28 - England 25.

Day 6 - Xativa to Yecla (98km, 1,350m)

Friday, September 25th

The usual scene in front of the hotel - some have already departed, and some are still having breakfast! Some are just waiting around...

Given that Garmins have been the hot topic of this ride, it's appropriate that Graham checks his Garmin on the first climb. What could go wrong?!

And the first climb isn't too bad - it's actually a bit cool, and there fog hanging over the valley.

But it's sunny, which allows us a last look at the castle.

Several (many?) kilometers later, we get a view back at the castle - the view that we saw yesterday from the top (remember?).

Over the first climb, and on the way down the first decent, here that foggy start to the day...

From now on, the day turned into a climb followed by a lot of straight, relatively uninteresting streches.

Our first coffee stop, this time with team "Steve" - two Steves from Derbyshire who ride very well.

We tackle the major climb of the day, which at around 5% isn't too bad - you can do this all day, especially when the scenery is so dramatic.

I couldn't decide what the purpose of these caves/holes was - perhaps defensive?

More Spaghetti Western country.

This might look dangerous, but in fact the truck drivers are the most respectful of cyclists of all motorists in Spain!

I couldn't beieve they had once cut  railway line through this gorge.

The climb is actually quite gradual, although we discovered later that some people had trouble with it.

Coming up the climb towards the van.

And at (almost) the top, there's Mike in the van waiting with water and any other assistance people might need.

Even I didn't understand this - we're certainly not in Canada, although the next major town was called Cañada.

The fog has gone, the road is straight, and the sun is starting to beat down - it's 28C...

Typically, the fields have been plowed for next season's crops, and the orchards have been left long behind.

We noticed that grape vines were becoming more prevalent, and clearly there's enough water r irrigation.

We arrive at our hotel, and after cleaning up have a beer in the garden - the local gardener makes us feel very much at home by mowing the grass (to within an inch of its life).

Graham obviously has contacts - the best room, with the best view, and hist (only) cycling jersey washed and drying in the window.

I couldn't believe t when I heard rain - this little cloud was responsible for a 5 minute shower that barely wet anything. We still think we're going to have fine weather all the way to Gibraltar.

Everyone retires to their rooms, so I decide to walk into town - here's the Basilica.

A square looking up towards the hill and another church.

The local council building.

And another view of the church.

 

Dinner was back at the hotel, and there was another mess of ordering and bill dividing - remind me never to get involved again.