Well I suppose you could say we have had it good do far. In fact we have had all weathers possible apart from Snow, but tomorrow could change that. This morning it is hissing down (deliberate spelling mistake). Not a bit, a lot.
It lulled us into a false sense of security when it stopped and looked like it may clear. It didn’t. I got Sad seeing him off this morning but when I stopped to do a sandwich I too got drowned and tore my skirt. The back of my top was soaked and i had to get jeans out and get into them in the front seat. The red skirt is one of my favourites and you know how I like my clothes so I am just a little hissed myself. We were following the coast for a while and I had stopped overlooking a beach. It looked like it would be lovely in the sun shine but today it was deserted. There were a few cars that pulled up and got out for a look but soon got back in and drove off. Ha! Just like so many staycation people in the UK and that’s why they fly to the sunshine.
The things on stilts are back again. This time instead of being long and thin coffin shaped they are big square ones. We are following The pilgrimage route again to Finistere. Remember I told you that it is the most westerly place in Europe with rocks that bleed etc. There are loads of hikers making their way and there are signs with a sun on to show them the way. So so so many of them in groups of 2 to 6 with huge backpacks they are walking with their rain coats over them and the rucksacks walking sticks in hand. It would Take ages from here. I said this to the Cyclist and he said that’s the point. A pilgrimage is a time to reflect while you walk. I am not really versed in these things but I expect that The Scottish Biker will set me right?
Today’s route took us over the mountains behind the coast and into the rural but industrial parts of Spain. I am not sure what I expected of Spain but I know I wasn’t expecting this. Yesterday I saw an old man with his donkey all laden up, walking it into town. That I did expect. But this down beaten, empty huge factories from a time when they obviously thrived. Not now. Everything looks, well, sad. That’s the best way to describe it. There are shoddy high rise flats than have seen better days. We had to go through a couple of large towns today that I would not have stayed a minute in if I had the choice. The sorts of p,aces people close their eyes to and pretend they have never seen it and it doesn’t exist. Of all the Spanish places we have seen, however poor, this is the worst.
I navigated us through with The Cyclist following as the clouds were o thick his little cycle Garmin couldn’t find satellites and didn’t know where it was. We went bough a little town/Village called Sales. I thought that was funny as I love sales, so I took a photo. Ha ha! On one of the tiny tracks that was a climb I stopped to jump out and take a photo but a German Shepherd came barking and running towards the fence that surrounded this part built house. This time i waited for The Cyclist to get closer then got out of the car and threw the dog one of the Madeleine cakes the cyclist and I live on to keep it quiet. while it gobbled tne cake and livked up the crumbs, i took the phoo and got back in tne car to drive on. The wasnt the first time today an Alsation had come charging at me. That time there was no fence and I had pulled up about to get out of the car and it came charging from the side of the house. I didn’t get out of the car. So no photo that time. It had a chain but I didn’t know how long it was and I wasn’t about to find out!
I thought The Cyclist was back on route and I drove a little way ahead when I got a call from him. He said he thought he had taken a wrong turn and had gone down a gnarly little track and was now outside a village. i said I had seen a sign for somewhere called Mosquieres. He said he thought that he was there. Yes I told him. You are off route. Can he come back to where he turned. I was promptly told it was uphill and steep could I come find him. I had seen a sign going to the left for that place so I did a U turn and set off to try to find him, all the time thinking this could be a disaster as he thought he was in a place but it might not be and we are deep in the country and the phone signals keep dropping out. So if that happens I have no signal and we are both in the middle of nowhere but different places.
I turned down the lane signposted to the village. By god it was narrow, windy and in places almost vertical. No wonder he wouldn’t want to cycle back up this! He had enough mountains to do without this stupidly steep hill with its sodden roads covered in Wet slippy leaves. At the bottom he wasn’t there. It was open and next to the place where they used to all do the washing. I had signal so I called. He said honk the car horn to see if I can hear you. I did and he couldn’t. Based on the fact they there may be two lanes to either end of the village he said stay put and I will cycle on. It wasn’t long before he appeared a little frazzled at the edges. I suggested putting the bike on the car and me driving him up the hill. He wasn’t keen but gave in saying it had better be as steep as I made out else he would be furious. When we went up he agreed that it was stupidly steep and kept telling me to gun it else we would slip backwards. He also said this is what tomorrow’s last and killer climb was like but much longer. Oh joy.
After a long, cold, wet day we made it to the end. the Cyclist again having got over all nature could throw at him to complete the stage. At the top of the last climb he was out of his wet filthy kit and into his shorts in no time. oh boy I have double the washing to do tonight with triple the dirt and it will be after 8.30pm before we get there. I need to cook him something hot that will fuel tomorrow’s climbs so that he has the best chance possible to get up L’Angliru the last deadly ascent.
Soundbites:
Pop Muzik – M
Happy o be on an island in the sun – Demi’s Roussos (ironic)
Missing – Everything but the girl
Just walking in the rain – Jonnie Ray and the Four Lads
Safe from harm – Will Young (That echoes album is just wonderful)
