The day doesn't start too well. Buble Boy's injuries have made a bigger dent than first thought, he is quite bruised on his left hip and was willing to show most of Cangas di Onis shopping mall as we wandered this afternoon.
Also he threw a spoke on his rear wheel (drive side) which means a ride stopping repair is required. He reluctantly withdraws from today's expedition, which requires cars and a lot of driving south and all uphill.
Although half awake I note the gradient as we drive for thirty minutes through magnificent gorges with verdant vegetation, and think if I'm feeling ok I could tack this on the end.
We park at Osajo and click in and pedal upwards. And upwards.
We start climbing into the clouds, its not wet, its humid and not too cold or warm, and the gradient is an even 6.5%. Im really enjoying this, and so is SuperModel after the first regroup at 1280m Puente de la Ponton. He's off again disappearing into the mist.
Nice views on a clear day apparently.
We make the highpoint of the day at 1450m and the road twists down into the valley floor. The views are gone, the cloud denies any vista. We plummet on good roads, we have left the Province of Asturias and entered Castilla y Leon, however the municipal signwork is heavily graffitied with the Castilla word crossed out and numerous evocations of "Leon Solo". OGF later informs me Leon and Castilla merged over 500 years ago. Many shakes of the head.
Soon we arrive at the village of Posajo de Valdeon and decide to carry on plummeting, despite a nasty 19% pitch up, which is put there for no obvious reason. We are heading down into the belly of the whale of the Picos di Europa. What will happen in there? Would Joseph Conrad or Joseph Campbell have a perspective to offer on the narrative monomyth?
We choose one of the six or seven tabernas located at the base of this road. So many walking trails set out from this point to explore the Picos.
Our choice made solely on the excellent music emanating from their speakers. A friendly chap takes our food orders which we choose with trepidation. We have a 1000m to climb to get out of here and no-one wants to see their lunch again. The cloud lifts and we know we can no longer avoid the pain to come. Excellent fuel for the journey we click in and recommence, intending to go slowly due to the gradient but also to take in the views.
The opportunity to take photos was for a bit of a breather but also for the notion that I may never come back. The metres do seem to accumulate and soon we are a few hundred metres above the taberna and into the valley forest.
A long picket fence, a stone killing hut, many people with big sticks and force the wolf into the hut. Its history and the Leonese(?) dont obscure the fact.
SuperModel leads the way despite a dodgy sounding rear wheel (freewheel hub bearing noise) and we plummet to a coffee at our starting point.
I seriously consider the 34km time trial aided by gravity back to Cangas, and decide to go for it. I have no idea how much head start the car drivers are giving me.
The start at about 780m ASL gives me a twisty advantage, a bike can be much quicker throught the corners by clipping apexes, however a couple of cars coming up the hill consider the white merely an advisory oversight and they encroach on my ideal line through the corners. The road surface is dry and in good condition, though a few rocks have fallen from the cliffs.
I dont have any pics of this, my front video camera had run out of battery and no way was I taking my hands of the bars to take a pic.
I got held up by a hay hauling truck and had to call out to the driver when I had the opportunity to overtake. Then the gradient got flatter, say 1% down and I had to push a big gear terrified the Poseurs would catch me. It hurt a lot but what an opportunity to push hard through sweeping bends and all downhill after a big day of climbing.
Four kays to go each and every car thought would be them but no and even a slow moving Corolla couldnt stop me making it to the outskirts on Cangas. A quick right, a short incline and Im back at the digs and getting ready to stow the bike and gear. No long later and both cars arrive,BB pokes his head out of his bedroom window and all five are reunited.
BB seems well rested and on the way to recovery.
Wash, change, back in the car to visit the bike mechanic in Arriondas, back to Cangas and a fourteen euro three course menu with a nice Rioja red.
Ride details can be found here
Big day. Night night.
1 comment:
What spectacular vistas captured - making wonderful memories for you all
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