Day 71: Pueblo Salinas (Cycle/Drive)

Apart from high velocity winds in the afternoon, the weather was much improved.

I know! I've been bleating on about the weather for days. And, here's another where the weather has dominated proceedings.

I did manage a short enjoyable cycle ride. But, based on weather forecasts, the wind speed was predicted to be pretty high in the afternoon! So I was hoping to get back to the van before it hit 50 mph (81 kph)!

I was back at the van by 1pm.

As for the cycle route, yesterday whilst visiting the abandoned Rodalquilar gold mine, I discovered there was an off-road cycle route from Rodalquilar to Albaricoques and so I thought I'd give it a try.

Here's a photo taken near the start of the "off-road cycle route":

It is well worth cycling the route but, not all of the route's surface is like that shown in the photo above.

Eventually I returned to tarmacadam roads and another cycle in to the Sierra Cabo de Gata (Cape of Cat!)

And here we see the final climb of the day (average gradient for the final 700m, or so, is 10%).

After lunch, it was a leisurely drive to my new location.

Having consulted the weather oracle, I'm hoping that by moving further east I will be exposed to better weather over the next couple of days. At least that is what the forecasters are "promising"!

• Distance driven: 49 miles
• Distance cycled: 42 kilometres
• Weather: La Isleta del Moro: Sunny, a little windy with some clouds the a marked increase in wind speed and there were some squally showers in the afternoon - left about 2.30pm. At the new location: no rain and wind speeds have dropped considerably
• Location: Google Maps

Today's route: