Day 74: Pueblo Salinas (Ciclismo)
On the way down from the top:
Before the descent there was the ascent!
Just below the dot is my destination.
I think I may have ridden/found my new hardest climb in Spain (so far!). The name of the climb is: Sierra Cabrera (aka Collado Cufria) from the town of Turre. The climb's length is 13.1 kilometres with an average gradient of 7.1% and an elevation gain of 930 metres. After 3.2 kilometres the average gradient for the remaining 9.9 kilometres rises to 9%. What makes this climb so difficult is that the climb's gradient varies considerably, resulting in some very steep gradients. It's odd that there is this sign about 200 metres into the descent ...
.... but there isn't one during the ascent!
Nearly, at the top:
Some views from the top:
For the second day in a row, on my return to the van, there was a short section of off-road where I again encountered a water feature that needed to be crossed! Fortunately, there were some "stepping stones" so there was no need to remove shoes and socks this time!
Also, when planning the route, there was a section of the N 340a road that had to be included in the route as cycling on Spanish motorways is not permitted! and, the the only alternative was the N 340a. Well, these "N" roads are Carreteras Nacionales (national roads) and are typically busy and, thus, best avoided. So there I was cycling along on the N 340a when, at the roundabout for Junction 704 of the E15 (Motorway), the N 340a turned into "disused" road!
So, I needn't have worried about heavy road traffic for most of the time I was on "the road". However, the N 340a road does "reappear" some three kilometres or so further down the "road".
But, there was more trouble ahead! It turns out that I had also routed myself on to a minor single track road that very quickly turned into an unpaved road that very quickly turned into a big dirt field! Rather the go back, I plowed on and eventually found a dirt track that brought be back onto the N 340a! About 400 metres from where I'd turned off of it ...effectively a 2 kilometre short cut!
- Distance driven: 0
- Distance cycled: 64 kilometres
- Weather: Pretty overcast for much of the day with high clouds and a T = 18°C mm and 21°C ma!
Today's (corrected - avoids non-existing section N 340a and "unpaved "short cut") route: