Day 81: Tabernas (Cycle/Drive)

Living on the edge of town! (Baños de Sierra Alhamilla):

Today I scratched an itch. Each time I've visited this area I've been tempted to climb the Baños de Sierra Alhamilla. (The stats are: Length: 7 kilometres; Elevation Gain: 374 metres; Average Gradient: 5.3%; Maximum Gradient: 12.2%; Altitude: 482 metres).

It's a pretty easy climb on a wide smooth road, which makes for an excellent, speedy descent.

There was a second climb, which was tagged onto the route: not an itch to be scratched but, out of curiosity. The climb took me to the Cuevas de los Úbedas. From Retamar, the average gradient is only 2.6% over 13.2 kilometres, which delivers you to the end of the road. I do like to see what can be seen at the end of a road! Here's what I saw in this instance:

The caves have been turned into homes!

Tonight I reside in Tabernas. I've stayed here before, so didn't bother to check the "Patk4Night" App to see whether the place I'd previously stayed at remained available for use by us roaming types. So I was somewhat disappointed to discover that signs prohibiting the parking of tourers, caravans and tents! Fortunately, there is a nearby option that will do! I'm here so that I can climb one of the best cycle climbs in the area: Puerto de Velefique.

• Distance driven: 27 miles
• Distance cycled: 82 kilometres
• Weather: Sunny start, clouding over, giving way to sunshine and a bit windy a times.
• Location: Google Maps

Today's route (it's not a very good route! The climbs are ok but, many of the roads to get to and from them are not vety nice to cycle on!):