Camino Frances

Day 9: Logrono – Burgos
Time: 7:22:41
Distance: 123.8km
Average Speed: 16.8km/h

We had a big night in the town in Logrono last night but still managed to get on the road by around 10. The first stop was Navarrete where we ate very poor croissants and met an Irish lad living in Vitoria Gasteiz walking a few days of the Camino. The rest of the day was almost all uphill. The inclines weren't massive but it was enough to slow us down. A few kilometers outside of Burgos we were running out of daylight but luckily there was a gravel bike path all the way into the city which made things safer. At one point I saw a massive pothole up ahead which looked like it could break a spoke. I jammed on the breaks without saying anything. Leeroy couldn't stop in time so my back light got smashed. Other than that there was no other damage so we got off lightly. We'll stay in the pilgrim hostel in Burgos tonight with a 10pm curfew, which might not be a bad thing.

Last day in la Rioja

Day 8: Logrono – Logrono
Time: 2:10:49
Distance: 42.3km
Average Speed: 19.4km/h

I set out on the same route that myself and Leeroy will go on tomorrow getting as far as Navarrete. I stopped at a bodega but then realised that I'd forgotten my wallet and couldn't buy any wine. On the wine tour yesterday I was told that this year's harvest was too big so a lot of grapes would be picked then left on the ground to rot over th winter. This made me feel less guilty about stealing more grapes. Leeroy arrives tonight and we'll assemble his bike as soon as he gets in. The target for tomorrow is 125km to Burgos.

Bodega Loop 2

Day 7: Logrono – Logrono
Time: 3:37:54
Distance: 63.8km
Average Speed: 17.6km/h

Today I did a slightly different route and stopped in LaGuardia to see the fancy bodega ysios building. Afterwards I went to a wine tour in a cave in the village. at night we walked around the tapas bars of Calle Laurel with a group of English teachers.

Bodega Loop

Day 6: Logrono – Logrono
Time: 3:33:24
Distance: 60.3km
Average Speed: 17km/h

I'll be in la rioja until Saturday so today I did a loop that took in some of the wine producing towns. All along the roadside are vines and the views are incredible. The weather has been unexpectedly great and it feels like summer here. I stopped in Elciego to see the marques de riscal bodega building and afterwards went to the Valdelana bodega. I passed through LaGuardia on the way home and will go back there tomorrow for a closer look. Later on I found a bar with kwak.

Wine Time

Day 5: Durango – Logrono
Time: 5:53:56
Distance: 109.1km
Average Speed: 18.5km/h

The girl working at the hostel reception (she was a Moran too but a Basque) advised me that the road to Durango was worse than the roads we used to get into Bilbao a few days ago. She reckoned that I had a high chance of dying so I decided to take a train to Durango which shaved about 20 or 30km off the ride to Logrono. A few minutes outside Durango the Urkiola climb started. see below:

This has been the toughest climb I've done so far this trip. Later in the day I went up both Vittoria and Herrera but Urkiola was the killer. There are drops of my sweat all over that climb. I didn't manage to stop for lunch today so when I was approaching Logrono I stopped at a few vineyards and stole grapes. Tonight I'll stay with David who's just moved here.

Walking around Bilbao

Day 4: Rest day, Bilbao

The lads flew back to Dublin today. I walked around the city and went to a few pubs. Later in the night I got involved in a game where you have to throw metal discs into a frogs mouth. it's very tough. I only saw one person succeed. Tomorrow I'll cycle to Logrono.

The mountainous Bilbao

Day 3: Lekeitio – Bilbao
Time: 4:57:27
Distance: 77.3km
Average Speed: 15.6km/h

For our last day in Basque we wanted to get out early so we took it easy in Lekeitio last night (which was easy because being a Sunday it was pretty dead). The climbing today was relentless but we spent a lot of time by the coast which brightened things up. Abraham hit the floor on a cycle path just before bermeo but he didn't complain and kept on going. It looks like his wrist might be broken. We'll find out tomorrow for sure. The last few kms were the worst because of the climbing and lack of a shoulder on the roads into Bilbao. We found the Airbnb quick enough thanks to the sharp directions of Romain and had beers, pacharan and Spanish food before hitting Bilbao.

Last time using John´s strava. Hopefully my phone behaves for the rest of the trip:

https://www.strava.com/activities/754948519