Monte Gordo, Portugal to Zafra, Spain: Biking to a Flamenco Beat

26 February - 1 March 2019

The morning ferry across the Guardiana River took us from Portugal into Spain. With that simple crossing we entered a new country, with a different language and customs, and its own strong sense of pride. Andalucía is the part of Spain most influenced by the Mediterranean and its moorish past. And like other regions in Spain, Andalucía has a strong identity, especially with respect to Flamenco song and dance.

From a cyclists point of view, Spain also has roads and biking trails that are - for the most part - in pretty good condition. This made the biking easier than in Portugal. It also meant biking through more developed, and fewer remote areas.

Acres of Oranges (26 February 2019, 72.4 km, 45 mi)

The ride to the ferry from our hotel was 4.5 km on paved roads, so we were able to get there quickly. But this was not a commuter ferry with a brisk schedule. The ferry is used mostly by tourists heading to Spain for a day trip. We had a 45 minute wait before we were able to cross the river. While we waited, PedalingGuy checked all the bolts on his bike, to make sure nothing had come loose over the past few days of bumpy dirt roads. I had the chance to chat with a couple from Holland who were spending a month in Portugal, and heading over to Spain for the day. The husband had biked quite a bit in the past, and spoke fondly of biking around Ireland. Something to look forward to.

We made it to Spain! We couldn’t find an official “Welcome to Spain” sign, so we thought this one would do. Copyright 2018-2019 by Pedals and Puffins. All rights reserved.

Unfortunately, in addition to being slowed down at the ferry we lost an hour when we entered Spain because we crossed from the Western European time zone to the Central European zone. Even though it seemed like we had barely gotten our day started, it was approaching noon when we finally got rolling in Spain.

There were immediate differences in the landscape. The most noticeable was that farms in Spain are much bigger than in Portugal. Portuguese orange orchards and farm fields tended to be small, individual operations. In Spain they were huge. The Spanish are clearly more involved in industrial agriculture. Impressive orchards of bountiful oranges, olives, or pomegranates would stretch from the road to the horizon. We also rode past many kilometers where the road was lined with greenhouses, clearly growing produce for major markets. It was such as stark contrast to our previous weeks of riding that we both kept stopping to marvel at the extent of it all. The land seems very productive.

This was just one of many, gigantic orange orchards that we passed in southern Spain. The trees stretched from one horizon to another. Copyright 2018-2019 by Pedals and Puffins. All rights reserved.

Another thing that slowed us down was a stop in the town of Lepe to buy PedalingGuy a new set of leg warmers. The pair of lightweight leg warmers he bought before the trip weren’t tight enough, and kept sliding down - a relatively common problem with leg warmers. In Lepe the trail went right past a Decathlon store - a large chain of sporting goods stores here in Europe. PedalingGuy got himself a new pair of leggings, the kind that go all the way up to your waist. Since then, he hasn’t had to worry about the distraction of slipping leg warmers while biking. We’re both happier because of it.

With all of the delays, we arrived in the town of Trigueros quite late. Luckily the main hotel in town still had a quiet room in the back for us. The Hostel Ciudad Trigueros has a flamenco theme. In the main hall downstairs there is a plaque explaining the history and importance of this musical form. The rooms were all named with flamenco themes. Ours was “Siguiriya,” a style of flamenco song focused on heartache, sorrow and lost love.

We were glad to arrive at the Hostal Ciudad Trigueros at the end of the day. Hostals in Spain are small, independent hotels - very different from hostels (in case you missed it, look closely to see the spelling difference, Hostal versus Hostel). Cop… — We were glad to arrive at the Hostal Ciudad Trigueros at the end of the day. Hostals in Spain are small, independent hotels - very different from hostels (in case you missed it, look closely to see the spelling difference, Hostal versus Hostel). Copyright 2018-2019 by Pedals and Puffins. All rights reserved.

After dinner, we took a walk around town. Trigueros is an important commercial hub in the agricultural zone of Andalucía, and it had the feel of a prosperous village. We enjoyed strolling past the well-lit, historical buildings and public plazas. It was a lovely way to end the day.

The Church of San Antonio Abad in Trigueros, Spain. It incorporates some of the walls of an old, moorish fortress built in the 13th century. This facade is more recent. Copyright 2018-2019 by Pedals and Puffins. All rights reserved.

Into the Mountains (27 February 2019, 54 km, 33.7 mi)

Today we officially started climbing into the mountains of central Spain. Our route increased steadily in elevation all day, gaining about 400 meters (1,300 ft). The EuroVelo 1 route from Trigueros to Valverde del Camino followed a dedicated bike path called the Camino Natural de los Molinos de Agua, for about 28 km. Happily, the condition of the trail was mostly pretty good. The majority of the trail was packed gravel, with some paved sections. The surface was especially well-maintained as we approached Valverde, where the trail was called the Vía Verde. A local cyclist who stoped to speak with us told us that the reason the trail is so good here is that the local municipalities, including Trigueros and Valverde, maintain the trail. He thought that if the trail was the responsibility of the national government, it wouldn’t be as well maintained.

Several signs along the Camino Natural talked about the natural features that could be seen along the trail. This one had information about the Umbrella Pines that grow along a narrow elevation band in these mountains. The pines are a source of pine… — Several signs along the Camino Natural talked about the natural features that could be seen along the trail. This one had information about the Umbrella Pines that grow along a narrow elevation band in these mountains. The pines are a source of pine nuts, and apparently Spain is the world’s leading producer of pine nuts for human consumption. Copyright 2018-2019 by Pedals and Puffins. All rights reserved.

The EuroVelo 1 near Valverde del Camino in Spain is very well maintained. Here we are crossing a highway on the trail’s dedicated bridge. Copyright 2018-2019 by Pedals and Puffins. All rights reserved.

We stopped for lunch at a kabob restaurant in Valverde. The kabob wrap was really good. But the star of the lunch was an awesome baked potato, piled high with veggies, shawarma meat, cheese, and sauce. Entertainment was provided by a large colony of Common House Martins in the eaves of a building across the street.

A colony of Common House Martins was actively building and repairing their nests in preparation for rearing a new set of chicks this spring. Copyright 2018-2019 by Pedals and Puffins. All rights reserved.

Based on the riding in Spain so far, we were beginning to think that all of the trails would be smooth and fast. But we were mistaken. As we headed north out of Valverde del Camino, the route deteriorated pretty quickly. At first it was just bumpy dirt. Then we hit some steeper slopes with a few spots of treacherously loose gravel. After a few kilometers we were slogging through a narrow canyon with goopy mud. Given that the trail was running parallel to a highway with a good shoulder, we decided to bail out, and rode the rest of the way to Minas de Riotinto on fast, paved roads.

Not all bike trails in Spain are so well groomed. This part of the EuroVelo 1 route, just north of Valverde del Camino, was pretty slow going. Copyright 2018-2019 by Pedals and Puffins. All rights reserved.

Minas de Riotinto is an important town in this part of Spain because of the economic activity associated with its mines. In fact, the town was the original headquarters of the multinational Rio Tinto Mining Companty. But the town, itself, has only about 4,000 inhabitants, so the lodging options were fairly limited. We ended up staying in a small hotel located in the basement of a restaurant in town.

Over the Top of Spain’s Central Mountains (28 February 2019, 52.6 km, 32.7 mi)

The route out of town passed right by the huge, open-pit mines that are still producing copper ore. The bottom of the mines were incredibly deep, and the valleys they created stretched far into the distance. It takes your breath away to see the scale of the changes to the landscape. They have clearly been mining here for a long time.

A view over the edge of the cliff created by the Rio Tinto mine. That truck on the road in the valley is as big as a house. Copyright 2018-2019 by Pedals and Puffins. All rights reserved.

Heading north out of town, we climbed over several mountain passes in the Sierra de Aracena. These are part of a major east-to-west mountainous region that cuts across the center of Spain. Total climbing for the day was 1,024 m (3,360 ft). The highest pass we went through was at 700 m (2,300 ft), through the popular mountain town of Aracena. Biking through Aracena reminded us of mountain towns in the USA where people go for an afternoon or weekend to enjoy the clear, cooler mountain air. The main street through town was lined with cafes crammed with visitors, sipping drinks and savoring lunch in the shadow of the Aracena castle.

On the far side of Aracena, we had a fun, long descent off the mountain.

A view of the Parque Natural de la Sierra Aracena y Pecos de Aroche, the large natural area covering the mountains around Aracena, Spain. Copyright 2018-2019 by Pedals and Puffins. All rights reserved.

Biking up one of the many, long slopes of the Sierra Aracena, central Spain. Copyright 2018-2019 by Pedals and Puffins. All rights reserved.

Now that we’re in the mountains, we are officially out of orange grove country. Agriculture in this region is dominated by oaks and olive trees. The expansive groves of trees also provide shade for a wide range of grazing animals. In addition to the usual cows, goats and sheep, we have started seeing groups of the famous black Iberian pigs grazing among the trees. These free-range pigs are the source of Spain’s and Portugal’s Iberian Ham (Jamón Ibérico). And according to the rules of production, their diet needs to come primarily from acorns, olives, or chestnuts to give the meat its distinctive flavor.

A small heard of free-range, back Iberian pigs. It was fun to see the pigs scampering about among the trees. The areas in which these pigs grazed looked like pig heaven. Lots of shade, grassy fields and oak trees groves to meander within. Copyright … — A small heard of free-range, back Iberian pigs. It was fun to see the pigs scampering about among the trees. The areas in which these pigs grazed looked like pig heaven. Lots of shade, grassy fields and oak trees groves to meander within. Copyright 2018-2019 by Pedals and Puffins. All rights reserved.

Our destination for the day was Cañaveral de León. Upon reaching this town, we are now officially on the Camino de Santiago route. Cañaveral de León has about 400 residents, and does not have a hotel. But they run an Albergue (a hostel) for pilgrims on the Camino.

We arrived in town to find the Albergue closed and deserted. Not knowing what to do next, we asked a woman passing by if she knew about the Albergue. Marissa knew who to call, and she arranged for us to meet the Mayor of the town, Mercedes Márquez (Merchí), who would let us in.

The scallop shell has been a symbol for pilgrims on the Camino de Santiago for centuries. The Albergues that host pilgrims, and some businesses, display a stylized scallop shell to indicate their support. This image of a scallop shell indicated that… — The scallop shell has been a symbol for pilgrims on the Camino de Santiago for centuries. The Albergues that host pilgrims, and some businesses, display a stylized scallop shell to indicate their support. This image of a scallop shell indicated that we had arrived at the Albergue for Camino de Santiago pilgrims in Cañaveral de León. Copyright 2018-2019 by Pedals and Puffins. All rights reserved.

Merchí was not going to be available for about an hour. While we were waiting outside the town hall, Marissa called over a group of young locals. A chaotic conversation ensued as everyone competed with each other to try to talk with us. Through them, we learned about the restaurants in town.

A group from Cañaveral de León crowded around us to talk. It was fun to see their enthusiasm for their hometown. Copyright 2018-2019 by Pedals and Puffins. All rights reserved.

When the Mayor arrived, she took our photo in front of the welcome sign for pilgrims, and stamped our Camino de Santiago credencials. She then let us into the Albergue, a gymnasium in the basement of the local theater.

Our arrival on the Camino de Santiago. Behind us is a sign welcoming pilgrims to the town. Copyright 2018-2019 by Pedals and Puffins. All rights reserved.

We now have two official stamps in our Camino de Santiago credencials. Copyright 2018-2019 by Pedals and Puffins. All rights reserved.

We were also fortunate to be in town this night, because they were celebrating Andalucía Day, an important regional holiday. The Mayor, told us that later that evening kids from the local dance school would be performing Flamenco in the theater upstairs, and we were welcome to attend. The auditorium was packed, and probably held 250-300 of the town’s 400 residents. We got a big kick out of seeing the different age groups perform their routines for an audience of adoring relatives. It reminded us a lot of dance recitals back home.

Flamenco dance students from Cañaveral de León performed in the local theater for their town’s celebration of Andalucía Day. Copyright 2018-2019 by Pedals and Puffins. All rights reserved.

After the Flamenco recital, night had settled on the town. The town’s quaint old streets looked lovely in the dark. Copyright 2018-2019 by Pedals and Puffins. All rights reserved.

Leaving Andalucía (1 March 2019, 70.5 km, 44 mi)

Heading out of Cañaveral de León we were immediately thrown onto a long, steep, uphill climb. The views back towards town were gorgeous, with the mountainous ridges fading away into the distance. But this mountain pass, plus several others that we had to cross in the first part of the day, slowed our progress to a crawl. It took us two hours to bike the 8 km to the next town of Fuentes de León.

The hill out of Cañaveral de León averaged a 7% grade. This mountain pass, plus a couple more, made the first part of the day go by slowly. Copyright 2018-2019 by Pedals and Puffins. All rights reserved.

The view back towards Cañaveral de León, from the big hill heading out of town. Copyright 2018-2019 by Pedals and Puffins. All rights reserved.

The Sierra de Aracena mountains, disappearing into the distance. Copyright 2018-2019 by Pedals and Puffins. All rights reserved.

Ancient-looking stone walls separated the fields and olive groves in these mountainous areas. Copyright 2018-2019 by Pedals and Puffins. All rights reserved.

In crossing these mountains, we left Andalucía behind, and entered the region known as Extremadura. The landscape became drier, and the groves of trees disappeared. They were replaced by pastures and fields that stretched from one horizon to another.