France Spain (Pyrenes)

Aínsa – Tortosa – Andorra

Up and packed by 7.45 to join the fight with the American hiking group for the 8 am opening of the breakfast room, and straight onto the bikes by 8.30. Long ride today through the good lands and the badlands.

Fantastic ride through another national park which took us through the foothills of the Pyrenees. Stopped for a refuel and a coffee and then down into a desert ride for two hours. It looks just like Nevada; mensa’s and not much else except for potholes and chicken farms, but just as we went into a funk about our environs we went onto a path that went through vineyards and an amazing run though some coastal mountains. Boxy commented on completion, “how did you handle those wobbly bits.”. We thought that Boxy had been discombobulated by the wobbly bits. It was a long day! We arrived in Tortosa, which is a very ordinary city, but we stayed at the old fort over the town which was great.

The siesta has become a popular thing with the foxes in Spain because we arrive at our destination at a 3pm and the first dinner booking we can get is 8pm, so rather than drink for 5 hours we retire for a sleep, except for Mike who is researching the town.

Dinner was in the kings room. Boxy thought this was only appropriate, until he found it was run like “Faulty Towers” suffice to say we didn’t mention the war.

The ride to Andorra was some of the best rides we have done. We are back to the Pyrenees and had a valley run that was spectacular and just kept going. The road was excellent and the turns were cambered nicely. We road that stretch hard for about 45 mins, taking in the scenery as we went.

Then we hit traffic and did a steady crawl up to the border gate.

Andorra is a weird place. It is essentially multiple duty free stores and petrol stations built into a 10km gorge with one road and some expensive houses on the hills either side. Some one called it a poor man’s Monaco. Our accomodation was above the town at least and was very nice and our host Dominguez very hospitable judging by his gin pours.

Dinner at an open fire grill restaurant which again was superb.