We hadn’t really decided when to head south, but on Monday afternoon it clouded over. We abandoned our planned scenic route from Irun to San Sebastian and set our sights on Cadiz.
Before crossing into Spain there was the issue of the non-existent bike cover and warning panel (a requirement in Spain). While Bev did a ‘big shop’ at Intermarche Steve mended the old cover with several metres of gaffer tape and we departed at 1130, returning to the A63. Stopping for lunch at Aire de Labenne we gave up on the old cover which had ripped again. Steve used the new Decathlon cover and modified the pocket for the warning panel from the old with straps and bungees to make what would hopefully last us for many more miles.
We heard from Sarah and Pete that they had left Bilbao with John and Claire en route for Cadiz to meet up with Howard and Sue. As the sunshine and blue skies faded to clouds and mist we decided to do the same. We headed south on the E5/E80/A1 speeding across the border into Spain and passing the rocky outcrops of the Obarenes Sierra de Cantabria with the town of Pancorbo tucked into the desfilidero. We weren’t going to catch up with the others today and after passing Burgos, Valpalencia and Valladolid we took the VA30 to Segovia rather than Salamanca where we’d been before. This was an excellent choice and Segovia certainly deserves another longer visit. There’s a free city parking area for camper vans just 15 minutes from the amazing aqueduct. We took an evening stroll, finding a bar for tapas before an early night for tomorrow’s 500 mile drive to Cadiz.
Departing on Tuesday 4 February, we made a quick trip to a churreria for lovely churros & chocolate for breakfast in the van as we took the AP61 towards Madrid. With full sun and cloudless blue skies, we crossed long wide plains with mountains clad in snow on the A5 northwest of Toledo. We then ran parallel to the Sierra de Gredos, a truly spectacular road! Stopping for a lunch and fuel stop at Oropesa we watched vultures and storks flying above the olive groves with snowy peaks on the distant horizon. We passed close to Trujillo on the A5/E90 then on south to Mèrida, Seville and finally reached the Puerto de Santa Maria campsite at 1730 to join the rest of the Gaffer gang! Ten of us gathered in the campsite bar for a very jolly evening.
After a couple of long driving days, we’re staying here until the weekend. This morning, we swap our parking place for one with a bit less shade (!) fill up with water and have a forced clean out of the back. This followed discovery of a leak, caused just by a burst can of orange juice rather than anything more serious. We got the bikes out and enjoyed a ride round the local area comprising modern holiday accommodation and a marina amongst some woods and beach areas with views across to Cadiz. The bullring is pretty impressive though, being one of the largest in Spain built in 1880. This evening Bev joined Pete, Sarah and Howard for the OGA East Coast Committee meeting via Zoom while Steve spent the evening with John and Claire!