Day 19 - River run

31 December 2021

Great sleep. Porridge for breakfast. Possible Shell has seen enough buffet form.

We pick the bikes up. All good. Bilbo Bikes excellent. Head to the train station. Time to get to Portugal.

Shell puts her hand up to negotiate the itinerary. Soon after she returns. Bad news. You cannot put bikes on any train out of Bilbao. We are both a little shocked. You can get to Bilbao with a bike on a train. But once you are here, you cannot leave with a bike on a train.

We sit down and have a think. Shell suggests Eurocar. Hire a van. I chat with the guy. Good man. We can make it happen. Drive out Sunday to Vigo. Will be in Portugal in a few days. As I am discussing the fine print. Watch people get on and off trains with bikes. Honestly. What is going on here?

It is 11.30 am and we decide to ride to the coast along the river. A beautiful day. 23C. Flat 20 km there. 40 km round trip. My man at Eurocar lives out that way. Recommends a place to eat.

A beautiful ride. Under 90 minutes. Along the river. Stunning views. Restaurant Meñakoz does not disappoint. Great food and excellent wine. It is hard to leave. Sitting on the coast. Eating great food. Drinking Basque wine.

The ride back was just as good. Last 5 km we hit a headwind. No drama. We get back. Could the day get any better? Afternoon sun. Tired legs. The views just keep coming.

“I like geography best, he said, because your mountains & rivers know the secret. Pay no attention to boundaries.” ― Brian Andreas

Shower. Time for some food. I head out looking for bread. Cheese. Charcuterie. Fruit. Vegetables. Everything is shut. New Year's Eve. The place is alive. Thousands on the streets. Kicking on from lunch. It is only 6.00 pm. This place has a pulse.

Good thing about Spain is even supermarkets sell good produce.

Get home. Start drinking the unfinished wine from the night before. Famished. Dive into the food. I wonder to Shell what Australia is doing to their fruit and vegetables. We are eating tomatoes and they taste like something from Davey’s garden in season. The tomatoes from supermarkets in Australia are watery. Disgusting. What are they doing to them?

We lay about. Thinking about the day. 40 km just to get get back in the saddle. Such a beautiful ride. I could live in Bibao. We won’t make midnight. I don’t care. It is just another day.

Today's ride -