Bilbao - Malaga 2017
10.10.2017 Bilbao - Guenes
Spain from north to south has long been a goal. We flew with Brussels Air from Oslo via Brussels to Bilbao.
   
We arrived at Bilbao at 13:00 and had pre-booked hotel in Guenes approx. 30 km from the airport.
There was a short stop in Bilbao to adjust the liquid balance.
   
11.10.2017 Guenes - Borgos
After a some what confused check in at hotels, with limited Spanish knowledge, we managed to sort it out with the hotel manager.
We woke up to close fog in the morning, but it dissolved after a while. The temp was 4 degrees, when we started in the morning, but it reached 28 degrees in the afternoon. Basque Country was one of the best cycling experiences on the trip. Great scenery and little traffic on the road to Burgos. The first part of the stretch has an elevation of about 700 meters.
   
12.10.2017 Burgos - Penafiel
After a short trip around Burgos we continued on to Penafiel. We calculated the cycle route from Google Maps and did not take in acount gravel roads. TTherefore, the distance per day was a little longer than planned and we ended up with dark cycling the first nights.
 
13.10.2017 Penafiel - Beserril
Penafiel had an amazing castle lying on a hill in the middle of the city. After breakfast we went on to a pre-booked hotel in Beserril. The day offered everything. Gravel roads, Segovia  and proper hillside. At 19:00 we were at 1027 meters and had a continuous counterbreak of 18 km up to 1880 meters in the waiting. We were at the top at 21:00 and had an exceptional downturn to Beserril. We rolled about 700 meters down to the hotel with limited light on the bike, with initial cramps in our hands due to all braking.
   
14.10.2017 Beserril - Toledo
The trip to Toledo was characterized by flat highlands and farms. Everything went well until we were going to cycle into Teledo. The road we cycled on changed to motorway so we had to find an alternative road. There was a lot of trouble cycling on some very bad gravel roads, until we finely found the right "road" into the towncenter.
 
     
   
15.10.2017 Toledo - Ciudad Real
Due to the late arrival of Toledo, we only saw the city in daylight on our cyclimg out of town.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toledo,_Spain
   
 
 16.10.2017

Ciudad Real - Azuel
Nice cycling also here with flat landscapes with little traffic. Relative late arrival also to Ciudad Real. Establishment in hotel, shower and dinner. That's what I can remember about the city.
   
           
 
   
17.10.2017 Azuel - Cordoba
We stayed in a mountain village of Fuencaliente, before the trip went on Cordoba, On our way to Cordoba, we were in town of Montoro. We arrived in Cordoba just in time befor a havey rain weather. We went for a walk around the famous mosque of Cordoba. It covers an entire quarter. See photos Cordoba Mosque.
   
     
18.10.2017 Cordoba - Pendrera
The trip to Prendera also offered variety. The morning started with rain, gravel road cycling and long uphills in the end. Pendrera there is not much to say about. The hotel was located in an agricultural / industrial area with many runaway dogs.
   
             
   
19.10.2017 Pendrera - Malaga
The trip from Pendrera to Malaga was a nice leg. Downhill and tailwind (slightly). It was actually the first day of the trip we had tailwinds.
   
  There were a total of 8 punctures on the trip and I did not stand for any of them ..... "Puncture 8" was the valve looseing ;-)
   
20.10.2017 Malaga flyplass

Great trip from north to south of Spain. Awarded great landscapes, good temps up to 30 degrees, little traffic and beautiful medieval towns. 9 out of 10 days of sunshine and some headwind.
   
  Relaxation at the hotel before returning.
  Totalt 1113 km