Losing Track

It’s difficult to keep up, not so much with the other two bikes, but with how much we’re seeing and the places we’re staying. 

Today was another eight hours on the road, interspersed with coffee and lunch breaks. It was 250 miles for the fab four and maybe 270 for The Gooseberry.

We all rode together through some stunningly colourful scenery, the very dark orange of the soil contrasting vividly with the parched yellow fields, green and yellow trees and beautiful blue sky with billowing white clouds. The smooth undulating road surface with sweeping bends made it a joy to be riding a bike in the very comfortable 20c temperature.

Although our final destination for the day was not too far short of the foothills of the Pyrenees, we intended to visit Bardenas Reales to see a striking rock formation. The satnav brought us to the start of a very rough dirt track. Normally this wouldn’t be such a problem for ‘go anywhere’ bikes such as the ones we were riding, but being fully loaded and with Nige and Ernie having precious cargo it didn’t seem such a great idea, especially as it was another half an hour’s ride on such a dodgy surface.

I agreed that it was best they didn’t attempt it so we parted company as the four headed off for our stopover, probably 80 miles away, and The Gooseberry gave it a bash.

Bardenas Reales is a little bigger than I expected and I felt that I was in a bit of a desert struggling to find the precise rock it was renowned for! But eventually after almost an hour in the wilderness, in 30 degree heat, I actually stumbled across it by accident.

I later read on Wiki that it describes Bardenas Reales as a semi natural region or badlands of 420 square kilometres, no wonder I got lost! 

After finding ‘my precious’ I eventually made it back to tarmac and rode in a rather spirited fashion for the 80 miles to our amazing accommodation.

A four bedroomed traditional house in the village of Lorre which we have to ourselves.