8 August

It were a funny day today as Ronnie Barker might say. Breakfast was no good so I skipped it. Found a coffee and a coissant (yeah I know I cant spell !) somewhere along the route so not a disaster. Then a couple of hours later I found a little cafe in a town that looked inviting so that was a wine some tapas and a coffee..... Lunch was better. I reckon it was in Cangas but will have to check. a wine and a Tortilla and a coffee. The restaurant seemed to sell a lot of Cider (Sidra) and had a little act of pouring it from a bottle held in the air, I will add a pic if it comes out. The ripper ride followed and it was not the local Vino Tinto either. The restaurant was flat out. I had some great countryside riding some really pleasant coastal riding, and some exceptional gorge riding down from the hills toward San Vincente, truly memorable and as good as I have ridden anywhere. You know you are on the right road when 6 BMW come toward you all waving ! It was fiesta in the hills today. Must have encountered about 4 of them. The town centre is closed off and they go crazy. People music, floats, bunting, all the fun of the fiesta ! The only disappointing thing is that stopping is not possible. I have a rule to only have one glass of wine when I stop and eat so as a side effect I am putting on weight ! Anyway the GPS finally drove me mad so I stopped, well short of Laredo on the sea front where I was heading, but I gave up. Bloody Garmin ! The biggest GPS Company in the world perhaps and their maps are allways at least 2 years out of date. I would really like them to give up and let Google do their maps. Oh and the bloody voice. Turn left in yeah yeah but today took the cake....the road was CA VI which I would say was C A 6 (roman numeral) but no she says turn onto "car vee"..... There was a saying "do it properly or don't do it"....take note Garmin ! Had to ask the Barman in the Hotel where I was, and then I couldn't find it on the map. I was mad all right. There is allways a good side though, as half an hour later it hosed down. It has been threatening all day, even got a few spits.....but so far dry all the way. Maybe tomorrow will dawn fine. Trying to get to San Sebastian for a city walk then up the coast to Bordeaux. Time is running out and I need to be in London midday Friday 14th. It has been a helluva ride. In fact I am now so bike fit that I wondered if I had left the bags in the hotel. The extra weight does make her a bit sluggish and a bit heavy in the corners, but not today. The coast of Spain in the north on the Bay of Biscay is rugged and beautiful. A bit like the coast of Victoria in a way. But rugged with some great little sandy inlets. The roading that is being done here would make your eyes water. motorways being built almost as you watch, kilometer after kilometer of it. I do not know who they are expecting but I hope they come. I was told once it was EEC roading grants. They must have a lot of money ! Footnote : Did I say putting on weight I asked for some dinner, Tipico ( the expression used to describe the local favourite dish) and was told yes we have tonite it is 1 KG of meat, but not so big because it has a bone !!