What a day. Where do I start. Well firstly the camp site I stayed in last night was great. So I took my time this morning. I hit the road about 10ish and the hills were there to great me first thing but that's normal now. As I rode I noticed a great photo op so I stopped to take a photo and then dropped the camera. Bang it hit the ground hard.. Wow I said, I now need a camera to go along with as new pair of shades but to my surprise the camera still works even thru the pop up flash has taken a knock and doesn't clip back right.. At least it still works.
So on with my journey and I started to think to myself, crap comes in three so I thought I would play it really safe today. The day was going great and I felt good I rode in to a town called Mojacar which is a lovely placed and had a cycle path. So I went on to it and stopped to take my helmet off a listen to some music. After a mile or two the path ended and I went back on the road. There was virtually no traffic as its a Monday and late afternoon. As I went on my way two motorcycle cops past me. Thinking nothing of it I was in my own little world. Then I hear the sound of a police siren. I look back and the coper wants me to pull over, so I did. He asks me where my riding hat is and points to my ears phones as well. To cut a long story short he is telling me that the fine is €400.00 euros. €200 for each. I think my face said it all and then he said that he would only fine me for the hat which is €200.00 but if I pay know I get a discount of 50% €100.00 changing my arm I said I didn't have that sort of money on me and could give him €30.00 I TAKE YOU CASH MACHINE.. was the reply. So off I went with a police escort, one in front and one behind in search of a cash machine. Image the sight of a cyclist with a police escort, people must of thought I was an arch criminal. Cash point found and I handed the €100 Euros over. I could see one of the coppers was a little sad at taking my money but he still did. I nearly took a photo of the thing but thought better if it as I didn't fancy a night in the cell. I thanked the nice police men for showing me the errors of my ways and office went. Hat firmly on my head.
So let me recap the on go cost of being an idiot.
Lost sun glasses £150.00
Damaged camera £00.00 it still works
Police trust fund.. Sorry I meant fine. £100.00
So as I cursed under my breath just in case the police could hear me 10 miles away I started to feel a vibration. I knew the front wheel had a very slightly buckle but nothing that would make it feel like that, also this felt like the back wheel. So I looked down and could see it was the rear tyre. I pulled over and noticed that the side wall of thee tyre was coming away from thee wheel. This is all I need I said. I was about 30 miles from a town / camping site but the tyre was not losing air. So I carried on slowly. As I rode along a saw this guy coming the other way on a touring bike. We stopped and said hello. It turns out he is Portuguese and speaks perfect English. He is making his way from Switzerland to Portugal for a short break then going off to Africa. Luis was a breath of fresh air and made me remember why I'm doing this trip.. We had a laugh chatting for 15 minutes and then we went on our way. So taking it easy and not speeding down mountain roads as normal I was started to think that when I get to my stop I would change the inner tube at the capping site and fix the wobble. What caused this tyre to bulg out like this I thought. Well the day before I come down that rocky mountain road and the tyre must of hit a big rock but why not bulb out then, why wait a day to show its self. Well there was nothing I could do until I stopped and I was still moving, thank god. I come into Aguilas and my Goole maps said there was a camping site there. So I followed the map and finally saw road signs.. Great I said. I can now stop fix the tyre and set up, but one last hill to get to the site as always. I get to the site and to my amazement it said CLOSED. F@@k me, when it rains it pours.. I had just ridden 65 mile 20 of them with a now very wobbly wheels, its late, I'm tired and the next camping site is 30 miles away. Not to mention the hills, heat and the coppers who by now were enjoying a few cold beers thanks to my donation. Well I said to myself, you just have to come up with a plan. I checked to see where the next town was and it was about 5 miles away. Hopefully there will be a hostel, hotel or a nice place to hide and camping in the wildernesses.
I got to the town and looked at Google maps. It said there was a small hotel. Now one thing about Google maps for portable devices. There was an option to make the maps work offline which meant down loading the area on your device. But Google has just updated google maps and the offline option is no longer there. What does this mean.. I can hear you ask.. The standard map when not connected to the internet is basic, so it only shows the main roads not the small side roads and the hotel I was looking for was not on a major road. I rode around the area looking for the hotel and had given up and was making my way out of town when I saw a sign for it.. Again one more hill to climb before getting to the hotel. Why is it that my stop is always at as top of a hill.???
So I'm finally stopped for thee night after 11 hours on the road, a wobbly wheel, a slightly broken camera and €100 euro is lighter. Just to add a little more paid. The problem with the wheel is not the inner tube, its the tyre its self. It looks like the tyre is made in two parts, an inner and outer wall. The outer wall has come away a bugling out. But maybe lady luck is shine on me because the tyre didn't go flat and the hotel owner has said he will drive me In to town to see if we can find tyre.
WHAT A CRAZY DAY. Still smiling..
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