Golfo de Almeria

Yesterday I took the train from Granada into Almeria. Then I had an off road ride thru gravel, rocks and sand ( ever tried pushing a 45 kilo bike thru sand! ). When I got to the camping site they charged me €23.00 for one night and a further €3.50 for the WiFi. The night before I stayed in hostel with my own bathroom double bed and free WiFi and it cost me €30.00. Then to add to the pain I lost my sunglasses. I'm sure I put them on the reception desk.. I did ask them if the found my glasses put lady luck was not on my side.

So I left the camping site a little pissed off and hoped that my on ward journey was not going to be a repeat of the day before. The path started off the same as the day before with gravel, rocks and sand but soon the familiar feel of smooth tarmac was under my bike. The sun was hot and it was only 10am and then the hills were back but with the Sierra's as a backdrop it still felt good. After one long climb i decided to strip down to my riding shorts. I was sweating so much that my top was making feel uncomfortable. So here I was in just in my riding shorts trying to put suncream on back as cars past me on top of a mountain side with only room for one car at a time. Sun cream on I set off, after about an hour on the road it suddenly come to an end. There was a mirador / light house there and people looking at the views. There was a small gravel path which i saw people walking on and a hut bedside it. As I approached it, two Spanish girl who clearly work there, looked at me with a strange look. Must of been the site of a two tone bald headed guy riding a bike with bags all over it and no top on and sweating like I just got out of the shower that got me those looks.
As I approached them I asked them if people can cycle on that path. Yes she replied but all of them use mountain bikes. Its 15 kilometre long and in places very steep and very gravely. Is there a road at the end of it I asked. Yes they both replied. So with that off I went to the sound of be careful in stereo. The gravel path soon changed to rough tarmac but man was it steep. I climbed for an hour or so and at times I wondered if this was a good idea, but then the summit was insight. At the top I was greeted by some hikers who had come the other way. As we said hello I asked where they had come from because the rough tarmac road had stopped. The chap pointed to a wooden gate of sorts. Past the gate there was a rocky path that lead down the mountain. I asked if it got any worse than that and he said no. So off a went. It was mostly OK but a mountain bike was what I really needed not a touring bike with 45 kilos of bags on it. After 20 minutes on rocky ground and on the brakes for most of it my front wheel hit a large rock which help me have a meeting with the dirt. As I felt the front wheel go off to my left I jumped off the bike to the right like a cat on a hot tin roof. My cat like reactions prevented any injury and the bike was OK too.

Taking stock I thought this would be a good time to have a break. Pot Noddles on the side of a rocky mountain path with views to die for. The rest of the day was much the the same. Hot hilly and gravel roads but the views are amazing. There are hidden beaches which only the locals know about and look like paradise. I past a lovely little seaside town called San Pedro which the Spanish have kept a secret. No holidays makers allowed here my friends. So this hard to reach Golfo de Almeria is a little treasure that the Spanish like to keep quite about and the odd cyclist..