This is my new ride. To say I have taken a step down in the cycling world is an understatement! Some of you will laugh. Yes I have traded thin tires, smooth shifting and 32 gears for a bohemith, but I am riding a bike! I have no reason to complain; I’m in Spain, it’s sunny, warm and I have endless time to pant my way up hills!

This is phase 2 of the biking. (I know I haven’t posted the Mallorca trip yet!) I’m now in the south of Spain, Andalucia region. I have 2 weeks to saunter my way through Cordoba, Granada, Orgiva and Malaga. I’ve rented this bike and I’ll carry panniers with all my stuff. 

It’s been 2 weeks since I’ve been on a bike. I took a “warm up ride”  on the new steed today. I saw lots of cyclists, probably a local training ride. I HOPE it is a training ride because it went up, a lot, I was working hard, and that was without my panniers! I could measure my sweat in buckets, dripping down my face, running down my legs, soaking my clothes. Thank god for breathable fabrics! Come to think of it all those cyclists I saw were going the opposite direction. Hmmmm, a coincidence? Unlikely. The reward for my effort; a rolling ridge ride along the top and a stellar descent. My disc brakes were singing…. though I think that is a statement of bike quality. 

Can you see the sweat dripping off my face!!! I could stop a drought with this much sweat!

I leave Cordoba tomorrow; 72 kilometers to Baena…. maybe beyond (let’s not push it – my legs are already a little tired!) And so the next step of journey begins… 

(For a quick map reference for Andalucia click here)