Weather showed a bit more promise today but there were still dark clouds about but a 
has to be taken as a positive at the moment which is what we got this morning.
We decided this route but only planned on going as far as Torres Torres because coming back today would be uphill and it was a gradient where we would need our beloved Bosch batteries.
We got on the via Verde at the same place and found uphill and downhill sections, some lovely cuttings but no tunnels today. Again good views of the valley towns to our left and a stiff breeze to our right.
As we got closer to Torres Torres we cycled through forests of orange trees which as Spanish beginners in March we weren't expecting in this part of Spain but every day is a school day.
There was a great driveway with 12 hairpins mapped out in white to view across the valley
Our first town was Algimia de Alfara and we noted a bar in our way for the return journey but stopped outside the church to wish my mum a happy mother's day and we were treated to a little firework display with their bangers as a mum and dad if a 3 year old set them off on the marble type floor scorching the tiles. Out comes the priest and he just wishes them a good day and carries on with opening up the church.
We then decided to follow the via Verde to Estivella via Torres Torres. Unfortunately it is all on road and no separation of traffic or even a defensive white line. There was only the church we noted but read about some wetlands but that would be too far. It was as we were descending into Estivella on a reasonable downhill stretch I noticed Paula freewheeling faster than I could pedal. We also noticed that I m using a lot more battery than her. I mentioned this and she said she thought my back tyre was flat.
But this didn't stop her noticing an open cake shop, not orange honey shop not the copious amounts of 3kg of oranges for 2 euros in Torres Torres.
Unfortunately we made a right mess of eating the cake between us
And Paula got the first injury of the throughnal by not watching where she was walking
We got to about 2kms from home when my battery ran out (total 46 KMs today) whereas Paula had 69 per cent of hers left.
All was revealed upon return as I only had 25/psi in both tyres. I thought it has been killing my legs more than expected. Pumped up to 53 in readiness for an easy ride tomorrow.
Oranges and the orange honey (9 euros for 960 grams)
has to be taken as a positive at the moment which is what we got this morning. We decided this route but only planned on going as far as Torres Torres because coming back today would be uphill and it was a gradient where we would need our beloved Bosch batteries.
We got on the via Verde at the same place and found uphill and downhill sections, some lovely cuttings but no tunnels today. Again good views of the valley towns to our left and a stiff breeze to our right.
As we got closer to Torres Torres we cycled through forests of orange trees which as Spanish beginners in March we weren't expecting in this part of Spain but every day is a school day.
There was a great driveway with 12 hairpins mapped out in white to view across the valley
Our first town was Algimia de Alfara and we noted a bar in our way for the return journey but stopped outside the church to wish my mum a happy mother's day and we were treated to a little firework display with their bangers as a mum and dad if a 3 year old set them off on the marble type floor scorching the tiles. Out comes the priest and he just wishes them a good day and carries on with opening up the church.
We then decided to follow the via Verde to Estivella via Torres Torres. Unfortunately it is all on road and no separation of traffic or even a defensive white line. There was only the church we noted but read about some wetlands but that would be too far. It was as we were descending into Estivella on a reasonable downhill stretch I noticed Paula freewheeling faster than I could pedal. We also noticed that I m using a lot more battery than her. I mentioned this and she said she thought my back tyre was flat.
But this didn't stop her noticing an open cake shop, not orange honey shop not the copious amounts of 3kg of oranges for 2 euros in Torres Torres.
Unfortunately we made a right mess of eating the cake between us
And Paula got the first injury of the throughnal by not watching where she was walking
We got to about 2kms from home when my battery ran out (total 46 KMs today) whereas Paula had 69 per cent of hers left.
All was revealed upon return as I only had 25/psi in both tyres. I thought it has been killing my legs more than expected. Pumped up to 53 in readiness for an easy ride tomorrow.
Oranges and the orange honey (9 euros for 960 grams)
