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Day 1 Madrid to Tembleque (115 Km) |
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| As we leave the capital behind us we start out on trails (course) that formed part of last years Spanish Baja race. So we take time out en-route trying our best to emulate El senor Coma for some photos, we make our way towards our lunch stop in a sleepy pueblo. The afternoon is mostly easy going which is normally welcomed as the combination of yesterdays travel and Madrid's nightlife takes it's toll. We roll into Tembleque a weary bunch, but we make our way into town for a group photo at the very impressive Plaza Mayor. Normally by now you'll saying that you never realised that Spain was like this or words to that effect! |
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Day 3 Valdepenas to Beas de Segura (131 Km) |
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| Now dropping down from the high plains of Castilla La Mancha we head south east into Andalucia and as the morning progresses the trails change as the mountains of the parkland come into view. We are heading for the northern tip of the mountain range in the distance, now into Andalucia our lunch menu has another range of country cooking to ponder over. The afternoon consists of a myriad of switchback trails as we gain altitude towards our destination. |
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Day 5 Quesada to Baza (103 Km) |
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We have our briefing of what to expect on the ride today over a coffee in the hotel bar before we head south. Starting metres from the hotel the trail winds it way through the valley as the olive groves give way to open countryside of almost a lunar appearance. Nearing the plateau??? the trails widen and are graded to piste standard which are fringed by pines, although high and scenic these can be ridden at speed. This changes when dropping down the other side, where here in the lowlands, mud holes and river crossings can soon slow things down to a normal pace. Reaching the most southerly end of the trail we take to the tarmac for a few kilometres to reach our lunch stop. This is the greatest challenge of the day as the restaurants speciality is a mixed grill which is cooked over a wood fire and to date no one has managed to eat it all yet!
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Itinerary for Capital tour |
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| 6 days riding 7 nights accommodation (8 if a rest day is booked)
Extra night’s accommodation can be arranged if required.
Arrival and departure from Almeria or Madrid airport depending on direction of tour
Transfer to Hotel included on group bookings.
This covers full board accommodation, bike, fuel, back-up vehicle.
Essentially everything is covered. You will be responsible for drinks, although drink with meal is included, flight costs, and personal medical insurance.
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Day 2 Tembleque to Valdepenas (162 Km) |
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| Now we are on the plains of Spain and although this is one giant plateau there's still plenty of sights as Castilla La Mancha is steeped in history. We navigate the plains from one landmark to another getting many photograph opportunities on the way to lunch. After a leisurely lunch it's time to hit the trail as our destination this evening is one of the most famous wine producing regions in Spain and we have organised a tasting session before our meal tonight. |
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Day 4 Beas de Segura to Quesada (99 Km) |
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| Beas de Segura is situated at the northernmost edge of the Parque de Cazorla in a stunning setting. The scenery from here to our overnight stop in Quesada constantly varies throughout the day but always on our left hand side the mountain peaks remain prominent. We head southwards for the full day and there are many ascents and descents to negotiate, most of the trails today will be through olive groves. Having ridden these trails numerous times we still marvel at how the olives are harvested on such steep inclines. Although we start out on easy trails, once into the valley, some of the trails narrow and steepen considerably as they continue through picturesque olive groves which skirt the park boundary. As we descend to our lunch stop and replenish our water supplies we will then eat at a pleasant bar in a small village, where afterwards, we can relax by the river in the shade, as today’s route is taken at a more relaxing pace. Afterwards we continue on some fantastic trails where we stop frequently for photo opportunities. |
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Day 6 Baza to Almeria (130 Km) |
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| Our last riding day and we start with the usual briefing of what to expect today. Once we’ve left the towns access tracks behind, we encounter the mountains which we snake our way through. After cresting the largest peak, the route is nearly all downhill towards Almeria but in no way is it any easier than the previous few days. The change in terrain becomes noticeable as we progress towards the city, it appears more desert like. We are now in the area that was used in the production of the spaghetti westerns made famous by Clint Eastwood, the movie set can be seen from the main Almeria to Tabernas road. From this point we will be using the normally dry channel, cut by the river Andarax on its journey to the sea many years ago. When we arrive back at the hotel late in the afternoon we have a quick debrief over a beer. Once again your equipment has been delivered by the support crew and it’s just a matter of handing back your riding gear before jumping in a hot shower to prepare for the final night on the town, only this time over indulgence can be tolerated as there’s no riding the following day!
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touratrail | Apartado Correos 42, Quesada, 23480, Jaén, Andalucia, Spain | Tel: +34 693 220796 | email: info@touratrail.com |
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