You Can't Always Get What You Want

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Traditionally, at this time of year, Neil and I like to head 'down under' where it is summer and the sun shines long and hard.  Last year we were in lockdown and went nowhere, and this year the constantly changing situation and associated travel restrictions mean we are reluctant to risk ending up stranded 10,000 miles from home.

 We briefly toyed with returning to Florida but that is also risky and the riding there is pretty crap.  I was running out of ideas but then, in November, I got invited on a jolly in southern Spain courtesy of the Murcia Tourist Board.  It was late November but the weather was decent with blue skies and highs of about 20 degrees and our guide said that very similar weather could be expected in February.  As soon as I got home I dug out the maps and got cracking.

 I have cobbled together a 2 week, 875 mile route with very little purpose other than to get some miles in the legs and rays on the back.  We fly to Valencia and head down to Malaga then finish with a 5 day loop via Seville.

 I am training for life in Spain by not eating my evening meal until midnight and speaking with a pronounced lisp.  I should probably also do some cycling but the weather is too poor* for any of that nonsense.  I am riding the indoor trainer fairly regularly and, so long as we don’t cycle for more than 1 hour a day, I should be fine.  My cunning plan for keeping up with Plum is to take virtually no luggage and rely on him taking everything, up to and including the kitchen sink, as normal.  I have whittled mine down to 17lbs (including the bags ) and so long as I don’t need to brush my teeth or change my underwear I have everything I need.

 We will arrive in Valencia at around 4pm tomorrow and should be installed in our hotel by 6……leaving just 6 hours until the restaurant opens .

 *’poor’ is a meteorological term covering any day that is: cold (or chilly), windy (or breezy), wet (or damp).  It also applies to any day when the weather is OK but I just can’t be arsed to get out on the bike.  These conditions have prevailed on all but about 6 days in the last 3 months!

Comments

  1. KiwiPhil10 February 2022 at 18:52

    .....”you get what you need”....I believe the song goes��...anyway, great to see you guys back at it again....good luck with everything!
    BTW...what’s so bad about the prospect of being stranded in NZ...I’ve been stranded here for 14 years now...ain’t so bad!��

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