Well today was about the most perfect cycling day in a long time. I left Seville crossing the two branches of the quadalquivir before having breakfast in a little Breakfast cafe in Camas.
After which I was toiling my way over 12% gradient when the other top I realized my gears weren't shifting and I was actually in third Gear. Will I do know how electronic Bluetooth Gear shifting and it had been eight days since I charge the battery on my rear derailleur. So at least I now know I need to charge the battery at least once every 600 miles. But what time for the battery to die on the steepest climb of the day.
I continue along a cycle path all the way the Sanlucar la major, after which I was on the road and what a road.
It was everything you could want as a cyclist the road was smooth it was gentle up and down there were villages and towns every five or six miles to relieve the boredom.
But not only that they were fantastic towns, at Villalba there were fireworks going off in the large Festival taking place. Next it was La Palma del Condado, I have been here a few years ago and it's fantastic it has a great square with a fountain in it and a large church surrounded by restaurants and cafe's - the perfect lunch spot.
After lunch I diverted into Villarrasa to explore the tone and it was equally delightful.
Then came Niebla .....
On a previous cycle to I have been highly critical of Niebla, coming in from Huelva I had approached the the town which is dominated by a cement works all I saw was the dust and the grime and before I blinked I was through the town. Saw this time I was on a mission to pick out the best parts of Niebla.
It started well there was a canon on a roundabout which lead into a stone arched Bridge which led into town. The bridge crossed the Rio Tinto and upstream there are a series of towns called minas de Rio tindo with the old mines were.
The river run blood red suggesting high concentrations of iron in the water giving the river it's name. In-town I turned the bend and there was a castle in front with a walled city inside, which I will explore next time but I had to press on.
The next section I had planned was offroad, the only way to trigueros without diverting in and out of Huelva was along an unpaved Road which was 8 miles long.
It started decent gravel but soon declined into a mud Bath fortunately this only lasted about one mile before the road gradually got better and better albeit not perfect.
Just before Trigueros I came across a sprint running fresh water into a 30 foot long trough.
I was into Gibraleon and San Bartolome in no time and the right turn eight miles later I was at my destination of Alonso.
The town had a carnival going on and it was bouncing, fortunately I managed to get into a great restaurant just before the rush, and the waitress really looked after me well as the crowds crushed in. A fantastic asparagus and cheese starter followed by pork cheeks what more could you ask for, well maybe some Estrella Galicia to wash it all down with !