Well today was pretty close to a perfect days cycling, great scenery, climbs manageable, traffic ok, good luch stop ... only two things not good - rain between 20 and 30 miles AGAIN ! and a niggly headwind all day, at least it wasn't too strong.
So I left town cycling under the massive viaduct which carries the train line through the river gorge in town. An easy 300ft climb set me up for the day, the legs were good again. After 5 miles I reached Cueva and the road started making massive curves - I passed underneath the A8 motorway and then back under it again - it was towering above me by several hundred feet on massive conctete pillars - I was to cross under the motorway like this 10 times all told today.
The coastal road kept dipping under the motorway inland and down hill, then crossing small streams before turning back towards the caost and uphill under the motor way again. On this first one however there was a roundabout and I took the wrong turn, soon I was passing and photographing a hige railway viaduct as I went underneath it on my way totally unknowingly towards Oviedo.
Afetr about a Mile and a half I realised I was heading inland and retraced my mistake. I briefly saw the coast near Cadaveu and then 30 hairpin bends before going under the A8 again and heading a fair way inland through Soto de Luina before a big climb back under the A8 and on to the coast again. I reached the mouth of the River Nalon which rises high in the Picos and flows through Oviedo on its way to the coast here at Muros de Nalon. As I crossed the river there were great views of San Estoban and inland towards Pravia.
It was only 2pm and I had done 37 miles of quite brutal roads at times but decided to press on to Aviles for lunch as I was only two climbs and 12 miles away, I reached Aviles at the coast and saw a large freighter leaving the river, next a cycle route took me into along the river and into the city where I found a great little cafe for a coffee and bocadillo de lomo.
Ther were only 14 miles to go to Gijon and I knew form experience it was tricky - the first 10 of hese miles where incedibly heavy Industry, like Tyneside in the 80s, My cycle route became hemmed in between factories - ther was am Energey plant about a mile long which smelt of coal gas, as this factory enede a whole string of works with conveyors and screening plants followed. Next there was a huge Fertiberia plant on the right which looked closed down as I approached but it was still making groaning noises of industry as I passed - I assume this is a Fertilser Plant. On the left tracts of rail lines lead to Steel works and Mills and more conveors before i arrived a a full Smelting operation with gas holders, flares burning excess gas form I assume coke works - As I was three miles form Gijon the whole of this Industrial metropolis dominated the view.
After an avenue and a few fiddly turns to avoid major road intersections I was on a straight boulevard which took me to withing yards of my hotel in the City centre and only 400 yards form the sea ftont.