Saturday is Tiswas day, irrespective if its Bingo’s birthday or not, only people of my generation know what Tiswas day is.

Bingo’s birthday, another birthday on tour with Bingo, last year we heard the dreadful news that Steve, the “editor in chief “ had a nasty accident, so we were all in a state of turmoil, added to that we had both been refused entry into Honduras so not a great day, only to be capped off with no food in the little village we ended up with a bag of crisps each and a warm beer, no worries.

Great to see this year Steve, the ever reliable editor in chief (When he is not falling off his bike) has arranged a meet up with the lovely, considerate couple Natalie & Dave, what a great couple, who without their input things could have been so much worse. Thankfully Steve has made a great recovery, thank you so much for all the support, he and the House family received, once again a credit to “Sunshine Corner” Aylesham, always shows its true colours.

Bingos birthday did not start so good this year, bit of porridge and a snickers bar for breakfast, sitting in the little pension place. Breakfast finished in the condemned cell, now it’s the ordeal of getting the bikes and the gear down three flights of stairs, all sorted in some bewildered fashion, if only we knew which way to go.

Good job we were not doing a runner, one we are too slow for that & two we did not have a scooby-doo where we were going! Up and down the street a few times, Bingo warms up, not that we needed it, soon as his Garmin warmed up of we go, little 2 mile climb out of the quaint Basque town of Zarautz, nice place to boot.

After that is was climb after climb for the whole morning, just get into the rhythm, bang out a few tunes as I turn the weary legs, sure at one point I was daydreaming, thought, the bike was going to topple over me, little bit of a steady on push the pedals around harder, that will sort it, managed to keep upright and going in the correct direction.

Mate it was tough the last bit of that 5 mile climb, always nice to finish it, when a group of young cyclists whizzed passed us with a smile and a thumbs up, just a little chat let’s have a coffee at the next place, sure. Low and behold we were on the next blxxxxx climb before we knew it. My mind working overtime thinking, it’s 9 miles up this one, need to sort something out, good job Bingo was going through the same thought process, as we peeled off for the first break of the day in Eibar. Sipping a cup of coffee and a soft drink, looking up at the impressive Pyrenees [Probably looking at the Cantabrian mountains here, maybe the Picos de Europa range: Ed], thinking I have got to ride that soon, just put another sugar cube in the coffee , maybe two.

Two cups of sugar infused coffee and some soft drinks, with a little birthday cake for Bingo, we tried to relax, not easy with the vicious climb ahead of us, these superstars do not let that worry them, not this early anyway way, off we go. Just following the route without a care in the world, then it ends, with a sly smile Bingo says we need to be down there, three flight of stairs, nothing to a couple of old rugby players grab the bikes and manhandle then down the stairs, I look like a mad axe murderer by the time I have got my trusty Surly down them, I frightened the living daylights out of the poor lady who just wanted to get up the steps, so sorry, I was just a bit tired.

Just as I was so eloquently saying to the Dutch guy the other night, just put one leg over the other, for a few thousand / million times you will get to where you want to! Mate I wish I was not so much of a smart arse, it was not so easy today, but managed to push the legs all the way up, only to be stopped within a few hundred meters from the top.

Only a professional bike race going up the same climb that we are doing, well we got more cheers, resting on the side of the road casually peeling an orange as they steamed up the last of the climb, we got a bigger cheer as we wobbled up, the so called last climb of the day, never.

We managed to navigate to the centre of Bilbao, albeit with a precautionary hydration break just outside, we need to check the maps, easier done with a beer, then set off through the hectic city, few little road works, meant a little detour over the railway lines a few times, then Bingo snapped his chain. Two very good bikes lads had it sorted in a minute, well would have been a minute if we had threaded the chain the right way! so it was two minutes.

Straight to the hostel some sort of wedding party going on, sure they was not to pleased with my elegant sweaty self mingling with them, they made room sure enough, soon booked in.

Nice evening enjoying the wonderful old town of Bilbao, very lively, we just left the young ones to enjoy it!