Today was straight forward for me I have rode Bilbao to San Sebastian 4 times before and it's a straight forward route following the Deba valley then up and over to Eibar and into the Bilbao Estuary.
There is of course another route following the coast from Deba to Lekeitio and then a 1000ft climb over to Guenika followed by another 1000ft climb to Amorebieta-Etxano and down into Bilbao ... So I chose the latter !
After running along the coast to Zumaia there is a nasty 800 footer across to Deba which I always toil over - Not Today I was up it like the proverbial ferret and drainpipe.
So at Deba instead of haeding up the river to Elgoibar I did a right turn and stayed on the coast and I must say the coastal towns and villages I passed through looked picture perfect and well worth a visit. First Mutriki with a nice lille harbour and as I passed the local team were playing on an excellent little ground with a block of flats on one side of the pitch and the road on the other. All the people in the apartments were on their balconies watching a free game.
The coast became very densely forested and the road was constantly winding every left turn went slightly down and inland before a hairpin to the right and an uphill stretch ... repeat 20 times and I was in Ondarroa which again had a harbour and an island sitting off the shore - again it looked gorgeous but I went straight past focused on the 1000ft climb up and over to Guernica.
Again I shot up the climb and immediately descended back to sea level as there is an estuary runs inland to Guernica and before you get there, there is a small town which rolls off the tongue called Gautegiz-Arteagako (GA).
At GA there is a world renowned Bird Centre called the Urdaibai Bird Centre where they track migratory birds and they also have a Visitor Centre with lots of videos and information about the birds that pass through each year.
Then you come to a viewing Gallery overlooking the Estuary where they have lots of zoom lenses set up to view the birds and they were really good with a huge magnifiaction.
Next I climbed about 14 flights of stairs to the very top where you could overlook the estuary and take pictures, I saw Spoonbills, Multiple Duck varieties, coots, cormorants and there were two marsh harriers circling the area.
Into Guernika next for a Bar lunch (Tortilla Batatas con Jamon y Queso) again ! and that last awkward ride out of the valley up and over into Bilbao. As I approached the top the legs were still great but the road became difficult - first it dissappeared downhill into the side of the mountain (no bikes allowed) but there was a great cycle track appeared and took me up and over another 200ft eventually topping out at 800ft. Then it disappeared so I joined the road alongside. Then the road slipped onto the motorway and there were great big No Bicycle signs. At first it looked like there was nowhere to go then I spotted opposite a sign directing bikes which I followed towards the Motorway Service station, then the road became one way towards me and I sought safety on the small path alongside - the path then stopped but, no it doubled back on itself down a 20% gradient under the motorway and then back up the other side on an equally steep gradient - it was horrendous and after this I was now on a small 2ft wide path cycling towards oncoming traffic on the wrong side of a major dual carriageway.
After half a mile a roundabout appeared and I baled onto the first road I was allowed on which was quite major - I was on the N634 which ran parallel to the motorway for about 7 miles until I managed to get off it at Galdakao.
From previous rides that section along past Amorbieta is always tricky, but now I was on familiar ground, I went through the huge Bridgestone factory complex that leads to Basauri from where I eventually picked up a bike path along the river into the Old Town where my Hotel for the next 3 nights is located.
And that was it Albufeira to Bilbao, 931 miles of cycling, 51220 ft of climbing - blink and you missed it !