This morning brought with a hefty headwind that made riding really tough. It eventually died down after lunch and brought with it high temperatures that continued late into the afternoon making Crazybikeguy really tired.
Finally!! It felt like Grant had succeeded in getting the right nutrition and hydration balance and it made a world of difference to the ride today.
Along this track heading towards Toledo the terrain had changed to a much drier environment and it was hot as Grant made his way east.
The landscape was indeed beautiful- scattered with fields of red poppies and freshly ploughed farmlands.
Early on Grant had decided that he needed to avoid the loose gravel tracks as they were dangerous and decided to head in a southerly direction to El Puente del Arzobispo. The bicycle is really difficult to control on very bumpy loose gravel because of the weight of the panniers and the fact that they flick up and down as one hits the bumps. It becomes exhausting to try and manage and the bike becomes unstable at speed.
Feeling confident and happy that he had decided to stop at Oropesa the night before judging by the state and the difficulty of the first 40 km of the day upon reaching Talavera de la Reina, with it's meandering river, a lunch stop and pick me up were in order.
Getting closer to Toledo the territory got more undulating and the climbs were then interlaced with avoiding navigating along a highway network to get into the hilltop city.
Grant struggled a bit as exhaustion was setting in after long hours on the bike. the place that he wanted to stay in was in the old part of the walled city which meant that to get there he had to get to the very top.
After all the research on this amazing place, Grant was excited to finally be in this magical city with so much history within those fortress like walls to investigate and experience.
With the intention to spend an extra day in Toledo taking in this amazing Medieval city, the 128 km distance, 9 hours in the saddle and the 1000 m climb were so worth it.
The rest day would be perfect for catching up on a bit of bike maintenance and the ever present washing chore and walking to get rid of all that extra lactic acid build up in those legs!!
Grant had also lost a few bolts from his pannier racks which needed replacing or he would risk losing the panniers along the way too.
Crazybikeguy's legs are now looking much more like an endurance cyclist's and the normal cycling shorts are too tight and uncomfortable...so he is down to one pair of comfortable shorts to ride in and on the lookout for a cycling shop that can provide him with a baggy alternative!
After a hot shower and storing his bike after finding a place to stay, Grant went for a walk. It was bustling with tourists, surprisingly a place with Red Bus tours too!
Tomorrow was going to be a wonderful experience- even better after a good dinner and a deep sleep!
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Doing great things for special people!