Los Yebenes to Fuencaliente
Well the barman was right about the weather today.. Its Raining! oh no.. Well I suppose I have done very well with the weather up to now, so I can't complain. I'm heading out of what I named as Lebanon :-) and heading my way towards Ciudad Real (The place where I would have liked to have got to yesterday, but it doesn't aways work out the way you planned)
The road out towards Ciudad Real is a road with a few climbs and descents, but very nice hilly views along the way but most of the tops are covered in mist. The road is the N401. As I get closer to Ciudad Real the road get flatter and with lakes either side (Very nice).
Its around midday now and I'm nearly into the main town centre and the sun is coming out :-) I see a supermarket and call in. Its always a tricky situation when getting supplies from a larger supermarket as I leave my bike just outside main doors just enough so when I'm inside I can still catch a glimpse of it. I just have a vision that I pay for my goods and the bike has gone :-(
I cycle a little more into the main centre of Ciudad Real and notice a Pasta restaurant! I have memories of another one earlier in my adventure and think I like Pasta (It gives me lots of Energy) so I'm in there trying to order Pasta from the menu, not as easy as it sounds, but luckily enough there is a guy who speaks English who works there (Result! and a great Meat - just the job) as I head on out of here and make my way heading towards Cordoba.
I'm flying on the bike after that pasta :-) Brilliant energy, really lifts my spirits and the sun is back out "Hooray" the weather is back how it has been for majority of my cycle (Sunny).
Later in the afternoon I see storm clouds building in the distance and they always look as if they are heading your way !! Well these are..... so, I'm currently cycling past a garage, and decide to pull in under cover waiting for the rain to start! So I take advantage of the stop and eat a few cookies, have some chocolate, and drink plenty of water and Red bull, also take a leak while I'm there.. After about an hour or so.. there is no sign of rain and the clouds are starting to break up, with the sun coming back through!
So its off again on the road, its quite flat for most of the afternoon, when oh no..... Big climbs ahead, not too bad its up and over (Still Sunny so great) then down the mountain, yes this feels great. Not long after its back up again! then down again until early evening and it looks like I'm cycling through another National park, its very scenic, plenty of hills and wooded areas but not as sparse as Sore in France.
I'm looking at my map now and thinking I need to stop soon and book into somewhere. The place that catches my eye is Fuencaliente, so I'm headed there. Around 7pm I'm here just coming into the place/village I see a Hostel on my right, and I cycle towards and walk in to see if there is a room tonight. Greeted by a small chap I try to speak Spanish (Not very well again) and ask for a room! Hes doing a lot of shouting for a small bloke, seems to be saying "Manyana" a lot.... and my first thought is "What?" is he talking about me, is there something wrong with me with him saying "Manyana" I thought this word was "man" !!
After getting my phrase book out I see what it means lol (Tomorrow!!!) well I never would have thought that. Then he started putting fingers up in front of me (8 in total) I then knew what he was on about, he was trying to tell me that he would be up in the morning at 8am to open the reception area :-) Result! he did also put more fingers up to let me know that dinner is served at 9pm tonight if I wanted something to eat.. I said "See" I will be down at 9pm for food. Before that though I was thirsty and ordered a Beer from his bar, then I went outside, sat down and that Beer went straight down in one (See first pic) Brilliant :-)
I did think that I may get a plate of cheese here too for dinner, but luckily when I sat in the food room this time he came out with a list of products he only had available to cook.. on that list which was very well written, I could make out Soup for starter and Pollo for main :-) Brilliant, what I thought could have been a crap dinner was in fact a very nice one ..... After a few Beers too it was back to my room, where I may add he let me take my bike up to my room (Double result) .
Total miles = 105 miles.
Average speed = 13.2 mph.
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