Day 3: Carmona to Montellano

Carmona to Montellano 77kms

Nothing can really prepare you for a long day of riding with a mountain to climb at the end of it. But we gave it a really good try at breakfast in my favourite hotel ever. 

I woke up to a view of the sun rising over the plains. The sun rises at 7.30 and sets at 9pm. After a huge breakfast we set off down the very big hill, or what I thought was a big hill until Montellano loomed high in the sky.

We covered a lot of undulating hills on the way to our destination. At one point I got Ray to pullover as there was a truck wanting to pass, but nothing passes cyclists if they can't cross to the other side of the road to do so. How considerate. Anyway Ray pulled over and two cyclists on e-bikes whizzed past, as did the truck and several cars. We passed the cyclists further on, as they had stopped. Further along they passed us as we had slowed to go up another bloody hill. They remarked that they didn't know how we could go up the hills without e power. I don't know either, it must be the lure of eating more food.

By 3.30 the day was really heating up but the end was not far off. I figured we should arrive about 4.30, but then disaster struck. Ray got a flat tyre, which had to be changed in the blazing sun, halfway up a hill. And then, 30 mins later, the real fun began with climbing at about 6kph to reach Montellano at 5.15.

The hotel ain't no Paradore. But it does have a view if you can manage to crawl onto the balcony, as the blinds can't be put up easily, or at all really. We found an ice cream shop and chocolate, so we are in recovery mode and with a little effort we are off to dine, happy in the knowledge of those 1, 500 calories that we burned today.

Pics

Sunrise in Carmona

Riding away from the Paradores De Carmona

A lot of olive trees and possibly chickens. We have come across quite a few chicken sheds, but I have to give you the bad news. Pretty sure they were caged.

The good folks of Afghanistan would appreciate these poppies but we tend to use them to beautify not to stupify. 

Another in "Ray's Arse"series. Always a good look.

Not sure of the stage I was at in fixing the tyre but i think I was passed the pissed off stage. Here's a tip: Since we started using Schwalbe tyres we have done thousands of kilometres and we have had one punture. On this trip 200 klms and a small piece of glass went straight through the Continental tyre. Make up your own mind on the brand you will use.

We arrive at our hotel in Montellano with the dead palm tree at the front. Not quite a Paradores.

The sun setting from our hotel room at 8pm.

Oranges and mandarines are everywhere. Even on the scabbiest looking trees at the side of the road.

Who said we don't eat in classy restaurants. That's two nights in a rows we ate in Michelin rated establishments. Unfortunately, the lovely warm bread roll they served up was literally hard as a rock, probably from being in the microwave for too long. I could have understood had it been like rubber. Not their finest gastronomic moment. Had the Michelin reviewer been there, at least he could have used the bread roll to prevent his car from rolling down the steep hill nearby.

And you were thinking that their standards had dropped recently.

Ride Notes

• This was a route map from our tour company
• This was quite a hilly route but generally the hills were not too long or steep with the exception of the last one.
• At almost 5klms long, it has some steep sections, but they weren't long. Very doable.
• The roads were actually pretty good but obviously, there were some occasions there was a little broken glass. It was however, a lot less than we get on our regular ride to Enzo's in the morning (12klm ride)
• Sufficient opportunities to stop and have a drink at a small village cafe