Week 4

I Made it to Barcelona from Valencia in 3 days. Big thanks to Hiang for the great welcome.
I had a problem with my bank card and couldnt withdraw any money for 4 days. I only had 30 euros left when I found out. Hopefully it will work tomorrow. Check out the map above. Ive done 2000 kilometres so far!!!! and im nearly out of Spain. I booked a flight home for the 28th of May, so now I have a finish date. Then its back to Ireland, hopefully for some surf.

Week 3

I kind of got stuck in Granada. Highlights of Granada were enjoying the comforts of not sleeping in a ditch and not cycling, epic breakfasts, tapas included with every drink you order, Beerpong, and not waking up at 6.45. Basically it was the best week ever!!!!!
I dont know how I spent so long in Granada but I finally left on Friday morning. Then my trailer tire burst. Then I had to make a 30 kilometre detour around the motorway up some huge mountains. Although this really frustrated me at the time, the climb became really nice near the end, as i got into a nice rhythm and the top of the mountain was a nice suprise. I found an old castle with commanding views of the valleys and mountains and best of all, my first glimpse of the meditteranean sea. It was a tough day but ended well. The next morning I began a 15km descent to the meditteranean as the sun rose. The road hugged the coast, with cliff roads and tunnels as the road wound around the seaside mountains. The hilly terrain really became a challenge for me in the next few days. The only route available was over the mountains. I am becoming an expert at hauling my bike and heavy trailer up those neverending hills. As the spanish police are very strict with bikes on motorways, ive had to make ridiculous detours around them, usually over a mountain range. This week has been very hard. I have also been feeling sick this week. I have been working harder than before and a new obstacle seems to always appear. The other day spent 3 hours trying to find a road that doesnt actually exist anymore. Then the worst happened. Within the space of about an hour, 7 spokes broke on my rear wheel. I had to keep going as they broke so I would have somewhere to sleep for the night. The next day I walked to the next town, to discover that no bike shop can fix it. After much challenges in the week I always had been proud that I had not given up and kept going. But when the bike was broken and I couldnt continue I discoverd that even if I had wanted to give up, I wouldnt have been able to. Its impossible to take a bus with a bicycle and hitchhiking simply doesnt work. I have tried. The only option i had left was walking. So i pressed on. Its been tough going for me but i keep getting suprises and everything eventually works out.
I managed to get the bike fixed and will soon be in valencia. I will update the photos there as its impossible on this computer.
Highlights: 15km descent through the mountains, sleeping in a castle, fresh mangoes and oranges for breakfast, cliffside roads, doing 170kms in one day, the scenery on the scenic route, overcoming obstacles

Week 2

I made it to Granada!!! From sevilla I crossed the wide Guadalquivir plains, then spent about 2 days crossing some big Spanish Sierras. A wrong turn added about 3 hours and a big climb to the trip but the descent into Granada made it worthwhile. It was a tougher week than before but when I finally arrived it was nice to look back at the challenges of the trip. 1000kms done. Next stop Valencia!!! VENGA BICHO VAMANOOS!!!!!!

Highlights: Fresh early morning starts, wide Spanish plains, historic hilltop towns, riding through Olive country, snakes, hares darting through the fields, sound of wheat rustling in the wind, breaking the speed limit on one of the many descents through the mountains after a bloody long climb, rest days on the couch, walking (and running) the beautiful streets of Granada, seeing the gypsy caves, delicious tapas, seeing the hooded processions during the religious festival of Semana Santa

Lows include: no campsite options- sleeping in a ditch, strong winds and rain in Spain, wrong turns, breaking bike computer, not possible to buy food as everything closed for religious festival, breaking spokes, unable to fix puncture on trailer

Im staying with some friendly bears in Granada

Historic monastery and other great scenery, definitely worth the 3 days of climbing hills.

Alhambra Palace, Granada with snowcapped peaks in the background

View from the breakfast table

Nearly there....

Looking back at where I had come from

Beautiful early start

Harmones

Who is that muppet?

Road block while I tried to escape Sevilla

Week 1

Highlights so far, leaving lisbon on the ferry with 2 months riding ahead of me, a feeling of adventure as each day is quite unpredictable especially when I dont know where I will sleep each night, Camping by the river and sleeping to the sound of cowbell in the small rural town of Odeceixe, drinking a Sagres in Sagres, Enjoying the comforts of the couch and some good company on a rest day, The delicious taste of Piri piri sardines, a half loaf of bread, a bottle of mayo and a beer after a long day on the road, Mamas pancakes in Lagos, Riding in the deserted national parks of Portugal, Crossing the border by boat, Starting the day early at 6 am riding into the rising sun and racing towards Sevilla!!!! Lows include, The 60 euro fine the spanish police gave me for being on a motorway, bottle of fuel bursting and ruining all my stuff and leaving me with no dinner, Getting lost quite a lot, Campsites.

Progress so far

Sevilla!!!

On the road to Sevilla!!!

What a nice place to spend the night :)

Trip to Sagres

View from my tent of the beautiful rural town of Odeceixe at 7am

Sines

Bye bye Lisbon

Cycling!!!!

So after a few weeks around lisbon I decided it was time for a change. I decided kind of on impulse to start a cycling trip. I already had my bike and trailer with me so I bought a map, packed up the trailer and left. I have decided to see how far I can get in 2 months. I will be heading east along the mediterranean to Italy and Slovenia and further if possible. It just so happens that the farm I was working on is located at Cabo da Roca, the furthest west point in mainland europe!!! I left on the 31st of April and have so far covered 600kms in 6 days of riding. Im going to update this blog every week with highlights, pictures and a map of my progress.

As my original plan of cycling with Fearghal had fallen apart I needed a new plan, so I booked a flight to Lisbon in Portugal at the last minute and attempted to organise a trip.
I stayed in Lisbon for a week and met some great people at the hostel. Its a really nice city, and nice beaches not too far away where I tried to learn some surfing. Then I went to the farm in Sintra near Lisbon for 2 weeks, returning to Lisbon on weekends for some fun. In the afternoons I would go surfing on guincho beach or go for a cycle in the surrounding national park.
I had a lot of fun in Lisbon!!!!!

The home of the tasty Pasteis de Belem

Road trip with Bruno

Sintra

The farm

In February I came home to a cold Ireland.

Sally gap under snow on my way to Blessington


Davy B at Sluice at the Intervarsities 2009!!