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Sept 2 - Arrival at Bilbao (Limpias)
We’ll meet you at the Bilbao
airport and transport you to our hotel, the elegant Parador in nearby
Limpias. You’ll have the rest of the day to
assemble bikes (plenty of help provided!), explore the town, or take a nap. We’ll get acquainted at dinner tonight at our hotel, then enjoy an overview of the tour along with dessert.
Sept 3
– Horna - 54 mi, 5000 ft
On this
first day of our Picos tour we will experience a complete
sampler of what the next two weeks of cycling will serve up.
This mornings’ ride will take us from the bustling coastal
region, over the Cordillera Cantabria and down through some very
lush green valleys. The province of Cantabria has a surface of
5,300 square kilometers and offers extremely varied landscapes
and climates. In its’ mountain ranges, Picos De Eurpoa, and the
Natural Preserve of Saja, still live bears, wolves and eagles,
and the rivers team with salmon and trout. We will spend the
day riding on quiet back roads with beautiful vistas before
arriving at our hotel in Horna for a well deserved rest.
Sept 4
– Alto Campóo - 57 mi, 3500 ft
Today’s
route is the topographical opposite of yesterday’s route. The
first part of the day winds along the Neja River as we head west
towards the foothills of the Picos Range. After skirting the
shores of 16,000 acre Embalso (reservoir) Del Ebro, the climb to
Alto Campoo will provide the “grimpeurs” (climbers) in the group
a rewarding challenge – our hotel rests in the shadows of the
Pico De Tres Mares (Peak of Three Seas) – here one finds the
headwaters of the Duero river which empties into the Atlantic
ocean, the Nansa, which empties into the Cantabric Sea, and the
Ebro which empties into the Mediterranean. There is a cable car
to the top of the local mountain peak, from the top the views
are great, well worth the time spent.
Sept 5
– Cervera De Pisuerga - 51 mi, 2300ft or 59 mi,
2800 ft
After
blazing through the first 16 ks from Alto Campóo to Espinilla,
we tackle a short climb over the Sierra de Pena Labra. As we
descend to Aguilar de Campóo, we will have some beautiful views
of the Picos de Eurpoa to the west, especially from the dam on
just after leaving town. Aguilar De Campóo may warrant a quick
tour after lunch – the town is known for its arcaded square and
one of the oldest pre-gothic style monasteries in Spain (Santa
Maria La Real). The roads we travel this afternoon will remind
us that even on the developed continent of Europe, one can find
peaceful and low traffic places to cycle. Our Parador hotel
rests alone atop the hills overlooking the Sierra De Orpinas and
in the distance, the Picos.
Sept 6
– Cervera De Pisuerga loop ride - 63 mi, 2500 ft
Today
could be considered a rest day, relaxing on the terrace and
enjoying the wonderful views of the lake below. However, the
ride today is so beautiful that no one will want to miss this great
loop. An easy morning spin along the relatively flat, but
scenic, roads brings us to Guardo, where a snack and coffee
would be in order. From here we climb past a series of 3
reservoirs. For those who enjoy photography, this canyon will
not disappoint. The crystal clear water, winding roads and great
views make for a wonderful afternoon ride to Triollo, where the
road climbs into the hills before descending past another
reservoir to the hotel.
Sept 7
– Llanaves de la Reina - 55 mi, 4000 ft,
or 59 mi, 3400 ft
A short
but sweet descent from our Parador hotel begins the day followed
by a long (28km), beautiful climb up to Puerto de Piedrasluengas
(1313m). One finally begins to feel as though the 'mountain
stages' of this tour have begun. What goes up, gets to come
down, as we enjoy the equally long (28km), gradual descent. The
afternoon presents us with another 28km climb to Puerto de San
Glorio, only this is much steeper with the pass at 1609m. A
short descent brings us to our hotel in Llanaves de la Reina.
Another option is to retrace our route of yesterday back along
the reservoirs to the town of Veilla Del Rio Carrion, followed
by the climb to Alto De Las Portillas and on up to our hotel
nestled in a canyon of the Cordillera Cantabrica.
Sept 8
– Cangas de Onis - 56 mi, 2000ft, or 58
mi, 3500 ft
After a
short, chilly descent down the canyon, the route leads us into
some of Europe’s last remaining wild regions. This narrow road,
so tight the support ban will not be available to follow, climbs
through the Valley of the Rio Yuso to Puerto De Pandetrave.
Here, in the heart of the Picos, the mountain scenery is
stunning, worthy of at least a few photos. The tiny remote
village of Posada, resting between mountain peaks, will be a
perfect spot for a coffee and a pastry before climbing the
Puerto de Panderruedas. The easier route descends to the
Embalse de Riano for an easy ride along this reservoir followed
by a gentle climb up the Puerto del Ponton to meet the long
route. The descent off the Ponton is amazing, 3800ft a long,
gentle and curvy through the Desfiladero De Los Beyos – a canyon
carved out by the river Sella from an exceptionally thick layer
of limestone. The river rushing down this 10 kilometer long
gorge is too fast flowing for anything except the occasional
tree to have put down roots on its banks. The gorge is barely
wide enough to let the sun sparkle off its walls from time to
time. Our stay for the next two nights is a 12th
century monastery-turned Parador hotel in Villanueva, just north
of Cangas De Onis.
Sept 9 - Cangas de Onis - Rest day or loop ride,
50 mi, 3000
ft, or 32 mi, 2000 ft, or 32 mi, 3300 ft
Today is a
true rest day, after six straight days of cycling a rest is
appropriate. The hotel is quite nice and the setting is
beautiful, and the town of Cangas is a short distance away.
There are a couple of great cycling loops from the hotel. Both
head up the Desfiladero de los Beyosand loop around the hills
and low mountains to the west. The third option is an out and
back (up and down) to two beautiful alpine lakes, Lago de Enol
and Lago de Ercina. These lakes are high in the mountains and
the views are spectacular, well worth the effort. Along the way
we pass through Covadonga, here the Christian forces defeated
the Muslims in 722, and is considered the cradle of Spanish
monarchy.
Sept 10 – La Franca - 47 mi, 2400ft
Well rested,
we set out today for the Northern coast of Spain known as La
Costa Verde. The terrain changes from rugged and jagged
mountains, bare of substantial vegetation, to verdant forested
hillsides. We’ll ride along ridges of the coastal Sierra De
Cuera taking every opportunity to enjoy some of the less
traveled back roads of this region. Today’s route is fairly
short, so everyone is encouraged to explore as much as
possible. For example, if you missed it yesterday, the out and
back to Covadonga and Mirador de la Reina and the lakes are
highly recommended. The climb from Covadonga to the Mirador
(viewpoint) is steep, but one is rewarded with views of the
entire Sierra De Covalierda, (adds 24mi and 3000ft). As we
coast down to the seaside, we will be welcomed by one of the
most picturesque beaches anywhere on the Cantabrian coast.
Sept 11 – Fuente De - 44 mi, 4200ft
Today we’ll
traverse another one of Northern Spain’s spectacular gorges –
the 20 kilometer long Desfiladero de La Hermida. This gorge is
very narrow and so lacking in sunlight as to be virtually bare
of vegetation. The Deva River has sought out weaknesses in the
rock walls and carved out a saw tooth course. From the village
of Unquera, the road climbs through the gorge walling in the
raging Deva to the tiny hamlet of la Hermida, famous in sunny
Spain for not seeing the sun at all from 26 October to the 28th
of March. As we break out of the gorge on the way to Potes, we
are presented with some magnificent mountain scenery worthy of a
brief pause for a few photos. Potes is a charming little town
set against a background of jagged peaks of the Central Massif.
Potes is the “Metropolis” of the Picos and is the center of the
fruit growing region of Liebana as well as the home to the 15th
century Torre Del Infantado, now the town hall. Following a
pause for lunch or snack in Potes, we will enjoy a 25 kilometer
climb to our Parador hotel at Fuente De. Time and weather
permitting, the cable car ride to the Mirador del Cable is a
must do.
Sept 12 – Cabezon de la Sal - 60 mi, 3000ft, or 71 mi, 3500ft
Once again
the day begins with a long breathtaking descent down into the
town of Potes. After a stop here for a hot cup of coffee,
we’ll retrace part of yesterday’s ride along the Deva River to
La Hermida. Here we leave the national road and head into the
backcountry. Winding through the hills on small roads, over
small passes, past small farms and through small villages, we
will begin to grasp the understanding of a slower, smaller way
of life in this remote area of Spain. The longer route climbs
a familiar pass, the Puerto de Piedrasluengas, and we will
then enjoy a long winding descent, 34km to Puentenansa where
both routes reconnect and climb the Passo Collada de Carmona.
A gentle decent brings us to Cabezon.
Sept 13
- Corconte - 47 mi, 3900 ft
Our
journey today begins close to sea level as we head once again
into the quiet and wild interior along some of the best roads
and impressive scenery of the entire trip. Climbing back up
onto the Cantabrian plateau takes us past some breathtaking
viewpoints - the Mirador del Pico and another at the Puerto
(Pass) de Palombera .This route leads us through the Saja
Natural Preserve - Spain's largest preserve. Despite a
reputation for being frequently wet and misty, this is an area
of exceptionally beautiful scenery home to a wide variety of
mountain and forest birds. These mountains cover a vast range
of habitats including glacial lakes, rocky outcrops, cliffs
and gorges and bare mountain peaks over 2,500 meters high. As
we approach the picturesque village of Espinilla, the
mountains give way to magnificent wide open vistas. Heading
east along the north shore of the Embalse del Ebro we arrive
at our hotel ready for a soothing and relaxing thermal bath.
Our muscles will be content and our appetites ready for
dinner!
Sept 14
– Lierganes - 53 mi, 2100 ft, or 62 mi, 5600 ft
On this,
our penultimate day of riding, with the magnificent Picos de
Europa now becoming more and more distant behind us, we'll
spend this day climbing and descending through the heart of
the Cordillera Cantabrica. These mountains form an impressive
barrier between the Bay of Biscay and the interior and given
the Province of Cantabria the name of La Montana (the
Mountain). Our route winds through the Pasiego region, noted
for its geographical isolation, wild verdant landscapes cut
off from the main transportation routes, as well as its
dedication to the breeding of livestock. In the past, the
owners of livestock would migrate in search of more
lush pasture. They moved their families from cabin to cabin, a
large number of which can still be seen with their stone roofs
scattered about the mountain sides giving a distinctive
appearance to the landscape. Some of the climbs we will
experience today, such as the one to Portillo de Lunada, are
often frequented by the Vuelta a Espana and used by many of
the pros for their training. After spending a day in these
remote mountains, one begins to realize why the top contenders
in the Giro d'Italia, the Tour de France and the Vuelta always
include a few Spaniards from this region. Descending along the
banks of the Rio Miera past small farms and green hillsides,
we are rewarded with the arrival at our hotel in Lierganes
complete with thermal baths, thermal swimming pool, and
massage to again rejuvenate our bodies following what most
will agree has been an epic day of cycling. For anyone wanting
to stop cigarette smoking at this point in the trip, this
hotel offers a fabulous anti-smoking one-session program.
Sept 15 - Limpias - 43 mi, 2700 ft, or 68 mi 4700 ft
The route
today takes us into a region famous for its web of prehistoric
cave dwellings and cave drawings. The first climb of the day
will also be the highest--the 674 meter Puerto de Alisas. One
gets the feeling that this road was built with cyclists in
mind, manifested by a monument near the top commemorating the
sport of cycling. It's amazing that these peaceful and lonely
valleys exist in their natural state so close to the
increasingly popular northern coastal zone. In and around the
towns of Riva, Lastras and Arredondo exist some of the most
extensive cave systems in the world. Some of the caves are
over 3 million years old and today still many are used as
shelters for cattle. Arredondo would make a good spot for a
stop--perhaps something to eat and some photos of the local
architecture. The road ahead provides for two more wonderful
climbs as we near the end of our odyssey. We'll tackle the
category 3-rated Cruz Uzano and the Fuete de las Varas
both last visited by the Vuelta a Espana on stage 13 in 2005.
At last as we pedal along the few remaining kilometers to our
luxurious Parador hotel, We will have some time to reflect
back upon what we have seen, what we have learned, some of the
local inhabitants we met along the journey, and perhaps begin
to think about planning yet another adventure centered around
that most magical of machines--the bicycle!
Sept 16
- Departure.
Van transportation is provided to the Bilbao airport.
COST:
$3200 per person based on double occupancy
$550 single room
supplement
NOT INCLUDED:
·International airfare
·Tips, gratuities, laundry, telephone, & items of a personal
nature.
·Lunches and alcoholic beverages (a supplemental fee will be
charged for those who want wine with dinner, and can be prepaid
before departure)
PRE-TRIP PLANNING
Our informative 'Tour Guide' booklet will be sent upon receipt of your secondary deposit
of $500.00, due by March 1, containing information on what to bring, how to pack your bike for flying, equipment list, and changing currencies. All participants must possess a current passport.
TRAVEL INSURANCE
Erickson Cycle Tours strongly recommends purchasing insurance for trip cancellation, injury, illness & loss of effects. A traveler’s insurance brochure will be included with your confirmation letter.
AIRFARE
We offer the services of
our travel agent, Rogue Travel, in obtaining economical,
expedient air reservations, and we are happy to assist with pre-
and post-tour accommodations. Please contact Shannon or
Steven for flight information:
800.443.9216 or shannon@mind.net |
