Day 46 Andorra la Vella – Lleida 152 km (1250 m altitude)

Ralph
Apr 17, 2022
3 min read

Updated: Apr 19, 2022

Today a few kilometers taken down, that ran today, especially down the mountain, out of the Pyrenees. Nevertheless, made a few meters of altitude today, 3 climbs, not steep, high or exceptionally long, but in the heat, you have to get used to. Could have been more hight, I would have followed the one app. It wanted in any case over a mountain, the other said, you go that way. On closer inspection, there were a few tunnels and one bypass each of the tunnels on the maps. I risked it and was rewarded. 15 km and 1300 vertical meters less, which meant I could ride a little longer today and slip right through to Lleida. Tomorrow there are two options, to the coast or inland. Once clockwise around Spain, once counterclockwise, I think I take the second and the day after tomorrow a rest day. I have now made almost more kilometers than in March, slowly I'm getting fit again. And it's getting warm, I still have to take a lot of sunscreen, in two months should be the issue then also through, hopefully. The quiet expensive Italian cream is a mess when applying, but it protects very well and the hands are not so greasy. I hate that with the other creams, afterwards everything is full of oil, sunglasses, cell phone, etc.. What else is there. When I paused at noon in a bus shelter in the shade (and left water behind) a young man came out of the bush (after urinating), or along a dirt road. He was pushing his bike, had a backpack on and two dogs with him. He asked me for water and offered me food which I refused. Water for the dogs, which were also thirsty and drank right a liter away. Only the second time the young man took water from me for himself. He was on the way to Santiago, whether I knew in which direction the next restaurant or village would be, take more water. We were really in the middle of nowhere at the end of the Pyrenees, the last restaurant was a good 5 kilometers or more behind me, down the mountain. Looking ahead at the map was better. I offered him money, which he refused, since I still had something before me I drove on quickly. Respect, with two dogs on back roads! Enjoy it, you drive at least no race against yourself. Water was partly long not to see, in the morning in Andorra and against evening again here a channel near Lleida, otherwise rather dry rivers and lakes, on the maps it look fuller. In general, the backland reminds me a bit of Germany, but Germany in July and not in April. So purely from the feeling / heat situation. I also like the old villages on the hills. I wonder how much of the hills is of natural origin and how much there was man over the centuries at work. Also typically Spanish, the car traffic was in the morning (so from 11 o'clock) again very strong, only when the turnoff to Barcelona was over it was quieter, then so around 3 o'clock suddenly no more traffic, the streets alone for me in the pampas. Siesta? Tomorrow, am still thinking, but actually the decision is made. Let`s see, in this sense good night and Mr. Putin, let them but the people in Mariupol alive, please.