Day 51 Alcaniz - Deltebre 125 km (1000 meters of altitude)

Ralph
Apr 22, 2022
4 min read

Who is afraid of the dark? I will come back to this question later. In the morning the breakfast in the Finca was great, I talked with my host Giorgio for a long time. He drives on Sunday a Moutainbikerennen with 55 km and 1500 meters of altitude and trains for it. The boy also looks like, should eat something, but save weight well. I left a little later and was not sure when it went next to the highway up through a small tunnel. The first of very very many. Behind the tunnel gravel road. Okay, I thought, let's try it, yesterday it went well. First of all it went up to 550 meters above sea level (from 300) so about 15 km, very pleasant. I had no idea what was in store for me today. At some point on the way up I stood in front of a barred tunnel entrance with an open door. I saw the light at the other end of the tunnel, otherwise no light. How far can it be when I see the end? So light on the bike and go always nice up the hill. The light at the other end did not get bigger or brighter. The light behind me smaller and smaller, it was really gloomy, only my lamp gave a small glow. The ground was trampled dirt, right and left on the wall came now and then indentations through my lamp to the light. I became more and more queasy, I hate darkness. Alone in the woods at night is horror for me, or unlit tunnels. Why? No idea? Is probably hidden in my childhood. At some point I had to think of my first bike: A BMX, roadworthy (!), in a village of 300 inhabitants, with 5 streets. A silver bmx bike with lights front and rear and yellow saddle and pads, and mudguards and dynamo. I hated it. Why traffic safe? Misguided protective instinct? The child with 4 years in the basement send to get drinks (apple juice in glass bottles), wherefore one has the also children, should make themselves useful. When falling up the stairs I hit my face with 2 broken glass bottles in my hand, that bled badly, really bad. But with nine years a roadworthy bike. Fortunately, nothing ever happened when I was sent to fetch cigarettes. What goes through your mind while you're riding along in a dark tunnel. The neighbors asked me weeks later what happened to the little boy with the fat lip. Not so unfounded the question, since it was actually known (in the village few things remain hidden) how violent my parents' house was, so from today's perspective. The cone of light in the distance finally became a bit larger, slowly I saw the grate and hoped that the door is not locked. I couldn't tell, it would suck if I had to go back in the dark, then all the ghouls, zombies and rest of the monsters from the indentations would surely be awake and get in my way and eat me. But, I was lucky, the grid door was open and I quickly outside. 2.5 km long was the passage and barely outside I landed in the mud, no better clay pit and the lumps stuck to me and the bike, great. The coarsest protection I removed and then drove on forced with 2 kg of dirt on board. The route went sometimes up sometimes down, most of the time straight ahead. Now and then a tunnel, none so long more, most had then a small light. At some point I looked at the signs on the side more closely Via Verde (railroad track bike paths). At first I was on paths that have not yet made it into the official catalog but then on 2en (V.V de la Terra Alta and V. V del Baix Ebre) and the best? I was going in the right direction, downhill. Wonderful 600 meters of elevation down in 50 km, passing canyons, waterfalls, mountains and through tunnels and over bridges. I had fun. (Best watch the videos I'll upload soon). My feet had this time also not cramped, but the handkerchief inserts on the toes are very uncomfortable and press. Must I probably still readjust. Then everything went quickly, at some point I was at the Ebro and there along the bike paths to the delta. Once I followed (the app) still a path along the channel with the passage was officially prohibited. Fortunately, I had not yet cleaned the bike. Again mud holes and in the end the way was blocked by a grid. Fortunately, I could unsaddle and carry through the nature around. Shortly thereafter I stopped at a car dealership with washing station. They were just finishing work and were sitting together when I disturbed them. They saw my bike and actually gave me a round with the steam jet. They were amazed at all the dirt that came down. Without high pressure I would not have gotten the mud down, I had to really hold on it. After that, the bike was running fine again. Also made no more noise, tomorrow it goes on. In this sense, I'm pretty tired and now say good night. And Putin, stop it finally.