Day 19: Last day in Spain

Caceres to Badajoz Miles: 56 // Ascent: 1654 feet

The forecast was for heat and bright sun, so we were pleased when we left the hotel under cloudy skies. We rode as a group to navigate our way out of Caceres, then gradually broke into smaller groups. It was an easy riding day today and I rode most of it alone. We were in the Nevada-like countryside for quite a while, going over long, gradual climbs. James, our fastest rider, was way ahead of the rest of us, planning to get to Badajoz before the bike shops closed for the afternoon siesta. I came over a hill, and found him beside the road changing a flat (or puncture as he calls it, given that he is English). It was his second of the day. He used his last tube, only to discover it was defective, so I gave him two of mine, one for him to use and one for him to carry. Now we both needed to get to the bike shop. As I neared Badajoz, the landscape changed drastically, and large orchards of either oranges or apricots (I couldn’t tell which) lined both sides of the road. I made my way to the hotel after a couple miscues and checked into my room. I went through my normal routine, and then packed my dirty laundry and all three cycling kits into my helmet bag, which is doing double duty as a laundry bag, and headed to a laundromat. As a result I now have three clean kits for the last three days of riding. I’m getting excited about the finish. I have been impressed with how far ahead of us European countries seem to be in establishing sustainable energy practices. Every hotel we have stayed in in England, France and Spain has had water conserving toilets, motion sensors in the hallways to control lights, and on/off controls by every outlet. We have passed solar farms and wind farms, and many hybrid cars and motorcycles are on the roads. We have much to learn from them. On the other hand, I have been shocked by the number of people I’ve seen smoking, especially in Spain. One of the big surprises is that we hear American music wherever we are, at breakfast in the hotel, at gas stations, in restaurants. Entertainment must be one of our biggest exports. Most of the time it is American artists, but occasionally it is a Spanish artist singing an American song. Tomorrow we reach Portugal. We have a 63 mile day with over 3500 feet of climbing ahead. The forecast is for hot, sunny weather. Just three more days to reach the tip of Portugal. We need to stay focused.