10/05/2023 Bikepacking Spain Day 58 : Duele!

The first order of business today (after the big climb) was to go check out a waterfall that we re-routed to come see. Here it is… well, the area was wet at least! 💦

In these small towns of Spain, life is different. At home, you hardly have to interact with a cashier - just beep your stuff and go (unless you’re buying alcohol at self checkout). Here, EVERYTHING is up for discussion. Janet snapped this great photo of the woman on the left trying to pay with a debit card. The woman behind the counter is patiently explaining to her (for 15 minutes) that she needs to have a PIN to use a debit card, and that a credit card doesn’t need a PIN. What I am wondering is: Is this really the first time this woman from this small isolated town has come here to buy groceries with a debit card? Considering the patient, but strained tone of the woman behind the counter, I think not. Delays like these are common for us any time we depart from towns that cater to tourists. We get to see a different side of Spanish life as we stand there and listen. 👂

One of the main reasons I like bike travel (besides seeing new scenery and cycling all day) is meeting people with different lives from me and seeing how they live. I say that… but i don’t always engage others to make that happen. As a result, many of the people who I meet are those who solicit my attention. I was taking my insulin injection outside this store when I hear someone yell, “Duele?” “Duele??!!?” This means “Does it hurt?” I didn’t immediately register that this was intended for me, but I looked up, and this guy who seemed a little drunk was looking at me. I explained that it didn’t hurt. He replied “diabetes!” Then “sugar!!” Beaming with pride that he knew what was going on. This seemed like a good segue to walk over and get nice and close like you see here… and ask for some coin. This was easy: “I only have a credit card.” The reply came, “pfffff. How are you going to pay when you…” This would have been the perfect time to interject, “and I don’t even need a PIN!!” —

While the conversation with “my buddy” as Janet likes to call him was going on, these two guys (as well as several others) sat and watched the best sitcom action they have probably seen all month unfolding. I didn’t see this, but they made the Cuckoo sign (spinning the finger around the head) to let her know that this guy is crazy. I can’t help but laugh at the idea of these old guys sitting on the bench making that symbol. Janet asked them for this photo which she took and they straightened up and obliged with alacrity. 🦯

Back to a road we have ridden before! In 2019 we passed through here in the opposite direction. This time, we aim to get back to where we departed from the Altrevesur route and finish it off! Looking back at what we did in 2019, we feel older now… we may be slower, but we aren’t sitting on benches watching life unfold around us - still going for it! —

One of the attractions we missed last time - we made sure to take the effort to go see what we missed in this region. —

Video compilation of some of the places we went today. All good stuff!! —

I like to design into our routes non-traditional connections that don’t follow the main roads. When we can, we take little connectors that come back to the artery.. or usually capillary road. Sometimes you must walk, but that can be a good thing. —

The oleander tunnel. Yes, it’s on the map, and a “attraction”. People like us will go see anything if it is on the map 😂 We ended up camping in the exact same spot as 2019. This is the only place we will do that on this trip. —

Absolutely fabulous, the scenery, the people, photography, and your detailed experiences. It's quite amazing, all of the things the two of you see and do in a day.

Boris F.