Big mountain day

Hi all

Set the alarm for six to get an early start to take on Bilbao but it was heaving it down - so back to bed for an hour. Finally on the road for 09:30 with a huge climb to start. Point to remember, dont camp by the beach, everywhere you go is up !

Got through Bilbao pretty well although it was very quiet as it was Saturday and public holiday. Found a transporter bridge to get us across the river and saved us having to go all the way into the town. Out the other side and into the suburbs of Getxo where it was 2nd brekkie with coffee and cake, followed by another coffee and sandwich.

We then got lost getting out of Getxo and met a Spanish gent called Manuel who gave us a guided tour out of Getxo and through Sopolana so we have his photograph and email address so we can say thank you properly. We were led out of towns three times today from various people, they are really rather helpful.

We are now out into proper countryside and on our way through Mungia and onto Gernika which we reached about 15:30 and had a late lunch at a petrol station - very posh !

Anyway, we are now on a roll and decided to go all the way to Lekeitio having being fully fed and watered again. This was particularly mountainous with a brilliant mountain pass on the BI 2238 into the town. We finally go there about 6 and started looking for camp sites. We met another cyclist who told we had a choice of two - one was halfway up a very steep road, the other was slightly further away but without the altitude issue. Needless to say, we went for the easier option only to get there to find the flipping place was shut until June. We didnt fancy waiting that long, so went back to the town and climbed up to the second site. After about a 15% gradient for a mile or so, we came across the turn off for the site, which was even steeper !! Whats this all about !!!!

Anyway, major sense of humour failure by now and got off and walked it. The site is nice and it was glorious sunshine all evening so we got rigged up in no time, showered and sat in the restaurant and wolfed down our food as if we had not been fed for days.

Ready for bed now so you will have wait a bit longer for some photographs as we need some kip to do more of the same tomorrow. Aiming for San Sebastian tomorrow and meet a friend who lives there for a coffee.

Thank you for the messages of encouragement, great moral support and much appreciated

Keep it up

bye for now

A & G