This morning we drove from San Sebastian to Bilbao by car to start in Bilbao. After a late start, we said goodbye to Pilar and Joana at 10:30 am and set off in the direction of Noja.
The first 20 km were very beautiful and we passed several beaches. The highlight was a paved road that was several kilometers long and only accessible to bicycles. You don’t have to worry about cars or co.
After the lunch break (we had a delicious tortilla de patata), it was time to tackle the vertical meters. With a gradient of up to 14%, steep descents and sharp bends, it was definitely hard on the legs. The view of the coast was breathtaking and we also met many people walking the Way of St. James.
The main problem was the heat and we had to fight a lot with the temperatures. The air is very stuffy and it was very hot with up to 40*C! We definitely had to cool off at every fountain we could find.
Once we arrived in Laredo, the next highlight came: we had to take a small fishing boat to get to Santoña. That was great (especially as it saved us a detour of up to 20km)
Now it’s only a relaxed 11 km to our destination. We finally arrived in Noja at 17:30. Now we’re off to find something tasty to eat.
Conclusion of the day: you can conquer any climb as long as you believe in yourself.
