Morning started with a coffee and a conference call (work follows me, yes, I am not retired…) and then we got the call that Andy and Mickey had arrived. Fabulous breakfast sharing stories and catching up. Then a lovely walk to the Castile de Gibralfaro, and down the hill to old town. Time to start our journey to Ronda, our destination the Hotel San Gabriel. 6pm we met our representative from Andalucían Cycling Experience – handover of our specialized hybrid bicycles, information pack, odometer, water bottles and bike lock!!!

In preparation for our ride we were off to explore the town and found the only bar open at 7pm for a pre dinner drink. Definitely too early for the locals!!! Dinner at Almocabar  on the square was amazing. Enjoyed a beautiful cava which we paired with iberico ham and fresh steamed clams. The main was a whole seabass for the table and grilled vegetables. Had to try a Spanish white with the fish… Great start to our trip…

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Vertical:    550 m

Time on the bike:  2 hr 40 min

Onto the bikes for our first of many leisurely rides along quiet country lanes.  We heaedd towards Montejaque via Benoajan. Passed a fresh water lagoon at the Cueva de Gatos before stopping for lunch. Of course Mickey and Andy did go for a “swim”, we were a bit hesitant as too cold for us! A really relaxed way to experience the countryside in Spain. Lunch spot was beautiful and we enjoyed being out of the sun for a bit. Definitely hot…

We stayed at Hotel Cortijo Las Piletas and had a lovely dinner at hotel, no reservation needed, part of the experience. A wife and husband couple who had corporate roles and ditched those for living in the countryside. Inspiring to see how they reinvented themselves. Food and wine was delicious and the service so attentive. Wrapped up with a nightcap and then some good sleep to be ready for day 2 of cycling.

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Vertical:    1,130 m

 Time on the bike:  5 hr 10 min

And we are off again following a lovely breakfast, destination Hotel Los Tadeos. We rode through an enchanting cork tree forest in the Grazalema Natural Park to the beautiful white village of Grazalema, which is surrounded on three sides by mountains. Here we had an opportunity to explore the narrow streets, enjoy the beautiful views back across the route we had taken and sample a few tapa’s and local hospitality. After lunch it was back on the bikes to

ride along quiet country lanes that meander there way towards Zahara de la Sierra.

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