Camino Mozarabe - Day 3 - Castuera

Confirm that the person in the bar yesterday is walking the Camino Mozarabe and will head north on the Camino via de la Plata to Santiago after Mérida. Told me his name is 'Bugger?' from Australia. Somehow he took a wrong turn and ended up on the boring road for 44 km yesterday. At least that explains why I did not see him and it would be faster on the road than on the trail.

Finally terrain is flatter. At least I don't have to push the bike up anymore today, except when I want enjoy walking with it. Riding into Extremadura today. Three stages on the bike today. 25+32+18 km.

First stop. Hinojosa del Duque for coffee and churros. A priest actually serve me my churros outside, perhaps to help the bar and to ask me where I come from. They are always amazed when I told them. Another highlight here is a stay at the convent. Too short for me at only 25 km. On the way out a farm with turkeys and chicken roaming freely. Every time I park the bike near horses they always come.

Before I got to happy about the nice terrain I had to squeezed into 2 narrow overgrowth path. Ouch. Luckily not for too long. Maybe it is not the bike but that I may have food for them. Before Monterrubio I have a nice bici (bike arrow). The alternate walking path is actually not too bad. Just wish they had that after leaving Cordoba as the walking path is really narrow and steep for any bicycle.

Finally, goodbye Andalucia, hello Extremadura!  Quick stop at Monterrubio de la Serana. Now even the church has the Extremadura feel. After coffee and tapas, got some food at the supermarket for lunch on the way to Castuera. This last stretch is basically olive tree for miles and miles. Found an acorn tree among the olives for the break. Yes, I got a cup noodle (actually yakisoba). No hot water, just have to wait slightly longer for the noodle to absorb the water from my bottle to become soft.

Before Castuera a nice town perch on the side of a hill with fort ruin, Benquerencia de la Serena. Finally just after 3 pm in Castuera. Love the Extremadura design ayuntamiento (city hall). Have to wait outside the local police to get the keys to the albergue. Another Spanish biker which I have not seen before also riding the Mozarabe from Granada showed up. A lot more professional looking including the bike (mine is really amateurish). Bad news, the albergue is closed. Good news, there is a hotel here which is not in the guide. So we both rode towards it at the edge of town. 22 euros. With restaurant so don't need to go anywhere in the evening.

Looks like 2 more days to Mérida.

Camino Mozarabe - Day 2 - Alcaracejos

Why is the terrain so tough? Thought it would be flat like the extremadura that I will be headed. More hills and trails today.

Can only do a 21+38 stages. The first stage already got wet and have to pack my wet shoes into the backpack and continue with the crocs. Good thing shoes are not exactly mandatory for cycling. The first stage ends in Villaharta up in the hills. 11 km before that had my second coffee, the bike park outside bar. Four cats on the wall but when I took the shot only one cat left. Took a break for my third coffee and leftover burrito from last night's dinner in Villaharta. Then it is up again and shot of Villaharta looking back.

The next stage of 38 km is pretty bad. Nothing but trails up and down hills until Alcaracejos. How a walker can manage that I really don't understand. Some I believe have to camp out and hope the weather is not too cold. Not only that, there are many river crossings. The shot I took is knee deep. The bicycle also had several baths. Luckily the flow of water is not fast else it will be going downstream. Have to push the bike uphill almost all the time. Downhill is great except a few times where it was too steep and rocky so actually have to pull the bike down.

Many stops during the 6 hours after Villaharta. Camino signpost is a great way to stand the bicycle. If not lay it on the ground.

Finally just before 4:30 pm Alcaracejos is in sight. Another coffee and water (almost ran out again today). Have to rest half an hour. Then it is time to ask for the hostal. No albergue here. Not an issue. Need my own space and time to recover

Great. Hostal Las Tres Jotas is also owned by the Bar/Tic Tac right across the street. Everything in one place. Let's hope tomorrow's terrain will be better so I can do 3 stages instead.

Seems like there is Pellegrino here too. Zipped off pants, sandals, a tablet and a paper notebook presumably writing his journal drinking a beer. Saw me but did not acknowledge. Curious as to how he got here? I didn't see anyone on the trail today. He'd probably slept outside last night. There are no towns in the 38 km except maybe farmhouses. 

Camino Mozarabe - Day 1 - Cerro Muriano

Just realized in the morning that I had stayed not near the train station but somehow have cycled back to the area before the river.

Also discovered that the admission to the mosque in Cordoba is free Mon-Sat from 8:30 to 9:30 am (8 euros for the other times). Just a 20 minutes stroll from the hotel I guess I have to visit it again, the last time being almost 23 years ago. It's the best looking mosque I have ever seen (not that I have seen many). Built on top of a Roman-Visigoth foundation the church re-added later, which looks gaudy and out of place among the grand arches. There is already a line waiting before 8:30 am. Cordoba like many Andalucian cities have recently added lots of bike lanes, which helps me quite a bit looking when navigating the streets.

So back to the hotel for another shower before checking out. Lube the bicycle chain while having another coffee and finally left Cordoba at 11 am. Thought I could make 50 km or so but somehow not meant to be. The hills after Cordoba is really steep and half way even the trails are not possible on a bicycle. I have to backtrack and find an alternative but longer route via the roads, about 22 km instead of the 17 km via the walking trail.

The hills are steep and seems to go on forever. The last few climb I actually have to push the bike up, even on the road. After the super long and crazy trip on day 0 I figured this is enough for the day and stopped in Cerro Muriano. I can  catch up in the later stage extremadura where the terrain is flat. Need also to rest my butt. Should have brought my cycling pants.

The albergue or house is hosted by Gert-Jan and Maria Suzanna van Geldere, a Dutch couple who after walking the Camino decided stay on the Camino route, rented their house and opened it up for pilgrims. They have doing it for 5 years. Gert is in Holland now and his wife Maria takes over today. Together with Alan (pilgrim from UK) had a good time talking and after dinner wine, cheese and Maria's homemade pickled olives from her garden. A good thing too that I have chose to stopped here and stayed as next year there will be an official albergue and Maria told me they will then probably go back to Holland but not before traveling the world. So basically next year she won't be here.