GOING CAMPING (FINALLY) (updated June 1)

May 31, 2013June 1, 2013 ~ jeffsbiketour ~ 1 Comment

I rode to the town of El Bosque its the entrance to Grazalema National Park Im stayed at a hotel last night. The both campgrounds are closed during the week, they open today at 5pm. Don’t ask me why I don’t get it? The weather is outstanding, not a cloud in the sky.
I watched bull fighting on TV at a local bar. Thats a blood sport, the bull attacked the horse and lifted it off the ground and knocked the horse to the ground, it was pretty incredible. The horse is wearing a protective cover, so it doesn’t get gorged. That would be a little over the top, then. The guy on the horse was spearing the bull on the back of the neck. So you can see why the bull really didn’t like the guy on the hose. The bull really does scrap the dirt before charging, in case you were wondering.
El Bosque is a Blaco (white town) every building is painted white. I cant believe this trip is happening,
Set up & take down can be amazing sometimes. I have to find accommodation every, night, most of you have a key to your sleeping quarters every night. Travel is not easy, charging batteries, laundry, 3 meals a day, pedaling is work when your carrying your house. I got killed out there yesterday.

watching a little bull fighting

taking over a hotel room

Its magic how all tha t shit gets packed up again

walking here is OK

Sunrise 1st night camping in weeks

BACK ON THE BIKE

May 30, 2013May 30, 2013 ~ jeffsbiketour ~ Leave a comment

LEAVING THE AWSOME OASIS PALACE HOSTEL IN SEVILLE. Nico, Carlos, Andrea and the saleswomen Edit, made the Hostel feel like home. (it was home)

I like red and saw these $10 bike shorts, had to have them, look good with Blazers Jersey!

I intended to use the bus and train more, and yesterday would have been good. I thought about how I rode out of Seville, when I got to my part of the route I mapped out, it turned out to be a freeway, no bikes allowed. There were 10 policemen stopping cars, profiling, I stood and watched for awhile.

They stopped & searched this young couples car.
The 2 officers came over and told me this was a dangerous neighborhood and I needed to leave. I told him I wanted to go south, he gave me directions and off I went. I passed the tenement housing projects, garbage everywhere, graffiti, a part of Seville the tourist don’t see. As I was riding, a couple who were biking stopped me and wanted to know: where from? where to? and what about that bike? She took my photo with Manual, then I took one with him.

Manual wanted to be on the Blog, well you made the cut. Thanks for giving me your card in case I needed help or got in trouble
After parting ways I rode a bike lane for a long time. I found this isolated road that took me for awhile.

The odometer read 730 km
So Im back at the freeway that I was turned away from earlier. I followed a frontage road for about 5km then it ended (just like the sign indicated!) So I took the dirt road that replaced it. I could see my destination across the railroad tracks.

You can see the railroad tracks on the left. I unloaded the bike and made 3 trips with the bike stuff. While I was reloading a train came by.
So now I in UTRERA. I would never have found this town, I basically stumbled into it, because it was too late in the day to ride on. This is where the bike brings you places the bus or even a car wouldn’t. It had an amazing history of Castles and Churches. I went to visit the castle in the morning, they gave me the keys and let me go to the tower on my own, it was so awesome.

More photos of Utrera
Today was probably my hardest day riding so far,so to speak. I walked up a 2 or 3 km hill, after a failed attempt at hitchhiking.
Im tired, Ill tell about where I ended up later but it was a score.

What I will miss about Seville?

May 13, 2013May 14, 2013 ~ jeffsbiketour ~ 1 Comment

Laughing with Amy & Roxanne from Quebec

Morocco: here I come & Seville ghost bikes

May 11, 2013May 11, 2013 ~ jeffsbiketour ~ 2 Comments

I was dreading riding the bus to southern Spain, taking the ferry then busing to Marakeesh. I found a plane ticket for the same price as all the above travel pieces added up. I’m so happy I can hardly believe my good fortune. I’m going for 13 days, I’m leaving my bike at the Seville Palace Hostel that also has a swimming pool on the rooftop deck.
I visited the Seville Cathedral today (by accident). I went by earlier in the day, there had to 100 people in line. So I came back before closing and had 45 minutes, not quite enough time. But I was planning on taking the bus the next morning so it was my only chance to go. Here’s a niceVideo.and History about the cathedral.

I thought this was the nicest piece, all marble, it was amazing. They said they had 1000 people at one time working on the cathedral, the largest in Europe. Christopher Columbus is entombed here.
Portland Oregon is known for memorializing bicyclist who are killed while riding a bike. The first ghost bike was erected in Missouri in 2003 and the tradition is spreading around the world. While riding around Seville today I came across a ghost bike.

The sign on the Bike reads: THE FEBRUARY 28TH OF 2013 A DRUNK DRIVER CRASHED OUR FRIEND AND BROTHER, SERGIO, WHILE HE WAS PEDALING HAPPY TO HOME.
THIS BICYCLE IS USED LIKE A MEMORIAL OF HIS LIFE AND LIKE A REPORT TO A MOTORING SOCIETY WITHOUT RESPECT OF THE LIFE OF THE CYCLIST AND PEDESTRIAN.

I restocked (made) my famous oatmeal for camping and hosteling.

Quick Oats, Dried Apricots and Cashews
My tent was leaking some I couldn’t find any seam sealer in Portugal, but Spain, it’s almost America!

Therma-rest repair kit, tent seam sealer, red cycling shorts, powdered gatorade type stuff, chocolate bars & black cycling socks. I’m ready for some camping after Morocco.
te

GROWING FOOD AND OTHER THOUGHTS ABOUT SPAIN

May 10, 2013May 10, 2013 ~ jeffsbiketour ~ 4 Comments

I noticed in Portugal that most people didn’t grow a garden. When I talked with a Portuguese women about this, she said the Portuguese buy a lot of their food from Spain. Now that I’m in Spain, I can definitely see it. There are rows of crops & fruit trees. I saw hectors (acres) of covered crops, which is what the trend is in Oregon, to extend the growing season.

These were strawberry’s closest to the road, but you can see on the left how far the covers go, forever!
While biking into Huelva, Spain as I hit the major highway into town an awesome Bike Path appeared. I followed it straight into town.

After a beautiful 6km ride into town, who was there to greet me, but non other than McDonald’s

Since I love tours, I signed up for the Tapa tour, 3 restaurants with drinks included. It was very fun, the people were awesome, especially the Quebec girls, Amy & Roxane. They actually thought I was funny, WTF.

Australia, Canada, Brazil, France, New York
I inquired about Friday’s Bike Tour, she said it started a 7. I said 7 in the morning? No 7pm, All of Seville lives at night and sleeps in the morning. She said no one is up that early, that was my cue to get up early and ride around town. There are literally thousands of people on the streets of Seville during the day. I got up at 5 am and started riding, it was so nice to have the bike paths along the river to myself. Just walking around town you have to dodge all the people. (maybe time for a little birth control) Below are some photos I took this morning.

Plaza Espana

BIENVENIDO A ESPANA (welcome to Spain)

May 8, 2013May 8, 2013 ~ jeffsbiketour ~ 1 Comment

I don’t take a lot of pictures, but the few are stories, from me. Again the economy is struggling.

This is the esplanade in Monte Gordo, nobody in sight, it’s so beautiful and so quiet.

Then their was this development outside of town, every unit empty, Vende Se (for Sale)
The tourism lady sent me on a big bike journey, one thing about short riding days, is you get time to explore where you are.

She sent me back out on the highway and said there was a bike path through the national park. It was pretty awesome.

This were some flamingos hanging out, I yelled out to get them to fly, they wanted no part of that, they just walked around and flapped their beautiful wings.

I was bragging about the great camping, well I got burned again. No Pool and these were the toilets, start squatting! There’s a handy brush on the wall, in case you want to leave it clean for the next person.

Riding the ferry from Portugal to Spain (about 10 minuts)

They gave me directions to the Vodafone store, I showed them my police photos from Tavir and they asked if I wanted their picture? Well hell yes I do!

I may have to start eating beef again.
I rode to Lepe Spain today, got a Hotel, recharge my batteries (mine &; the phones). She wanted 22 Ero, I said how about 20? OK. Then I went and took a shower, it was awesome & the water glass was real glass, not plastic, I brought her the other 2 Euro, the room is great.
I just read through this a lot happens in a day and a half.

	Olivia on BIKING PRAGUE TO CESKY KRUMLOV
	Randall Myers on 10 DAY BIKE TOUR (diss-aster)…
	10 DAY BIKE TOUR (di… on WHERE THE HELL IS AIRVAULT FRA…
	Chops on MY 2 WEEKS IN KENABEEK CANADA
	David Chops on MY 6 WEEKS IN PORTLAND, OREGON…