New Route in Central Spain

[ianpv]

I'm almost definitely in, too - just need to sort out a couple of things today.

Are you going to ride in from Nice, James? Only another 1000km!

[jameso]

Are you going to ride in from Nice, James? Only another 1000km!

Hadn't thought that far .. unlikely though! Train perhaps. May not be realistic in the time I can get off work, but it would make a nice 3 weeks off.

[maxap]

I will probably cycle part of the way. Maybe a train down through France

[ianpv]

I'm definitely in for 14th-21st if I can get it sorted out fairly quickly - my wife has kindly cancelled something so if it's not going to happen she could still go away!

[pistonbroke]

I'm definitely up for doing it and the dates suit me. If you book flights to Castellon, we'll take it from there. I've emailled Ernesto but I can't see any issues with riding it then. Just remember your sun cream and plenty of water capacity.

[ianpv]

Excellent - flights booked 14th-21st It's not the end of the world if it falls through for £42 - will add bike later!
Mtb or drop bar do you reckon? Looks pretty gravel bikey to me but happy to bring either...

[pistonbroke]

That's the spirit! The bike choice is complex, I'd focus on tyre and wheel options, the trails are rougher than UK forest roads as they get far less traffic and rain to compact them. Punctures, particularly in the sidewall are more common so I'd be looking to use a good quality 29× 2.2-2.4 tyre, Maxxis Ardent or Icons are popular. Make sure your wheels are nicely trued as broken spokes are an issue. There's not much tarmac so a gravel bike won't be much of an advantage over a 29er, I'd be going with comfort and ability to sit up and take in the scenery. It looks like the majority of overnights are in refugios so no need for a tent, I'll use my C2C setup of quilt, borah bivvy, airbed and small tarp. Bring at least 2 litres of water capacity, on the C2C we found a few villages that had run dry, these were over 1,200m but it was only May.
So 14th to 21st is now a firm date, anyone else who is keen please bear this in mind. Teruel isn't exactly blessed with public transport options.

[pistonbroke]

Heard back from Ernesto, the guy who put this together, this afternoon. He will be riding at least some if the route with us and will see if he can get time off work to do more. Mid Sept should be ok weather wise, could be starting to get chilly at night at higher levels but stable during the day.
We've been out doing a local event today, 59 and 103km loops around the vinyards that feature on the first day of the Spanish C2C. 2,000 participants made some of the climbs a bit congested.

[ianpv]

Great news re: Ernesto, I don't think I spoke to him at TNR last year but be great to ride with the route maker.

My gravel bike only takes 40s so I'll bring the mtb with a rigid fork if big tyres are going to be best.

So is that me and Maxap definitely in, and Andy and James 'maybes'?

[pistonbroke]

Plus Hux if he gets the time off.
Ian, did we meet on last year's TNR? I rode the first day with Craig (ZDB) to the Refugi Assietta then 2 days with Ernesto, day 4 more or less on my own and finished on Friday lunchtime. I had dinner on the night before with Craig and Scott (scattamah)

[ianpv]

I'm not sure we did really meet at TNR - although I was sitting near Scott for the Pizzas pre-depart. I stopped at the refugio at the top of the finestre on Day 1 so was a little behind you and didn't see Craig on the road at all (we rode together for a while on day 2 of the HT in 2017). I had a broken GPS nightmare that held me up in Briancon on day 2 of TNR and bivi'd on the far side of the Izoard, then stopped at the bottom of the death rd after day 3 at the campsite that James, Biff, & Kes used too. I had eight days so took it pretty easy - stopped on the Tenda after the day of HaB and little Peru, and bivi'd at the spot at the Col De Braus before rolling down for a couple of days in Nice.


I don't know Andy well either, although again we rode at Braunton one year with Lars for a bit I think!

[Chicken Legs]

Is the plan to arrive on Saturday 14th September and starting riding on the Sunday ?
The flight from Stansted arrives late on the 14th and no flight on the Friday, no one wants to fly on Friday the 13th !!

[pistonbroke]

Yes Andy, the flight (there is only one)gets in at 10pm, I'll pick you up and go to Teruel. I'll talk to Ernesto when I see him next week about digs in Teruel, he may have a floor for us to kip on. We'll set off Sunday morning. The flight back is the following Saturday evening so riding on the Saturday is possible if needed.

[Chicken Legs]

Thanks for confirming, its looking good for me

[pistonbroke]

Hux has just confirmed that he's booked flights, should be a good gang.

[ZeroDarkBivi]

Sounds like yet another great Spanish ride, and would love to join you all (despite the Gelato famine), but I have work commitments that week, which I doubt I can wriggle out of!

Have fun!

[Chicken Legs]

Flights booked

[pistonbroke]

So that's 5 definite
maxap, ianpv,Chicken Legs,Hux and me
With Ernesto starting with us and riding until work discovers he's not there, he works in local gvt so it could be a while.
JamesO is a possible if he gets finished with the TNR in time to get a train around the Med.
If anyone else is looking at this and thinking of giving it a go, there's an alternative flight option from Stanstead (why is it always Stanstead?) to Zaragoza and train to Teruel. Timings are again Sat 14th to 21st but earlier in the day, leaving Stanstead at 7am.

[ianpv]

Sounds great. Getting sick before the HT550 seems to have worked out well!

[pistonbroke]

I'm afraid this route will be a poor substitute for the HT550, no waist deep icy torrents, no tramping though bogs, no risk of hypothermia or trench foot, it just won't be the same.
I'm taking the good camera on next week's trip along some of the route so will report back with pics. What started off as a 2 day bimble with Ernesto and a few friends has mushroomed into 40 participants with the take over of a restaurant at the half way point.

[Mike]

Would of loved to join the party but dates dont work for me unfortunately this year maybe next year.

[pistonbroke]

Shame that Mike, we could have done with your services last week when a 300ha forest just down the road from us went up in smoke. The local idiot decided that it was a good day to burn olive cuttings despite there being a strong wind, it not having rained for about 5 weeks and not having a permit to burn. Looks like he'll go to prison for his stupidity. If the wind had been in the other direction as it had been for several days previously, our house may not be here now. As it was several km of the mountain bike race course that's used in early Sept was affected.

https://youtu.be/IrI2hADYr3s

[dlovett]

Is it tricky to get there from Valencia airport ?

So that's 5 definite
maxap, ianpv,Chicken Legs,Hux and me
With Ernesto starting with us and riding until work discovers he's not there, he works in local gvt so it could be a while.
JamesO is a possible if he gets finished with the TNR in time to get a train around the Med.
If anyone else is looking at this and thinking of giving it a go, there's an alternative flight option from Stanstead (why is it always Stanstead?) to Zaragoza and train to Teruel. Timings are again Sat 14th to 21st but earlier in the day, leaving Stanstead at 7am.

[pistonbroke]

There's a train from Valencia to Teruel which, according to RENFE's website, leaves daily at 12.15 and arrives in Teruel at about 3pm. The airport is pretty close to the city centre but I'm not sure what links there are, bus would be favourite. Where are you thinking of flying from?
Edit, there is a metro train that runs from the terminal into central Valencia so no issue there.

[dlovett]

BA from LHR or LGW, I wouldn't want to risk Ryanair.

I think they all got in after 3pm though.
I guess Barcelona is much further away.

There's a train from Valencia to Teruel which, according to RENFE's website, leaves daily at 12.15 and arrives in Teruel at about 3pm. The airport is pretty close to the city centre but I'm not sure what links there are, bus would be favourite. Where are you thinking of flying from?
Edit, there is a metro train that runs from the terminal into central Valencia so no issue there.