SPANISH ROADS&TRIPS V
- antoniolelc
- 23 nov 2023
- 5 Min. de lectura
Actualizado: 25 abr
Warm Winter south Spain and have enough sun light time, are very appreciate for riding. Having fantastic trip.
First day, to avoid so much boring highway I rode along Alpujarras and Axarquia zone to get my destination at Antequera. Twisty and touristic roads.
Presa de Benínar to Antequera maps.app.goo.gl
Veleta & Mulhacen background. Both are highest peaks of Spain. Not Snowed yet...
Sometimes Shepherd cross small roads. Use caution. I usually stop engine to not afraid animals (and Sheepdogs)
Axarquia Mountains and Puerto del Sol (Sun pass).
Second day.
After having breakfast I decided to visit Antequera's Dolmens before continue trip. It is very near to my hotel. To save time I arrived on bike with all stuff. It`s not very long visit. 20 minutes aprox.
Background Mountain "La Peña de los Enamorados". A face of person looking the sky. Mystic&Legend Mountain...
After finish visit I realized I need probably spare oil to refill...I forgot mine home...Oh no!!! What a disaster!!!...After looking for similar oil in some gas stations (I didn`t want to mix different type of oil) I got 15w50 castrol power1 at BP gas station. In the end, I didn`t have to refill...I am not sure what happened? Probably I didn`t check properly in the morning??? Anyway I was checking level during all trip...
This stage was quieter than first day. Mediterranean forest crossing soft hills: Olive trees, holm oak...
Only few bushes and lonely and isolated trees remind me it is Autumn...But everywhere forest was still green...
Last day was also easy trip. Few twisty roads and visit special place. I was lucky. It is a guide visit and book is needed. I didn´t know but I was able to visit with a group in the end.
Despeñaperros pass. Frontier-line between Andalusia and Castle-La Mancha.
Alvaro Bazan´s Italian Style Palace. Located in Viso del Marques. Little village.
After finish visit I rode home taking new small roads to take the most of the trip. No hurry.
End.
2º TRIP TO MAESTRAZGO & MATARRAÑA REGIONS.
First time I rode through Maestrazgo region It was Silent Route 2 years ago. Now I rode easter part of it and including Matarraña Region.
Before entering Maestrazgo and after leaving it, I also crossed Espadan Natural park to take the most of the trip. But this time I rode others roads.
Ares Pass. https://maps.app.goo.gl/Hg6WWhVsmGadcGCD8
Saint Balma`s Sanctuary. https://maps.app.goo.gl/rpxsZurRnYCPx29j7
My hotel was at La Fresneda. Little village just entering in Matarraña region.
"Fresnedillo". Little prehistoric Symbol of this region. Similar to Indalo at Almeria.
Second day I visited Valderrobres. And I started to come back home south heading.
Valderrobres. Matarraña`s capital city.
Morella´s Aqueduct
Las Cabrillas Pass.
Mosqueruela´s Pass. https://maps.app.goo.gl/X1aGaLjYfEhpfH7VA
End.
ANALEMMATIC SUNDIAL & RIOJA´S 3 VALLEYS
One day looking for Google maps I discover real stranger thing. It was an Analemmatic sundial clock? In the way another place I wanted to visit long time ago. 3 Rioja´s Valleys. In the end it was very satisfying 3 days trip.
First day.
Leaving home to get Calatayud. It would be my base during all my trip.
Bendy road in almost good condition. Beautiful and diverse landscapes.
Nuclear power plant at Cofrentes.
From Ademuz (El Rincón is Valencian territory within the Aragonese/Manchegan region) to Teruel, a contrast of colors. From rocky gray, we move to reddish clay... Suddenly, we find ourselves immersed, following the meandering course of the Turia River. Near Libros. The road is narrow and a bit twisty. It's lined with poplar forests.
A bit before get hotel in Calatayud, I got near Alfambra to see analemmatic sundial.
After arrived hotel, I get off my gears and I went to visit Calatayud and have dinner. Walking this little town was very pleasant.
I tried to have dinner at the typical Mesón de la Dolores (also a hotel) but had no luck...it was fully booked...A friend recommended I try the shoulder of lamb and a local wine made with Garnacha (Baltasar Gracian or Reyes de Aragon. I liked them a lot)...finally I was able to have dinner at this other restaurant and I thought it was fine:
Second day. 3 Rioja´s Valleys.
I decided not to ride same route exactly. Only some of them avoidind very trail parts and making in the end a circular way to get back hotel in Calatayud (My base). I think it was good idea. I could take the most of it.
Piqueras Pass. It was closed due to work in progress, but I could manage to pass in the end...I was lucky. Nowadays I suppose it is open?
Iregua River. Just after leaving the N111 towards Logroño and taking the LR245, you climb to the Rasa pass. The good asphalt ends. One of the "Trail" stages begins... bumpy, with poor asphalt, loose gravel, livestock and their droppings... Anyway. This is part of motorcycle touring, and if you're a little Hobbit without a Trail bike, no worries. You'll be comfortable thanks to the sheepskin seat... (and a good shock absorber too).
With a few switchbacks, its height and sweeping views made it a very nice climb. It's short. Once you descend, you continue along the LR250 parallel to the Leza River. This section becomes ideal for naked bikes again. Perfect asphalt and a great route.
Canyon Leza River, descending some steps from the viewpoint. A little earlier, in Soto en Cameros, there was some kind of livestock fair or something... the town was very pretty but a bit crowded but I didn't have much time for sightseeing. In fact, when I'm on a route wearing gears, I don't usually do much sightseeing. Just brief glimpses like a viewpoint or an analemmatic sundial somewhere are enough to stretch my legs...
From Ribafrecha to Anguiano, nothing noteworthy. A short and boring transition to bypass Logroño, etc. Roadworks on the highway before Nájera messed up my GPS, which again hadn't registered it, and made me take a detour...
Valvanera Monastery. It's a short out-and-back ride on good asphalt. The entire LR113 road from Anguiano to Venta Goyo, parallel to the Najerilla River, is another ideal stretch for naked bikes. It differs from the Leza River Canyon section in the breadth of the views. The Najerilla section, with its vegetation and topography, has more of a visual "tunnel" effect.
Leaving the LR113 near Venta Goyo, we must travel along the second "Trail" section (the first was Puerto de la Rasa). This section runs parallel to the Urbión/Viniegra River and serves to cross both hamlets of Las Viniegras. If La Rasa was a high pass, this second trail section is a twisty, winding stretch through a narrow canyon. And like the previous one, it's bumpy, with gravel, narrow, etc.
In Viniegra de Arriba, the "ordeal" ends. The landscape opens up, and we face the Montenegro pass. For me, very beautiful and interesting. It's not for aggressive driving due to livestock/dung, road width, etc., but the asphalt, layout, and views are very good...
The climb up and down the Montenegro Pass. Then comes the Santa Inés Pass... the climb towards Soria. Very good condition asphalt to enjoy a bit...
Castle in Almenar de Soria... Located on those boring straight stretches with radar average speed cameras, etc., I curiously didn't see it on the way there at the morning! Was it just perspective? Was I distracted, singing Gabinete Caligari song "Camino Soria" inside my helmet?... Anyway, it appeared on the horizon during the return trip. We stretched our legs... Arrived at the hotel, took a shower, and went for another walk to see Calatayud. Here we sampled torreznos (fried pork belly), grilled pig's ear... And the Garnacha Reyes de Aragón red wine, wow! And the charming little square (near Mesón de la Dolores).
My verdict and personal opinion of this particular 3 Rioja`s Valleys is that it's well worth it. I'd give it an average of 7.5. And that's on a naked bike. It was a Saturday, admittedly not very high season yet (June 2025). The experience with lots of cyclists, campervans, etc., during peak season or on Sundays, etc., could be very different.
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