Official Spanish Resident

Six months and one day after I started the process, I picked up my official Extranjeros Regimen Comunitario card. Two trips to Orihuela, four to Alicante, much mail back and forth to the Philippines and Madrid and it's over-until Nov 2016, anyway. That's when I need to renew it. Now to undergo 40 hours of "integration" classes that consist of language, culture, civics, etc. I hope they don't interfere with cycling.
Tomorrow we're off to Alicante again, by train, to chase down Is' driver's license. She was told to contact the Traffico office if she hadn't received it within 60 days. Well, that's just passed so we're chasing. I'm dreading the start of another process to get mine. Hers was relatively easy; just go there, show the Brit (E.U.) license and wait for the mail. I have to go to mandatory classes. Hey! Howcome? I drive on the proper side of the road! then I have to learn 600 different laws and rules, study mechanics, towing issues, first aid, target practice and then take the exam...in Spanish. Oh boy! I'd almost rather not get one, just ride a bike and let her drive. That way I can sample all the wine I want. Hmmmmm.....

Day Two

We had fine weather on the second day, making the 112 Km in good time. We travelled through some really beautiful country, vineyards and neat towns. All in all we did 170 Mk, climbing a total of 6010 feet, reaching a maximum altitude of 3160 feet. We celebrated the successful trip with a penultimate pint in Catral, three towns away from Algorfa, where I peeled off to make it home.

Wet arrival in Baneres

We finally made it, wet, but elated. We checked in and headed for the bar where we warmed up with a couple carajillos (strong black coffee laced with brandy). Then it was to the showers and a fine dinner.

Between Guadalest and Alcoi

Here we are in the mountains on the first leg, slogging along in the rain. It was somewhere near here that Thomas got a temperature reading from his do-everything Garmin cycle computer. We were dismayed to learn that it was 2 degrees Celsius.

A semi-dry Start

Here are 4/5 of us on the bus to our starting point in Guadalest. We were soggy from riding and loading bikes in the rain, and the bus conductor kept mentioning the five (fools) cyclists who were setting out for the mountains in the deluge.

Back from the Mountains

Made it back from the Guadalest-Alcoi-Baneres-Crevillent tour in one piece, though carrying some damp gear. We set out from Studz Bar in a steady rain, riding the bus to Guadalest while soggy from loading the bikes. There were five of us, aged 55 to almost 68, and all a little soft in the head. After coffee and tostadas we headed uphill (all the way, it seemed) toward Alcoy. The rain alternated between a heavy mist and pelting almost sleet. Thomas gave us a temperature report from his do-everything Garmin bike computer. It was 2 Celsius or 35 Farenheit, so we had to keep climbing vigorously to stay warm.

We stopped in Alcoi for lunch, getting directions to Baneres and leaving profuse apologies for the puddles on the floor. One man who told us how to get there shook his head in sympathy, pointing up while mumbling something like, "Muy alto!"
We dragged our sorry posteriors into the hotel just before dark and ordered the mandatory carajillos before hot showers and a sumptuous dinner. I thought about asking for my meal to be brought to the shower so I could steam a little longer.

Tuesday, we set off in fine weather, dropping about 2500' down to our starting level. We cycled through some really beautiful country, stopping in Salinas and Hondon de los Nieves for snack and lunch, before topping the final mountain range and sliding thru Crevillent to our penultimo cerveza in Catral. My whole trip was approximately 175 km; no accurate figure being available as the 'puter got a little water-logged and quit working. Thomas will send us all a report from his Garmin and photos from his smart-phone...someday. Will try to post them soon.