top of page

Not sure where to go? Or just curious what a bike-packing trip can look like? Read more about trips that I've done or those I'm currently doing  here

5 essential tips for bike packing in Spain

Spain, a land filled with buzzing squares, wine, cider, nature, tapas, pinchos, bocadillos, warm hearted people and incredible views waiting to be explored. All connected by quiet red gravel roads.


But before you pack your bags and board the first plane flying out, here is 5 essential tips for making your bike packing trip a little easier and more enjoyable.


Tip 1: There is water almost everywhere

With temperatures sometimes exceeding 40 degrees in certain areas it is exremely important to hydrate and drink enough water on your bike rides. When wild camping it can happen that you won't see a grocery store for a day and a half but how do you carry enough water with you to stay out? Water fountains.


Spain has many small water fountains to fill up your drink bottle(s). Every town usually has one located on the main square. They might be hard to find sometimes but luckily some GPS devices, like the garmin 840, also shows a little faucet on the map to help you navigate to refreshing water quickly.


Another good place to get a quick re-fill are bars. The Spanish love their social meeting places and you won't have to search long to find a small bar. When asked nicely the bartender will always refill your bottles with, usually cooled, water.


Tip 2: Eating early & late

It varies a little bit in every region but in general dinner never eaten before 8 o'clock. In many places you'll start eating around 10pm, enjoying those warm spanish evenings with food and friends.


As a hungry cyclist this is sometimes problematic, you don't want to wait without food for a couple hours before eating late. Luckily around 2-3 in the afternoon the plaza's fill with people to get together to eat and drink. I've found that the best strategy was to stop cycling in the afternoon, enjoy a bigger break to have an incredible lunch and then continue cycling a little longer in the late afternoon to bridge the gap to dinner. It's not ideal, but it does give you the best opportunities for food, and you really don't wanna miss out on the late night dinner vibes in spains. It's the best way to wind down.


Whenever you find yourself in need of a pick me up, go to a bar and order a drink. This can of course also be a soda. Usually the wait staff will bring you a small bite to eat. A great way to get a refreshing drink and a tasty snack! It could be anything from olives, a small tostada, cheese, or even some jámon.





Tip 3: Prepare yourself for climbing.

Spain is a very mountaineous country and you'll find yourself climbing to 700-900 meters of elevation on a daily base, with a total elevation gain usually reaching 2000m. It's tough. But mountains and hills also bring the best views so it's definitely worth tackling the steeper roads.

Make sure to slow down and find an easy pace, maybe slower than you think you want to go. Gradients ranging between 5% - 9%, and sometimes steeper, will challenge even the most experienced bike packers.


Dress down to go up and dress up to go down. It can get cold when you go up, temperatures dropping down and fog can make it a lot colder than down in the valley. To avoid sweating and cooling down too much i'd like to take off some layers when doing the effort uphill, and then adding layers before descending down the mountain to compensate for the lighter effort.





Tip 4: Protect yourself from the sun

The sun can be brutal in spain. Riding through endless rows of olive trees is an incredible experience and a must do when cycling through spain, but it doesn't offer any shade at all. Heatstroke is a risk when following these roads so make sure to cover your head. Besides wearing a helmet, make sure to cover your dome with and extra layer. I prefer a buff as a thin layer to absorb some sweat and protect for the sun. You can also easily soak it with water and keep your head cooler whilst enjoying your ride.

No matter how you do it, keep yourhead cool. (Also a great advice for life)





Tip 5: Tranquilo

This might state the obvious but slower is better in Spain. It's easy to get in a kilometer covering mode, riding farther and longer everyday.

In a lot of countries that is a decent mindset, but when in Spain you want to do the opposite. Find yourself a comfortable amount of distance and take it slow. Indulge in the lunches and late dinners. Sit on a plaza and have some well earned rest. Visit the many small bars, chat to some locals or just watch the world go by with a cerveza.












103 weergaven0 opmerkingen

Recente blogposts

Alles weergeven

Comments


bottom of page