BIKING PORTIONS

[Jen Seeler]

We biked the Camino in May this year.  I am female, 64, play tennis and golf
and bike occasionally.  Dave is 62, a competitive masters swimmer and bikes
over 100 miles per week in flat, flat Florida.    Now to answer your
questions.  In 2001 we biked from Pamplona to Santiago in 20 days, took lots
of pictures, met lots of wonderful people.   On 2003 it took us 21 days and
we continued on to Finisterre.

We brought new discount store bikes in their original shiping cartons and
assembled them at the start of our trip.  We gave them away to two kids in
Finisterre, packed our stuff in cardboard boxes and came home looking like
refugees.  We figured it was not worth the hassle to transport our "good"
bikes.   We were not going to go fast, so what if the bike weighed a few
pounds more.  We don't ride with panniers a home.

>1. We by-passed Montes de Oca - San Juan Ortega through beautiful quiet
>country roads to the north.  It was flatter, but longer. Did you take
>the over- mountain route and what were your impressions?

    It was cold and raining when we left Belorado.  I was afraid of the hill
at Montes de Oca, and in fact I walked up it, Dave biked and waited for me.
The rain froze on our duffel bag.  When we first biked the camino two years
ago , we met a group of German bikers who did the stretch from the Ermita de
Valdefuentes to San Juan de Ortega on mountain bikes.   I don't remember if
they were carrying panniers

>2. Ditto for San Juan Ortega - Burgos. We took the very nice downhill
>all the way trail next to N120 but I hanker to do the overhill via Ages,
>Atapuerca, Olmos de Atapuerca. Any thoughts?

   It depends on the weather.   Again, this year it was cold and raining.
The road into Burgos is under construction and confusing.  In May we met
many hikers who ended up calling a cab for the last bit into Burgos.

>3. We missed Astorga - Ponferreda due to a storm and trained, thereby
>missing a beautiful portion of the camino. Any insights on that portion.?

Do it!  We followed MLB to Rabanal.  There now is a small monestary in
Rabanal where the monks sing evening and morning prayers.  Rabanal to
Ponferrada is a bitch.  Stay on the road.  Be careful coming down from the
Curz de Hierro thru El Acebo.  The streets in El Acebo are cobbled and slant
down to the center of the street for drainage. bumpy and slippery  On the
way out (down) from El Acebo you pass a small  cemetery with a monument of a
wrought iron bicycle, a monument to a (German?) cyclist who died there

>4. MBL is very unclear in his guiding up to O Cebreiro. We took NVI
>through Pedrafita but never at any time knew exactly where we were. He
>has an "antigua VI"  drawn in between the walking trail through La Faba
>that we could not find. Matter of fact, all guidebook info I've read
>about the route past Vega De Valcarce is very confusing. Basically is
>the hiking trail through La Faba and beyond do-able by mountain bike,
>considering good weather (no rain)? I want to ride and not push. I know,
>a lot depends on my strength and stamina.

Do not take the La Faba route!.   Walkers said it was very dificult.   This
year you follow the Antigua 6.  It was under construction two years ago and
we ended up on the main road.  Now there are three roads:  the new National
6 (N VI) is completed so you have the "antique" old 6 and the "younger
former 6" and the interstate type road.    Check the archives for the new
wonderful German run albergue on the way up to O Cebreiro.

 From Vega de Valcarce follow the antique 6 until the sign points left to La
Faba.  Don't take the turning.  The map in MLB and in Higginson's "Bicycle
Guide to the Camino" have the route turning earlier and both are in error.
Yes you do end up at Pedrafita and have a horrible remaining 4 to 5 miles
uphill into O Cebrieiro.

>5. The walking trail a couple miles beyond Sarria crosses the highway
>and proceeds to Portomarin via a small rough road and numerous villages
> of "true ethnological originality". At the suggestion of some locals at
>a restaurant at the crossroads, we stuck to the highway. (It had
>recently rained) Are you familiar with this 10 mile section and have you
>biked it?

We stuck to the boring road.

What you did not ask:

We biked to Finisterre by road in three days, via Noia and Muros.  In
Finisterre we met a
biker who had done the Camino from Santiago to Finisterre in one day!   If
you have time, go to the tourist office in Santiago.  They will give you a
map of the overland route, on which there are two albergues, plus the one in
Finisterre.  From what I know the route is very rural with few towns with
accommodations other than the albergues.

Bueno Camino

   jean seeler and dave difford  jeandaveamindspring.com