Wednesday, September 22, 2021

Olot, Day 3

Bike Route (Ken): Olot to Top of Rocacorba OAB, 56 miles, 6000 feet of climb

Bike Route (Cheryl): Olot to Foot of Rocacorba OAB, 50 miles, 3500 feet of climb

Another beautiful day. It started out a bit chilly but warmed into the low seventies in the afternoon. Ken and I biked together about 20 miles to the start of the Rocacorba, which is a popular col used by pro riders for training. We found out about it last November, when Ken had Covid and I was also sick, and we were sitting on our couch shivering, huddled under wool blankets, surfing through YouTube videos of biking in Spain, dreaming of the trip we had postponed from spring 2020. 

Ken was thrilled to be close enough to tackle this famous climb. I was not up for the challenge of five-plus miles with long stretches at 10-17 percent grade. When we reached the river bridge that marks the start of the climb, Ken went on and I turned around. I cycled back to Banyoles, biked around a pleasant little lake there, ordered a cafe con leche at the tennis club, and sat in the shade and read a book for about 45 minutes until Ken finished his climb and joined me.

The entire ride was on very small country lanes and highways, through farmland and little medieval villages. We stopped at Santa Pau for dinner on the way back. There we met a couple from a small town in Belgium who were on a two-week driving holiday in Catalonia. They are both family physicians and have had a strange 18 months with Covid. Their area of Belgium is now 80 percent vaccinated, which sounds so wonderful.

The views of the Pyrenees as we coasted back into Olot were breathtaking. At the apartment, we discovered that Ken's rear tire was losing air. We located a bike shop that will take a look at it in the morning.

It's nice to finish a long, hard ride back at the same place, where we can relax and wash our bike clothes and take care of a flat and not get too stressed out. We are glad to have this week in Olot.

Olot is in Garrotxa, a county known for ancient volcanoes, medieval villages, and goat cheese. We biked through the Garrotxa Volcanic Zone Natural Park to get to Banyoles and Rocacorba. Ken took this shot looking down from the top of Rocacorba.

Ken made it to the top of the Rocacorba! According to the pros, the goal is to make it to the top in no more than your age in minutes plus 10 minutes. He made it in 71 minutes, which is exactly his age. In his eyes, he beat the pros. I think that's pretty awesome.

Cycling back to Olot from Rocacorba and Banyoles on little country lanes.

When I pulled out the phone to take a photo, this momma and her little calf stood up and posed.

The 12th-century Pont de Can Prat is still intact and well-used. Amazing engineering.

The Plaza Mayor in Santa Pau is built around a medieval castle.