An easy day today, just cycling 25 miles west to Jerez. Like many parts of Spain, the old main road from Arcos to Jerez has been bypassed by a motorway: it’s now virtually unvehicled, and used by dozens of cyclists, joggers and dog-walkers. Depending on your political stance, you may see this as an incredible waste of resources, or an incredibly good use of resources.
Anyway, Jerez makes its attitude to cyclists clear with some half-decent cycleways and cycle-priority streets, and this spindly but assertive monument on a roundabout on the way in (pic).
Depending on your political stance, you may see this as an incredible waste of resources, or an incredibly good use of resources.
I enjoyed strolling round the Sunday flea market by the magnificent Alcazar, scoffing a nine-euro menú del día in the main square, exploring the winding cobbled streets lively with tourists at pavement cafes, and – this being Jerez, the home of sherry, which is where the word comes from – having a sherry (pic: an oloroso for €1.20).
In the list of eponymous food/drink experiences I’ve had (scone in Scone, cheddar in Cheddar, port in Porto, historic sandwich in Historic Sandwich etc) this ranks somewhere in the middle: it was a little brackish and reminded me of dad’s home made wine circa 1990.
Then I got the train to Cádiz and rendezvoused with Nigel. We started our preparations for our End to End Ride tomorrow in the best way we know how: by having some beers and chips in some of the town’s many lively bars. Depending on your political stance, you may see this as an incredible waste of resources, or an incredibly good use of resources.
Miles today: 25