Left around 11 looking for the coast road. Nothing doing so join the main road and head towards Cartegena. Here is a short clip of me on the bike in the glorious sunshine on the road to Torrevieja... well there will be when I can get it to upload to you tube!
Hurrah!
Torrevieja is just holiday home hell... for me anyway... no I have to get out of here! Think I'll give up on the day at the beach, I'll go shopping instead! Plot a route to Murcia Harley Davidson and no sooner am I off the main road than it routes me up the allotments again;
This road is bloody terrible, its like riding on a washboard; I've no idea why it is routing this way, I even set it for fastest time, (but avoiding tolls).
film... at some point
At last a smooth road, thought I was going to be on that all the way to Murcia.
Arrive at the shop, it's shut of course... closed at 2pm, it's now 2.30, and doesn't open again until 5! It is soooo hot, I sit in the shade to let the bike cool down a bit. Suddenly a bloke comes out of the Harley shop... ooooo maybe he'll let me in. No such luck, he nods approvingly at the bike and walks off. I think I might as well sort that wobbly indicator out, so strip the saddlebag off on that side as I will have to loosen the mudguard bracket... oh no, I don't have a ratchet with me; I've got the allen key sockets but no rachet to put them on... that means I can't get the bracket off. It's no good I'll have to buy one.. I mean how hard can it be??
I make my way back to the main road and head towards Cartegena hoping to spot a tool shop or a Carrefour... yay, theres a big poster for Carrefour that says it just 12 minutes further on. Great. Unfortunately they dont have the size I need, so will have to try elsewhere.
Where next? Well, I'm not having much luck with my plans today so guess I'll get on the road towards Cadiz...next stop Granada or perhaps before as it's about 150 miles, but I'm definitely going to get to the HD shop there in the morning!
Back on the bike and start going up into the mountains again. It now begins to get cooler and there are some very dark clouds on the horizon.. oh oh.
I stop to get petrol and put my jacket on as it is certainly too cold to ride in a tee. Just after a place called Lorca it starts to rain so as soon as I can I pull off to put the wetgear on. I stop outside a restaurant and decide I should eat something as it is now 4.30pm and I haven't had anything yet. Before I can get what I want from the bike it begins to lash it down, so get wet again. I hoped the sun would return before I get back on the road, but no such luck. The rain has eased off a lot, but still need the romper suit. Whilst in the restaurant I book my overnight accommodation in a place called Baza, it's about 60 miles away from Granada so that's ok. Its another Hostel, which I have since found out is the equivalent of a guesthouse and not the same as a hostel in the UK... no dorms.
As I approach Baza the sun comes out so hopefully it bodes well for tomorrow. Yet again booking.com has come up trumps.. lovely helpful woman in reception who tells me they have a garage for the bike. It is round the back and a typical house lock-up, but my bike is the only thing in there - apart from an exercise bike - and she gives me the key. The room is good, there is a small fridge with a free bottle of water; a full litre no less. The receptionist told me its free so I'll take it with me tomorrow. Have checked the shower and, whilst it's not spotless, it's certainly miles better than the one this morning.. last nights offering from booking.com was obviously an abherration.
There is a multi tut shop across the street so I have a quick look to see if they have got a ratchet... they do but it comes with a load of sockets I don't want and is more than a bit crappy, but it will do the job, probably in the morning.
See you tomorrow.....
p.s. Lluvia - rain in Spanish.
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