Day 9 - Bardenas Reales National Park to Burgos

Saturday 02/05/2015

The evening was good. Treated myself to another bottle before turning in for the night. So great to have a properly warm T-shirt evening for a change. A genuine warm night with no need for proper sleeping bags! The campsite was a bit of a party-town in the evening but it was quiet on our patch as there were loads of sleeping kids. Had the best night's sleep of the whole trip. That said, both Dino's and my tents are falling apart - both of us have split poles, not sure how it happened but as always gaffer-tape fixes all problems.

Today the mission was pretty dull. Make up some distance back towards Santander and the Picos de Europas and perhaps check-out a winery (in Briones) before hitting Bergos. Navarra is great, but it really does smell of pig-shit everywhere. Maybe it's just a seasonal thing?

The Ruta del Vino cuts through the Rioja region. Huge amount of vinyards - very nice little villages and wine warehouses everywhere. Stopped for a coffee and tortilla in the next little hill-top village past Briones (where there is a wine museum that we skipped). Weather was warm but overcast, but luckily no rain.

The road got dull as we got closer to Burgos so we stopped for a second proper lunch in a transport cafe. Looking forward to seeing the Picos and the twisty little roads that will be there!

Made it to a pleasant campsite just outside Burgos, in the Fuentes Blancas national park, with no drama. As we made it here early Dino chose to do some much needed laundry whilst I monged-out on the grass. Pretty uneventful day - no point visiting a winery when you can't sample the goods.

Still sampled the local wine, ate some tinned fruit and had a very pleasant and restful evening chatting with Dino at the campsite. Can't believe that the trip is coming to an end. Seems to have flown by yet when I think back to the Pyrenees that seems an age ago...

Mileage: 1302
Beers: 38 + 2 cartons of Don Simon (red) + 5 bottles of local cider + 1 carton of Don Simon (sangria) + 1 Rioja (red)
Ass pain: 1/10
Mechanical issues: 1 (minor self inflicted)
Accidents: 1 (minor Dino bike drop)
Coldness: 0/10