Cycling 2750km from Belgium to Spain (Ep. 21)

All Music by “Under the Skin”: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0AvLxd0MOteC026aTgu8KX
Intro music by NRA lab, Audio File ID: 119647
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Today’s ride felt like crossing several worlds in one day. We began with an abandoned path by a pigsty that quickly forced us back onto tarmac, only to climb sweat-drenched onto a windswept páramo – a Spanish limestone plateau where the land stretches endlessly flat, the wind turbines hum like giant sentinels, and the north wind cuts straight through our jackets. From above, the slope we had just fought our way up disappeared as if the only link between valley and plateau were an imaginary elevator.

The descent was no gift either: far too steep and loose to ride, so we wrestled our loaded bikes downhill on foot, laughing nervously as gravity nearly got the better of us. Grapes and biscuits revived us, and the next climb unfolded more kindly, a winding road lined with cliffs and then opening to vast rolling landscapes.

By the time we reached Atienza, history itself rose to greet us. The castle, perched on its rock, looked like a stone ship slicing through the sky, a reminder of Reconquista battles long past. From there, the road finally rewarded us with a gentle roll into Matillas, where a tiny pool awaited at our B&B. Wim braved the icy water, while I stayed dry with a glass of wine, watching goosebumps ripple across his arms. One day, so many landscapes, so many moods—Spain continues to surprise us at every turn.

Hey everyone, we are Lean and Whim, a couple from Belgium. We have set out on an epic cycling journey from Belgium all the way down to the southern tip of Spain, over 2,750 km in 32 days. Join us in our video diary as we ride through stunning landscapes, tackle challenges, and experience all the surprises along the way. Subscribe and hop on for the ride of a lifetime. [Music] [Music] Yeah. [Music] The path past the pixie which we had planned to follow further today turns out to be unsuitable for our bikes after only a few meters. So we turned back toward the paved road. [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] [Music] Beyond the next village, we rejoin the route. A gravel track leads us up onto a plateau. Despite the cold, I am drenched in sweat by the time I finally reach the top, struggling with every pedal stroke. [Music] At a lookout tower, unfortunately locked, I can see just how far we have climbed. Up here, the plateau is almost perfectly flat. Down below, the valley floor seems just as level. The rugged slope we have just struggled up is invisible from this vantage point. It feels as if the only way to get from the flat valley below to the high plateau above would be by some imaginary elevator. [Applause] Although we set off this morning under a clear blue sky, we now watch as a blanket of gray and white clouds spreads evenly across the heavens. The strong cold north wind has also returned on the plateau. It is freezing, so the jackets go back on and we quickly mount our bikes again. The plateau is covered with countless wind turbines, all spinning in unison today. Together, they must be generating enough power to light up half of Spain. [Music] In spite of the biting wind, I enjoyed the relative flatness of the plateau crossing. Once we reach the far side, we start searching again for that imaginary elevator to take us down. Of course, there isn’t one. Instead, we are faced with an impossibly steep descent. Rolling downhill on the bike is out of the question here. We have no choice but to walk. But on the loose stones, I can’t hold back the weight of my loaded bike. So, Whim has to lend a hand. [Music] on the back. No back home. Back home. I climbed through ribs of broken stone. The mountain claimed me before its throne. The valley vanished like a dream withdrawn. As if the earth itself was gone. No more. Oh, silent flavor of the sky. [Music] Where the wind [Music] down from earth to sky only wind. [Music] The clouds stretch tight a burial shroud. The sun erased the heavens bow. A lock tower keeps its watch and sleep. Guarding the secret the ridges keep. A silent table of the sky will fly. No down. [Music] It is an ocean without tide. A continent the gods confide. An altar raised by time and stone. Where every pilgrim stands alone. Oh, silent plate table of the sky. Where the wind is fly [Music] down the sky. [Music] [Music] My middle one. [Music] [Music] Once at the bottom, we eat a few biscuits and grapes to mentally prepare for the next climb. Fortunately, it follows a paved road and rises more gently. At first, we ride between dramatic rock formations on either side before the landscape opens up into endless rolling hills. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] Yo, Heat. Heat. [Music] [Music] [Music] The road begins to wind through a vast open highland. This is the Spanish Parammo, a windswept limestone plateau rising over a thousand m above sea level. The land seems almost endless, painted in muted tones of ochre and gray, with only low shrubs and spiny gauze breaking the horizon. Now and then, erosion has carved deep gullies into the hillsides, revealing layers of stone that speak of a very ancient land. The silence here is striking. Villages are few and far between. Sometimes no more than a cluster of houses, a half Roman church, or the lonely remains of a medieval watchtower. The road itself is narrow but smooth with hardly any traffic. Just us, the bicycles and the wind. At over a,000 m of altitude, the air is crisp and clear. The sky seems closer here, and every gust reminds us how exposed this plateau really is. Thank you. Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] When we finally arrive in the village of Atienza, we have reached the second summit of the day. Ata is a picturesque village steeped in history and charm. Surrounded by rugged and expansive countryside, it was once a key stronghold in the defense of the region. That becomes immediately clear when we catch sight of the Castillo de Atienza perched on a rock high above the village. The fortress looks like a stone ship cutting through the skies. Built in the 10th century, it served as an important bastion in the fight against the Moors during the reconquista. Its strategic location provided not only defense but also breathtaking views over the surrounding valleys. [Music] Nice, guys. [Music] Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] [Music] Heat. [Music] We are glad when the last stretch of the day is mostly downhill with just a few small hills thrown in to keep us on our toes. [Music] We roll gently into Matias where a tiny pool awaits us at our bed and breakfast. Whim dares a quick plunge but I settle for a glass of wine on the sunbath by the side. Whim emerges with goosebumps. I doubt there will be a second dive. [Music]