Day 2 - South of Ronda - Estepa

Day 2 and off into the unknown! And the unknown it was as well!
Today added the complexity of having to make sure I'm going the right way! Something which went wrong twice! But it was OK. I hadnt gone miles and mile before realising, Id just got to a junction and thought.. ooh wrong side of town. So only had to backtrack a couple of kilometers here and there!
It took some getting going today. The realisation that this just Day 2 out of a damn long haul. Day 1 was obviously hyped by the fact that it was launch day, but as I set off into the unknown with a few twinges from yesterdays climbs. It was a real sense of.. We're in this for the long un !
What gave me a lift though, was the old saying. What goes up, must come down! It suuure did! Weeee all the way down a huge hill, hitting 70.7kph. Id be hard pushed to beat that again on this trip I bet!
Despite that, was a pretty eventless day. One thing I have been doing pretty well at, is getting over the fact that I hate sitting in restaurants by myself, But I've been doing well. Also on the training rides, I had real issue with not feeling hungry. But I have not been marred by the same infliction this time. Ive been scoffing loads. Which is fantastic, because I have to. Otherwise I'll run out of energy and fail this challenge.

Couple of funnies, stopped for some water in Campillos, and these kids were well interested in my bike. They were dead friendly tho. Particular interest to the wind charges, and I explained to them in my best Spanish what they did. Also said I was going to England. I asked them if they wanted to come with me, and they declined politely! Obviously they are not insane like me!

After Campillos, I was hit by a big Road Closed sign. A cyclists dread. Then its a case of... closed for Cars. but could a bike sneak round.. hmmmmm.. decisions decisions.. Thats always a gamble, as sods law would say. Go 10km and then find its totally blocked, which means a 10km back track.. But.. I WENT FOR IT! Lets do it! Found myself cycling on a road which hadnt been built

yet! Bump bump bump over gravel and stones, and its like eeeeeek, poor bike, its only day 2 and its getting a hammering! Its not a mountain bike! Just kept going and going. Timing was good, as a sunday afternoon, no one is going to be working on it. So a few JCBs were just sat idle. No workmen to tell me to bugger off. And viola, saved myself a hell of a diversion and came out at La Roda! Yaay!

Now being focussed on La Roda, I just went there. Then had I have bothered to read my own instructions, i'd have realised I wasnt to go there and to head the other way. But it was worth a pop in anyway. It was like going 20 years back in time going into that town, old cars laying about. Then outside a bar this huge group of people just singing away in Spanish and one had a guitar. Could hear em from miles away! Fantastic!

Backtracked and headed up to Estepa, where I decided a hotel was in order for tonight. Found a little hostel thing. Got the bike in their garage and viola. No pitching tents tonight. yaaay!

Todays stats
Start	Just south of Ronda.09:50
End	Estepa.19:00
Saddle Time	5 hr 27 min 17 sec.
Distance travelled	111.60km
Average Speed	20.4kph
Max speed	70.7km