Just as summer had kicked off, My wife, Liz and I took a much anticipated trip to Spain’s Basque region. This was a Trek Travel trip that toured the La Rioja wine country while climbing numerous peaks in the Cantabrian mountain range. La Rioja consists of 524 bodegas (wine cellars). It’s only one of the many grape regions in Spain.
We flew into Bilbao, via Madrid on the morning of July 1st. We did not have to meet our group until the next day. As luck would have it, We were able to catch the Grand Depart of the Tour de France (stage 1), as it kicked off in Bilbao this year and made its way to France, 3 days later. What a magical, once in a lifetime experience. We positioned ourselves at the summit of the final climb of the day in Fan Park, about 6 kilometers from the finish. The crowd was amazing. The energy as the riders came over the top of the climb was addicting and a great way to get us pumped for the next 5 days.
We met our group, 20 people from all over the U.S., Canada and England in downtown Bilbao and took a bus to a beautiful vineyard for lunch, then bike fitting and an introductory 15 mile ride over a 2,000 year old Roman bridge in Cihuri, to Eurostars, our host hotel, a beautiful building, predating the 13th century, located in the city of Haro.
Day 2 – Today’s route had us pedaling east out of Haro through the Temranillo grape vineyards and into the midieval town of Laguardia, also known as the city of cellars as it sits atop a maze of 300 wine cellars called “calados” that were carved in rock back in the Middle Ages and intended for protection and storage of the towns most valuable wine. Lunch here was amazing. Wine, espresso and pintxo’s (basque region appetizers) were just what the doctor ordered. On the way back, we passed an overarching medieval castle dating back to the 11th century with a 6 mile climb to make things interesting. The descent was fast and furious as we dropped into and out of the vineyards with a steep cobblestone finish in the Haro town square.
Day 3 – Today’s route takes us to Santo Domingo de la Calzada, a medieval village constructed specifically for the needs of the pilgrims, who were walking the road to the Santiago de Compostela, a 500 kilometer trek that has been walked for thousands of years. Lunch was in Ezcaray, a beautiful ski town, that sits high above the vineyards.
Today was the day that Liz surprised me. While she pedaled every mile, each day there was an avid option with about 35 extra miles and today, she decided to keep me company on what seemed to be one of the more difficult routes. Together, we climbed, descended down gravel sections and even went off route for a few miles. I could not have asked for a better riding companion. My wife is a Rockstar! We celebrated with a bit more vino that we should have had.
Day 4 ~ There was a bit of history to soak in today. After an incredible breakfast, we pedaled out of Haro, through golden wheat fields and and the foothills of the Topaz Mountains, toward Alesanco, a charming village that houses Yuso and Suso, two 11th century monasteries, both considered to be the birthplace of the Spanish language. As a Spanish teacher, Liz was in awe of the very place that the first words of the Castilian language were ever recorded.
While we were waiting for lunch to be served in Alesanco, there was an extra climb that really challenged my tired legs. After lunch, I left a little early to get a head start back to the hotel and my innate sense of direction, coupled with not paying attention to the map on my Garmin, found me a little lost. I actually did a complete 360 back to the lunch spot.
Day 5 – After Breakfast, our wonderful guides, Alvaro, Jorge and Luis took us for an 8 mile ride that included the toughest climb of the trip. I stayed with Liz as once again, she grinded her way up this incredibly difficult ascent to San Felices De Bilibio, a beautiful church that sat above the tree line and had views of the turquoise coloured mountains and the town of Bastida. The fast descent back to Haro was bittersweet, as this beautiful, breathtaking adventure was coming to a close.
To summarize, the landscape, vineyards, towns, buildings and mostly the people of the Basque region of Spain were beautiful. I have never before, met people that seemed so relaxed and happy. The vino was special. The reds and the whites from each bodega were all remarkable in their own way. I especially liked the Crianza from Beronia.
Then there was our guides. Alvaro, Jorge and Luis turned this from a cycling adventure to a cultural awakening. They were selfless as they completely tended to each and every riders needs. Their knowledge of the region was incredible. While riding, our guides and the support van were always visible.
We headed back on the bus to Bilbao for 2 more days of exploring the largest city in the Basque region. We visited the Guggenheim museum and ate every Pintxo we could get our hands on.
If your going to try a cycling vacation, give Trek Travel your consideration. They craft trips that are rich in culture, history, food, wine and best of all cycling.
ridingmilford.com 