Day 7 - Sotogrande to La Tarifa and Gibraltar

6:45 a.m.  Alarm sounds... 

Today was first planned on Boxing Day 2018. After a traditional cold turkey and chips and a country walk in the cold. We settled down for a relax and to watch a Christmas film and that was when I reached for my laptop and hatched this plan. It was following on from July 2018 when I managed to cycle from the most northern point in France - Bray Dunes on the Belgian border to the most southern point at Col D'Ares in the Pyrenees.  The blog for that is here.........    https://lefrog2018.blogspot.com/ 

It was now almost 1,200 days since that day and I was within 35 miles of achieving it. The hard conditions of this week, the failure of bailing out due to heat in 2019, the forced postponement due to Covid-19 and dozens of moments when I told myself to stop and give up, made it even more special now.  I am finally here and I will finish it.  It was overwhelming and the fact it was hard fought multiplied the feeling of achievement by about 1000 %. I knew in about 2-3 hours my veins would be pumping with a natural substance a million times more potent than any Class A drug. I know I sound dramatic but it is completely true.  Days like this change and shape you.

“Twenty years from now, you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So, throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor, catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore, Dream, Discover.” - Mark Twain

I opened the side door which led into the hall way of this gorgeous villa and on the floor neatly stacked were my clean, dry cycling clothes. The owners were due back from attending a family funeral in Ghent, Belgium late last night and the lady had gone to the trouble of getting the washing out of the dryer and leaving it where I could find it.

Thank you so much Bie.

Here is her message the night before on booking.com.....

" Good evening Richard
We have just landed so still have to get out of plane and after drive home
It will be around 10h15 or 10h30 when we are home
If you are tired, don’t wait for us
I will put laundry in front of you door ( at the glass door) next to bathroom
We will see us tomorrow morning around 7h45
Kind regards
Bie "

I was so looking forward to meeting her and her husband and also saying a big thank you for all that their daughters had done for me.  They must be so proud of them. 

Bie and her husband were in the kitchen and gave me a warm welcome and had prepared a stunning breakfast. I offered to pay for the gorgeous meal I had last night and the washing but they insisted no money was wanted. They were Belgian but had lived in this area of Andalusia for 30 years now so they regarded themselves as Spanish. They had built this property and the inside was as stunning as the outside with the similar sunburnt orange lime plaster on the walls, exposed timber beams and beautiful African decorations everywhere.  I asked if they had used interior designers as it was so stunning but no, all themselves. I then realised that we were about 30 miles from Africa here and the theme was perfect.

The gentleman was a keen cyclist too and they told me that both their daughters were professional sports trainers. One specialised in cycling, the other as a personal trainer in London.  It now hit me that the way they looked after me and managed to within seconds provide food and liquids and do all they could to help was down to their experience.  They were so great and I told them both how proud they should be of them.

It was sadly time to say my goodbyes and head down the hill to the road to Algeciras and El Fondo  (The bottom)  I forgot to say yesterdays climb out of Sotogrande to this villa was a bit of a shock at around 280 feet.  It was a nice start to the day however to have this descent.  Again, to respect the accommodation and not soil the ground in any way I stopped 100 yards down the hill to empty a whole can of Grasso on the grinding, screeching groupset and chain. I cheekily asked the security guard who slowly raised the barriers for me to let me out of the millionaires playground if he had a bin for my empty Grasso can.  He took it off me and sneered.  Muchos Gracias Amigo !!!

I am proud to say I never once dropped a wrapper or a single piece of rubbish in France or Spain.  Left no trace apart from my tears on the road in Murcia.

 

The wind was strong even at 8:30 a.m. and I knew it was forecast to get stronger and stronger as the day progressed especially nearer La Tarifa where the forecast was 60 mph !!!!  I had no idea how this would even feel on a bike,  I think the windiest I had ever ridden in was 25 mph. I would never ever ride in anything like this given the choice. The down side was the wide profile wheels I had which acted as sails and caught a hold of the wind and would no doubt try to whip my rear wheel across the road.  The upside was I was riding a heavy bike loaded down with all my gear which would really help anchor me to the road. 

I thought about all the stuff I had packed which was and would hopefully now be completely redundant at the end of this day.  An entire storage pod filled with tools, spare chain links, multi tools, 2 torque wrenches, 4 inner tubes, etc, etc, etc.  Hilariously I smiled to myself thinking that the only weight I shed along the way was 2 contact lenses and one sachet of chamois cream per day !!!!  I guess every ounce counts   hahaha

Just outside San Roque I looked out to sea in the distance and couldn't believe my eyes.....

My first sight of Gibraltar....

"You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream” – C.S. Lewis

I decided to take the less direct route and rural diversion around Algeciras rather than go into this large city into Monday morning traffic which meant I could relax a bit before the big climb. I knew I would have to get over a big 1,100 foot hill and this was my last and final large ascent of this trip. Of course this also meant I would have to come back over it on the way back to Gibraltar later today which didn't worry me at the time...  little did I know what it would feel like...

When I eventually reached the start of the climb I passed a sign which made my heart soar.....

18 km to go.....   That's about 11 miles !!!!!

I love you N-340 !!!!

The climb was steady and not too steep but very long. It was almost 6 miles from bottom to top which meant after this I had about 5 miles of downhill towards the lowest point in Spain and Continental Mainland Europe....  La Tarifa.

“Believe in yourself. You are braver than you think, more talented than you know, and capable of more than you imagine” – Roy T. Bennett

The wind was unbelievable.  When I got to the summit here at alto de El Cabrito the wind hit from the left hand side and I could feel the bike moving.  I knew the brakes would be so important to me now for the next 5 miles as I was pushed and pounded from the side and had to really struggle with the handlebars to keep them going in a forward direction.  I had never experienced anything like it in my life.  It was very scary.  The descent was painfully slow and my arms and hands were aching incredibly by the time I got to the bottom. The effort of holding on with all my strength was so hard.

The wind now was incredible.  It was 60 mph and felt the same as when you put your head out of the car whilst going down the M6.  It was insane.

Just passing the main roundabout into La Tarifa I stopped to take a photo of the welcome sign but my bike was quickly whipped away from me and I had to hold on for dear life to stop it from blowing away like washing on a stormy day.

I got to La Tarifa and tried to hug the left hand side of buildings, cars, anything so I could stay out of the wind.  I knew the gap danger to watch out for.  It is the same back home when riding in wind. You always watched out for gaps in the hedge or a space between houses, cars or anything where a blast of wind would hit you from the side when travelling down a street or country lane as it can surprise you and catch you.  Worst case is you are reaching for a bottle for a drink or blowing your nose with one hand on the handlebars when going past a gap and the side wind takes you out.  So easily done and it was the reason for Chris Froome breaking his leg, ribs and elbow in a training accident in 2019.

“The only impossible journey is the one you never begin” – Tony Robbins

I turned right into the town and when I rounded the first corner I could see the port ahead where you got a ferry to Tangier, Morocco, Africa.  I still cannot believe just 15 miles from here was another continent.  A place I had never set foot in...  Africa.  The ferries from Algeciras actually landed in another region of Spain called Cueta.  It's Spain's equivalent to the UK having Gibraltar. A tiny Spanish colony just 6 miles wide stuck to the side of Morocco.

At the port entrance I turned right fighting with the wind and up ahead I could see the causeway to Isla  de Tarifa which was closed all year round and the official lowest point. The signage that everybody gets a selfie by was half way along this causeway.  The signage was so cool. It was 2 metal signs that had been made especially by some local metalwork artist. The one on the left says "Mar Mediterráneo"  which means Mediterranean Sea and the one on the other side says "Oceano Atlantico" which means yes you've guessed it...  Atlantic Ocean.  It's where the sea meets the ocean. 

I got to the end of the road and I could feel the ground shaking from the wind. Just up ahead I could see the beach had moved because the wind was basically blowing all of the sand to my right. Huge banks of sand had built up on the walls and on the causeway I could see 3 people unsuccessfully trying to brave the hurricane winds and head out on the causeway.  I got off my bike and put it on the floor behind a wall and walked forward into the wind.  The blast was unbelievable. I quickly returned to the safety of the wall. I tried to push my bike forward to see if it would be OK and my bike lifted into the air and I held on tight almost using it like a kite.  It dangled in the air and when the gust dropped I quickly made my way to the café on the right hand side to hide behind their outbuildings  (the café was closed)..... 

I made this video..........

There was no way I was going to be beaten so I left my bike where it was and headed out onto the causeway with my camera in my hand to get that selfie.  The 3 or 4 people hiding behind walls and in their car by the café looked at me as if to say....   " are you mental !?! "  

I edged out trying to stay upright. It was horrendous made worse by the waves of cold salty water that breached the left hand coastal wall and came with force straight at me. Within seconds I was drenched.  I did not give a damn.  I had spent months and cycled almost 1,000 miles from Girona for this moment and the sea water was the last part of this challenge.  Challenge accepted... One foot in front of the other and a few minutes later I was there in front of these two signs.  I took as many as 20 photos of them and only 2 or 3 were useful as I had no idea what they would look like until I got back to the safety of the café and take a look at my phone.  This last one was the money shot.  Really happy with that one.

JOB DONE !!!!!!!!!!

“Challenges are what make life interesting and overcoming them is what makes life meaningful.” — Joshua J. Marine

This video also was something I didn't even know I had taken and shows the ferocity of the wind on the causeway....

Can I go home now please.....

I walked back carefully to the café, leaned up against the wall, slid down it and burst into tears...

“The only way that we can live is if we grow. The only way we can grow is if we change. The only way we can change is if we learn. The only way we can learn is if we are exposed. And the only way that we are exposed is if we throw ourselves into the open.” — C. Joybell

I got back on the bike and walked it carefully back to the protection of the wall, got on it and rode back into the town centre to find a warm café to celebrate my success....

I was absolutely drenched and wet through from head to toe. My feet, head, legs and everything had had the Mediterranean thrown at it at 60 miles per hour.  I really needed to find a clothes shop to buy some more socks and gloves but first I needed food.

I found a café and sat down. The water was dripping onto the floor and when I got up to go to the bar to order I looked down and there was a huge puddle on and under the chair.  Oh dear..  sorry about that.  I ordered 2 coffees and a ham and cheese toasty which was eaten in record time. Then off to hunt down a clothes' shop.  I eventually found one and with the help of my translate app I found the words for socks and gloves and the deal was struck. However, the only gloves he had were woollen mittens and the socks were knee high football socks that only came in packs of 3. I could not care less at that moment and handed over the euros.  I sat down in the corner of his shop and removed my overshoes which survived the week. (The other pair which split and perished were probably still under the bed in Torre Del Mar where I threw them?)  My shoes were full of water and my socks were removed carefully so as to not wring them out too much as the puddle was back and I didn't want to add to it. The good thing about having a pack of 3 socks when you only needed one was I used one pair to dry my feet and the other was a spare for later on or tomorrow maybe.  Result !!

The gloves were a very welcome addition and they were really warm. They are the Thinsulate ones you see in every JD Sports..  Not exactly what Mark Cavendish or Chris Froome would approve of but I was really warm so off I went happy and thanked the store owner. Muchos Gracias....

I ambled around La Tarifa for a while trying to delay the inevitable and pondered the thought of hiring a taxi but the town was becoming more and more deserted so I just gave in and headed back to the road I came in on.   The wind was horrendous.    

“A mind that is stretched by a new experience can never go back to its old dimensions.” — Oliver Wendell Holmes

I also noticed the bike was grinding and crying out for some Grasso so I found a service station and bought more WD-40 and a can of coke for me along with a double Snickers bar...

“Failure is only the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently.” - Henry Ford.

OK no putting it off...... time to get up that hill in a 60 mph head wind.  Good luck.....

I stopped every few hundred yards and stuck out my thumb hoping and praying for the lift that never came.

A few places which had open exposed land on my right were so bad that I had to grab the side of the road barrier or fence and walk my way along it.

Just when I thought I could take no more I noticed a wall that was about 3 feet high on the right so I used this and crept up the hill.

It felt like longer but after an hour passed I eventually got up to the top of this 5 mile climb.  The relief and elation was so sweet. I think I remember shouting at the top of my voice " YESSSSSSSSS  I DID IT !!!!!!!!! "  With a few swears mixed in..

Down the hill and into Algeciras was the next task. Half way down I passed another garage and popped in for more cold coffee drinks and chocolate.

I wanted desperately to get to Gibraltar now and get my bike into the bike shop I had contacted over the last few months to seek their help. I chose the best bike shop in Gibraltar, they were absolutely fantastic. They kindly kept a cardboard box for Henry to travel home in for me.

It was a race against time in a 60 mph head wind. The shop closed at 6 pm and it was now 4 pm. I quickly worked it out I needed to hit at least 15 mph to get there by 5- 5:15 pm to be safe. I also realised I needed to factor into that a check out of Spain and check in to Gibraltar at the customs building and panic set in.  Nothing for it but head down, pedal and don't stop to speak to strangers..... 

It went like clockwork and I eventually spotted this big rock in the distance....  Relax lad you've only gone and bloody well done it !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I got there at about 5 pm. I checked in with the lads in the shop.  They are amazing and I strongly recommend this shop to everyone.  Mike and Tomasz were so kind and even lent me a bike for the night for me to get back to my hotel which unfortunately was back over the border in Spain in La Linea de la Concepcion.  Big mistake but I had a plan... 

I removed all the bags, lights, bottles, etc from Henry and Mike lent me a Morrisons bag for life to carry them in.  I really was on British territory I thought. I also made the most of their winter clothes sale and bought some tops and MTB pants. I needed something to travel in as remember I had nothing but ultralight T shirts and shorts and the flip flops !!!  Unfortunately they did not have any footwear.  I had new socks at least !!

I gave them the unused CO2 cartridges. I felt the weight coming off the bike of things that I never used or needed thankfully as they were all mostly repair and maintenance things in case of emergency.  I was amazed once more that the tyres were only topped up with air once on the morning of Day 4. I have fallen deeply in love with Henry, he did not let me down for a second even though I pushed him to places a time trial bike really should not be asked to go. 

I said goodnight to him. Sleep tight and see you tomorrow when you will be suited and booted for the flight home with me...   you in a cardboard box and me in green fluorescent flips flops....

The lads said if I popped back tomorrow he should be all ready and broken and boxed for me to pick him up at around 11 am.

Next stop was the airport....  I had a cunning plan.

I headed for Gibraltar airport, it is a unique experience as the airport is on the Spanish side of the runway and you have to walk across the runway to get in or out of Gibraltar. It means you are guided by a traffic light and a barrier that remains open until you are told to stop by a policeman and the barrier comes down. A plane then either lands or takes off and the barrier is put back up again and off you go. You are not allowed to stop and take a picture or selfie half way across but everyone does....

At the time of day the cars and foot traffic was as busy as it gets with everyone making their way home. I stepped into the small but perfectly formed airport of Gibraltar and headed for the help desk. First of all being told off for bringing a bike into an airport so I went outside and placed it against the wall outside.  The security girl came over to me again and said you cannot stand a bike up against the glass so move it.  OK, sorry I did what she asked and just put the bike on the floor instead.

The help desk was basically a desk as there was no help to be seen for miles. I asked if I could move my flight to tomorrow as I had booked a flight with BA on the Wednesday morning and I knew there were 2 flights out a day so I reckoned I might get the later one tomorrow instead. She just gave me a blank look and handed me a piece of paper with BA's phone number in the UK on it. I rang them and one number was invalid and the other was engaged with a 45-50 minute wait.  Apparently I was number 54 in the queue.  No chance.  

I left the piece of paper with the useless Help Desk and went over to the main reception where I asked if there was storage of a bike allowed or left luggage as I was boarding with a huge box and could I please leave it here tomorrow rather than drag it a mile to my hotel and back again which was in Spain. No problems, they said. Last flight is 3 so just get here before that and you will be OK. 

Oh well, at least that was something.  It was getting late and I was feeling completely exhausted and hungry now so I popped back through the customs building which was basically a hut with a Spanish policeman on one end and a British one on the other. I headed for Ohtels Campo for what would now be a 2 night stay.  The hotel was just like a Travelodge built for the job of putting up white collar workers needing a place to bed down between the deals of a lifetime. 

Check in done, I did the old reverse in the lift for my new pal El Scorchio the MTB and headed upstairs in the lift to my room.

Dinner that night would be a quick and simple Burger King and an early night.

The plan for tomorrow was to get some cheap trainers and a rucksack and maybe take Scorchio for a ride up the rock. I would celebrate with a nice meal and glass of wine in Casemates Square tomorrow night.  Table for one please... 

So that is my story, I really appreciate you spending your hard earned minutes on reading it, if you haven't already done so get your wallet out and spend some of that money on a donation to Cancer Research UK. You will only waste it, I am doing you a favor XXXX

Stats for today...  63 miles,  2700 calories burned. Over 6,500 feet climbed !! Temp 13-18 degrees C

But hardest day I've ever done with a 60 mph headwind !!!

Strava data here...        https://www.strava.com/activities/6896730740

Total stats for the week ....

596.77 miles / 960.4 km

25,023 feet climbed

45 hours 44 mins cycling time 

I worked out that equates to 2744 minutes @ 75 rpm = 205800 pedal strokes !!!

Thank you for taking the time to read this and I hope you have enjoyed this blog but I'm not doing it for praise or admiration.  This is my scrapbook, whenever I need a boost or want to remember this time in my life I can hop on here and get a shot of happiness. 20 years from now I will not believe I did it at 53 yrs of age. I only wish I could bottle that feeling. It is the biggest emotional high when 1200 days of plans turns to that moment of success. 

It is amazing what you can do when you put your mind to it. I honestly think the human body can achieve absolutely anything when you focus and go for it.

If you have enjoyed this blog please give to Cancer Research UK. (CRUK)

https://fundraise.cancerresearchuk.org/page/el-fondo

If you would rather give in person please let me know and I can arrange for a CRUK envelope/non internet donation method.

Quote to finish on....

“I have always struggled to achieve excellence. One thing that cycling has taught me is that if you can achieve something without a struggle it’s not going to be satisfying“  Greg LeMond, former pro rider, three times Tour de France champion and twice Road Race world champion.

I am raising funds for Cancer Research UK in memory of so many people it has affected but mainly for my mum who died 30 years ago. Love you mum XXXXXXXX

This link takes you straight to the cancer research page to donate, it is safe and every penny goes straight into their bank account.

https://fundraise.cancerresearchuk.org/page/el-fondo

Thank you so much.  Until next time....