Day 6 - Carrion de los Condes

Burgos to Carrion de los Condes, 100 km

Today was the start of the two marathon stages of the trip. From other trip reports I read beforehand I gathered that the 200 km’s from Burgos to Leon would be fairly flat and not that difficult, but the distance could be a challenge. My aim was to reach Carrion de los Condes, nearly on the halfway mark. It’s semidesert country this, and the villages were few and far between.
It was easy to get out of Burgos – for a change the refugio was on the main road that led out of the city. The ten km’s on the N120 to Tardajos was undulating and then it became more flat as you cycle to Citores. At Citores I took a breather in a small roadside busstop shelter. Two Norwegians, all the way from the Pole circle, joined me, and as we chatted three other cyclists joined as well. They were not sure of the route, and the Norwegians advised them to go straight on to Osorno.

I, on the other hand, decided to turn left onto a smaller road (BU4048) and wind my way to the little villages of Yudego and Villandiego. This route is much more scenic and hilly than the N120, and I was glad of my decision. It also follows the walking trail more closely, which make it a bit more authentic for me. At Villandiego I slipped while taking pictures of curious houses set into the hill with grass growing on their roofs, and dropped my camera. Luckily it was still fine when I picked it up.

At Villandiego you turn left onto the BU4041. Then the road follows a couple of beautiful treelined avenues until you reach the turnoff right to Hontanas and Castrojeriz. Suddenly the area was open and desolate again and to make matters worse a stiff headwind had picked up.
And then I was onto the Meseta, a flat and open plain in the north of Spain which gets only a few millimetres of rain each year. The scenery was barren, desolate and yellow. And the sun was belting down. It was tough going in the heat, and I had to work hard to keep a rhythm. At least a couple of sections of the road was newly tarred, which made for a smooth and easy riding surface.

From Castrojeriz you follow the BU400 for 3,5 km and then turn left on the BU403 to Itero del Castillo. Here the road changes to the P432 as you wind your way to Boadilla del Camino. I stopped at Boadilla for lunch, and two Germans joined me. They were cycling from their home in the north of Germany, and one look at their huge thighs confirmed this. Their mountain bikes were equipped with thin roadsize tires, and they pumped it to 5 bars, they told me their efficiency secret. Less friction, and easier pedalling, they assured me, und zen zey were away again. The rest of the afternoon they would stay ahead of me, their low friction tyres doing the job, even though I’m surely twenty years their junior.

I passed the intriguing ruins of the church of San Antonio, and then it was a right turn on to the P431 to Fromista, a nice hilltop village set in the middle of an open plain. This stretch must be tough going for the walking pilgrims. But it was hectic for me as well. The last 20 km’s from Fromista on the P980 to Carrion were tiring. Long hills proved to be challenging with the constant dry, hot headwind and the ever elluding Germans. When I cycled into Carrion, it was with a sense of relief. I went right through the village, and couldn’t spot the refugio. Turned back, and then, in a smallish sidestreet, found the unassuming house that doubled as a refugio. There was one bed left, and I gladly took it.

It was a long day, but tomorrow would be just as hard. Just the excuse to search for pizza and beer, I thought.

Time on bike: 5:08

Average speed: 19,5 km/h