Day 20 — Wednesday 18 May 2011

El Burgo de Osma – Soria

This was the last time that I abandoned my original route in favour of a main road. I guessed that the motorway may not have been completed as Michelin marks it as under construction and shows the original road as a scenic route, and that is as it turned out, if a bit too busy for carefree cycling. The weather was overcast and there was a head-on breeze that was a bit too cooling so I put my jacket on to keep warm.

I have shown both routes and the original would have been entirely practical, except for the entry to Soria from the South that Google Maps shows to be only possible along a motorway. On the other hand I anticipate that I would have been able to find a route through. The fascinating thing is that on Google Street View I have found the camp site that I should have stayed at. It is almost exactly at the point where my Southern route comes to an end, just under a railway bridge. At that point the road becomes a one way road in the wrong direction, so I couldn't have proceeded, but just there on the left is Camping Fuente de la Teja. There is a road sign half a mile up the road that I would have seen. Just think…

As it was I rolled into Soria from the West and came across a cheap looking hostal that did for the night. As I was moving my bicycle round to a side door to take it up to my room I was propositioned by a couple of ladies who offered to show me round and to have a good time. I hurriedly got my bicycle inside and let the door shut between us. Just think…

I walked into the centre of Soria and realised that it was the same place that Liz and I had stayed on our way down to Granada. There was an interesting photographic exhibition that I looked round and then went to the Nueva York café for a coffee and a super apple pastry.