Breakfast was served from 08:00 but somehow we didn’t get away until ten but at least we left with some good rye bread from the panaderia and some posh goat cheese at 12 euro (the cheese was posh, the goat probably wasn’t). We returned to the via verde, which took us all the way, and with a good surface.
The ride still took all day, the views insisted on being photographed and we passed over many viaducts and through many tunnels, which required removing our sunglasses and switching on our lights. Contrasting with our earlier experiences, the trail was busy with cyclists and hikers, not surprisingly given the spectacular scenery.
Our phones received a Spanish government weather warning for intense rain tonight and into tomorrow morning in this area. It was cooler today but became humid and very warm at times in the afternoon.
There was a messy section around Xerta where a road had interfered with the railway alignment after its closure, otherwise the route was straightforward. We paused for drinks at a bar at the old station at Aldover to fuel us for the run into Tortosa. I was hoping for a Radler but settled for a Voll-Damm, a decent brew though much stronger.
As yesterday, it started to rain as we approached our destination, pushing our bikes up the steep hill to the Parador. Many years ago we’d eaten well in the Parador at Ronda but the restaurant here had nothing of interest for us, I’d expected better. We risked the roast vegetable pizza in the bar with low expectations but it surprised us, probably the best pizza I’ve had.
Very loud thunder kept us awake for a long time until it drifted away, the heavy rain and frequent lightning bursts continuing through the night.