Hello Girona and the 'Best Bike Shop' ever

After an epic travel day, which started at 6am departing our apartment in the dark to board a bus to Alicante Airport, for a flight to Barcelona, then caught the fast train, to the city of Girona, arriving at 6pm.  

It was a long day, travelling the length of the entire country as we have now planted ourselves near the border with France. We spent a week here in 2024 and loved the area so much, just had to return. But we are wiser this time, instead of being close to the old city, where the conjestion is horrendous, we are 100 metres from the Railway station, a 15 minute walk to the old city, but the big advantage is, access to routes is far easier, local cafe's are super cheap and I got a hair cut for 20 Euro, bargin.

Biggest change, was the temperature and weather.  Cool and wet.  We woke to rain our first day so made the call to chill, sleep, stock up on supplies and visit the old town (and get wet). Rain predicted again so our first ride was intentionally kept short. The 62km 'Hincapie Loop', stunning, beautiful smooth road, climbing through dense forest with heavy clouds always threatening to burst, then down onto fertile farm flats, a coffee for 1.50 Euro, then back to base.


Rain again around lunchtime for our Mothers Day ride, so we again choose a shorter route of 65km.
We did take a video call from our daughters back home en route, which was really nice to see them,  
the sun was out, roads were dead quite before we stopped for coffee n' cake in a small town.


Dave reckons it was the best cake he has ever had, however I disagree.  It was more a dessert than a cake, so rich, covered in chocolate fluffy stuff, maybe moose, plus chocolate sauce. I tipped it over to just to eat
the cake part, as there is no doubt, my handle bars are growing from all these treats.......... 
Nice downhill back along a smooth but busy road, when the clouds open and it starts raining quite heavy.




We get back to our apartment, soaked, soggy wet shoes and bum, covered in grit or dirt from the road. But safely is the main thing.

I now know why accommodation was hard to get here, we are here with thousands of visitors to the city for their annual 'Temps de Flors, a large scale floral event that transforms the old city into vibrant, colourful displays of flowers.  It is beautiful, but so so so many people, not my scene.


We did line up to view some of the displays and they are beautiful, before we have had enough of shuffling, weaving, bumping in an attempt to get a photo, or just to get through the narrow streets.  Its crazy.



We do visit the most incredible bike shop you have ever seen, with works of art placed around the store, an open airy two storey retail space with lounges, where one can admire top of the line, bikes.  Clearly this was our favourite spot, different premium brands of clothing adorned the walls both upstairs and down. Top end bikes in gorgeous paint colour combinations, in both gravel and road, left us both drooling, including the lime green gravel tires.  





We both used our plastic for some must have items. 😀😀😀😀

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