March 19, 2014 45 miles We woke early and biked one block back to the train station. The conductor was also waiting for our train and he told us the procedure for loading bikes or biciletas. On our mid-range train there are only three bicycle slots. We hung our bicycles with care then spent 4 hours covering the 170 miles to downtown Valencia. It was a relaxing trip but we were anxious to get on the road. Valencia was on the last day of their huge week long carnival called Fallas so outside the station was nuts. Next door was a bull fighting ring that was packed. The streets were packed with Mardi Gras type revelers. We found a lunch spot on the street and enjoyed the festivities until starting our ride towards Barcelona around 1 pm. We kind of looked around for a nearby hotel so we could stay and enjoy the festivities but did not see any. Fireworks and explosions were going off everywhere in town and this was daytime. As we navigated out of Valencia we thought the city was under attack! The ride was fairly flat and the headwinds light so we were able to get in 45 miles on just the afternoon. It was a long but good day as we arrived in Castillo.
My Antarctic icefriend Matt sent me the following travel quotes that I would like to share:

“Traveller! in what realms afar, In what planet, in what star, In what vast, aerial space, Shines the light upon thy face? In what gardens of delight Rest thy weary feet to-night?” – Henry Wordsworth Longfellow from his book Ultima Thule, 1880

To move, to breathe, to fly, to float, to gain all while you give, to roam the roads of lands remote: To travel is to live.” -Hans Christian Andersen

Thanks Matt.

March 20, 2014 66 miles We had an early start on this foggy morning and continued east. The headlands and valleys are now few and far between and not as steep as a week ago. We made good time to Sant Carles and since the fog started moving in we decided to stop for the night after 66 miles.