Distance: 111km
Country: Spain
Song of the Day: One Chance - Modest Mouse
I woke up to the sound of gunfire. Not really the most pleasant way to be awakened. In my tent I couldn't really tell where it was coming from. I got dressed and out of my tent really fast. There were a couple of hunters and a few dogs standing around. They didn't seem to mind that Tim and I were camping there. Still I didn't want them to accidentally shoot at us. So I waited until they left before finally packing everything in. I wasn't sure what they were hunting either, birds or rabbits maybe. I was happy to get back on the road.
Tim and I made good time throughout the day. It is amazing how fast you can go with someone else. I don't think it is all about drafting off them either. I think mentally it feels easier to really push yourself along with someone else there.
That evening we were looking for somewhere to stay when I spotted a couple of bikes piled high with stuff just off the road. We stopped to say hello. It turns out the bikes belonged to a couple
from the Czech Republic, Paul and Elishka. They, along with their dog Brox, were going to a "Christian anarchist" commune in Portugal. Tim (who works as a bike mechanic) was even able to do a little bit to fix up Paul's bike.So we hung out with them that evening. It was interesting, and boy they really put me to shame on how cheap they were getting through the world. I guess they had left with only 300 euro. Paul even found his bike in the trash or "container" as he called it. They would also go to supermarkets and look through their trash bins to find food. As Paul said "We find all the food in Container." Of course there were some sacrifices for their lifestyle. Like they didn't really have a tent. just tarps. Also, they had a stove that originally ran on alcohol, but that was too expensive. So it now ran on sticks. When they offered us some tea it took about an hour and a half to heat up the water. After that I understood why they were only making 25km a day. Still it was cool to meet other cyclists.
-Dravis
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