105 km
The night was dry, but at 7:00 AM there was a rain shower, so I had breakfast in the tent and packed the bicycle wearing sin clothes. But at start the shower was gone, so I could cycle in the normal outfit.
The first river to cross was the Rio Nalòn. On both side of the bridge some fisherman had made constructions for fishing. To couple of houses called Samartin there was the first steep climb. I entered Avilés in a quarter called Salinas with high apartment houses. I saw that shops were open though today was a holiday – Maria Assumption.
The Camino del Norte climbed an hill with very small terraced houses. From the highest point there was a view to the ocean. Then the Camino lead to the historical center to the Iglesia de San Nicolás. It has a beautiful inner court. This is the good side of Avilés, the bad is the polluting industry. It is a little Ruhrgebiet with all iron melting ovens in action. Big smoke clouds break out of the chimneys and elsewhere out of the buildings, high flames to bur n down evaporated gases. I was happy, to leave this part of the town behind me. Through the hills the Camino headed for Candas. At the coast the waves were white and breaking on the rocky beach. In the following valley of the Rio Aboño one mountain was filled with industry. It looked like a mine. Then the track moves to the major town Gijon. Along the Camino they built a cycle path nearly through the complete town. Just a small part in the historical center ids shared with pedestrians. The playa the San Lorenzo was full of high waves. Only in the edges was some beach. Then the Camino leaves the town along a creek. In some distance I saw a large church, Iglesia de la Universidad Laboral. The source of the creek is under a church. The cycle track now became very steep. I do not know the percentage, but I had to use the full width of the street and pay attention if other traffic was coming. A small truck had also to shift down in the first gear. At least are such steep parts very time consuming.
After a junction with a larger road, the inclination was fine again and at 270 m (coming from sea level) it went down again to Rion. Then again up to 450 m to the Alto de la Cruz. This time the track ascended down to the coastline again in Villaviciosa. Because it was already rather late, I did not see much of the town, just the iglesia and the Ayuntamiento. to the camping near the Alto de Buenos Aires it went up to 120 m.
After the wet morning, the weather became sunny during the day and was much better than expected based on the forecast.
Paul
The night was dry, but at 7:00 AM there was a rain shower, so I had breakfast in the tent and packed the bicycle wearing sin clothes. But at start the shower was gone, so I could cycle in the normal outfit.
The first river to cross was the Rio Nalòn. On both side of the bridge some fisherman had made constructions for fishing. To couple of houses called Samartin there was the first steep climb. I entered Avilés in a quarter called Salinas with high apartment houses. I saw that shops were open though today was a holiday – Maria Assumption.
The Camino del Norte climbed an hill with very small terraced houses. From the highest point there was a view to the ocean. Then the Camino lead to the historical center to the Iglesia de San Nicolás. It has a beautiful inner court. This is the good side of Avilés, the bad is the polluting industry. It is a little Ruhrgebiet with all iron melting ovens in action. Big smoke clouds break out of the chimneys and elsewhere out of the buildings, high flames to bur n down evaporated gases. I was happy, to leave this part of the town behind me. Through the hills the Camino headed for Candas. At the coast the waves were white and breaking on the rocky beach. In the following valley of the Rio Aboño one mountain was filled with industry. It looked like a mine. Then the track moves to the major town Gijon. Along the Camino they built a cycle path nearly through the complete town. Just a small part in the historical center ids shared with pedestrians. The playa the San Lorenzo was full of high waves. Only in the edges was some beach. Then the Camino leaves the town along a creek. In some distance I saw a large church, Iglesia de la Universidad Laboral. The source of the creek is under a church. The cycle track now became very steep. I do not know the percentage, but I had to use the full width of the street and pay attention if other traffic was coming. A small truck had also to shift down in the first gear. At least are such steep parts very time consuming.
After a junction with a larger road, the inclination was fine again and at 270 m (coming from sea level) it went down again to Rion. Then again up to 450 m to the Alto de la Cruz. This time the track ascended down to the coastline again in Villaviciosa. Because it was already rather late, I did not see much of the town, just the iglesia and the Ayuntamiento. to the camping near the Alto de Buenos Aires it went up to 120 m.
After the wet morning, the weather became sunny during the day and was much better than expected based on the forecast.
Paul
