After months of hot sunny weather, today was supposed to be filled with rain and thunderstorms, although I only found this out once I'd posted a ride for our Facebook Page users. Fingers were crossed and weather reports checked until late on Saturday the ride was called off as most of us would rather not get wet if we don't have to. Waking up this morning to beautiful blue skies, with an odd cloud was something of a surprise after the forecast, but the weather can change here.
After a cup of tea and a lecture from my long-suffering wife about why I wasn't out already, she is quite understanding, I sorted out my gear got the KTM out and set off, only to return 10 minutes later to pick up the obligatory face mask just in case I stopped for a drink/breakfast etc.
Down to Orba first for some petrol and then up Col de Rates, one of my favourite local roads and not far from my house. It seemed like I was riding at a good but sensible pace but I still managed to catch and overtake 3 sports bikes on my way up. To be fair it's not an ideal road for them with tight corners and short straights, great fun though. Over the top and on to Tarbena before dropping back down to Callosa and on to Benidorm to see if Barnie's was open.
Arriving in Benidorm at the moment is an odd experience as mentioned previously in The Costa Blanca beaches article, most of the cafes and bars are closed and there are only a handful of people wandering about, but I was in luck and Barnie's was open. After a quick temperature check my breakfast was ordered and lovely it was too.
From Benidorm, through Finestrat, Sella and almost to Benasau, before turning towards Confrides and Guadalest. Partway along and just after Confrides I took a left turn off the main road and down to Abdet, I've never been that way but had a taste for adventure. It's a tight winding road to the small village which you pass through in a blink of an eye. I took a left at the end of the village and climbed high into the hills before dropping down and rejoining the main road back at the other side of Confrides again. I bet the locals thought I was lost as I went past twice the same way within about 30 minutes.
After Guadalest I dropped down to Altea Vieja and on to the N332 for a brief ride along the coast to Calpe before climbing back up the fast-flowing bends up to Benissa. Turning left just before the town I headed back into the Jalon Valley and on to Parcent and home.
It turned out to be a great little ride out, which was unexpected after the forecasts, with not even a glimpse of rain, although there were occasional darker clouds in the sky.
Distance 166km of some of my favourite roads.
Click here to see the rote on Google Maps.
