After a very good night out on friday, we had to clean up the house because we had some guests upcomming week… so that was saturday, cleaning, good music, a beer, clean some more etc. so at the end we felt just like lying in the sofa for the rest of the evening.
I woke up sunday morning with a blue sky and a perfect temperature that will go up to 25 degrees at midday. Newspaper, fresh orange juice, black coffy and a fresh croissant later, the day had a brilliant start and all the odds where there to make the rest of it perfect. “Let’s go out for a ride with the motorbike”, “so where to go ?”, “Duno… hmm not to the north, there’s still some snow in the mountains so that migh be chilly”.
To Cuenca it was. It is straight between Madrid and Valencia and we could make it in 1h30.
As I do hate driving the highway with the motorbike I decided to just take the highway A2/N2 direction Zaragoza to get out of Madrid and the suburbs, up to Guadelajara and at exit 55 (which is then also 55 km from Madrid, I have to admit that this is a very good way of numbering the exists) take the N320, which will bring us directly to Cuenca.
In meantime we would test out my new motorboots, Ana’s new motortrousers and my new Tankbag, as the trip around Spain will start in 3 weeks time. 11 o’clock in the morning, fuelled up, we turned on the M30 and then to the A2… not too much trafic so the first ’speed’ test for the tankbag toke place. I didn’t strapped it to the front. Only the magnets held the bag perfect in place at 180+. Nice.
55km later the N320.. it must be one of the niciest roads I’ve ever driven… 150km, 1 lane up, 1 lane down, it starts with some civilazation, but after 25km there is almost no house to be seen. 50km further, we crossed a bridge over a dam with uncredibelly blue water ! We stopped for a smoke and some pictures and suddenly I realised that even with the low pay of the job I have, in comparison with my previous job in Belgium, this definitely was something I never will have in Belgium… driving 100km from the place I live on a spotless road, with these views around. I felt really happy living in Spain and after almost 3 years there was still a lot to discover.
We continued the road, it was such a smooth drive, I really got into my rythm and even started singing out loud in my helmet, 120~140km/h curves and without concentrating I realised it was a long time ago I had such an easy ride, a decent speed, no cars and I can’t remember ever touching the brakes unless for the 3 villages we crossed more at the end of the road. The scenary we passed was just breathtaking : in full springtime the colours where amazing and it looked like we where crossing a proper painting, green pinetrees together with darkred fields, bright red flowers, yellow flowers, green hills and lightbrown rocks, all covered by a clear blue sky. This was just wonderfull.
Entering Cuenca, it was a bit of a search to get out of the ‘newest’ part of the city and climb up the hill to the historical center, all around the Plaza Mayor, where we had a little lunch and enjoyed the sun and atmosphere. It felt like a vacation and an overwhelming feeling off disconnecting and enjoying cought me, this was like what you experience when you are already 1 week away for a holiday, while it was only a sunday trip with the bike !
We visited the houses build on the very edge of the valley from an old wood and iron bridge, just before heading to the top of the mountain to have a breathtaking view over the canyon where Cuenca was build in. At the top we just enjoyed the view without talking, there was nothing to be said, complete silence together with the panorama over the valey was just the perfect thing to do. We smoked another one, had a refreshment and talked about the fact that this will be the feeling when doing the trip around Spain. I rode back to Madrid in one go and so we slowely entered from the desolate countryside of Castilla de la Mancha into the civilised and stressed-up world of Guadelajara and later Madrid. To complete the picture we couldn’t do else but having a jarra (a clay pot of beer) at Gallego III. Just a perfect day, I’m glad I spend it with you !

