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Everything posted by smilinjack
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Some of you will have read about my car crapping out on me, and since I wouldn't get round the first bend from home on the bike, I have been obliged to walk to work for the last couple of days. A bit of a trek for sure, but doesn't everywhere look lovely? I have a four mile & bit route mainly by footpath & bridlepath, and I've enjoyed it immensely. Couple of pics of Annesley Hall, or what's left of it, which I pass near the end of the route. And a few seconds earlier I put a covey of partridge and three pheasants to flight. Also seen fieldfares, lots of finches of course, a hare. Also saw a couple of great tits before I left home So let's focus on the positives people. I've had some enjoyable fresh air & exercise which has compensated a bit for the absolute shitty run of luck I'm currently "enjoying". Get your thermals on & give it a go.
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Planes, trains & automobiles.
smilinjack replied to smilinjack's topic in The Pub "Tinker and Budget"
Well, there's more. After pounds spent on phoning Ryanair, I got the flights changed to Sunday. Then I put the TV on Saturday teatime to find Spanish air traffic control was on strike and no flights were using Spanish airspace. So I'm thinking, here we go again. The government declared a state of emergency, effectively declaring martial law and told the controllers to go back or the army would take charge of the job. So Ryanair advised us to travel on Sunday. Sunday morning got to the railway station to find that due to the air chaos the train we'd expected to get was full. Luckily we found a local connection which got us into Barcelona airport just as the flight was boarding. Made it!! Now we can relax. Landed at Leeds, dug the car out of the snow, and less than a mile down the road BANG goes the front suspension. Broken coil spring has wound down the strut and punctured the tyre. Call out the RAC, finally got home at just before 1am. Welcome home eh? But overall I'm glad I went and the extra couple of days were well spent, and more to the point, sunny. -
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Well, planes & trains really. The flipside of my lovely few days away in Spain was of course the travel disruption. I was due to fly back from Barcelona to Leeds last Wednesday, but obviously with all that snow I was unsure what might happen. Ryanair's website gave no hint of any problems, nor did they advise me by text as they have before, so off we toddled from Vinaros to Barcelona, assuming we'd be flying. For two of us that was 57 Euro, plus 3 Euro each to get the link train to the airport. Check in staff assured us Leeds airport was open, and we all stood at the gate happily, enjoying the banter of relieved travellers homeward bound. As departure time arrived, I said to the chap next to me " I don't like to split hairs, but there isn't a plane here." Seconds later of course the flight was cancelled, so back on the last train to be back at the flat at 11 that night. Best part of 100 Euro down the shitter for nothing but a lot of train mileage. Best thing that day was this cafe at Barcelona Sants station. I continued on to McDonalds
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Out on the bike last weekend.......
smilinjack replied to smilinjack's topic in Rideout's and Events
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For the walking enthusiasts among us.
smilinjack replied to smilinjack's topic in Non Bike Pics & vids.
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Out on the bike last weekend.......
smilinjack replied to smilinjack's topic in Rideout's and Events
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For the walking enthusiasts among us.
smilinjack replied to smilinjack's topic in Non Bike Pics & vids.
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For the walking enthusiasts among us.
smilinjack replied to smilinjack's topic in Non Bike Pics & vids.
Never thought to mention that! It's an area called the Tinenca de Benifassa, located about midway between Barcelona & Valencia. Nearest place you might know is probably Salou, although that's on the coast of course. Edit: What I didn't mention is the Government order which brought the park into being in 2006. I don't remember the exact Catalan, but something like Plan d'Organitzacio de Resources Naturales. The acronym on the map consequently is PORN. Not one you'll forget in a hurry. -
Some of you from the Bandit forum may remember another favourite rideout of mine is to the Embalse de Ulldecona, about 25 miles from the flat. As it was a bit late in the day and a bit cool, we went in the car this time, and decided to put my expensive map with all the paths on to good use. The reservoir itself was low to the point of being empty. We could actually see the old buildings and olive groves at the bottom. I guess maybe there's some maintenace planned or something-no hint of a water shortage or anything. We didn't quite get to the top of the pass as daylight was running out, and the temp had dropped to 8 degrees by the time we arrived back at the car. I reckon we did about 5 miles. A few views for you. Happily the restaurant on the opposite side of the bridge had the fire going. They cook steaks on this thing which look very appealing to an avowed carnivore like me. Saw a pine marten, gryphon eagle, peregrine falcon and an ibex but didn't get any pics, but we caught some kids near the roadside on the way out. Not easy to spot thanks to my crappy phone camera and their ability to blend in. Fab day out, so much so that we went back later in the week and did another path around the reservoir.
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....weather was sunny but a bit cool in Spain, snow possible above 1,000 metres, so we just had a bit of a lowland bimble. Out on the minor roads to Cervera del Maestrat ,which is at the top of the hill. The view back from Cervera. You can just see the sea beyond the hills. Then on to Sant Mateu, one of our favourite coffee stops. What's it like at home Al? Do you really want to know?? On the way out we pass Calle Gillaume Balanguer IIRC. The last Cathar to be burnt alive by the Inquisition was arrested here. On the way back we passed this orange plantation whose owner obviously likes old machinery. Trust me to photograph the only orange grove in Valencia that wasn't rammed with fruit Back down into Vinaros, which I believe has the nearest bullring to the sea in all of Spain. So what you may ask. I certainly did. Sea looks nice though eh?
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