Thursday 2nd October 2014 - Reinosa, Spain

The boys were still carrying too much weight in their saddle bags as there had not been any opportunity to transfer items to the motorhome. We travelled over to their hotel for 09:00 so that they could lighten their load before today's long haul.
By 09:10 they were on their way. Lights were needed for a while as heavy autumn mist gave poor visibility but the sun soon burnt it off. The first 30km was constant hill and that was followed by 15km of very steep (10%) hill. They arrived, knackered (technical cycling term meaning weary) in Reinosa at 14:30. They had covered 49km with 3 hours 20 minutes of actual cycling time - Les doesn't believe Ian's Garmin figures, he thinks that they were cycling much longer! Les said that it was the toughest day's cycling that he had ever done, and that is saying something!
We had a very interesting morning visiting caves at Santa Maria de Cayon. These are UNESCO listed and were occupied in prehistoric times. The number of visitors is strictly controlled and we had to wait for more than an hour to join a guided tour. It was well worth the wait and we saw two caves with remarkable prehistoric cave art - hand prints, symbols and many animals such as horses, deer and bison.
We were surprised to get the text from Les to say that they had arrived at Reinosa, as we thought that it would take them much longer. We arrived at their unprepossessing hotel in an industrial estate a little later. Ian had found it on the internet with very good reviews and apparently geared up for bikers (motor variety). It turned out to be a gem - very friendly staff, excellent food, comfortable rooms and secure storage for the bikes.
There wasn't anywhere for us to stay in Reinosa so we continued for another 33km to Aguilar de Campoo where we pitched in an aire.
Total cycling kilometres to date 261.
P.S. Les would like to point out to his friend Alan that there were no hills today, only inclines!
Photos: Setting off for the first full day cycling in Spain; No photography was allowed in the caves but here is the entrance to one that was not open to the public; One of the many viaducts of the A67 that Ian and Les past and we drove over;
Ian resisting the temptation to let 'the train take the strain'; Aguilar de Campoo is a lovely town with interesting rock formations on its edge - here are some behind an old chapel.