Laroles (Sierra Nevada) - Benicàssim

In the morning after breakfast I check the rear tire and actually find in the middle of the tread a metallic point. I got something in the tires. The air pressure has decreased but luckily the tire is not flat.

José Ramon calls a car mechanic nearby and announces my visit. Unfortunately, the mechanic can not help me, but at least restores the right air pressure. In Spanish he tells me that I should visit a workshop for motorcycles and agricultural vehicles in the next town, about 20 kilometers to the south. That's what I do, riding slowly all the time. The boss of the next workshop sends me around the corner to a tire dealer. Somehow I lost my bike's key at that break. Panic! Thanks God I have taken back the second key from Brigitte. Then around the corner to the tire dealer, where I explain the problem again. The guys there first remove the metallic piece from the tire and then put some spittle on the spot. No bubbles. So "go on", they say. Well, what else can I do? The lost key shows up again, sandwiched between visor and the flip-up helmet. Relief.

I decide for getting on some kilometers after that little odyssey and ride on the motorway. After about 100 km I take a little break. The tire pressure is still ok.

It's going to be a hell of a hot day, and somehow my stomach is rebelling in the morning. In short, I'm not very well. I often put my finger between the visor and the lower part of the helmet, to get more fresh air. The heat is so high that I feel as if I'm sitting in front of a huge hairdryer.

I've picked out the area north of Valenzia as destination for today and that's going to be quite a long ride today. Fortunately, I'm getting better and I do not have to worry about falling off the bike. The rear tire also barely loses air, so I do not need to check it very often.

Just before Benicàssim I stop to get some orientation. Connected to Brigitte via the Internet, we are looking for a hotel and I ride to it to check in. The Tramontana is hotel somehow a bit out of time but it's clean and very cheap and the staff is very friendly.

In the evening I have dinner in the restaurant nearby overlooking the beach.