Spain Bilbao to Santiago.
 

Goggle map's is just running me down the coast. There must be a better way to go. Give me an idea of what place's to ride through.

I will be in Bilbao on the 23 May, traveling to Santiago on the Thursday. I need to get to Faro on the Saturday the 25 May. So will be looking for one more stop on the way down from Santiago Faro. Any idea where to make my second stop?
John933

Hi John:

I'm going to be riding a similar route around the same time as you - my plans are to depart Zurich about May 24, ride to Bilbao, then head over to Santiago and south from there into Portugal. But - I've got 3 weeks to do the outbound portion of the trip, and 2 more weeks to do the return.

I've been through that area before (about 10 years ago) - there are lots of really interesting secondary roads, but you will have to compromise between how much time you want to spend on the Bilbao - Santiago sector vs. how many interesting little secondary roads you want to explore.

If you head inland (south) about 20 km from the coast, you are into the Cantabrian Mountains, which includes the Picos de Europa, which is fabulous riding. But, if you only have two days to get from Bilbao to Faro, I don't think you have much choice but to stay on the motorways all the way. The shortest route between Bilbao and Faro is the E-80 and E-803 to Seville, then head west - that's 1,100 km, which is pretty hard riding for 2 days.

I don't think it is realistic to plan to get from Bilbao to Faro in 2 days if you go via Santiago. The distance for that route looks to me like it would be around 1,500 km, which could be done in 2 days, provided you stayed on main roads (motorways) all the way, and didn't stop for anything except to buy fuel and pee.

Michael

I don't leave Bilbao until Thursday morning, and I have to be in Faro on the Saturday before six PM. so to me that's three day's in all. Thursday Friday and Saturday. To travel under 700 mile's more like 650 mile's, if I go direct. That's some-where in the region of 220 mile's a day? That's just one tank of petrol and a bit. I can piss that.

So by going along the coast it up's the mileage to 850. That's under 300 mile's in a day. Still a do'able distance.
John933

tSorry John,

This is a completely barking idea, there's no way you can do that kind of distance on the back roads along the Cordillera Cantabria, let alone down Portugal.

http://thespanishbiker.files.wordpre...san-isidro.jpg

This is a 'main' road!

Quite apart from the terrain and the roads themselves you are quite likely to experience severe rainfall, or even snow.

http://thespanishbiker.files.wordpre...-de-llesba.jpg

The Picos on a typical July day!

You could have a great ride via the Gredos mountains and down Extremadura, avoid Portugal at all costs as it's just one village after another - all the way.

So, the question, why on earth are you going via Santiago - you can't do the pilgrimage thing unless you do it under your own steam :)

Regs

Simon

Well give me a route for three day's from Bilbao to Faro.
John933