Day 3 - La Rioja

Calatrava Bodega in Le Rioja...Look out for Ysios wine

View as you enter..

Just to prove I was there...It is an amazing building

The minimum age of the Ysios wine from here is 3 years. Part of the aging process the wine is stored in Californian oak barrels for 1.5 years in this room.

After we had our tasting we then went and enjoyed the view over the vineyards..AMAZING!

About a 15 bike minute ride south was the Gehry hotel. The purple anodised streak looks amazing.

The Spanish are not afraid to introduce somthign this contemporary next to a 500 year old church. They absolutly understand the power of Architect!..and they´re not afraid. The UK could learn a thing or two

The sweeping bands are essentially a sun screen, attached onto stone clad ´boxes´. You feela  bit cheated when you look behind. The word Facade in action

My map, and my progress so far...Bad photo, but progress is being made

A castle as I exit to region. Its so hot that just to go about 5 miles I had to refill my water twice...Only made it Haro, and only 64km done

 The road up the Herrera Mountain...This was the hardest day of climding so far. It was up a 14% gradient for about 3 hours. I have to admit to pushing the bike, and even then it was hard to do this...Bloody hills!..I was starting to get very tired of the constant up (a little bit down) then up again rhythem...but the view!!

 I´m so greatful for the natural water sources that line this route...Without these, considering the sparse population, I would be in trouble. I´m consuming about 6 liters of water a day. Thats 6 water bottle...

 And finally!!!.....1100 meters up..Higher than Denver! (Thats for you Sis!) I was wondering why I had probñems sleeping the previous night, and why I was panting and having to stop every couple 100meters for water and breath. Due to the rapid breathing, dehydration increases...So glad, as I knew it´d have to be downhill...

...And welcome to the Riola region..Where all that wine we devour come from...

And downhill Galour!!!....and an appriciation of how high I´d climbed to for the previous 2 days. The views are breathtaking and nothing but vineyards...100million bottle per year of Rioja are produced here

 Heaven....The road DOWN!.....

 ...Not before a photo op though...

 ...Ha, I now cycle down to that!...