Day 23 Tuesday 02/07/13 Murias de Dechivaldo to Ambasmestas

95k   38 degrees
None of the problems of yesterday clammy weather has cleared but it's very very hot.  Cycles well until I got very tired.  Sharing with 2 Italian cyclists and a mother and 2 daughters.  Mario is 77 and Carlo is 73.  I must change my message whistle,  its causing me more embarrassment.  Mario is Super Mario.  He has cycled from Miami to LA.  Cycled to the Artic circle.  Walked from Trieste to Monaco via the A

lps.  We can all take inspiration from him.  Age should not be a barrier. 

Day 22 El Burgo Ranero to Murias De Dechivalso Monday 01/07/13

106 K
Today I ran out of steam .  I was OK until lunchtime but the afternoon was hard. 15 k short of target.  Bike running well,  All road now.  Met up with 2 Spanish cyclists Olier Rodrigues and his father in law Javier Lopezde.  Olier is from Vitoria ,  loves Galway  and comes to Galway playing Irish music. Nice hostel in a small village,  Met 2 nice German teenagers.  Good English and can also speak Spanish & French.  Feel tired

Day 21Sunday 30/06 Hontanas to El Burgo Ranero

125 K  26 degrees  
75% on pathway.  went on the road when the path was too rough.  Hot,  amazing countryside.  great cycle.  Finished at 4.30 hot and tired.  Amazing countryside,  Great cycle.  Drinking coke a rare event. hostel was an old building made of daub.  Very comfortable.  Hosted by

an American lady living in Holland.  Her name is Lee.  She is a serial Camino walker.  Met US medical student who is walking the full Camino with her uncle.

Day 20 Saturday 29/06/13 Pancarbo to Hontanas

102 K   Fast road to Burgos, Including a high climb . V Busy road.  Festival of St Peter & Paul was on in Burgos, Very colourful parade in traditional outfits   Joined the French way outside Burgos .the path is not easy but do-able. Temp mid 20s.  Nice,  Breeze with me .  Pulled into Albergue .Met Italian and Spanish pilgrims.

Day19 friday 28/06/13PM Vitoria to Pancorbo

AM Took in an excellent tour of the Cathedral.  Also had time to have a look around the city. Really nice city.  The Cathedral was the inspiration for Ken Folletts book 'the pillars of thr earth'.  Found it hard to get out of Vitoria,  Roads as shown on the maps don't exist,  The WAY was not suitable for a buke.  Lost 2 hours.  Eventually I went down a track that was going in the right direction ,  It led to a tarmacked road . (pure luck). 
Nearly lost the bike on a decent.  It had picked up speed suddenly and I could not brake because of the surface.  The bike rode around the bend with no help from me. It just followed the bend.
Scenery amazing.  Hot but with a nice

breeze.  Pulled into a truckers hotel near Pancorbo. 

Day 18 tuesday 27/06/13 Beasin to Vitoria

75 K including the longest climb of my life.  650 meters to Otsaurte. Switchbacks and everything.  weather warm,  Not too hot.  Had a liitle siesta under a Tree beside a fountain in a village.  Stopped at café/bar in Vitoria dieing for a coke.  Angel by Jimi Hendrix was just starting to play as the barmaid came out to me.  Funny.  Amazing Albergue de la Catedral in Vitoria.  Recently renovated ,  Very comfortable with full facilities.  Vitoria is a lovely city ,  Full of cycle paths and also an ancient section. Rock band from the UK ' the Waybirds' were playing that night. very good.  Mari (Brazilian Girl)texted. She is going to do the Camino in a few days.

Day 17 Wednesday 26/06 Irun to Beasin 50K

Into the unknown.  Found the WAY.  It was impassable for a bike.  After Oirtzun I went on the road.  Plan B,  using map from Carol. Met a festival in Hernani.  A mix of Tug of War and hitting people with air filled bulls bladders.  Sore thing.  Some of the local people could be Irish, Fair haired and fair skinned and

similar music.  A policeman gave me directions out of Tolosa.  Then a lovely cycle way to Beasin along a river on Tarmac.  Got to a lovely Albergue.  Great welcome by 2 Spanish hosts.  Met Arthur from Estonia, a third time walker.  Had a lovely evening discussing musice and Arthur and our hosts worked out a route for me for a few days.