Conquering the mountains and the oranges
Ioana Muraru
20-12-2019
Conquering the mountains and the oranges
As I got off the bus that had transported me from Barcelona to this wonderful little village on the Spanish coast, the smell of the sea, salty, refreshing, and the evening breeze, infiltrated my lungs, making me giving a second wind, languorously erasing all the fatigue and stress of the long journey and the 27 coffee buses along the way.
It's not easy traveling with a bike box that's twice my size, let me tell you!
Even wonderfully packaged by the cycling magicians at Ekkip, the box remains just as imposing, and me just as small. I should have listened to mom and eaten my spinach.
Three days later, my trapezius and biceps were still burning.
This was my third stay in Spain.
While the majority of cyclists all head towards Girona, I have gotten into the habit of taking the opposite route (south means warmer, even in the heart of winter).
Three hours by bus south of Barcelona is a charming little holiday village, almost always sunny, which can be crossed on foot from one end to the other in less than 20 minutes. The temperature spoils us there with a warm 10 to 25 degrees Celsius all year round.
Populated mainly by retirees and tourists, and occasionally visited by some European teams on training camp before the start of the season in February, I have come to the conclusion that Benicarló is an excellent alternative to expensive cycling destinations such as Majorca or Girona.
It didn't take more than one bike ride for me to realize the true workout potential that surrounds this haven of peace.
15 minutes from the village, I find myself in the hollow of the mountains, surrounded by winding roads as far as the eye can see, devoid of traffic, lined with almond trees, orange trees and olive trees.
I have the wind in my helmet, and I cross my little toes hoping to have the strength to finish the 120km and 2000m of elevation planned for the day.
I'm far from having fully explored the surrounding area, but there are a few must-sees that I made sure not to miss.
My very first day in Benicarló, thirsty for nature and mountains, like a novice, I ventured into the Serra d’Irta National Park.
The first kilometers seemed rather rough to me, I had a lot of trouble going up the hilly and gravelly terrain bordering the sea.
What would I not have given to have a Trek Checkpoint to mill along the coast, or even a Top Fuel!
Too stubborn to turn back, I was determined to make do with the means at hand. I bitterly regretted my intrepidity when 2km further on, I saw the gravel transform into small rocks...and then into larger rocks, the size of a tangerine.
Mountain bikers marched past in the opposite direction, staring at me on my little carbon road bike, struggling to stay upright.
It was only twenty kilometers of coarse gravel later that I found the smooth roads of Spain.
A whole adventure that it gives me pleasure to tell, showing that you have to know how to laugh at yourself.
After 10km of large gravel, a little respite on the horizon, an isolated campsite in the heart of the Serra d'Irta National Park!
I stuck to the road afterward, asking the many local cyclists for advice before planning any long rides.
And I was served! Whether we are talking about the path to Morella, one of the most beautiful historic villages in Spain, having hosted the finish of the Tour of Spain more than once, or to Fredes, or even the ascent of Salzadella (my favorite), there is no shortage of roads.
They are “suave” and well maintained as we like them. The calm of the road makes it very pleasant. I went from one small village to another contemplating the mountains, stopping halfway for a “cafecito” and leaving with as much enthusiasm as at the start.
After staying there for two months twice in the last year, I ended up compiling a multitude of Strava routes that will suit all tastes as well as a list of rare little gems to visit in this small village and surrounding areas, during bike rides. No need to mention the beauty of the landscape, I'll let the photos speak for themselves.
The Spanish have a rather particular schedule, which, despite the fact that it is not the most productive, does not seem to harm them since it is said that they are among the happiest people in Europe. and living the longest.
In general, most small businesses open in the morning from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., close from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. for meals and mid-day naps, and open again from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., Monday to Saturday.
On Sunday, everything closes except for a few small cafes, restaurants and bars.
Little advice that I learned the hard way: take for granted that most businesses close on weekends, grocery stores of course, but especially bicycle workshops...where you can find bicycle pumps, among other things. .
Speaking of bike workshops, I looked around at the ones established in Benicarló (a nice total of three) and I can guarantee you that you won't find better service than at Nolo Biker.
Manuel Julve, both owner and mechanic, is an enthusiast who masters the mechanics of the bike as well as he does the wheelie, that is to say impeccably. Valencian mountain bike champion, he is a mine of information on the best routes to explore by bike around the city.
He is also the personal mechanic of Friars of the Cross, five-time Spanish triathlon champion, and international Ironman champion, a true inspiration for any cycling, running or swimming enthusiast.
Having been her cycling escort during the Artichoke Half-Marathon (Benicarló's mascot vegetable) in February 2019, I had the chance to chat with her coach and her about the life of a professional athlete, training programs and training, and nutrition.
As for food, a raw material for any cyclist, I discovered over time that it is very advantageous to be in a small village surrounded by farms. Every Wednesday, all the local producers meet on the central market square and display a thousand and one vegetables and fruits, fresh from the ground or picked from the fruit trees that I admire during my cycling adventures, and spends my time photographing (I think I can say with certainty that I have more photos of orange trees than landscapes).
A short tour of the village every Wednesday is enough for me to buy my provisions for the week
I go to the central market, going from one stall to another, buying 4 potatoes here, 6 tomatoes there, salad, eggs laid by the neighbor's hen, a kilogram of the famous Benicarló olives. , quinoa, chickpeas, organic oatmeal, freshly caught fish, etc. and I finish my little adventure at the best bakery in the area, of course, El Forn de Pa i Bolleria Santi, where I buy a cheesecake with blackberry jam, a loaf of wholemeal bread and some “cotos”, the leftover shortcrust pastry used to make tarts, cooked and sprinkled with vanilla sugar.
It sounds dirty...it is! But these little delights put an end to the bottomless pit that my stomach becomes after 120km of mountainous terrain, more than once.
The flavor, quality, price and nutritional value of these local foods are in no way comparable to what we find in supermarkets which tend to import foods which are overproduced, or in large cities where We ruin ourselves by wanting to eat healthily. I have never felt as energized as after a Benicarlois meal and, let's not lie, a cyclist needs a monster quality caloric intake to be able to sustain the effort of 250km training weeks -400km (even though I'm small, I eat like an ogre).
Without forgetting nutrition during training, of course. I can't count the number of times the gels Xact Nutrition and the Cliff bars saved my face.
I have a nasty tendency to forget to eat or to put off pre-programmed “Eat!” reminders. » that my Garmin sends me every 45 minutes of driving (often inadvertently, because I am in full effort, at the front of the group and it slips out of my head afterwards). It must be said that I am learning the hard way...
In short, Benicarló is a little gem that I have had the chance to discover and rediscover many times, and that I would recommend to any cyclist looking for an affordable escape for a small training (or exploration) camp mid -winter, a question of not forgetting how to pedal and keep your anti-pothole reflexes on the lookout while waiting for the start of the Quebec season.
What could be better than a sunny road for lunch, a few oranges picked on the side of the road for dinner, and artichokes, seafood and good wine from Pau for dinner?