Hubris – noun

1. excessive pride or self-confidence; arrogance.
2. believing that due to crossing France being easy mountains and northern Spain would be okay.

Mountain –noun

1. a natural elevation of the earth’s surface rising more or less abruptly to a summit, and attaining an altitude greater than that of a hill, usually greater than 2000 ft. (610m)
2. a big smegging chunk of rock that rises up to the Gods with numerous turns that make you think you’re nearly there and then lead to another large slope continuing up.
3. very, very beautiful, breathtaking chunks of rock though.

Okay so I underestimated the mountains, a lot, but on after a horrible day or two of self worry and concern ‘can I actually do this’ I’ve come out the other side and feel more confident, I may not go as far everyday but I ‘am’ getting up these mountains. Slowly but surely I’m feeling my legs and technique improve on the ups and the downs are really cool, also the views you get at the top of a rise are just.. Well for lack of a better word, amazing.

While I can understand people not wanting to emulate the incredibly sweaty biking around here. If you like camping then this place is awesome for hiking, I’m sure you could wild camp pretty much anywhere if you follow the hiking trails (permissible or not nobody is going to find you). Downsides are the roads can be pretty scary when you have no road space and a cliff to your left, minus a rail… But no accidents here, I’m being overly cautious with my beast of a bike.

Today was a bit of a washout for distance, I met two other cyclists and we took a side route as the tunnel was closed this turned into a marathon of pushing our bikes up an animal trail / hiking path to the summit of a mountain, we probably climbed about 400 meters with our bikes through paths two small for my panniers and angles of about 18%-19% in parts, but we succeeded. I’m now camping in a lovely place. Recovering now, taught me not to try off the beaten path unless ‘really’ certain it’s easier.

Still a great day, dissolved my fears of mountain roads and off distances I don’t need to go far just get to the next campsite, and keep that up ad infinitum. After all it’s not a race. Anyhow, I’m going back to my tent to chill out study French and Spanish and get an early night.

So in retrospect, nature wins, don’t get complacent about your own abilities, and take each day as it comes. Oh and be positive no matter how high the summit is, you’ll eventually find it if you keep trying .

I have stayed in Sans Sebastian for much longer than I intended, I don’t have any regrets though, this place has been fantastic, people have welcomed me with open arms and extended to me friendships that I think will last me a lifetime.

So the 1,200km bike ride to Gibraltar seems even harder, for me because I feel I’m leaving something special here. But I have decided tomorrow morning I start off again, heading south with little in the way of a plan, just a direction, a map, compass and my bike. I hope the future holds other Houses-on-the-hill, I know for a fact there will be more life-changing experiences, different but hopefully ulitmately as rewarding.

On another note I have a couchsurfer saying he’ll host me if arrive when I plan too in Gibraltar so that’s a massive plus, I need to really motor down there, I’ll be meeting a friend in the south of Spain when I get there so it’s a bit of a rush. Then I slingshot back round to Portugal to meet a friends family then speed up to Andorra.

Hopefully this break wont have damaged my cycling strength too much. But I’ll get it back soon enough, I have some tough terrain ahead of me but I’m confident I’ll cope. So until I next get internet then.