Hi folks

Thanks for all the messages of support the encouragement is needed at this moment in time. No really it´s not that bad - it IS HOT and we now have a fairly deep imprint of a bike saddle on our rear ends.

We have now cycled 321 miles across Spain and are close to Lleida. We are thinking of training into Barcelona from here as it appears difficult to stay clear of the motorways which we are not allowed to go on - thankfully. But we´ll know better tomorrow after calling into Lleida.

Anyway enough of the saddles and sore bums we are moving through some really lovely scenery and seeing loads of wildlife including snake roadkill (fortunately not come across the live ones yet!!!) The birds of prey circle around us most days, the dragonflies fly alongside us effortlessly and the storks feed in the fields around us and flock to their nests high on the church towers, grain sylos and any other tall buildings. The butterflies are beautiful, colourful and larger than English ones and we´ve seen swallowtails. The roadside is lined with curry plant and fennel therefore when they cut the grass verges you get a wonderful aroma of food.

We have ridden through the Navarra and Aragon wine regions and vast river valleys that are lined with rocky outcrops that remind Tripps of the Spaghetti Westerns. We are also amazed by the amount and size of the monasteries especially those with their own vinyards and wineries. If there are this amount of them how come the Spainish males got their reputation for being so virile. All or nothing we think?

Since we last updated we have managed to make the 50 mile a day mark although it is really hard work especially as Tripps makes me get up at 6am to get on the road - he does have a point though it is certainly cooler. We have to have finished our miles by 1pm or we melt. This ensures that we manage to get a siesta early afternoon (shame really but somebody´s got to keep up the tradition)

We made a wrong turn the other day which put the mockers on that day´s destination but after a huge climb and much sweat (yes girls it does happen) we were rewarded with magnificent views of the valle del rio Aragon. Fate had it that we fell upon our first Albergue where we stayed and welcomed by a lovely family and a couple who wanted to practice their English. My Spanish is also coming on in leaps and bounds especially on directions (most of the time). As of yet we have not met any other English travellers or anyone who speaks any real English so it has been a case of try or go without.

Anyway will update again in Barcelona hopefully. Keep the messages coming we love to hear from you.

Lots of love to everybody

Jo and Tripps