• Date: Nov 02, 2024
• Starting Location: Malaga, Spain
• Ending Location: Alageres, Spain
• Mileage: 184 Km
• Mileage Total So Far: 184 KM (114.3 Miles)

Breakfast

Breakfast was once again at the NH Hotel Malaga. The breakfast was more of the same, and aside from the coffee, there was nothing memorable to speak about.

The weather Map

The weather map showed some weather around Algeceras, but it would likely move out of our way in time for our arrival.

Arrival at IMT bike

We arrived at IMT bike at about 10:00 AM, loaded the bikes, and signed all of the paperwork.  The process took about an hour, but it was expected to last about this long. At the 1 hour mark, everyone was eager to go, and so we mounted the bikes, moved them out into the road (blocking much of the traffic), and waited for the guides to give us the go-ahead with our exit.

The ride

The ride to Algeceras is only about 125 miles, and the roads are not especially technical, but we did begin to experience the twisty roads of Southern Spain. During the ride, we begin to feel out the other riders, trying to figure out who has skills for technical terrain, tight twisty mountain roads, fast sweepers, blind turns with big trucks and so on.  The ride was mostly uneventful, and we arrived safe and sound at the port of Algeceras.

A report from the road

The Hotel

We stayed at the Hotel Globales Reina Cristina, which is a rich old hotel, that had seen the likes of Winston Churchill, and others over the last 100 years.  The hotel was French Colonial, and it was quite nice.  This regal style of hotel would be the prevailing level of comfort that we’d see for the next 14 days.

Dinner

The trip to dinner was about a 25 minute walk from the hotel, and it was our first real dinner together.  We started to see the different preferences and restrictions in some folks diets.

For me, on a trip like this, I’ll eat almost anything.  I mean, we’re headed to Morocco, and I’m not going to be familiar with most of the food, so why not give it a try. So, tonight we dined on some of Spain’s best dishes.

What will tomorrow bring

Tomorrow, we’ll enter Africa.  We’ll first need to get to the Ferry terminal in time for a 10:00 AM departure, and then make the 60 minute crossing into sovereign Spain, at the port of Cueta.  Cueta, although perched on the very Northern tip of Africa, is actually still Spanish land.  So, we land in Cueta, and only after we’ve gathered up the bikes would we exit Spain, and enter Africa proper.