Day 17 1 Sep ’91 Sunday Zaragoza to wild camp site

I had a good shower and shave before eating last night. The place (Camping Casablanca) was infested with mosquitoes and I was bitten to death. Slept in late and had first good night’s sleep in a while. I listened to the radio in bed before I got up to go to the supermarket to buy breakfast. I bought cereal, milk and bread. 

We cleaned the bikes, oiled the chains and did some washing before leaving at 1215. It took a while to get out of Zaragoza. Noticed ribbon development of factories stretched for several miles out of the city. A busy main road. We left this road at Muel and had some lunch just outside the town. Flies all over us. Disgusting beasts. 

We went on further into rural areas through a couple of small villages. The locals look at us with a mix of suspicion and surprise. We were following the River Huerva upstream, Road busy with cars heading into Zaragoza. The occupants all seem to be dolled up for a good promenade in the evening. Road is narrow and winding up through hills. Hot work but a good breeze is helping. Passed through village of Aguillon which had a dried up river running straight along the high street. It must have washed away all the sewage and old rubbish down and away because the smell at the bottom of the town as we entered was appalling. A few children playing football as we passed. 

A few kilometres further on, we stopped at a camp site. A site just off the road behind some bushes. It was infested with flies until Dan put some twigs onto the stove and smoked them away. Supper was pasta, smoked mussels, parmesan cheese sauce, tinned peas, vanilla danettes, tea and biscuits. The biscuits were left on the ground the ground by mistake and became covered in ants so we threw them away. There is a mass of wildlife about. Birds of prey soaring around but we cannot identify them. 

The evening cooled off and the flies disappeared. We listened to the World Service ‘Play of the Week’ – A man with connections – before sponging ourselves down with water from the jerry cans. We carried jerry cans half full. They weigh us down considerably but we have to carry them when camping wild. I’ve enjoyed it much more off the main roads. We’re seeing the real Spain. We move more slowly but we see more. We have three weeks to get to Granada, according to Dan so we can move more slowly. 

I had a small bout of homesickness tonight. I was thinking about everyone was up to. Thought about Penny and the things we have done together. I miss her badly and think about her a lot. Dan and I are still getting on. I hope everything is well at home.

Distance 63.3 kms Average speed 11.4 kmh Time 5 hours 30