Scary moment on the highway

Day 47: I have the feeling that the drive from Teruel to Huesca showed us the real Spain today, away from all the facades for the streams of tourists from all over the world. On the almost 250 kilometers we drove for miles through desert-like landscapes of almost white sand and stone, only to be plunged back into green areas, mostly on this rust-brown earth, from one moment to the next. Isolated huts, small villages, medium-sized towns alternated, but not in the density that we know from Germany.

We also passed through Zaragoza, a large city with almost 700,000 inhabitants, where an Opel factory with 6,500 employees is one of the largest employers. The AP-7 took us right through the middle and showed us the picture of an industrial city with many factories and huge residential complexes. Perhaps instinctively I increased my speed, and while overtaking a large semi-trailer, it happened: suddenly the engine stopped. From one second to the next. Nothing worked anymore. No gas, no gauge, no light. Numerous vehicles had lined up behind me in the fast lane, and their drivers couldn't wait for me to pass quickly and get back into the right-hand lane. Instead, I was now getting slower and slower. Next to me was this huge truck, behind me a pack of flashing, honking cars and to my right my Icke, who was covering her eyes with her hands. What to do?

It didn't occur to me to turn on the hazard lights. In hindsight, that was a mistake. Luckily, while looking over possible causes, I noticed that my ignition key was in a different position than usual. I turned it, and sure enough: the engine first howled and then suddenly responded again to pressing the accelerator pedal. He howled, a jolt went through the vehicle and the speedometer needle made a jump to the right - yes, ok, not a big one, but still. The error was quickly found. Apparently I turned the ignition key with my right knee, turning the ignition off. My next action was to move my seat back half a meter. That doesn't happen to me anymore.

We arrived safely in Huesca, our last stop in Spain. Tomorrow we're going to Lourdes. The stage is only 167 kilometers long, but it takes us high up into the Pyrenees. It should be a wonderful route. We're looking forward to that.