# Tag 33 Road bike tour with Starbikes

Friday morning and the day starts with sunshine. But also with a lot of wind. I am meeting the Starbikes road bike group at 10.30 am at a roundabout on National Road N 340. Deniz 'El Commandante' keeps me updated. I am thinking a lot about the right clothing. It is dry but windy. Temperature around 16 degrees - a bit chilly for shorts. But looking at the Instagram pictures from the past few days, most of the group members have been riding in shorts. I will do the same, but with arm warmers and a wind jacket in my pocket.

I am at the roundabout on time at 10.30 am and ride towards the group on the national road. They arrive shortly and I quickly start the STRAVA app.

A friendly 'HELLO Uli' from Deniz and I quickly join the group. The pace is good and I have to warm up first. Deniz is really happy that I am joining and immediately takes a video while we ride.

We have tailwind and the pace keeps getting faster - I briefly look at the speedometer: 45 km/h sometimes in the group is quite ambitious. Gradually, I get to know some of the group members. Most of them are from Hanover and came on the trip through the local bicycle shop 'Fahrrad - Kontor'. Some of them belong to the Hanover Cycling Community (RSG Hanover), others came through word of mouth.

Guido is also here with his camper van. He is staying near the hotel and joining all the rides. His wife came down with him and flew back after their arrival - the opposite of what we are doing.

During lunch break in Barbate at a new restaurant right by the track.

I meet Arne. He is also in the police force (well, not me anymore!). We start talking and share our police career history (mine is longer than his...). And where is he currently working: at the LKA Hanover in the Special Task Force Division. What a coincidence. He actually knows some people from Bremen and has worked in cross-border investigation teams with colleagues from Bremen. The world is truly a small place - here we are, sitting on the Costa de la Luz in the middle of nowhere and exchanging stories from our former working life.

But then back on the bike and along the coast. The route is beautiful now and away from the busy highway. It leads through a nature reserve

to the cliffs and back home.

I say goodbye in Conil and everyone has a kind gesture for me. Deniz emphasizes once again how happy he is to see me again and I promise that it won't be the last time.

Home | Starbikes is a real recommendation for anyone in the area who wants to go on a bike tour or even a whole week. The shop has a wide range of bikes, including options for ambitious road cyclists. And the area is perfect for getting ready for the season. Hilly, diverse landscapes with the typical white villages and sparsely populated coastal regions make cycling a pleasure. 

I am back at the campsite after 91 km and feeling great. The weather adds to the enjoyment and we decide to have our first barbecue event sitting outside.

We were supposed to continue to Seville on Saturday morning. But when we wake up and assess the weather, we have doubts if it's a good idea. The sun is shining and it promises to be a really great day. The consideration doesn't take long - we stay here.

And as fitting for a Saturday, we start by washing the car. The campsite has a washing facility for motorhomes as well. What a joy - the power washer gets the dust out of the crevices and with a mop and cloth, we produce a presentable vehicle for the next few weeks. Saturday already has its first success.

The second success comes during the bike ride to El Palmar beach. It is located right in front of Conil and is actually a long promenade with several surf schools, restaurants, and bars. Everything has grown even more in the past 5 years. Now it's Saturday and as the Spaniard does, he takes his family out. Observing people with a drink in hand is truly refreshing,

The beach is really beautiful and generously situated along a dune landscape. Along the road, there are one restaurant after another, but all in a surfer style and simply designed.

 On the water, some beginners are trying their hand at wave surfing. There isn't a single kite surfer to be seen here, it seems that strict separation is ensured. El Palmar is for classic wave surfers. The kite surfers are more in Tarifa or as we see later, also in Conil at the river mouth. 

 But the wave surfers have nothing to catch today, the wind is coming from the land and doesn't produce any waves.

Back in Conil, we watch the kite surfers at the river mouth and then drive back to the campsite. We have dinner in the motorhome, but tomorrow we really will continue.

No one can take this day away from us.