Still in Rioja - Just

Left 'Camping Rioja' after five nights having got to know the area well enough. The odd thing is that most of the agriculture is arable, not a lot of vines about. The bodegas are nevertheless huge, but not a lot going on. This time of year vines are tended and the grapes start to appear. The big action is the harvest in September.

My plan is to follow a well trodden route east to Logr0no and then southeast to San Millan de la Cogolia, the southern point of Rioja. To say this is a plan is a bit too spacific, more of a general direction, afterall, I am aiming to take a look at Madrid and that's south, isn't it?

Have I mentioned the weather? It rains a lot here and then the sun comes out to rippen the grapes. I've experienced the former every day but the latter errrr, not so far. The afternoon today was supposed to be sunny, I did a load of washing, but the sun didn't shine, to be fare it didn't rain but it does mean no socks, no pants, no warm clothes until I can get tokens for the dryer.

My journey took me, no that's wrong, Google took me, along some roads, across fields (vineyards) over railway lines without barriers or warnings, up and down motorways incorrectly detailed with none existent crossings - well that's Google for you. see what I mean!

To be fair I did find a few roads. On my way off the fields into a village I spotted a winery, stopped, then pulled in. It was a small family business, the owner and his daughter met me. They were going about their chores but the daughter agreed to show me around. Tasting first in a specially set aside room for the busy season, I was the only one there. The wine .................. was ok, not particularly special but I bought some Crianza.

Bodegas Luis Angel Casado Vinedos Jilaba Grapes are just formimg

From the field the grapes (juice) go into steel fermenting vatts, then into oak barrels and back into the vats before bottling. The business makes around 23,000 bottles of wine each season.

Made it to Logrono and found a central campsite near the univercity. The site was well covered with trees and would have been great if the sun came out, but it didn't, it rained, then stopped and I was able to walk into town. Lively bars and good tapas/wine. One continuing problem is my phone battery charge expiring and being in unfamiliar surroundings, how do I find the bus? Instinct seems to win out but not before I've circumnavigated the city centre a few times. On this ocassion I made all the right choices and got back to the campsite without difficulty.

The river is the Rio Ebro which flows down from the Sierra de Cantabria through Haro and on to Logrono and beyond. I said it had rained, look how swollen it is and the silt it is carrying.

A one night stay, moving on tomorrow.