We've made it out here. I don't want to give it up yet... Here is the story:
A bit of a shaky first step: The lady at the counter for RENFE in Ourense train station told us there was basically no way we would get on that train with those bikes. They had to be "folded, in a bag measuring no more than 120×90×40cm". We had shown up with bikes all mounted, and panniers on it, in case that was ok, but we had bike boxes in the car and tools, just in case, ready to pack them. Now, fyi, a standard bike box measures 140+×60×20cm. So the lady insisted they would still not let us in. "Talk to the conductor of the train, but he won't let you in, I'm telling you. But talk to him, you'll see."
Well, train arrived, we go in ... No problem at all! Not even a conversation about it. Just... "Where are you going? Ok, just put the boxes here. Do you have something to tie them?". Yes we did. They were totally fine. They traveled standing upright, on the platform between cars, bungie-cord-ed to a walk (picture).
Train ride was a breeze. We had to pick seats in "preferent" class, because there were no others, so... A bit extra roomy we were.
Beautiful, changing landscapes; nice, gentle revisores (conductors), that never questioned those boxes behind us; smooth ride; on time arrival... Happy we were!
Now comes the fun! We rush out, take the bikes out of boxes, out them together quickly (in the blazing sun, I must say). And off we were to where I thought the bus to Roncesvalles departed.
Note: train arrived at 5:30. Said bus leaves at 6:00pm. But we got on the bikes at 5:45, my Garmin (GPS) found the satellites (it's been very spotty) and I had been able to download maps into it the previous night.
So off we go, biking Sprint. 40 pounds (or more) in panniers. Blazing sun. Pedal. Unknown city. Garmin showing me only maps, not routing. Find our way back. Ask someone. It's past 6pm! We've clearly lost the bus. That's ok... Keep going... We pedal, we sweat, we find, we arrive. Feel good about navigation skills. It's an industrial park area. Big industrial building. We go in. Nobody around. See the buses parked at the end. Nobody! I start calling around for someone. It's 6:15. We've knew we lost the bus, but... Nobody!? Someone comes out of a window, I ask... "Yeah, the buses don't leave from here. They leave from the bus station"!!! ... .... ..... Well DUHHH! The bus station is much closer to the train station. We would have made it.
Oh well. We relax, we stop at a cafe, outdoors, to have a beer, check books, phones, maps, make calls... We decide on a Pension in the center (Eslava), and bike our way back there.
Nice ride back. Beautiful sight of the center of Pamplona at sunset (picture). And here we are now. Pension Eslava. Not bad at all. Not too updated, but clean and comfortable for a night. The bikes are stored downstairs. We will go for a short stroll around the center. We will do the same tomorrow morning, and take the bus straight to St Jean at 12 noon. We are close to where they do the run of the bulls.
Lesson learned (again): double check!. Especially if it looks funny (i.e. bus leaving from an industrial park area). And peace, calm. Enjoy where you are. I'm sure we will be learning a lot about that in the upcoming days. Be ready to change plans.
Good night. See you tomorrow.
A bit of a shaky first step: The lady at the counter for RENFE in Ourense train station told us there was basically no way we would get on that train with those bikes. They had to be "folded, in a bag measuring no more than 120×90×40cm". We had shown up with bikes all mounted, and panniers on it, in case that was ok, but we had bike boxes in the car and tools, just in case, ready to pack them. Now, fyi, a standard bike box measures 140+×60×20cm. So the lady insisted they would still not let us in. "Talk to the conductor of the train, but he won't let you in, I'm telling you. But talk to him, you'll see."
Well, train arrived, we go in ... No problem at all! Not even a conversation about it. Just... "Where are you going? Ok, just put the boxes here. Do you have something to tie them?". Yes we did. They were totally fine. They traveled standing upright, on the platform between cars, bungie-cord-ed to a walk (picture).
Train ride was a breeze. We had to pick seats in "preferent" class, because there were no others, so... A bit extra roomy we were.
Beautiful, changing landscapes; nice, gentle revisores (conductors), that never questioned those boxes behind us; smooth ride; on time arrival... Happy we were!
Now comes the fun! We rush out, take the bikes out of boxes, out them together quickly (in the blazing sun, I must say). And off we were to where I thought the bus to Roncesvalles departed.
Note: train arrived at 5:30. Said bus leaves at 6:00pm. But we got on the bikes at 5:45, my Garmin (GPS) found the satellites (it's been very spotty) and I had been able to download maps into it the previous night.
So off we go, biking Sprint. 40 pounds (or more) in panniers. Blazing sun. Pedal. Unknown city. Garmin showing me only maps, not routing. Find our way back. Ask someone. It's past 6pm! We've clearly lost the bus. That's ok... Keep going... We pedal, we sweat, we find, we arrive. Feel good about navigation skills. It's an industrial park area. Big industrial building. We go in. Nobody around. See the buses parked at the end. Nobody! I start calling around for someone. It's 6:15. We've knew we lost the bus, but... Nobody!? Someone comes out of a window, I ask... "Yeah, the buses don't leave from here. They leave from the bus station"!!! ... .... ..... Well DUHHH! The bus station is much closer to the train station. We would have made it.
Oh well. We relax, we stop at a cafe, outdoors, to have a beer, check books, phones, maps, make calls... We decide on a Pension in the center (Eslava), and bike our way back there.
Nice ride back. Beautiful sight of the center of Pamplona at sunset (picture). And here we are now. Pension Eslava. Not bad at all. Not too updated, but clean and comfortable for a night. The bikes are stored downstairs. We will go for a short stroll around the center. We will do the same tomorrow morning, and take the bus straight to St Jean at 12 noon. We are close to where they do the run of the bulls.
Lesson learned (again): double check!. Especially if it looks funny (i.e. bus leaving from an industrial park area). And peace, calm. Enjoy where you are. I'm sure we will be learning a lot about that in the upcoming days. Be ready to change plans.
Good night. See you tomorrow.
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