{"id":4364,"date":"2012-06-12T16:45:11","date_gmt":"2012-06-12T20:45:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/tourdebocrie.com\/?p=4364"},"modified":"2015-07-02T15:07:57","modified_gmt":"2015-07-02T19:07:57","slug":"day-16-monday-june-11-marbella-to-rincon-de-la-victoria","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tourdebocrie.com\/?p=4364","title":{"rendered":"Day 16, Monday, June 11 – Marbella to Rincon de la Victoria"},"content":{"rendered":"

It was a cool 69 degrees this morning when we left just before 8 am. \u00a0Not sure what we missed for the first hour or two as the sun was directly in our eyes and all concentration was on the narrow shoulder we had been afforded along the highway. \u00a0Did find a small pull off to glance back and get a photo of the water and our narrow highway.\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

When we found a chance to get off the highway and ride on a boardwalk, \"\"<\/a>we took it. \u00a0We followed what seemed like miles and miles of condos and hotels\"\"<\/a>with very few cars and people.\"\"<\/a>Though we lost our seaside boardwalk we could still see the water below; \u00a0the climbing had begun again.\"\"<\/a>Homes were stacked on rocks,\u00a0\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

giving further evidence to the steepness of the roads. \u00a0As if the climbing was not bad enough, about 11 am a strong wind blew hot and dry off the ragged rock mountains into our face<\/em>. \u00a0Luckily, in the towns, we were shielded from the wind, but the heat remained.<\/p>\n

Way before noon we arrived at the edge of Malaga, \"\"<\/a>too early to stop for the day,\u00a0so we found one of the few shady spots along with many others<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a> and had lunch. \u00a0On our way through town we passed one of the many “fish cookers”\"\"<\/a>we had been noticing on the beach for the last couple of days. \u00a0We passed through a newly renovated harbor\"\"<\/a>with a beautiful view of a huge church on the hill\"\"<\/a>and the lighthouse.\"\"<\/a>We still cannot understand why all the beaches are so deserted, \"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

guess the season has not officially started yet, even though the water is perfectly cool in this desert heat. \u00a0Heading out of town, we continued to enjoy the sparkling Mediterranean.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>The wind was now swirling, pushing sand everywhere\"\"<\/a> and though sometimes it tossed us around on our bikes, it made for beautiful views as we rode.\"\"<\/a>The climbing remained a challenge\"\"<\/a> which we took on slowly. \u00a0We checked our map and decided to get over the huge hill we saw before us,\"\"<\/a> instead of tackling it first thing in the morning. \u00a0We were rewarded with a tunnel that appeared\"\"<\/a>halfway up our climb. \u00a0 Two miles later, we found a hotel right on the beach and enjoyed the place we had just come from\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

in a relaxing chair on our deck. \u00a0The dry 100 temps, hills and wind had took their toll today, but with no one on the beach or walking the boardwalk, we were perfectly content where we were. \u00a0That was until dinner! \u00a0Found a cool little beatnik kinda place and had a goblet full of incredible Gazpacho for appetizer and Rellenos for dinner…Fabulous! \u00a0We waited for the sun to set and then retired.\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n\n\t\t