Bikepacking Overnighter to Spain’s Pyrenees mountains for Paella (then this happened)

I tried bikepacking for the first time in my life! I’m in Spain , so I rode to the Pyrenees Mountains for an overnighter.To prepare for my trip, I only needed a frame bag, a saddle bag and a small handlebar bag. Packing for a bikepacking trip wasn’t as straightforward as I’d hoped. Have you ever tried putting size 12 (46 EU) shoes into a saddle bag? If not, you’re in for a treat (hint: it’s not easy). However, I’m sure I’ll get used to it as time goes on.

I was pretty excited to head out with my friend Will and to add a little extra motivation to the journey, I wanted to find some Paella once we got there because I haven’t had any yet (I know, I’m slacking). But unfortunately we ran into some hiccups on the way!

⏰TIME STAMPS⏰
00:00 – Intro
00:30 – Where we’re bikepacking to
01:00 – On the road to the Pyrenees!
02:05 – A necessary pit stop
03:20 – Back on the road
04:40 – Then this happened
05:12 – Eating! (plus food costs)
—
Vias Verdes cycling network: https://www.viasverdes.com
—
A little about myself:
New to my channel? Well, I’m an average recreational cyclist that recently moved from America to Girona, Catalunya, Spain. The Tour De France 2023, The Vuelta España 2023 and The Tour of Catalunya will all be held here in Spain! Sometimes I race and when I do, I share my training with you along the way. So far, I’ve done crit racing, road racing and gravel racing. I haven’t done a duathlon or a triathlon yet, but it is something I am thinking about!

So far in Spain, I’ve seen DSM cycling, SD Worx, Team Jayco Alula, Rally / Human Powered Health cycling, Ineos, Arkea cycling, UAE team emirates and more all training here. Did you know there’s also a GCN studio here?!

🚲Follow my Training Journey on Strava: https://www.strava.com/athletes/23822056
🛑 If you’d like to come along with me on my journey, then you can subscribe to the channel (it’s free).
📲 You can connect with my Instagram to see some cool cycling and non cycling content in Spain: @SeeSmith_
📝 I also have a blog: www.seesmith.net
🙏🏾 Man, that was a lot to type 😰. Thank you for taking the time to watch!

and we will we’re going to ride to the Spanish Pyrenees it’s about 168. kilometers I think 105 miles there and back doing a back uh bike packing trip for the first time we’re doing this to try and get some paella believe it or not neither one of us have had paella yet in Spain so we’re gonna um have some coffee for pastry and then get on the road we’re headed to report a small town in Spanish Pyrenees I kind of chose this route on the way out because I have a local Legend Jersey that I need to protect you gotta be first in something right in life and I’m very proud of the local Legend Jersey I got it means something to me so we will go out show you guys a little bit of what the Catalonia Countryside looks like and show you report when we get there [Music] thank you [Music] we are like almost halfway but we are we’re about to get smashed on this hill and this is why check out this flag it’s gonna be straight up hey when the entire time so we’ll see how it goes [Music] taking a quick stop and taking some pictures but the wind is crazy I think we got blown off the bike like at least five times downhills is Flats we don’t even get to go downhill because the wind just stopped a Gusty wind it’s not like a consistent crosswind that you can get used to it’s just like a real gust out of nowhere so you guys this real this is the root so will say that there is this and which other one the rooted Alberta which is closer to Santa Glory because they still go kind of go near your own so you can take these literally all around Catalonia especially if you have a gravel bike it’s pretty flat gravel as you can see but I wouldn’t recommend like a road bike I would say probably just like a gravel bike and you’ll be fine but I wanted to show you guys that real quick in case you want to plan a route to get out here and cut the Catalonia and explore a little bit we’re gonna get back on the road now the wind seems to be dying down a little bit so we’ll get back on the road [Music] [Music] thank you [Music] foreign [Music] right now I’m gonna be honest I’m tired we had three hours and three and a half hours I’m ready to eat some paella ready to eat some paella man we’re getting ready to go down the hill get to the food [Music] foreign [Music] this view when you come in is crazy uh so we stopped right here we’re gonna go check into the hotel now but I think I’m gonna chill right here for a minute and check out this View because this is uh beautiful definitely worth the ride out all right guys change the plans because it’s not my fault all right it’s not my fault I just asked the lady at the hotel who has the best paella in town she told me the paella in town is terrible and nobody really serves it apparently you can’t get my head just anywhere in Spain that is a lesson learned so we’re going to go to a cafe right now just to get a bite to eat because I’m really hungry after this ride later we’re gonna go to this tapa restaurant that she recommended all right guys we just wrapped up eating and some potatoes bravas we got some croquette Croquettes or croquettes coquetas and basically like this puppy so I guess I would say in America yeah yeah pretty much fair assessment you’re gonna finish eating here and head back to the hotel and then we’re gonna have a second dinner after we get back to the hotel just because that’s what you do in Spain sorry we didn’t get paella but I’m gonna listen to the waiter or the uh receptionists at the hotel the player is trashy we’re not going to have trash by uh willingly uh see you guys next time foreign