We never dreamed we’d be crossing water in our bare feet on Christmas Eve, but we were…

The day started normally enough, with a coffee at a local bar. This is an essential way to start the day if you are bike touring in Spain.

Then it was off to the TransAndalus trail. We had high hopes of riding the back roads under bright blue, sunny skies. We forgot to count on the effects of the recent heavy rains. By the time we got to the newly created river, we’d bumped through too many mud puddles to turn back. Too much energy had been invested. Instead, we stripped off our socks and shoes and waded in…

Friedel went first (there’s a video coming later of her screaming her way through the cold water). Then Andrew dipped his toes in…

The last time we had to do something similar was in Kyrgyzstan.

Back in Andalucia, the water seemed as cold as in Kyrgyzstan. We were grateful for a few small islands in the river that provided a refuge.

This wasn’t the last adventure we would have on the trail. We splashed through endless puddles and walked our bikes down plenty of rocky, washed out tracks.

And eventually we emerged – several hours later, tired and dirty but feeling satisfied – onto a beautiful and normal road. We had covered about 10km in 3 hours but we didn’t mind. For us, bike touring is not about the distance but the fun you have along the way.

What a great Christmas Eve.