Day 22 - 1,000 mile cycling pilgrimage across France 🇫🇷 + Spain 🇪🇸

Tonight is my first night of wild camping here in Spain. France had an abundance of camping options but this is not the case in Spain.

Over 100 km have passed and I’m searching for a place to camp. I’m reluctant to stop as the consequences of being caught is worrying me. I’ve seen several places already but I continue cycling south.

Eventually I see a place in the far corner of a field which cannot be seen from the dirt road I am cycling on. I decide to commit. I turn my bike around and push it up the dirt bank and over the dirt field which has cropped wheat rising about 8 inches from the floor.

I feel an urgency to set up my tent as the Sun has already set and I am anxious it’s going to be dark very soon. It feels strange not being surrounded by other campers and rather alone. Actually I do feel lonely. I feel far away from everyone I love and all by myself.

Now my tent is set up and I’m sitting in my Helinox camping chair preparing to cook spaghetti carbonara. I purchased all the ingredients I needed earlier and proceed with the task of making dinner.

I chopped garlic and chilies I took from a field as an extra addition to make this a signature dish of my own. The Sun has long gone.

The sound of crickets create stereo sound around me. Glimmering stars fill the sky and the faintest sound of traffic from the motorway reminds me I’m not really that far from civilisation.

Dinner is delicious I speak to my father on the phone. I no longer feel lonely from the light-hearted conversation. Comedy is always at the forefront of my father‘s mind. Maybe making people laugh for him, this is as Easy as pulling change out of your back pocket.

I Always feel enriched after my father makes me laugh. Like life’s meaning is to be happy in the moment we are present.

I tossed the rind of the pancetta into the bushes behind me but regret as I’m aware there are wild boars in the area as I saw a few nights ago at a campsite. I do not want to be invaded by some hungry mischievous pigs.

I made an error today while not following my cycling app I went towards what I didn’t realise was a motorway I started cycling down but then I saw a sign saying no bicycles or pedestrians so I took a side road and had to cycle on gravel for a good 10 km. Actually it was fun but it did tire me out.

It felt kind of cool being next to the motorway with the traffic going by at 100 kph whilst I was on a gravel road sometimes 10 feet away. I took advantage of the gas stations and ate Magnum ice creams plus had a can of monster. This had me cruising listening to Guns N’ Roses until eventually the high from the monster drink wore off and I felt shaky and weak.

I had to stop at a gas station and buy a fizzy drink and have another ice cream as I felt I dipped into my fat cells with all the calories I had burned. Today has been a good day.