Aquitaine
New Member
Last week I set off from Saint Jean Pied de Port for Santiago via the Camino Frances, riding a road bike – not a mountain bike.
In Pamplona, a passer-by asserted that I was not actually following the Camino de Santiago because I couldn’t, on that bike. I would have to ride on the metalled roads. I agreed.
Having arrived in Burgos, I realised that beyond that city there are no roads leading to Santiago which are suitable for a road bike. I went back via San Sebastian and I will take the Northern route next year.
My question is, why do the guide books not make this implacable fact clear? If they do, I have missed it. On my journey I met several people professionally engaged with the Camino – albergue staff, B&B hosts, tourist information, pilgrim information and so on. None of them said “You won’t get there in the first place on that bike”.
Odd
In Pamplona, a passer-by asserted that I was not actually following the Camino de Santiago because I couldn’t, on that bike. I would have to ride on the metalled roads. I agreed.
Having arrived in Burgos, I realised that beyond that city there are no roads leading to Santiago which are suitable for a road bike. I went back via San Sebastian and I will take the Northern route next year.
My question is, why do the guide books not make this implacable fact clear? If they do, I have missed it. On my journey I met several people professionally engaged with the Camino – albergue staff, B&B hosts, tourist information, pilgrim information and so on. None of them said “You won’t get there in the first place on that bike”.
Odd