where to start if on a bike?

[naplesdon]

I am a trekker, as many of you know, but my doctor has tied my boot strings into a giant knot this summer and told me a long walk is not recommended due to health reasons.
So my question to the bikers (and bike sympathizers) on this Forum is: where would you start if you had the choice between Madrid and Burgos as your starting point? My reason for choosing between Madrid v. Burgos is:
a.) I can get to either place easily from the US, and
b.) I envision I could do the Camino to Santiago on a bike in about 2 weeks from either place. What say you?
I could navigate the way from Burgos to SdC with my eyes blindfolded, but I have no idea what the route from Madrid entails, except to say it looks like there could be some heavily traveled autoroutes.
This would be a September trip any suggestions.

 

[Tincatinker]

Oh Don, I can't help you with any bicygrino stuff. Gronze, Googlemaps and all that other stuff all suggest that most of the 'Madrid' is flat-ish 'till you hit the Frances at Sahagun and then you have some bumps in your road. But you know all about them.

Your by-line says it all: "The possibility that you may fail in an attempt should not deter you from pursuing your dreams." so I won't ask whether your Doctor would suggest that a long bike ride is a preferable alternative to a long walk.

Buen Caminos amigo, buen vida.

 

[Peregrinopaul]

Re the Madrid. There is a serious climb after Cercedilla over the pass in the Sierra to Segovia,(great place!), but my 70 year old dodgy knees survived. The rest is dead flat.

 

[Peregrinopaul]

Mind you, it did involve some get-off-and-push; not good for the knees.

 

[Castilian]

I have no idea what the route from Madrid entails, except to say it looks like there could be some heavily traveled autoroutes.

Most of the Camino de Madrid is off-road. From Segovia onwards is meseta (i.e.: basically flat). Cercedilla to Segovia involves passing a (partly paved) pass (Puerto de la Fuenfría) but it isn't as steep as the climb to O Cebreiro. The worst part from the point of view of traffic would be the exit from Madrid. You might take a Cercanías if you are concerned.

Be aware Camino de Madrid (from Madrid to Sahagún) is way longer (something like 200 kms longer?) than the Camino Francés from Burgos to Sahagún.

 

[cher99840]

so I won't ask whether your Doctor would suggest that a long bike ride is a preferable alternative to a long walk

I was wondering the same thing, but I won't ask either.

 

[t2andreo]

Re the Madrid. There is a serious climb after Cercedilla over the pass in the Sierra to Segovia,(great place!), but my 70 year old dodgy knees survived. The rest is dead flat.

"Serious climb" is an understatement. Leaving Cercedilla was akin to the first day out of St. Jean Pied de Port. In fact and IMHO, the town roads are reminiscent of San Francisco, in California. So, you will be walking your bike to the top of the bowl the town sits in. Then there is the pass in the Sierra on your way to Segovia... But I wish you well and will want to pick your brain afterwards...

I will have to make a similar determination in future, so we need to have a semi-serious sidebar, locally... This September is NOT in the cards. BUt we'll chat offline...

 

[Peregrinopaul]

"Serious climb" is an understatement.

Yes and no. I remember that the walkers' track took shortcuts (Roman road?) across the switchbacks, as on the road up to Orisson. Discretion is the better part of valour!

 

[t2andreo]

I think I crossed my towns. I may have meant Navacerrada and not Cercedilla. Either way, it was still a seriously steep couple of kilometers.