Day forty seven (Journey's end)

Arrival at Malaga harbour, a place I am very familiar with and in good time.

I leave the luxury hostal in Nerja at 9:00. It's a grey stormy start and as I leave it begins to rain, which figures, yesterday I posted off all my wet weather gear to save weight. Thankfully, like so often on this trip, the rain never quite manages a downpour and soon it turns into a cool cloudy but dry day, perfect for cycling. Most of the way to Malaga was flat and there was only one real hill to climb and that's half the size of yesterday's. Nevertheless I knew it would be a challenge and it was. I am taken off the N340a on a detour into the outback, while the N340 skirts the coast. This time it appears the N340 becomes an autopista on which cyclists are not allowed so I go with my GPS navigator. A donkey greets me at a range as I am taken off onto a dirt track that winds its way steeply up and over the last hurdle.

 This donkey seemed happy to have some human company.

I have to push the bike once again and it's a case of 10 steps then a breather repeated numerous times as around every corner the rough dirt track climbs steadily higher. By the time I reach the top I am exhausted and take the opportunity to photograph goats silhouetted against the horizon. Then it is a steep twisting rush down until I am back onto normal roads again.

Noisy goats at the top of the final pass.

Nevertheless I make good time and arrive in Malaga around 14:00 after stopping off for an English breakfast around midday. Having arrived earlier than expected I consider the possibility of completing the journey today to Fuengirola, as it is a mere 35km further. At the very least I could find a hotel in Fuengirola and arrive fresh the next morning. For the next 30kms I debate this back and forth as there are still many unknowns to be sure of making it all the way. Minor hills can play havoc, wrong turnings adding extra kilometres, technical issues, fatigue and so on. However I stop for a drink break at around the 15km mark and it is still only 17:00, so I feel confident I can complete the final leg tonight before it gets dark. I decide to go for it as the ride today was for the most part not so difficult and I knew an 80+km ride was not beyond me.

I finally leave the N340/MA21 for good via a footbridge.

I find myself on the busy MA21, which seems more like a motorway (autopista). However, despite the blue signs, after checking Wikipedia, I discover that it is actually an old extension of the N340 and cyclists do seem to be allowed on it. That said, it's considerably more dangerous than a motorway as there's NO hard shoulder and three lanes of heavy traffic. I attempt to get off it several times with the intension of reaching the coastal cycle paths but my GPS navigator insists on this route and each time I am returned to it despite leaving it at various points. Just after 18:00 I reach the start of Fuengirola but with still 4km to reach its centre. I had no idea it was so big! At last I reach familiar places and follow the bus route to Las Farolas where my journey ends. The N340 is still heavy with traffic so I decide to escape it at the first footbridge and ride along the awful concrete path that both bikers and pedestrians must use that runs alongside the N340.

Is this the best you can do MIJAS! It's been like this for 35 years. Disgraceful.

So my journey ends after more than 2500kms.

Celebrations tomorrow ...