[Leica] IMG: Vía Verde del Maigmó

[Nathan]

Vías Verdes ("green roads") are gravel paths that have been installed along abandoned local railroad tracks. There are quite a few of these around Spain, since the falling population in the rural interior rendered many of these local railroads economically untenable. So, since the 1990s, the authorities have been ripping out the tracks and converting the railroads to cycling/hiking trails. The surface is mostly gravel, but nicely hard packed, so any bike with reasonably wide tires will have no problems. And because trains cannot climb steep slopes, even in mountainous areas those Vías Verdes make for easy cycling, since mountains are then passed through  tunnels and deep valleys on bridges.

The nearest Vía Verde to Alicante starts near Agost, 25 km from my house, and runs 22 km to the Maigmó pass. The elevation goes from about 200 m to about 650 m, but again, very gently. I did the ride yesterday on a mountain bike I just bought to supplement my road bikes, and it was very pleasant indeed, with some very nice views too, that I would not have from the normal road. I had the trail to myself, came across just one other cyclist and no walkers. Perhaps it had something to do with the temperature, I started the ride late, around 11, and there is not much shade along this route.

The record of the ride is here:

https://www.greatpix.eu/Via-Verde-del-Maigmo/ https://www.greatpix.eu/V%C3%ADa-Verde-de-Maigm%C3%B3/


And as always, comments and critique are welcome and appreciated.


Nathan


Nathan Wajsman
Alicante, Spain


http://www.frozenlight.eu
http://http://www.greatpix.eu

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Blog: http://nathansmusings.wordpress.com/
Cycling: http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/belgiangator

YNWA