Ten before ten & the siesta challenge

Last night’s mid trip review revealed a growing gap between where we are and where we need to be if we are to make Santiago and then get back to Bilbao in time for the ferry. We are several days behind and slipping. So we all agreed we need to up the pace. Trouble is the heat is too much by 1pm so the only way to make progress is to ride early. Which means rising early. Which is not everyone’s forte.

Sleeping out in a sleeping bag on the Camino de Santiago

Early rising trouble

Early rising is not easy with the kids as they don’t go to sleep until lights out (sundown) around 10.30pm and left to their own devices don’t wake until 10 am. Getting them up and on the road by 8 means losing 3 hours sleep and that means 3 grumpy kids before we’ve even started cycling. All they really want to do is sleep.

Sleeping on a bench on Camino de Santiago

We need to learn to siesta

Today we took a gamble and got everyone up at 7. We rode early, made good progress achieving our new goal of ten before ten, that’s 10km before 10am. We stopped at 1 to try and siesta but with mixed results. Matt decide to read, Hannah played bat and ball, Kirstie and Cameron had a lovely snooze and I watched the gear. I suppose we should consider that a success.

We need to learn to siesta al fresco