Greetings from an Outsider in Gandia

I´ve been asked to write a guest entry for my friends here and i´m hoping to offer a bit more of an outside perspective to the irregular updates that we´ve all been following over the months. I arrived in Spain on the 6th and, though I wouldn´t consider myself a ¨sista,¨ I did bring my bicycle and I like to think of myself as an honorary member of this elite unit.

My impressions of the trip are too many to name here, but I´ll share some of what I´ve witnessed since I arrived.

Most of the entries that I´ve read here seem, in a word, soft. Make no mistake, there is nothing soft about these girls. Riding down a coastal highway on a bike strapped with fifty pounds is not for the faint of heart. This occurs to me when a cargo truck blows by at seventy kilometers an hour, leaving a margin between collision and a blast of disarming wind at about three feet.

Many in Spain seem to view them, in passing and in conversation, with undeniable admiration. Some seem to think they´re crazy. Some might not be far off on that. They´ve all begun talking to inanimate objects including their food, bikes, and some of the more charming trees. Nadia won´t stop going on about ham sandwiches. I don´t believe they´re crazy, but simply dancing on that fine line between bravery and insanity. This is not a dance that one does on such a grand stage without a bit of practice and, if I know anything about my friends, I´d say they´re well rehearsed.

I´d like to say more about my reasons for putting my trust in this lot, but I´ll probably save that for another time. The one thing I will say is that Spain is beautiful, my guides are extremely experienced and I know that I´m in good hands.

That´s it for now. Beun viaje.


bryan

Our radio interview in Barcelona

Click on the link below to hear our interview on Radio Bronka, 104.5fm Barcelona, with Annie, Monique, and two of the Biciosos, Sebastian and Lalo. It´s all in Spanish, but features some great bicycling music. We weren´t kidding when we said the festival was full of bike nerds.

http://www.archive.org/download/FtbRadioshowencuentroBiciosxsYCyclingSisters/20081103-FUCK_THE_BASTARDS_64kb.mp3

More from Can Masdeu

If only every bathroom had such a nice view! And they use their poop to nourish the garden, and now ours too! They wait two years for the human waste to compost and then use it on the non-consumable plants.

extended living space outside

The Latrine

Claudio posing in front of the solar powered outdoor shower

Monique as Vanna White displaying the homemade solar oven

cycle powered washer

homemade solar panels

solar cooker!

one sock wonder, Pablo

gardens

on a walk we saw this strange conglomeration of things on a balcony

view from Can Masdeu

Nadia gazing upon Barcelona from the surrounding mountains

Barcelona is wheel friendly, I mean it wheely is!

Can Masdeu, the intentional community where we are staying until Saturday with the very generous 25 people who live here. Located at the top of a hill overlooking the city, surrounded by a park, Can Masdeu was once a leper hospital.

Bustin' out the slack line!

Our sadness after Julita's departure back to the US. Notice we are sitting under a horse's ass, this is to illuminate how we feel now that Julia is gone.

Sending Julia off.

On a brighter note, here is a shot of Monique's new bitchin' haircut...the mullhawk!!!!!! Oh and her new name is Mona Barcelona.

A glimpse of the mountains on our ride around Barcelona.

¡Critical Mass (Masa Critica)! en Barcelona

On our ride to Barcelona we joined two other bike nomads. They informed us of the weekend´s critical mass ride and three day bicycle fiesta! What a coincidence...or is it? The Biciosos, a free bicycle collective, hosted us and many other international bike nerds. They organized food, housing, parties, tattoos, calf muscle contest, dancing, concerts and of course, bike rides. We had the ultimate tour of Barcelona.

on route to España

alternate exercise