I had hoped for a rest day after the previous day's efforts but, being Saturday night, my hotel was fully booked. I booked a hotel a short distance on. So, a semi-rest day.

I woke early but was in no rush so slept some more. Then a leisurely breakfast – tortilla, ham on a slice of bread, and two large cafés con leche. I finally got on with my ride at about 1:30 pm.

A more relaxed landscape south of the pass but very pleasant nonetheless. Long sleeves today since my arms were a bit red from the long day yesterday. Probably drier here but still, at this time of year, quite green.

Quiet roads and quiet lanes. Some uphill, not really necesitating shade breaks but taken anyway. Although my knees and ankle had come through the previous days efforts fairly unscathed, I definitely was suffering from a full-body weariness. The sun felt hot but that might have been due to my general state of low energy.

It was splendid to get horizontal, in the cool of my room. Still no elevator but only on the first floor! I watched Crystal Palace beat Manchester City in the FA Cup Final, and then it was time to head into town to eat. I found a quiet, cheap little bar for a sandwich and a beer. And managed quite fine, with my back (deliberately) to the Eurovision song contest on the TV.

cycle.travel offers several route-finding options: any, paved, gravel. The only obvious difference between any and gravel for today's route appeared to be the approach to the Via Verde. I began to doubt my choice of gravel when faced with a kilometre of high grass, occasional muddy puddles. But the puddles weren't too deep or too muddy and I stayed upright. It clearly hadn't been driven or ridden in a while but I managed without embarrassing myself. Not that it would have mattered; there wasn't an audience.

Once on the trail, it was plain sailing. Hard-packed surface. No navigation to contend with: just follow the trail.

The day was relatively easy physically although my body was feeling the effects of the previous days. It'll take a while to get fitness and strength back into my legs. I'm way behind my levels for this time last year, but I don't have the benefit of a recent tour of Sri Lanka. It'll come. Or it won't. Meanwhile, on I plod!

I met a cyclist heading the other way and we chatted briefly. He was headed to Villacoya. Fifteen minutes later I discovered, in my pocket, the keys for the hotel in Villacoya. Bad timing, a quarter of an hour earlier and I could have given it to the northbound tourist to deliver.

I texted the hotel apologetically, asking what they'd like me to do with the keys. They had spares came the reply, not to worry.

And life could be much worse!

I met Chris, from Santa Fe, New Mexico, outside the hotel in Oña. Pleasant company for the evening. He also has a flat in Madrid where he spends five months a year. And may be relocating permanently, given the craziness in his homeland.

I needed a good rest day. And I wanted to stay in a hotel where Bev and I had had a couple of pleasant nights in Burgos in 2023 but it was booked on the night I wanted so I settled for a second rest day. A wise move, as it turned out: this felt a long day.

Most cyclists would make it to Burgos (easily?) from Oña in a day but that would be 60 km with significant climbing: I didn't feel ready for that. The only place I could find to stay was within 12 km of Burgos but, hopefully, that would get me into Burgos in time to find a coin-laundry. Time for some fresh, clean clothes!

Today promised to be almost continually uphill, never steep but never easy cruising. I retraced my steps (or pedal strokes) to the Via Verde and got on with it.

It was a bit of a struggle. The surface was fine but definitely more energy-sapping than smooth tarmac. The kilometres passed slowly. It was very remote and I was using up my water quite quickly - reminding me that I should look for a replacement bottle while in Burgos.

I had no bread so lunch was a tin of mussels in oil. Quite good. And some Laughing Cow fake cheese triangles. Not much energy regained.

I entered one of the rare villages along the route but it was small and had no store. I could have used some calories, and some water, but no luck here. Although one building did sport an intriguing bicycle 'installation.'

I went into another 'ghost' village. Was everyone at work? Or having a siesta? (It was almost 5 pm.) I noticed a house with the door open, and a tap outside. I called 'hello' but there was no response. I filled my water-bottles and free-wheeled back down to the trail. Stopping at a bench to rest my bottom that was developing a fierce dislike for my saddle. At the bench, I added some sterilising tablets to my freshly cool water bottles. It was probably not necessary, but...

A few spots of rain, and a little welcome downhill. Then time to leave the Via Verde and head off to my room for the night. It was eight o'clock when I arrived. The restaurant was some distance away (for a tired old guy to walk in the rain) but the hostess drove there, and then picked me up. I read in the comments on booking.com that they had done that for some other guests; maybe they feel that is necessary to appeal to passing cyclists?

I delayed my departure from the Hotel Norte y Londres until noon, when I had to check out. It would be another short day and my hotel for the evening had a late check-in. I rode for a couple of kilometres and sat in the sun in a plaza. I had time to kill. But it was chilly.

Before long, I was back on a Via Verde for a short while. A nice surface. Then a turn east to get another trail to my lodgings in Modùbar de San Cibriàn. Population 68.

Steep, with a strong headwind, made me thankful for the freshly paved surface.

Despite all the dawdling, I was outside my lodgings by four o'clock. I filled in the online check-in form and sent a message to the lodging, informing then that I was outside the hotel but happy to wait until five. A man walked down the road and let me in a few minutes later.