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  The plan was to do the rarely done entire descent of the RioBalced in the Sierra de Guara. We counted on 2 full days to do it. So we started the trip by dropping off our bikes at the mouth of the river. That morning we were woken up by a herd of early rising sheep. |
 After hiding the bikes, we drove 50kms North to the head of the river, parked the carand began the descent with a beautiful bright and green approach truely in the middle of nowhere!!! |
 During
a couple of weeks in July, the prickly hills of the Sierra de Guara all
turn bright yellow from this wild aliaga bush thatflowers only during this brief period. Unbelievably beautiful! |
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 So I decided to cut straight down to the river instead of following any trails. Ha, bad idea. I forgot we're in Spain, not in soft and lush BC. Bushwacking here is a whole other story. If you come out of it alive, you come out bloody all over. First you're scratched and ripped open by every plant that you see, and then you're attacked by a herd of wild boars. This is a true story. Very cool! |
 Finally reached the river. What a beauty! |
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 Looking girley after a cold swim. |
 Our makeshift campsite halfway down, with the sky as a flysheet and grass as a mattress. Saweet. |
 Mmm mm. Looks warm and inviting, doesn't it? Think again! |
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 A black-finned blue whale spurting water in one of the clearestpools of water I have ever seen. |
 Suddenly getting narrow on day 2! |
 Finally exiting the cold narrows after about 3 hours and into the warm sun. |
 Looking back at the huge Balced canyon through which we had come. Very coolindeed. We made it back to the bikes about an hour before sunset, scarfed the food we had stashed there, and saddled up for the 50km ride back to the car. The day ended at half past midnight. Cool trip! |
