Via Verde

The popularity of cycle touring is growing all over the world. The low costs and low impact on the environment is attractive to many people in times of global pollution, climate change, rising oil prices and economic crises. In many countries governments are spending money on new cycle routes. A common practice is to change old abondoned railways into car-free bike paths. Costs are relatively low, because bridges and tunnels are already built. Only the road surface has to be made suitable for cycling. Slopes are generally gentle because trains cannot climb or descend steep hills. In Spain those bike paths are called Vias Verdes (http://www.viasverdes.com/ViasVerdes), in France Voies Vertes (http://www.voiesvertes.com), both meaning Green Ways. Of course this kind of infrastructure is fantastic for a cycling family, so we try to incorporate as many as we can in our route. In Spain we traveled for 4 days on the 184km long Ojos Negros route, which follows the tracks of an old mining railway, from the cost near Valencia to the mines on 1300m on the plateau of central Spain. Here an impression.