Penguins Bike

Day 8 - WE LOST GPS - Platja d'Aro, Spain to Sant Sere Pescador, Spain

David

June 28, 2026 - biked 83 km (51 mi) - biked 424 km (263 mi) total

We had a delightful day with a good combo of beachside paths, dirt roads, and slight hills. We were pooped and ready to get to camp when we made it to one final lookout over the Golf de Roses and our campsite on the shore and France just over the hills when we looked down and...

GPS WAS GONE. Our penguin mascot fell out from peeking out of the top my front pannier somewhere along the bumpy dirt roads of the day. This made me very sad that we didn't notice. We had a big sulk thinking of what this means spiritually for our trip. I gave a few of my bags to Sarah and sprinted back on our path to try to find the stuffed penguin. I looked until he got to the dirt road section, then stashed the rest of my bags for speed. GPS is not bouncy and full of beans, so wherever he fell, he'd plop right in the middle of the road, so i'd look for a penguin each straightaway, and then race to the next turn. 10 km back, there he was, sitting next to a corn field being flooded.

I zipped him into my frame bag completely for safe keeping and went to get my stuff and catch up to Sarah at camp.

We decided this loss meant we were going too fast, and not spending enough time examining our surroundings. And on the other hand, that we were having a trip so good we loved taking in the surroundings and conversation. Both can be true. We're going to try to both slow it down and keep enjoying everything the next few days.

We are becoming connoisseurs of traffic circle art.
Salmon bagel yes.
The second most famous work of Gustave Eiffel!
Lunch under a cork tree.
We found this old church with murals from the 1400s. You put euros in the door.
And the lights come on!
Want a protected cycle path. Bam. Put in trees. Right in the asphalt.
Snails are trending on this part of the route.
We are becoming connoisseurs of traffic circle art.
Headless torch man for '92 Olympics.
He lied here.
End of day swim.
We are so happy to see camp in the distance and France is just over those hills. Shortly, we will be very sad.
Very sad we lost our mascot.
GPS made it back to camp.