Vive el Ebro - Episode VI

Caspe-Mequinenza (42 kms)

It’s a hard day today for our cyclists, not just because of the lengthy climb and heat, but also because the decision was made to use the NA road, in order to make the route shorter (40 kms as opposed to 80 kms) and not get into excessive heat problems; but this road is loaded with crazy truck drivers, that pass the bikes along solid lines, curves with no visibility.

Mequinenza is the center of this enormous dam, the actual town is currentlt underwater along with a few others, the only original building is the historic castle, used by the Reyes de Aragon in Medieval Spain, however nobody is allowed within 200mts of it, as the recent  mayor, sister of the owner of the power plant has been in charge, and she too had denied us to stay in the “poli”. But we knew this before coming, so arrangements had been made to stay at the Albergue, 18euros p/p. A few of us went to a camping for about half as much.

I found nothing interesting about this town, which while in the province of Zaragoza, Catalan is widely spoken even in schools for it’s proxinity to Catalonia. The only tourist attraction here is fishing the SILURO (Silurus Glanis), which was illegally introduced here in the 70’s as a young fish, and they have grown sometimes as much as 300 pounds. Anything worth seeing has been buried underwater.

Mequinenza-Almetret-Flix (43 kms)

This morning was a great feeling, not just because I was anxious to leave Aragon, but because when we arrived to the town of Almetret, the towns people received us wearing their own statement Tshirts and banners. They were so happy that we made it to their small town, Albert tells us of their struggle against the polluting corporate power giant, and how they feel powerless being such a small community, and how their spirits are lifted with our presence and support. Makes you wanna cry...a little bit.

After a late breakfast in Almetret. Albert and Jordi show us where to take the right path to Flix; so Annelies (who’s my copilot today) and I follow the bikes down this crazy bumpy road, something you wouldn’t dream of doing unless you were 4 wheeling, but there was no going back now. Suddenly the canoe on the roof slid onto the windshield...we looked at eachother and laughed our heads off, and I climbed on top to tie it down.

We arrived at the Parc Nacional del Bosc de la Ribera de Sebes, where Pere Josep, the director gave us a lecture on the problems created in this area by Erkimia, a chemical company established here back in 1898, which in just the last 40 years have created over 400,000 tons of toxic waste, to which some brianiach decided to build a containment wall and to continue filling it with more waste.

Annelies gave an interview to local tv station.

Another local issue was the fluvial transport, a couple hundred traditional boats were bought by Asco Nuclear Power Plant and burned to cinders, to avoid having to find a solution for continued navigation; doesn’t that remind you of GMotors buying and destroying Los Angeles amazing public transport?

Currently another problem is seeing many people sent to hospitals in the Delta area, as a local tiny fly known as “la mosca negra” has become a plague, since the lack of sediments creates giant weeds that boosts the flies.

Already in Flix, after a very late lunch, we discover the man working in the kitchen of the small restaurant, Rafael Castro, was fired from Erkimia, the chemical plant, for refusing to cover up the waste being thrown directly into the river. I take over his place in cleaning up the dishes in exchange for a short interview.

We took a brief trip on the transborder, and later in the evening, Jordi and I went to scout the area in front of the nuclear power plant, in order to find the best spot to take photos and deploy the canoes the next morning.

Flix-Asco-Miravet (44 kms)

Last night was caotic, as the organizers had diverse opinions on today’s plan, while some were on the verge of a nervous breakdown, we said screw it as nobody was listening. Despite the anxiety, the stand was a success; Jordi joined the canoes together with Chusa, a wonderful ornithologist (bird watcher) from Santander. After the manifesto, the canoes continue to Mora de Ebro for lunch, and the bikes stop first in the town of Asco for a quick snack.

After lunch Demelsa and I take Jordi’s canoe to our final destination of Miravet, about 13 miles or so, and while I would have liked to take the camara with me, after a series of previous incidences, I thought it best to leave it in the van with Jordi and Wilbur.

Once in Miravet, the mayor comes to gives us a speech about how his small town is struggling, not receiving any government grants, while other wealthier towns get it all, because they play ball with government officials and big corporations.