Abantos and GR10

Monday evening managed to get out for an hour to practice jumps and manuals on the roads and field near the house. Tuesday morning time to skip work and head for the hills. Climbed up the road to Malagon, then on the track to the sumit of Abantos (1750m). took at wrong turning and had to carry the bike a bit. Here is a photo of the Sierra de Madrid from a previous ascent:
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Quick stop then ride north anlong the ridge with the aim of following the footpath in order to descend the other side of el Valle de los Caídos, down to La Jarosa, a reservoir. The path is a very wide firebreak for the first few kilometers, but with some technical moments. Then it starts to descend, and basically turns into a storm stream - steep and full of rocks and roots and loose stone. Excellent! Descent to an old refuge, thenI think I took at wrong turning, following the stream down the valley - I was having too much fun! However this meant I arrived at the track though the woods on the wrong side of the ridge, by the childrens camp ground - which is in the middle of nowhere. The air is fresh and cool, the horses run wild in the woods - very beautiful spot. Ride north along the track looking for a way up to the ridge again - one false turning and arrive at the tarmaced road that leads over the mountain. Ride up, but realise I have only one hour to return home, so turn back, judging that that goingback will be marginally quicker than going on. At least it is cool up in the mountains, and avoids the ride back from Guadarrama on the main road. Fast return on single track inthe woods, then back along the forest track another 5k. JOin the road again for 2-3k climb - this time the sun is out and it is hot. Time running out too, only 20 mins to descent. Take the same path down as Monday, but faster. Had to stop a for breath a couple of times. Just great to have 400m unbroken rocky singletrack.
Next time I will take a compass and read the 10,000 scale map more carefully!
40km;1000m disnivel;3:45hr