Two private journeys · 2026 · Direct to guest

Ride it before
the first official departure.

I am selecting two small groups to help shape The Duero Pilgrimage — a founder-led passage through the rural Spain most travellers never reach.

Apply for a founding journeyUnderstand the invitation
Journeys 2 only
Group 2–4 guests
Duration 3–5 days
My fee Waived
Your part Direct costs

Why a founding journey

The route exists.
The final experience
does not.

I do not need five people to tell me the idea sounds beautiful. I need two groups willing to live it properly.

The Duero Pilgrimage is being built around a simple idea: use the bicycle to enter a quieter, older and more human Spain — then remove the logistics so you can actually feel it.

These first journeys are not a public discount and they are not free holidays. They are real, carefully hosted passages used to test pace, route, accommodation, rhythm and the moments that deserve to remain.

You will receive a serious experience. I will receive honest evidence about what makes it exceptional.

Old stone bridge over the Duero
The Duero is not a backdrop. It is the thread that holds the journey together.

The exchange

Not free.
Not finished.
Worth doing.

A founding journey works only when the terms are clear on both sides.

01 · Your commitment

Show up
for the journey.

Cover the real costs of your own trip, keep the agreed dates, arrive ready to ride and give thoughtful, unfiltered feedback afterwards.

02 · My commitment

Build and
host it properly.

I design the route, guide the journey, coordinate the moving parts and remain personally responsible for the experience from first call to final day.

03 · What we create

Proof before
promotion.

A tested journey, real imagery, honest testimony and a version of The Duero Pilgrimage that deserves to be sold at its official price.

Old vines in the Duero wine country
Historic Castilian village square
Castle above the Castilian landscape

The terms, without theatre

You pay for the trip.
You do not pay me.

My planning, guiding and coordination fee is waived for the two founding journeys.

Ride The Real Spain fee
€0
  • Journey design and route planning
  • Founder-led guiding throughout the trip
  • Coordination before and during the journey
  • Personal adaptation to the group's riding level
Covered by each guest
At cost
  • Accommodation and meals
  • Local transfers and luggage movement
  • Activities, tastings and entry fees
  • Bicycle rental or specialist support, when required

You receive the proposed itinerary and an itemised cost estimate before making any commitment. No payment is taken with this application.

2Founding journeys
2–4Guests per group
3–5Days on the road
1:1Founder-led hosting

How it works

Apply first.
Commit only when
it feels right.

01

Apply

Tell me who you are, how you ride, who you would come with and what draws you to this journey.

02

Talk

We have a direct conversation. I will be honest about whether the fit is right — and I expect the same from you.

03

Shape

I propose the route, rhythm, accommodation and exact direct-cost estimate for your group.

04

Ride

You confirm only after seeing the plan. Then we ride, document what is real and improve what is not.

What the journey feels like

River.
Stone.
Distance.

This is not a training camp disguised as culture, and it is not sightseeing with bicycles attached.

Some hours will be quiet. Some roads will feel longer than expected. Lunch may be simple. The best moment may be one nobody planned.

The route is shaped around your group, but the character remains: rural Spain, real riding, local places and enough space for the journey to affect you.

“I want to show you a Spain you could pass through for years without ever truly entering.”
— Álvaro
Two journeys · applications now open
The Duero gorge in western Spain
No manufactured spectacle. The landscape is already enough.

Selection matters

This should not be
for everyone.

The right founding guests are more valuable than the fastest applicants.

This may be for you if…

  • You enjoy cycling but do not need every day to become a performance test.
  • You value character, conversation and place more than polished tourism.
  • You can travel with a little flexibility while the first edition is being refined.
  • You are willing to give specific, honest feedback rather than polite praise.
  • You understand that direct trip costs remain yours.

It is probably not for you if…

  • You are mainly looking for the cheapest possible cycling holiday.
  • You need a fixed mass-market itinerary with every minute guaranteed.
  • You expect five-star luxury to compensate for a lack of connection.
  • You want a free trip without contributing time, feedback or commitment.
  • You prefer to remain a spectator rather than enter the place.
Wide view over the Duero and its old bridge
Historic town beside the Duero
Stone street in an old Castilian town

Apply for a founding journey

Tell me why
this might be
yours.

This is an application, not a booking. No payment is taken. I will reply personally and invite suitable applicants to a short conversation.

Applications are reviewed for fit, not in order of arrival.

Your information is used only to assess and discuss this journey. It will not be sold or added to a generic mailing list.