Wow what a wild morning. I (Austin) wake up at 6am in southern France after sleeping on the beach to the start of some rain. I check the forecast and it looks like a massive storm is heading this way so I frantically pack the bike and get on the road while it's still dark. My attempt to outrun the storm doesn't start off well. It is pouring and for 45-60 minutes, I am soaking wet riding narrow roads along the coast in the dark. Eventually I make it to clearer skies and end up riding all the way to Barcelona 11 hours later to find good weather. I stay at a hostel hoping to have a warm shower and make some friends. I really enjoy the free walking tour where I learn all about the city. There's a lot of political division around the Catalan region, which includes Barcelona, wanting to be independent and speak their own language, whereas many people not from the region, including the Spanish government, want them to be integrated with the rest of the country. Also, it seems like the 1992 (I think) Olympics really gave the city a face life and changed the whole place for the better. After, some guys from the walking tour and I go and get the best burger I've ever had in my life. I still think about it weeks later. Obliged, I go and check out La Sagrada Familia (from the outside cause tickets were crazy expensive), a massive church that started construction over 100 years ago but will finish in 2026. That night, I find a craft brewery which has the best beer I've tasted since leaving the US. Overall, I love Barcelona! It's a super international city with people moving here from all over. It has beautiful beaches, a pretty young yet diverse population that is very active, great food and drinks and is about 30-40% cheaper than living in Denver. It's also nice that they speak Spanish (though locals speak Catalan) so I finally can understand what's going on. So far, it's making my short list of places I would want to live.