I got out early this morning to avoid the midday sun. I’d plotted a 37km anti-clockwise loop which initially took me along the coast path again then straight up and up away from the coast offroad. The problem was the Garmin was playing up. First I’d noticed it hadn’t charged so I was on limited battery and then it went a bit mental trying to find the first offroad track.
Eventually after going backwards and forwards I found it and then began the slog dead straight up a track which was quite tricky in places. Quite deep gravel made the bike slime around and catch me off guard. Eventually it found some tarmac. A building I was riding past caught my attention because of its excessive barbed wire everywhere and then as I passed what looked like the reception building I saw it’s name with “Correciones” in the title so I assume it was a prison. Not very big overall though.
I eventually reached a main road and saw a couple of ladies on road bikes stopped just off to the right. One was looking at her bike. I shouted if they were ok but I don’t think they heard me. I crossed and rode through the quiet town of Teguise which is like every urban village or town on the island it seems. Full of white-washed buildings and quiet. It’s such a relaxed pace of life.
Out the other side was another main road. I was straight over the roundabout on onto the next track which snaked up higher. In the distance I could see an observatory pitched on top of a mountain. Here I met a few other MTB riders coming down the other way. The track seemed to go on forever as I made slow progress navigating the rocks. Looking at the tracks in the sand it seemed a well-used one.
I eventually reached the small village of Nazaret and started the descent of the cyclist-friendly road I had enjoyed on my first ride. The silky smooth tarmac is amazing.
Part way round I found a track to the left which looking at the tracks in the dust and sand looked like one used by buggy’s you see on excursions. I decided to go rogue and have a dig at what can only be described as one of the steepest climbs I think I’ve ever attempted.
The above is the start which is to the right of the pic above of the tarmac and basically followed the ridge of the hill in the picture upto the left. What it doesn’t show you is at times I must have been on gradients over 30%. I had to stop about 3 times as my wheels span out on the loose surface. I had to push for about 50m too. It was just too rough and steep to get any traction. My first gear is 36 x 52. Almost too low to get goinf again once you’ve stopped.
Over the top I picked up what looked like the main road to the Observatory but I just didn’t have time to keep going up. It was further away than I first thought. A ride for another day.
Now I was able to enjoy an awesome tarmac descent back to where I started and head for home but my Garmin battery died. I got a bit lost in the dusty lava fields around the extinct volcanoes that overlook the town but eventually I popped out onto another silky smooth road and enjoyed a fast ride back into town and home and another tough 45km in the bag.
With part of my ride on my Garmin and the last part on my phone, after some faffing I was eventually able to splice the files together and create a single ride on Strava.
Might be another easy one tomorrow
Adios
