Baked

After a day off, I’d planned yesterday’s ride to be the last main one of the holiday. The two previous days had seen winds get up which is common in the Canary Islands. What’s not is almost no wind and yesterday was one of those rare days.

I’d planned a coast to coast route from East to West and back and left early PM and it was a hot 28 degs and quite still. I shot down the coast path then turned west inland and climbed up past the prison again. Mostly offroad. I’d only done about 5km and I was already asking myself questions it was so hot. I pushed on through the village of Tahiche where I got a a bit of gradient respite then onto a new gravel track to the foot of a little village called Las Cabreras and a climb around it’s local volcano into Nazaret. There are a lot of them here.

I crossed the main road and picked up another new gravel track to skirt Teguise and start the long descent to the west coast at Caleta de Famara but I was cooked and not really enjoying it. When I hit the wide track and saw a big wagon thundering towards me with plumes of dust following it, that was enough for me to sack it off. So I turned around and rode into the town and decided to climb another volcano upto what looked like a castle or fort. It’s called Santa Barbra Castle which is a centuries old fort atop Montana Guanapay, the extinct volcano it sits on. When I found the access road it was barriered off because it was closed so I just skipped around it and had the steep climb to myself.

At the top the panoramic views of the island were amazing and the castle building was perched on the side of the volcanoes crater. Pretty cool stuff. And been so high I had a bit of breeze too which was welcome.

I dropped down the access road a few hundred metres and picked up an offroad trail signposted Teseguite. I’d gone rogue now and completely off piste so I just followed my nose. I knew it was in the right direction back so I took it. It was 2.3km descent into the village which continued on tarmac then another offroad track to the Via Cycliste service road that runs parallel to the main road. Here the landscapes look Martian.

Once on tarmac I rode through Border Control and picked up the single track that the locals have created aside the road. It’s quite narrow and meanders it’s way along in between rocks, dips and trenches eventually crossing under the road to pick up another track which climbs gradually aside the two extinct volcanoes that sit behind the town of Costa Teguise. Here I saw a couple of MTB riders descend between them and run ahead of me which gave me some impetus to catch them. As we rounded the last bend and then dropped down the last descent back to the road I eventually caught them and finished the trail with them. A couple of ladies who had ridden along the coast and back round between the volcanoes. We had a quick chat and then I skipped off and did a quick tour of the town to finish off my ride.

I was hot and my legs were aching with fatigue. It’s been a heavy week for me due to the lack or riding the last couple of months due to illness.

Today was the last day with the hire bike and the forecast was even hotter so I got out early for a simple spin to Arrecife and just enjoy it. However Strava seems to think I rode last night and not this morning which is odd and a first.

After the ride I took the bike back and went for a beer to celebrate Sally’s best month ever for her travel business which is ironic being away. The bike transmission has taken a battering. I picked it up nice, clean and lubed. I took it back, caked, baked and dusty.

It’s been a great break for both of us. The weather has been great and Costa Teguise has grown on us. Both what we need I think.

Back Friday. Adios