Saturday 30 April 2016

Center Parcs Whinfell

Early morning sun but unfortunately rain forecast for later

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What a difference a week makes

It was over 20 degrees on our last ride in Mallorca. The sun was out cycling to work on Friday but the temperature was 2.5 degress and it was windy. At least it warming up as it was 0.5 degrees when I set off cycling on Thursday.

Good job the studded tyres are still on the bike.



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Monday 25 April 2016

Col De Sa Batalla

Col De Sa Batalla

The forecast for Saturday was correct and the evening rain and clouds was replaced by a clear blue sky. There were a couple of options for our last ride of the holiday and Lyn decided on the ride to Lluc via Caimari and to return by descending down to Pollenca.

To get to Calmari we took the back roads to the golf course and continued onto Campanet. The short assent past the golf course was enough to finish the ride of some Irish riders for the day . We had visited Bony's bar the previous evening but did not have the excuse of too many Guinness's . We continued on to Campanet. Robert lead the charge of s group of cyclists up the hill whilst Lyn continued at a more sensible pace. We reached Calmari via Binibona. We decided as our legs had warmed up not to stop for a coffee. The new cyclist cafe on the main road out of the village looked inviting. Perhaps we will stop on our next trip. The climbs around 7.8
km with an average gradient of around 5%. Robert pushed on to the top and whilst Lyn continued at her steady pace. The climb took Robert just under 31 minutes 30 seconds and Lyn arrived in just over 50 minutes and 12 seconds. We do not us Strava and did not race up the climb .The the fastest attempt is around 17 minutes which puts our pace on context .we ignored the busy cafe at the top of the climb but instead we had lunch in the CanGallet restaurant . 500 metres further on just after the turn off for Lluc. The spaghetti bolognese was tasty and we each enjoyed a generous portion.
The road drops past the monastery at Lluc and we just off onto a minor track before the last short assent of the Col De Fermemia. We climbed for a short way though the woods passing an old lime kiln.



We could have continued on the track to Pollenca as it is part of the GR221 route. However a 2 miles of the descent is unpaved. Perhaps a route to attempt with Martin on our next trip.

After Col De Fermemia it all down hill to Pollenca. We stopped a couple of times
to photograph the view.



An ice cream in the main square was a welcome treat. We returned to the apartment via the back roads.
The bikes were packed in their boxes and cases packed ready for Sunday's flight home. I cannot believe 2 weeks are over. We cycled every day. It only rained on 2 days and we avoided getting wet.

We had a pizza for tea in the local Pizzeria and watched the sun set over the bay.






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Saturday 23 April 2016

Col De Sa Batalla

Col De Sa Batalla

Packing tonight do full post to follow so just some pictures of the day for now.
















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Friday 22 April 2016

Best Laid Plans

Best Laid Plans

We said goodbye to Martin and Sue, whilst they headed for the airport we drove to Llubi. The plan was to take a round about route to Biniamar and to have a late lunch in Bar Mayorga and return to Llubi after a coffee and cake in Muro.

We parked on the outskirts of the town and took some minor roads and tracks towards the Cami Vell Muro.



Lyn stopped admired the cactus . We took an unpaved roads past a couple of farms.
Fortunately the dogs were chained up and the chains abruptly stopped their charge. We eventually reached the MA3240. We found the track marked on the map but it was gated so we had a mile to cycle on the main road before turning off on the Cami Vell Muro. We followed this retracing a couple of our earlier rides and turning off towsrds Binnissalum.



We reached Biniamar just before 2:00pm and got to the bar just before a large party of cyclists.



We spotted Agi and Bob enjoying a late lunch and they invited us to share their table. We meet them at the same bar earlier in the holiday, Bob is Scotish and his wife German.Lyn an I shared the very tasty 3 course menu of the day, Pasta with meat and fish to start followed by a skate wing with tumbet and a lemon mouse for desert. The bill including 2 beers and 2 coffees was 12 euros. After a relaxed lunch we said goodbye to Agi and Bob. The plan was to ride to Sa Pobla via Moscari. When I stopped to look at the map they passed us and Bob shouted he would show us a better route. The sky darkened as we followed them to on the minor roads to Campanet and the clouds look like a small tornado had formed.



Bob invited us back to view their villa as it was only a few hundred yards off our route. It is located just behind the small chapel Sant Miguel where we often stop we cycling the back roads to Campanet After a brief tour of their very comfortable villa the rain started and then intensified. We sheltered outside then Bob offered to drive us back to Llubi. We had a choice of getting very wet or accepting his kind offer so opted for the second option. The ride was cut short at 24 miles. Lyn stayed with Agi whilst Bob and I fetched the van. We drove past some very wet cyclists. Thanks for the lift it stopped us from getting very wet. They are returning to Germany tomorrow so we will not see them again this holiday but they have already booked for next year so maybe will will see them then.

We stopped a Lidl on the way back to the apartment to play with the bread slicing machine. We arrived back at 6:30, ready to start Martin's 7 beer challenge.


Turning on the TV to check the weather forecast we saw the tornado featured on the local news.




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Thursday 21 April 2016

Another excellent Meal at Stay

Another excellent meal at Stay









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Rain rain go away

Rain rain go away

The forecast turned out to be correct and we awoke to light rain. We checked several forecasts. All were different so we decided to to with the one that said it would clear up by mid morning. Whilst Martin and Sue went off walking we took the van to book a restaurant for the evening then cycled from the apartment, taking the back roads to Pollenca. Our most expense coffee of the holiday was enjoyed in a cafe the main square with a cake from the cafes next door patisserie.





The then continued to Alcudia turning off on the back roads via the golf course. The clouds threatened rain but fortunately it did not materialise.


We tried a different route on some roads that were not on my new enlarged map. The first minor road with was unmade in sections and took to the main road. It was too busy to cycle on so at our second attempt we joined the back road from Port De Pollenca to Alcudia.
The had a quick tour of the old town and then cycled down to the Port. In the end we decided against a tapas for lunch and bought some cheese rolls and tomatoes from from Lidl. A late lunch was had sitting on a seat on the beach.



We walked round the front past the outside double sunbeds for those inclined but fortunately access was restricted to hotel guests



We then continued past the port and old power station to Alcanada and the light house island of Illa d'Alcanada.





The sun came out before we left Alcanada, sleeves and outer tops were removed and suncream applied. We joined a steady stream of cyclists on the back roads to Port de Pollenca.

A trip of around 35 miles.

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Wednesday 20 April 2016

The other end of the track

The other end of the track

It took about 1 hour to drive to the stsrt at Algaida via some narrow minor roads from Sencelles. Fortunately there was not a lot of traffic and we did not have to reverse to find a passing spot. The aim of today's ride was to locate the other end of the road we had mistakenly taken from Llucmsjor yesterday. I checked Google maps before setting off and thought I had located where it came out on the road between Monturi and Randa. From Algaida we headed first to Pina and cycled up to the church.




It was then onto Monturi and this time we took the second path after we crossed the main road on the bridge. A pair of emus were spotted and then a snake basking in the sun.





It was then onto Porres. We arrived at lunch and eat again in Bar Sa Plaga. It was busy so we had to sit inside.

3 excellent small course s followed.








Refreshed we retraced our tracks towards Monturi but instead of turning off continued to the MA 5017.where we turned towards Randa. The turning was about another 100 yards on the left hand side After cycling further up the hill we decided the stone track was the correct turn.




Lyn reluctantly followed for 2 miles convinced we would have to turn around. The track looked to be too far away from the mountain however eventually after a couple of choices where the road split the surface became tarmac and we recognised yesterday's incorrect route. After 3 miles we were at the cross with the turn for the Cura but we continued to Llucmsjor.



We were too full for an ice cream so shared a chocolate biscuit. After a tour of town and it's narrow streets and one way system we located the road to Algaida .
We made the mistake of following the signs for the centre which after s lot of twists and turns though narrow streets disappear so we had the long way back to the van.

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Tuesday 19 April 2016

A Tour of Santuari de Cura 555m

A Tour of Santuari de Cura 555m

Whilst Sue went walking Martin joined us for another ride
Everything was planned for a good day.

Weather 18 degrees and sunny
Start : Costitx
Coffee Stop :Algaida
Lunch : Santuari de Cura
Afternoon Stop :Bar in Monturi

From Costitx we took the track towards Sencelles turning off on MA 3320 to Algaida. Puig De Randa could be seen in the distance but the climb would have to wait a few hours.



We enjoyed a coffee and cake on the square whilst those people that have to work for a living were busy straightening a tree.




After Algaida it was the back roads to Llucmsjor. In previous year we have then continued onto the main to climb to Randa. My old map marks an alternative route on minor roads. It missing entirely from the new map I purchased ! We found what I thought was the road and continued towards the Puig. At a junction in the road we took the right fork.



The road had good views to the top but did not lead to the summit and after a 6 mile detour we were back try the left and correct fork.



The climb steepens to just under 9% and offers good views of the plan. It joins the main road to the summit about 2km on from Randa. The rest of the climb was more gentle and it took around another 30 minutes to get to the top. We ate in the monastery cafe. Good views but expensive average food. Perhaps just a coffee next time. After taking photos.





it was a fast descent to Randa then onto Montuiri. After coffee and cake in our usual bar we continued back to Costitx via the mountain bike track to Ruberts and the minor tracks to Costitx. A round trip of about 46 miles or 40 without the additional diversion.


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