We awake to a glorious sunrise and the promise of a beautiful day.
It's the fourth day and the most climbing so far. In fact it is the most climbing that Kathy and I have ever done. A total of 4075ft over a 46 mile ride with ascent of Coll de sa Batalla being a 1886ft climb that lasted a gruelling 9.2 miles.
The views on the way up were stunning and the sense of achievement at the top made it all worthwhile. However, you had to keep reminding yourself that the guys and girls that came past you so easily, chatting away to each other were probably 30 years younger than us! What a frightening thought especially when your brain still thinks it is only in its twenties!!! (The body obviously knows differently).
 |
| Start of the ride |
 |
| Off to the mountainous bit! |
 |
| Leaving Campanet |
The ride started fairly gently with a cruise out along the lanes and valley to Campanet before the long drag of a climb up towards the village itself. At the turning to the village and before the final climb up to the square Alan suggests a new cafe on route to Calmari which is at the start of the main climb. Unfortunately John and Maggie don't hear about this change of plan and head up to the square but Alan goes and collects them and brings them back to the peleton who were already settled for coffee! The cafe is fantastic, great views over to the mountains, racks to stow the bikes and great coffee with complimentary chocolate cake. The cake we think was because we were perhaps their first ever customers and they also were very keen to get photos of us for publicity! It also gave us our first scary glimpse of where we were heading.
 |
| Looks a little lumpy |
 |
| quiet lanes |
 |
| Kathy loved the pottery pigs at the cafe |
 |
| First view of the start of the climb |
 |
| Bike racks a plenty |
 |
| Waving to her public |
 |
| Enjoying the view? |
 |
| Alan arrives ...... |
 |
| ...... with John and Maggie. |
We cycle up to Calmari and through the village to the start of the climb not really knowing or understanding what is to come!
 |
| Calmari |
 |
| Church at Calmari |
 |
| Here we go...... |
 |
| First hairpin |
"Ignorance is bliss" as they say and off we go. The climb zig zags its way upwards through countless hairpin bends. Actually I did start counting them but my brain soon had more important tasks to do like persuading my legs to continue pedalling! Climbing is all about rhythm and not thinking to much about what you are doing.
 |
Looking back at where
you have just come from |
 |
| Stunning views |
Unfortunately the amazing views are a constant reminder of upward progress, then cruelly at about two thirds up is a false flat where you actually lose 120m of hard earned altitude! After you have finished screaming and cursing you realise that the climb just got a little steeper so you switch off brain an find that rhythm again. Just as I approach the top about a dozen Spanish horses and riders appear out of the woods in front of me they are a glorious sight and we will meet them again later. Right now I am more focussed on the last few feet to the summit. I meet up here with Alan, closely followed by Kathy who has climbed really strongly. She joins us and declares " she has died and gone to hell"! But all the pain is soon forgotten and we celebrate the achievement with a banana!
 |
| False flats! |
 |
| Beautiful gorges |
 |
| ..are we nearly there yet? |
We wait for the rest of the group before descending to the monastery at Lluc where we stop for lunch and have a wander around the monastery and it's grounds.
 |
| Spanish horses |
 |
| Monastery |
 |
| 3 'wise' monkeys? |
Then it's back on the bikes and the climb back out of the valley before a long descent towards Pollensa where we visit the Roman bridge.
 |
Puiz Major -
highest peak in Majorca |
 |
| sweeping descents |
 |
| Kathy at speed |
 |
| Roman Bridge |
 |
| Resting |
 |
| a path well travelled |
Here the group splits with the rest heading back to Pollensa, we go on with Alan to Cala de Sant Vincenc as Kathy missed the ride here the previous day and what a difference a day and the sun makes! After soaking up the sun and enjoying the view and conversation we set off again for home looking forward to dinner a cold beer and a shower, not necessarily in that order!
 |
| What a difference a day makes |
 |
| Quieter seas ...... |
 |
| .............. full cafes |
 |
| ...and lots of bikes |
Great job, guys! I am looking forward going to Mallorca next week and climbing as much as I can. Hopefully there won't be many cyclists, hence not so many passing me by like there are going to the cinema. :) So many beautiful pictures!
ReplyDelete