Spain 4/29

The documentation on today’s ride was misleading.  It looked like we had a gentle 22 km climb followed by a gentle 22 km descent.  But instead we found 14 km of mostly flat riding and followed by an 8 km climb of 1,800 feet. Then a 8 km descent which was great, especially with the silky smooth road.  Some of the switchbacks were tight but they were not steep so it was easy to control the bike. See the ride here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In photo above Robert and Marjorie lead two Germans up the second switchback.  They will soon be passed. Beany is chasing.  In photo at right, Jan and Brenda celebrate the top of the climb. But no, we weren’t at the top yet – very deceiving.  Below is the view from the coll.

 

We still see cyclists everywhere, at every intersection and on every road.  Jan, Brenda and I stop for coffee at an intersection and probably 50 cyclists arrive and leave while we are there.  Then on the descent, Jan estimates we pass a hundred cyclists who are climbing the hill from the opposite direction.

Tonight’s stay, and tomorrow’s, is  a “farm stay” (agritourismo) way out in the country. The last 10 km on the way to the farm were on a one-lane road through the vineyards, orchards (pistachio?) and uncultivated fields which remind you of the Texas Hill Country.  The picture below doesn’t show how elegant accommodations are. I’ll try to have better photos tomorrow.

Spain 4/28

For two nights we’re at a very nice hotel on the Mediterranean, in the town of Porte de Pollensa. Photo on left is from our patio. We had an extraordinary happy hour yesterday evening (photo at right), so much to eat and drink that we skipped dinner.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We had the choice of two rides today.  I took the more difficult one and never regretted it.  Although there was a lot of climbing (http://ridewithgps.com/routes/385809) the scenery was stunning.  My photos don’t do it justice.  The ride was to the lighthouse and back.

  

 

 

 

 

Tomorrow we leave the coast and ride inland.  Wonder is there will be any mountains to climb?

Spain 4/27

Today we rode across the island from south to north.  We kept an inland route,staying east of the mountains. Click on this to see our route.  Then change map to terrain to see the mountains.

It was a perfect day weather wise and also the roads were a cyclist’s dream.  We were mostly on quiet country roads with just enough hills to make it fun – not steep, long difficult hills.  And, so far, the road surfaces in Mallorca are better than most anywhere  else in the world.  They reminded me of Texas roads 30 years ago, before the (Republican) legislature cut taxes on the oil industry and before some jerk invented chip-seal. In fact the overall terrain and vegetation remind me somewhat of the Texas Hill Country.

We rode with two other couples today which limited my photography.  Brenda will stop so I can take a picture but a cycle group will only stop for coffee, lunch or a flat tire.  We continued to see many, many pelotons but no large ones like yesterday.  Mostly they were under 20 riders. This photo shows a group of Germans passing us.

Alison told me that 70,000 cyclists visit Mallorca during the months of February through April and in October.  There are also many hikers during these months, mostly in the mountains.  During the hot summer season, sunbathers take over the island. 

We saw potatoes, artichokes, varieties of lettuces, lemons and oranges growing in the fields.  The lemons and oranges could be determined by their fragrances – something you’d never experience in a car.

 

Left –Montuiri

Right – walking into Sineu to see the Wednesday market, which has been in operation since 1306!  There were hundreds and hundreds of people at the market, which spread across many plazas. We were there right at noon and got a table at a restaurant – excellent pizzas.  So far, our experience with restaurants has been excellent – good food and good service. Below, left, the market. Below, right, leaving Sineu.

 

 

 

 

We arrive at Port de Pollensa on the Mediterranean.  Photos on tomorrow’s blog.

Spain 4/26

At 10:00 last night, I was finishing yesterday’s blog and somehow managed to delete the entire thing. So no one will ever read 4/25 blog. But you haven’t really missed anything.

I’ve always heard that Mallorca is a favorite place for cycling but I had no idea the extent of it.  The first indication was at the airport when I saw instructions to cyclist in four languages.  Then, on the 10 km taxi ride to our remote hotel, we saw cyclists everywhere.  Cyclists by themselves or in small groups of 2 or 4 or 6 – and pelotons of 20, 40, 60. Cyclists of all interests – very casual, families, serious recreational cyclists and of course the hard-core cyclists who are here to train.  Apparently most are from Europe and so far German is the most often heard language.

Our tour leader Alison told us that the European cyclists don’t share the road with the drivers but tend to “take it over”.  But the local drivers put up with this because they need the cycle tourists’ dollars (Euros).

Above: 1. Bike garage at our hotel. 2. Cycle route signs on the roads. 3. Cycle path, 40 km speed limit and indication that you are on the green route.  Below, a couple of photos from today’s ride.

Spain 4/24

At 7:30 yesterday, after our naps, it’s time for dinner.  We decide to try one of the tapas bars. The one we selected is a hang-out for the locals.  The place was packed; we got the last  table, excellent service and very good food. In fact, Brenda’s fried calamari was the best, most tender, I’ve ever tasted. Photo at left is of the waiter flirting with Brenda.

After dinner we walk to Plaza del Sole (photo at right).  It’s a good thing Brenda is an excellent map reader. There is a plaza every four blocks and all are filled with people at 10:00 pm.  Madrid seems prosperous.  (See more about the city later in this blog.)  The people appear to be happy and fairly well off, economically.  Past the plaza, we see the “Glass Bar” which is actually part of the Hilton Hotel.  We stop for a Sambuca. I try to order two drinks but apparently order two doubles. What the hell? It’s vacation. Below, two photos from the “Glass Bar”.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Madrid is the capital and largest city in Spain as well as the most touristic.  It is the third largest metropolitan area in the European Union (after London and Paris); it also has the third largest GPD. At 2,000 feet elevation, it is the highest capital in Europe.

 

Today we did the two other major tourist attractions, the Royal Palace and Centro de Arte Reina Sofia. The Royal Palace (photo to right) is Europe’s third greatest after Versailles and Vienna’s Schonbrunn.  When we got there at 10:30 the admissions line was a block long.  It took over a half hour to get inside.  The palace has 2,000 rooms; the public gets to see 24 of these which was enough for me. Rick Steve’s says the Centro de Arte Reina Sofia is Europe’s most enjoyable modern art museum.  I liked the fact that there was no admissions line and apparently admission is free on Sunday! Also you could take photos in most rooms. In the museum is Picasso’s famous Guernica as well as works by Miro, Dali, Calder, etc. Personally, I think that Picasso and Dali were stoned full-time. As I write this Brenda is looking at Impressionism art at the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum. I’ve had all I can take.

Above, part of the Centre De Arte Reina Sofia exterior. Below, patrons viewing Picasso’s Guernica.

Spain 4/23

Yesterday, a couple of hours before our flight from Dallas, I was checking to be sure I had the records I needed, including the names and addresses of the hotels. Needless to say, I was more than surprised to learn that our hotel reservations for today and tomorrow were in Barcelona, but we were going to be in Madrid.  This was truly a “awe shit” moment, although not as bad as in 2004 when we got to Rome and I hadn’t properly booked the hotel. Yes, the tour leader didn’t have a place to stay the first three nights!  Thanks to direct dial international calling and the internet I was able to cancel the Barcelona booking and get (an expensive) room in Madrid within a half hour.

Today, our luck improved.  It seemed like a short flight.  At the Madrid airport (see next paragraph) we learned we could leave our bikes at the airport for two days for less than ten Euro. Then the lady at the information desk told us of a bus which would take us close to our hotel for two Euros each.

The Madrid airport is massive.  We arrived at terminal 4 remote. An underground train takes you to terminal 4, which is several miles from terminals 1, 2 and 3.  I’ve been told, but cannot confirm, that the Madrid airport was designed by the architect Santiago Calatrava who has also designed two signature bridges for Dallas.  The first bridge is under construction; the other probably won’t be built as designed because of lack of funds.

Two renderings of the Calatrava bridge, under construction in Dallas.  Madrid airport baggage claim #5.

One other piece of luck: our hotel is across the street from Prado Museum around the corner from a Starbucks. After lunch at Starbucks we went to the museum, one of the world’s great museums with masterpieces by Diego Valazquez, Francisco de Goya, El Greco and others.  There were several long lines to get into the museum but we got in in about a half hour. It was crowded inside also.  I’d estimate 20 to 30 rooms (galleries) and there would be 30 to 50 persons in each.  So my estimate is that there were at least 1,000 people inside and also arriving (and leaving) continually.  By 3:30 we were both tired. Brenda is napping while I write this blog.

Above, side wall of Prado Museum.  Below, an “illegal” photo inside the museum.

Paso Robles Sunday

Today’s plan was for a short bike ride from 10:00 am until noon and then wine tasting.  Well the bike ride was actually from 11:00 until 2:00 followed by lunch in the RV, which only left time for one winery. We chose Grey Wolfe, which we had visited on previous trips.  For thee bike ride, we drove to Santa Margarita.  The vegetation here was considerable different than what we had seen the past two days in Paso Robles.  We saw much more forested areas and were surprised at the amount of climbing – over 2,000 feet in 27 miles.

Above, how I see the world.  Below, Paul and Pat at the top of a three mile climb.

Paso Robles Saturday

It’s weird that a day with such a cold morning (32 degrees) can turn out so pleasant.  Of course it helps if you don’t start riding until 11:00 am.  We rode a variation of the Hog Canyon route.  Although the scenery is not as good as is was in Solvang and some of the roads aren’t as good, it was still a great ride.  Mid-way through the ride we develop a plan to have lunch at Matthews Restaurant at the Paso Robles Airport.  No one told us the restaurant was closed. So the backup plan is lunch at Pat and Paul’s RV.

Above: Oxen Canyon Road. Below: friends, food, wine and chocolate!

Paso Robles Friday

The original plan was to go for a ride out of Solvang and then drive 95 miles north to Paso Robles, where we meet another BAC group on Sunday.  But the cold weather in Solvang caused us to change our plans – drive to Paso and ride later in the day when it is warmer.  Besides, our cycling/tandem friends Pat & Paul Woerner are driving down from Walnut Creek to spend the weekend with us.  Maybe we can ride with them. – And sure enough, our schedules mesh. We arrive in Paso about the same time and get in a nice ride.  Then we imbibe is some serious wine tasting.

Above: from ride out of Paso Robles with Pat and Paul (hiding Brenda) in photo below

Solvang Thursday

 

 

 

 

Photos above are from last night’s Farmer’s Market.

Again, it’s colder this morning – 31 degrees at 7:00 am.

While we’re waiting for it to warm up, a note about this blog. It began in 2009 to record my ride across the U.S.  I don’t blog daily; only when we’re on a bike tour.  --- Sometime last year my photos started disappearing and I still haven’t figured out why.  --- Somewhere along the way I discovered the “flag counter” which keeps statistical data on access to your blog.  In addition to the US (679 different people have looked at it), there is Canada (56), Italy (31), Netherlands (24), United Kingdom (11), Ireland (5), Ecuador (2) and one each from Sweden, Trinidad and Russia. What? No Australia?

By 11:00 it’s still not 50 degrees so we say “What the hell; let’s drive to the beach.”  After all Flat Jaxon needs to see the Pacific Ocean. (More on Flat Jackson, see below, in a later blog.)

Back at the Wine Valley Inn in Solvang I prepare for a ride.  It’s 2:40, less than 2 hours before I’m supposed to help set up Happy Hour.  Brenda tells me not to worry, she’ll cover for me.  So I ride up Ballard Canyon road, reversing yesterday’s return route.  I continue on Foxen Canyon but the road surface is so bad I turn around.  All total, I only get in 18 miles – but they are quality miles.  Ballard Canyon is as pretty as ever as shown on the photo below.

Solvang Wednesday

 

Another beautiful morning in the Santa Ynez Valley, although quite a bit colder than previous mornings.  We have no qualms about our long sleeve jerseys and I wear both leg warmers and glove liners for the first time.  Once again we don’t leave the Wine Valley Inn until after 10:00 am, quite late compared to our normal departure.

Left: Wednesday’s Wardrobe: the “Black and White Kit”

 

 

 

 

 

Right, scene from Happy Canyon Rd

 

We decide to ride out Happy Canyon road.  On Monday we rode part way up Figueroa Mountain Road.  Had we continued over the mountain we would have been on Happy Canyon.  Thus we’re approaching the mountain from the other side.  But we have almost 10 miles of very gradual ascent before we get to steep switchbacks.  And it is here we turn around. Photo below: Vineyard in Happy Canyon.

Back in Los Olivos, we again have lunch at Panini’s.  For the return we chose Ballard Canyon road.  After a short but steep climb (see photo below), we have a downhill run until we get close to Solvang.

For the Velo Veterans freezing in Dallas, eat your heart out guys .  See Wednesday's Ride 

View from highest point on Ballard Canyon Road

Solvang: Monday and Tuesday

We’re in Solvang, California for an annual Bicycle Adventure Club event called “Solvang Winter Break”.  There are 38 of us here for 5 days of cycling. And well, maybe a little wine tasting.  Our headquarters tell it all, the “Wine Valley Inn”.

Solvang, Danish for “sunny fields”, is in the Santa Ynez Valley.  It was founded in 1911 on almost 9,000 acres of the Rancho San Carlos de Jonata Mexican land grant, by a group of Danes who traveled west to establish a Danish colony far from the Midwestern winters. It was incorporated as a city on May 1, 1985.

Monday was a perfect cycling day.  It was a perfect day for almost anything outdoors.  The temperature started in the 60’s and  got to the mid 70’s, under a brilliant sunny sky and with a mild Westerly wind. 

Brenda and I rode to Los Olivos and then about 9 miles up Figueroa Mountain Road.  This is the road that Lance Armstrong and the Discovery Team used for Tour de France training every January. We didn’t go all the way up but we did one climb which seemed like a mile and had grades up to 15%.  Ok, so we walked a little of it. We turned around and went back to Los Olivos for lunch at Panini. Back in Solvang we stopped at the bike shop.  Brenda returned to the motel while I rode to Nojoqui Falls.  After happy hour, six of us had dinner at the Los Olivos Café.

Brenda returning on Figueroa Mountain Road

A composite photo, combining 11 individual pictures.

Tuesday was another glorious day, although not as nice as Monday’s.  It was colder in the morning and didn’t warm as much – maybe to the mid 60’s.  But mainly we has a fairly strong Westerly wind; I’d guess 15 mph.

We chose to ride a perennial favorite, Santa Rosa Road (photo above).  This road parallels US 246, but is south of the Santa Ynez River.  it’s a road through orchards, farms (We passed laborers picking broccoli.), horse ranches, vineyards and at least three wineries.  The wineries include Sanford and one of our favorites, Lafond.  We rode West to Lompoc, had lunch and then retraced our path on Santa Rosa Road.

See details of today’s ride at  Tuesday's Santa Rosa Road Ride