click to enlarge
at the Parador Mt Tiede , Tenerife Oct 25/12
(The highest Mtn in Spain, 3rd highest volcano worldwide)
Majorca group
Canaries group, ..... click to enlarge
.................... trip count spreadsheet, .... scroll to bottom
........................ about 50 readers per day (during trips)......................................
Sun Oct 28 7 hour flight to YUL then 3hrs later in YYZ,.... home "safe and sound" in cold rainy Toronto.
Sat Oct 27 transfer 3hr SantaCruz to Barcelona,..... went for stroll on Las Ramblas
Fri Oct 26 our last cycling day 115Km mostly downhill, but still 1000m of climbing. Weather which is usually very good was overcast today, slight rain.
As to my personal overall satisfaction ranking /10 (very subjective):
( 3 good things: scenery, hotels, guide, 3 bad things: too difficult/not a‘5’, Days #3,6,10 were borderline sadistic, again: too difficult)
- Majorca 2012...........… 9
- Andalusia…………….. 8
- Corsica 2007………… 9.5
- Turkey 2003 ………… 8.5
- Morocco……………… 8
- Alsace………………. 8 (fun group but too “beaten path”)
Thurs Oct 25 although I was dreading it (a 2,400m climb (I like 1500m max), was cloudy at breakfast, and could well have been cold at elevation, .... BUT:as it turned out, it was very nice, ... got a short lift with Patrick (I debated doing so) the grade was gradual, 3-4%, sunny and warmish, and the Mt Tiede volcano views were spectacular. A Kitchener foursome stopped their car when they saw my Canadian flag, ... we had a roadside chat. The Parador was relatively modest compared to Cruz del Telde, but overheard 147Euro/room being quoted to arrivals.
Wed Oct 24, a day off in Puerto Santiago, much needed after strenuous Oct 23. Fiddled around with my photos, went for a brief walk around town, buffet dinner in hotel, wasn't nearly as good as the previous night.
Tues Oct 23, a rather difficult day for me (to Puerto Santiago) ... two climbs out of city/towns, at the beginning and after lunch, ... and when I say climbs, it's sunny 30+C, and 12% grade with traffic all around you, and for ~5Km distance each,.... put it all together, it's hard (... for me). Actually a taxi van driver (English speaking) took pity on me (when I was walking) and gave me a significant free ride, ...I think my prominent Canadian flag on my tool bag triggers it,.... I doubt a German flag would do the trick, ... 90% of tourists are German, are and associated with calling for restraint/austerity.
Mon Oct 22 an 82 Km day to Puerto Cruz, 43 Km constant unrelenting 5% climb, and 39km constant 5% decent, climbing to a max 2,281m altitude where it was quite cold, say 5C, and "blow-you-off-the-road" windy. Ivan, one of the cyclists had a broken headset and Patrick had to go back to Laguna at 4:30 to see if repaired.... reminds me of the need to only!!!! buy bikes with very standard parts.
Sun Oct 21 up at 6:30 to take the ferry over to Tenerife, new photos, a 70 minute crossing, on a huge ferry carrying dozens of vehicles. Santa Cruz is big at 222,000 population. Left the city immediately to climb 1000m to circle around to La Laguna..... nice ride, climbs very do-able, and nice sunny 30C to start, cooler later in the day. So, after the deluxe Parador and two swanky seaside places it's quite a change (very urban, close to Santa Cruz) with a lot of dramatic scenery getting here. A number of people commented that it was nice to be able to make today's ride as easy or challenging as you wanted (by taking options).
Sat Oct 20 Agate day off in rather highend Roca Negra (click), ... my photos dont do it justice. Tomorrow 9:00 AM we take ferry to Tenerife (1 hour), for second week, return from Barcelona on 28th. Advised Velo Quebec I'd sign up for South Africa, 3 weeks, in Oct 15-Nov 6 2013 on return.The prices seem steep, at $8700, but if you take into account the rather ritzy places, it's not bad.
Fri Oct 19 Maspalomes to Agate (for 2 nights) beautiful day weather wise and amazing scenery but at 102 Km combined with 2518m of climbing,... that's too much for me, so did significant vanning. For me, I can do 100Km ...easily enough, but I consider 1500m my very upper limit of barely do-able climbing,... 500-1000m being preferred.
Thurs Oct 18, a bit of rain to start at 1576m, a 60% downhill ride to Maspalomes on the sea, ... my kind of riding. Terrain reminded me of Arizona.
Wed Oct 17, a day off, so rested, the Parador in the mtns is magnificent. Had a substantial lunch across street with Christine. Tried the Spa, .. best Ive ever seen, ...I guess I Iiked it.
Tues Oct 16, was a truly "brutal" day, 58Km might not sound like much but everybody said that it was the most difficult ride ever.... I was desperate for water as we got to the only store/resto and I had to ride in truck after lunch. We're now in a beautiful Parador (say 5 star, gov't run) and since tomorrow is a rest day (in the mountains), ... that's what Ill do. Today I got a pre-made map from Simon (downloaded) for my GPS, ... it helps a lot.
VQ: if Corsica is a true '5' difficulty rating (as per web), then Canaries are a 7 (..... or a differential of 2).
I sympathize with Patrick (a very sincere
guide). He is obviously anxious for the trip to be success, and maybe it will
be, but at this point it looks like it’s certainly more than I bargained
for. Corsica, a “5” on the website, is a
delight and everybody talks about the beautiful sights, whereas with Canaries,
also a “5”, pretty much the ONLY topic is the route difficulty. I admit: though I’m an
experienced rider, I’m probably the weakest rider (in this group), … but I
think myviews are commonly held.
Mon Oct 15 In Canaries I no longer have premapped routes, so GPS was much less useful today, ... but one of the assistant guides says he can download to my GPS from his computer. I'm going to try bikerouteToaster.com for fun. Had a nice group dinner in the rather grand hotel.
Its just day 2, first cycling day, and its MUCH tougher, eg max single climb in Majorca was usually 550m (one day 850m), but in Canaries today was cumulative 1590 (and I didn't do it all, .... why make yourself miserable) and 2000m to come, ... good justified!! reason to say "oh my god", which hear tooo much, especially among Francophone's (in English). From what
Ive seen the group is handling it well, ... me, not so well.
Sun Oct 14 have arrived in Gran Canarias, after 3hour 20 min flight from Barcelona,10:30 PM and it's hot,..... people are looking for air conditioning, ... I expected a sleepy Mexican type town, from what I could see it looked like the Toronto Gardner expressway, all the way to the hotel. ... and we are far 1103Km farther southwest than Marrakesh, Morroco.
Sat Oct 13 Patrick, the Canary guide emailed me, so we met for lunch, and met a couple from Lac St Jean fo dinner, ... a good day, much better than envisaged. In the late afternoon tried the hotel's "horizon" pool, 8th floor, looking out over Plaza d'Espanya,... pretty "cool" (both temp and esthetics). amendment:After 2 days of taking subways, I learned in the last 2 days (for the kind of distances I was doing, (say 5 metro stops) with the VQ guide that its often more satisfying to walk. The Aerobus to the airport, 5E, was incredibly good, and bringing bike was really easy, .... all my fretting was wasted.
Fri Oct 12 The VeloQue group left for the airport at 9:30 AM, ... now two days on my own. There are 6 others who are staying till next Fri. Overall: 3 good things: well organized, good weather, road surfaces excellent, 3 bad things Group size at 39 was too big, the Vueling flight to/rtn Palma was awkward (bike checkins were challenged each way), 3rd:.... I can´t think of anything.
Friday was a between-trips day, so used my 2nd day of ''HopOn HopOff" ticket, saw a Decathalon Store (from France), and spent 90 minutes browsing,...bought a couple minor cycling items (ABUS mini lock, Sigma mini LED light), ... love that store. If Spaniards are under "austerity", I see no signs of it. Walked the central length of Passeig de Gracia, .... very hoity-toity
Thurs Oct 11 The Velo Que hotel where we're staying is pretty fancy, ... ultra modern (and I stay an extra 2 nights waiting for Canary group), ... I feel like a bumpkin, as I feel around at night with my bike headlight since I haven't mastered the fancy electronics for lighting, ... same for the plumbing, weird controls, ... does it have to so exotic? Today did the East and West sessions, 2+ hours each, of the 'Hop on -Hop off' circuit. I was kind of fatigued, and didn't do any hopping, either off or on, ... maybe tomorrow (a 2day ticket) I'll hop. Oh,.... I was offered a 'seniors' ticket, 30% off, ... an insult I suppose, but Ill admit to anything for 30%. Olivier tells me I can take my luggage and bike, on the nearby (400m) ¨Aerobus to the airport, 6E, ... should be a feat.... I can only walk 100' (max) before resting, ... will take a dozen+ rests, .....mmm?.
Went to a guitar concert in a cathedral with the group. A solo woman guitarist, spoke English, classical stuff, ... quite upper-crusty nice,.... thankfully it only lasted 55min.... I can only take so much of that.
Wed Oct 10 transferred to Barcelona for a couple free days... flights with a bicycle in tow are always a pain, seemed to be a fuss about whether bikes were chargeable, I suspect VQ had to $supplement (and didnt want to admit it). I tried to leave my bike at airport 'left luggage', ... no luck...., Canaries group arrives Sunday around noon.
Tues Oct 9 - Peguera, Es Capdella, Galilea, Puigpunyent, Esporles, Establiments, Palma de Mallorca (49 km). Today was our last cycle day in Mjaorca, short 49Km, sunny hot 30C, ... its hard to find fault with anything VQ does.Just boxed my bike for tomorrow's flight to Barcelona, then a free day,and the group leaves Friday, new group for Canary Islands arrives Sunday.
Checking my Garmin for yesterday, 85.4Km, and 3325 calories spent (taking into account my weight 178, and ascent 1325m). I really dont know my weight, but it must be down 2 pounds from Sept 27.
Mon Oct 8 - Port de Sóller, Deiá, Valldemossa, S'Esgleieta, Esporles, Banyalbufar, Mirador de ses Ànimes, Estellencs, Mirador Ricardo Roca, Andratx, Port of Andratx, Peguera (83 km ). A rather long day, lots of ups and downs, 70% following the coast, ... beautiful weaher, 30C in the sun. I really only cycle alone (my preference, and pretty much the only one to do so), and probably am the 10th person in, in a group of 39. General impression: It's a pretty nice trip, maybe a tad short relative to Corsica, but similar (the first 3 days were flat compared to Corsica).
Sun Oct 7 – Free day or looped route via Sóller, 42 hairpins to climb, 24 to decend on the col over the 13Km tunnel. I did the Option via Valldemossa, where ate my sandwhich from the breakfast buffet, then snoozed on the bench in front of Tourist Office . Had dinner with Reo France JeanLuc in a port-front resto , a Mallorcan fish dish (or so they said) covered in small vegetables, ... I dont like fish that much, but this was excellent!
Sat Oct 6
Alducia to Soller, 97Km. Human nature is somehow to worry (tunnels, steep grades, etc). There was lots of apprehensive discussion the night before about Oct 6's climbing, 850m or whatever. Even though I know all this worry is probably not justified, I tend to fall into the trap myself, and worry. In fact the first climb was only 5.5% grade, and 7.5Km, … and quite pleasant, at no time was I even breathing heavily. I'd decided to take the boat for the last segment, 20km, steep grades, and the "every 20 minutes" departure was effectively 3+ hours between departures. Those who cycled ran into road closures due to car rallies, and didn’t get in till dark. So, not the typical day, … but kind of interesting just the same. One of the women said she was close to tears when she was stranded by the closures, amidst the fog, cold at elevation, and general disappointment. The hotel Es Port is really on the rather "grand" side, much older, and different than those heretofore.
I should make an effort to take better photos, and I figure any viewer's limit is 25. More Photos (Google+) click.
Google+'s layout is actually quite nice.
Friday Oct 5,
In response to a tongue-in-cheek, snide remark from Canada about my compatriots, I would say Quebecois do have some distinguishing characteristics (vs Anglophones):
- 90% very! stylish outfits (very pricey, I imagine), some maybe a bit "too cute"
- many have the very best bikes Colognos etc, say 1.5-2X the investment of the average anglo.
- absolutely no smokers (they are not French French)
- they tend to get into rowdy rounds of raucous silly laughter, after dinner,.... that would be rare with anglos
- I hardly have the right to criticize, but they use a rather twangy slangy french (pa'en tut/ pas de tout), that makes it hard for me to understand
- if they speak to me, they articulate more carefully, generally are out-of-their-way friendly
- about half of them can speak a perfect English to the locals, because the locals more likely speak English than French, even though France is just as close as Spain
Oct 5 turned out nicely, with large sections of "classic" backroads, 60Km, and surprisingly few riders today.
- If one likes Corsica, Majorca is a close second, ... many cycle paths.
Thurs Oct 4 – Free day or looped route Cap de Formentor (73 km) about 1012M of cumulative climbing if my GPS reads correctly. Was a perfect day ... the day was perfect so we did the agenda of Day 8 (not 7), to take advantage of the ideal conditions, they say 25C, but I'm sure it's 30+C in the sun. We are 3 nights in this "Club Med" -type resort, ... very nice, with buffet dinners which I prefer, since our group size, 39, is so large.
Wed Oct 3 - Portocristo, S'illot, Sa Soma, Cala Millor, Cala Bona, Port Nou, Capdepera, Artà, Can Picafort, Port d'Alcúdia, Alcúdia (72 to 105 km). Majorca for the first week has been easier than I expected, the weather is near perfect,... the heat of summer is gone.... say 24C, and the crowds too, ... although today must have been 30C in the sun. There are lots of Germans everywhere, 90% of tourists, .... I've read articles about how the Mediterranean countries really resent the Germans ... first the war, then the recent German insistence on austerity, and their sort of "Ugly American" ways when they travel. I'm proud to fly a Canadian flag on my bike, and have had a couple instances of local appreciation, ... Im not sure about my velo quebec compatriots see my maple leaf, but I sense many are federalists (a couple have quietly told me so). No one flys a 'Fleur de Lys'.
Tues Oct 2 – Free day or looped route via Son Carrio, Manacor, ... I did the short loop. I didn't do the Coves del Drach(=grotto), because I've seen too many of those kind of things, and always wondered afterwards why I bothered. Went to dinner, group of 8, to Siroco (had seabass), supposedly one of Rafa Nadal's favourite restaurants, expensive though,.... 40E with wine.
Mon Oct 1 - Colònia Sant Jordi, Ses Salines, Santanyí, S'Alqueria Blanca, Portopetro, Cala d'Or, S'Horta, Portcolom, Cales de Mallorca, Coves del Drac, to Portocristo (60+ km). Started sunny, but became overcast, about 24C most days, but chilly in the evenings. PortoCristo is a nice habour town. I took a no-options route, ... arrived about 2PM, ... from now on I should try some of the optional side routes. The Garmin800, now with the preloaded routes (courtesy of fellow cyclist, using link ) is a boon, but I still am getting used to its idiosyncracies. It seems to be rather late before it advises of a turn, ... but maybe I'm doing something wrong.
Sun Oct 30 – partly overcast, Palma de Mallorca, Can Pastilla, S'Arenal, Cap Blanc, Capocorp, Sa Rapita, Ses Salines, Colònia Sant Jordi (72 km). With my route-loaded Garmin800, it's a breeze, ... At a juncture where I failed to turn, it beeped and read "Off course", ... I wasn't impressed before with GPSs ... but now I'm a fan... but it takes time to use it effectively. Im probably the slowest cyclist, but somehow arrived first... a fast lunch may explain why.
Sat Oct 29 –was heavily overcast, raining fairly heavily at breakfast, but cleared by 10AM, a"Free Day" or supposedly a looped route, but I went on a 30Km ride mostly along the coast, then ambled through central Palma on the way back,... very swanky spiffy city in the central core,... Armani shops and that kind of thing. I remember Rafa Nadal talking how beautiful Majorca was, ... it is.
Took my new Garmin800 out (a 'loop' day,...no required destination) with Europe 2011 maps, but hadn't really studied the user manual, ... could get 'where I am' maps to show, but not much else ... so this PM I studied the owners manual, and more by trial and error found tomorrow's 'Colonia Sant Jordi', then fortunately at dinner Gislien with a 705 offered to download his (14 day by day) program developed on bikeRouteToaster.com
Fri Oct 28 – Air Transat through Montreal, Barcelona, 24C, arrived on time around noon.... then 5PM (delayed by one hour) for short flight to Palma de Mallorca and transfer to the hotel. Richard of Morocco and Corsica trips is the guide again, 2nd guide too because of group size. Full group of 39 (huge!!!) Québécois, ...Im the only anglophone .... could be interesting.
Cycle Trip count:
(click to enlarge)
VQ website itinerary(click)
* * *
VQ Itineray Sun Oct 30 – Palma de Mallorca, Can Pastilla, S'Arenal, Cap Blanc, Capocorp, Sa Rapita, Ses Salines, Colònia Sant Jordi (72 or 80 km). Option via Cala Pi (10 km).
Mon Oct 1 - Colònia Sant Jordi, Ses Salines, Santanyí, S'Alqueria Blanca, Portopetro, Cala d'Or, S'Horta, Portcolom, Cales de Mallorca, Coves del Drac, Portocristo (59 to 94 km). Options via Cap de ses Salines, Cala Figuera, Sa Punta (5 to 18 km).
Tues Oct 2 – Free day or looped route via Son Carrio, Manacor, Petra, Sant Joan, Vilafranca de Bonany, Felanitx, Coves del Drach (35 to 96 km). Options via Ermita de Bonany, Sineu, Monestir de Sant Salvador (8 to 16 km).
Wed Oct 3 - Portocristo, S'illot, Sa Soma, Cala Millor, Cala Bona, Port Nou, Capdepera, Artà, Can Picafort, Port d'Alcúdia, Alcúdia (72 to 105 km). Options via Cap des Pinar, Artà caves, Ermita de Betlem, Clonia Sant Pere (2 to 19 km).
Thurs Oct 4 – Free day or looped route via Platja d'Alcúdia, Sa Pobla, Muro, Sineu, Llubí, Inca, Selva, Moscari, Campanet (44 or 79 km).
Fri Oct 5 – Free day or looped route via Cap des Pinar or via Port de Pollença, Mirador des Colomer, Cap de Formentor (20 to 90 km). Option via Cala Sant Vicenç (16 km).
Sat Oct 6 - Alcúdia, Pollença, Coll de Sabataia, Escorca, Lac Gorg Blau, Lac de Cuber, Mirador de ses Barques, L'Horta, Port de Sóller (67 to 98 km). Options via Monestir de Lluc, Sa Colabra, Far es Cap Gros (1 to 25 km).
Sun Oct 7 – Free day or looped route via Sóller, Coll de Sóller, Jardins d'Alfabla, Bunyola, Orient, Alaro, Santa Maria del Camí, Bunyola (76 or 87 km). Option via Valldemossa.
Mon Oct 8 - Port de Sóller, Deiá, Valldemossa, S'Esgleieta, Esporles, Banyalbufar, Mirador de ses Ànimes, Estellencs, Mirador Ricardo Roca, Andratx, Port of Andratx, Peguera (83 km).
Tues Oct 9 - Peguera, Es Capdella, Galilea, Puigpunyent, Esporles, Establiments, Palma de Mallorca (49 km).
Wed Oct 10 - Flight to Barcelona and transfer to the hotel.
Thurs Oct 11 - Free day.
Fri Oct 12 – Transfer to Barcelona airport for the group (not me) and flight back to Montréal.
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Sun Oct 14 - Arrival in Barcelona of the group. Flight to Gran Canaria and transfer to the hotel.
Mon Oct 15 - Free day or looped route via Pico de Bandama, La Atalaya, Las Goteras, San Roque, Valsequillo, San Mateo, Santa Brigida (53 km).
Tues Oct 16 - Telde, Ingenio, Pico de las Nieves, Cruz de Tejeda (55 km).
Wed Oct 17 - Cruz de Tejeda, El Tablero, Artenara, Tamadaba, Tejeda, San Bartolomé de Tirajana, Fataga, Maspalomas, Puerto Rico, Playa de Mogan (110 or 135 km).
Thurs Oct 18 - Free day or looped route via Puerto Rico, Arguineguin, Soria, Pie de la Cuesta, Morgan (68 km). Optional looped route via Alto de la Gorra, Ayagaures (114 km).
Fri Oct 19 - Playa de Mogan, Mogan, Veneguera, San Nicolas, El Risco, Agaete (70 km). Optional looped route via Mogan, Pie de la Cuesta, Tejeda, Artenara, Acusa, El Aldea de San Nicolas, El Risco, Agaete (115 km).
Sat Oct 20 - Free day or looped route via Galdar, San Antonio, Caideros, Montaneta, Firgas, Moya, St. Ines, La Dehesa, Galdar (92 km).
Sun Oct 21 - Ferry to Santa Cruz. Playa de las Teresitas, Mirador Pico del Inglés, Las Mercedes (40 km).
Mon Oct 22 - La Esperanza, Portillo de las Canadas, Puerto de las Canadas, Aguamansa, La Orotava, Puerto de la Cruz (100 km).
Tues Oct 23 - Los Realejos, La Guancha, Icod de los Vinos, Garachico, Los Silos, Buenavista, Masca, Santiago del Teide, El Tanque, Garachico (90 km).
Wed Oct 24 - El Tanque, Santiago del Teide, Alcala, San Juan, Adeje, Playa de las Americas, Playa de los Cristianos, Los Abrigos (83 km).
Thurs Oct 25 - Free day or looped route via San Miguel, San Lorenzo, Arona, Pico del Teide, Vilaflor, El Médano (62 or 115 km).
Fri Oct 26 - Los Abrigos, El Médano, Granadilla de Abona, Lomo, Arico, Fasnia, Guimar, Arafo, Candelaria, Taco, Santa Cruz (105 km).
Sat Oct 27 - Transfer to Tenerife airport. Flight to Barcelona and transfer to the hotel.
Sun Oct 28 - Transfer to Barcelona airport and flight back to Montréal-Toronto
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