Author: gavscyclingadventures

Alpine Adventures – Tour de Barcelonnette – September 2019

Alpine Adventures – Tour de Barcelonnette – September 2019

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Barcelonnette to Guillestre & back via Col de Vars – Day One

My second (& final) Alpine Adventure of 2019 was based around the small town of Barcelonnette, in the Maritime Alps of Southern France, about 90 miles north of Nice. Yesterday’s travel day was longer than planned, due to my inability to queue in the right car rental queue – I spent 45 minutes in the Europcar queue, before realising I’d booked the hire car through Hertz!

In the rush to put our bikes together before heading out for something to eat, Sean’s collar on his seatpost failed, which meant his saddle wouldn’t stay in the right place. All the bike shops were already shut, so it meant we had to adjust plans for this morning’s ride – in the end I found a bike shop in Jausiers (about 5 miles down the road) that opened at 10.30am, so today’s ride was a 64 mile ‘out & back’ to Guillestre, over both sides of the Col de Vars.

We started out following the River Ubaye upstream to Jausiers & within 15 minutes, the friendly mechanic at Technicien du Sport had found a replacement part & fitted it for the bargain price of €7 & we were on our way. After 10 miles of gently climbing alongside the babbling Ubaye, we turned left off the D900 & joined the smaller & quieter D902 – this is a legendary road in Tour de France history. In the space of less than 100 miles, this road goes over the epic Tour de France climbs of Col d’Izoard, Col du Galibier & Col du Telegraphe in addition to the Col du Vars, our climb(s) of the day.

For the next 5 miles, the road climbed steeply as it twisted & turned up the side of the valley, passing through quiet villages along the way. Whilst the climb wasn’t long, the gradient was consistently over 9% & I found it a challenge to keep up with Sean, although he was riding well within himself – I’m a few pounds heavier than my usual touring weight & I felt it today. The views across to the surrounding mountain peaks were amazing, with white clouds providing great contrast to the blue skies & they took my mind off the difficulty of the climb.

At the summit there’s a couple of signs, a café & a large car park. We stopped long enough to take a few photos, put on a wind proof jacket & then we were descending the longer, but shallower side of the col, heading towards Guillestre. Along the way, we rode through the ski resort of Vars – this is where the world record was set for skiing, some 254 kilometres per hour….on skis!!!!

Descending into Guillestre was fun, the road was wide (so coaches can get the ski resorts in winter), the corners were easy to navigate & the surface was good quality. After about 8 miles of the 12 mile descent, huge views down to Guillestre & across to the Izoard came into view. In less than 25 minutes we’d reached our lunch stop in town – we hoped to grab a panini somewhere, but all the restaurants in the main square were proper sit down affairs, so we settled in for an extended lunch & set about demolishing some pasta.

We were on our way again by about 2.50pm (at least a couple of hours later than we would have expected), now all we had to do was conquer the 12 mile climb back to the summit of the Col de Vars. We estimated that this would probably take us in the region of 2½ hours, on the basis we would climb at about 5 mph. The first 3 miles were a consistent 7 to 8% & this meant we could settle into a good rhythm. As the road hair-pinned its way ever upwards, we could see the climb spread out before us.

As we rode through Saint-Marcellin there were loads of wood carvings of winter sports characters, including a huge man on skis. After a brief stop to admire the artwork & take a couple of snaps, we were on our way again on what was my favourite part of the climb – it had a 1 mile descent at this point! The entire climb was less steep than this morning & as a result I was better able to enjoy the views & chat as we rode – this morning all I could do was huff & puff!

The final couple of miles of the climb took us past a moody looking lake, with big rain clouds beginning to gather in the distance. This was the direction we were heading, so the appearance of potential rain clouds was of interest to us.

After just over 2 hours of climbing we were back at the summit, once again it was time to wrap up warm for the descent (10% for the first mile) & then enjoy the ride!

It took just over 13 minutes to descend the 6 miles back to the main road – it was incredible how quickly I gathered speed when I released the brakes. Luckily there were plenty of twists & turns to ensure that we both took the descent sensibly. The road back to Barcelonnette via Jausiers was slightly downhill all the way, but any thoughts of free miles were scuppered when we picked up a full-on headwind! Oddly, the downhill section into the headwind took longer than when we rode it in the opposite direction as an uphill this morning.

After a slow start, the day turned into a truly great expedition into the high mountains of the Maritime Alps. I’m looking forward to finding out what tomorrow will bring, but in the meantime it’s time to toast today’s great adventure in Bar Tandem!

Tour of South Wales – Day Five – July 2021

Tour of South Wales – Day Five – July 2021

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Newport to Bristol

The fifth & final stage of my Tour of Wales adventure began with a bacon sandwich, orange juice & coffee – we were ‘only’ riding 62 miles today, so no need for a full fry-up!! We were packed, checked out of the hotel & on the road by 8.30am. The sky overhead was blue again, with clouds & possible showers forecast for late afternoon.

We re-traced the final mile of yesterday’s route on the A48 back towards Celtic Manor, before taking a right turn & started climbing straight away – not really what the legs needed before they had a chance to warm up. The reward for our hard work was that as we summited the climb, big views opened up across the valley to Celtic Manor golf course & beyond.

We entered a forest as we descended into Kerneys Inferior & could just make out the rush hour traffic on the A449 dual carriageway, just off to our left. As we continued on to Newbridge on Usk, we caught a view of the river Usk where birds were swooping down catching their breakfasts of flies & gnats. As we reached Llantrisant, the road started to rise again – while these early climbs were all less than a mile in length, they all provided stern tests, as they all had gradients that hit 10% plus.

On the next downhill section we passed a couple of large new build houses, which had us both saying if we won the lottery we’d want to buy one of them! Unfortunately they were well protected from my prying camera lens by lots of hedging.

In spite of doing a lot of riding around Usk, all these roads were new to us, as they were all to the south of town – I’m sure we’ll be back in the near future to explore some more, as we thoroughly enjoyed the lanes we did see.

We left Usk via the A472, then joined the much quieter B4235 at Gwernesney & continued across country to Raglan on roads we ride regularly. I stopped just after we crossed the busy A40 to get a photo of Raglan Castle, then we set off towards Monmouth on the Groesenon Road. I planned the route a few weeks ago so was fully expecting to follow the road all the way into Monmouth – it’s a regular training route.

It came as a surprise when my Wahoo GPS told us to turn down a small lane on National Cycle Route 42, but it was a gem of a detour, if a little lumpy! The next 6 miles into Monmouth had the profile of shark teeth – the narrow lanes were either climbing or descending, as we caught occasional glimpses of the surrounding hills & valleys.

We arrived in Monmouth at about 10.45am, with 25 miles completed, so stopped for carrot cake & cappuccino at Oxford Coffee Co – a new stop for us, but recommended by my work & cycling buddy Ian. It was a great little place & well worth a visit if ever you’re in the area.

Our final 20 miles of cycling Welsh roads took us up the Wye Valley on the A466, following the course of the river Wye as it joins the river Severn. This is a lovely stretch of road & in my experience, it’s rarely very busy – we were able to enjoy the ride even more than usual, as a tailwind pushed us home!

Although I know the road & views like the back of my hand, I deliberately acted as a cyclo-tourist, stopping to take photos whenever a nice view appeared.

Having passed Chepstow racecourse, we followed the cycle path to & over the Severn Bridge, where we stopped for a couple of final photos. Having arrived back in England, we reversed the route we took on Monday for the final 17 miles, passing through Olveston, Tockington & Frampton Cotterell. We had a very pleasant, but unexpected stop for a chat when I saw my sister-in-law Nikki & her Mum.

As the skies were beginning to darken overhead, we had to get on our way, continuing back towards the Bristol to Bath cycle path via Coalpit Heath & Emersons Green, until Sean & I eventually said our own goodbyes at Mangotsfield station, where the adventure began 5 days ago.

I’ve really enjoyed our Tour of Wales adventure – great company, experiencing off-roading routes & visiting areas of outstanding natural beauty. I’m sure I’ll be doing more touring in the future! Watch out for my next cycling adventure!

Tour of South Wales – Day Four – July 2021

Tour of South Wales – Day Four – July 2021

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Llanelli to Newport

Day four was billed as the Queen stage of our 5 day Tour of Wales adventure, so we started the day with a huge cooked breakfast. While Sean polished off every last morsel, breakfast defeated me & I was left hoping that this would be the only item to beat me today!

We were on the road by just after 9am & the first 3 or 4 miles were spent navigating our way along quiet residential roads as we left Llanelli & started heading east. We gambled on short-sleeved jerseys & suntan lotion as the morning forecast was dry with a possibility of showers in the afternoon.

As we crossed the river Lougher, we spotted a couple of fishermen dangling their rods in the river, hoping to catch lunch. At the 7 mile point we left suburbia behind us for a while – we joined a Sustrans cycle path for 4 miles, reminding Sean & myself of the Bristol to Bath cycle path from Bitton into Bath. It even had a hard-packed gravel section to keep us on our toes.

The cycle path delivered us onto Swansea Beach, where we joined the seafront cycle path for a few miles. We then had to navigate our way across Swansea on cycle lanes & cycle paths which kept us out of the way of the busy workers & shoppers.

As we circumnavigated Earlswood golf club, we took the cycle route across the A48 Briton Ferry bridge before battling a brief headwind to get onto the Aberavon sea front, where there were 100’s of people enjoying the sunny weather.

By now, we were over 2¼ hours (& 26 miles) into the adventure, so it was time to find somewhere to stop for refreshments. Selections Coffee Shop was in the main pedestrian walkway in Port Talbot (only a 10 minute ride from the Tata steelworks) & they served up a lovely piece of peach melba cheesecake washed down with a cappuccino.

The first 6 miles after our coffee stop were on National Cycle Route 4 (NCR 4) cycle path, keeping us off the busy main roads, just a few feet off to our right. When we hit Pyle, the ride turned into the adventure we’d been hoping for – we joined a gravel cycle track that took us through a beautiful forest, including a moving memorial to the 112 men & children who lost their lives in the Parc Slip colliery disaster of 1892. The names of all the victims have been recorded in the brick walkway – one family lost 6 sons in the incident, the youngest of which was 14 years old.

At Tondu we worked our way across to the next section of NCR 4 where we followed a more conventional cycle path, although it threw in a couple of short, but steep climbs, which were unexpected! This was a hors d’oeuvre for what was to follow – as we joined the A4041 at Blackmill the climbing started for real – 2 challenging ascents with a lightening quick descent in the middle – I rapidly ran out of gears & required my friends Grit & Determination to get me to the 2 summits!

We continued tracking east & slightly north on more cycle paths, before hitting Caerphilly, where we needed to take a couple of commuter roads to cross town. Luckily we avoided the steep climb of Caerphilly Mountain but did have a great surprise when we found ourselves passing the ancient castle at the 60 mile point.

Leaving Caerphilly, we re-joined NCR 4 as we took quiet country lanes through idyllic villages that mirrored the contours of the surrounding hills.

As we hit the 70 mile point, we started working our way round & across Newport. Although we once more followed busy roads, we were on separate cycle lanes. To all intents & purposes, the adventure was now over although we still had another 11 miles to go. We knew the ride was almost over when we passed Celtic Manor & before we knew it we’d arrived in Langstone & found our hotel for the evening.

The day can be separated into three distinct sections – busy roads crossing towns like Swansea, Port Talbot & Newport (although we rode next to the roads), the stunning & undulating scenery of NCR 4 & the glorious coastal views between Llanelli, Swansea & Port Talbot.

The day more than lived up to its Queen Stage billing as we had our 3rd epic day out on the trot – 81 miles (our longest of the trip), over 7 hours in the saddle & more than 4,500 feet of climbing on a fully laden touring bike! Tomorrow marks the end of this week’s Tour of Wales, but I feel that I’ll be back again to sample some more Welsh delights.

Tour of South Wales – Day Three – July 2021

Tour of South Wales – Day Three – July 2021

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Tour of Wales (Day Three) – Aberystwyth to Llanelli

Day Three started in a similar fashion to yesterday, with a cooked breakfast to replace yesterday’s calories. One big difference was that we were greeted with blue skies, so the arm warmers & rain jacket were relegated to the luggage! We were packed & on the road by 8.45am for what promised to be another big adventure.

Within 2 minutes of leaving our hotel, we were introduced to the first climb of the day – it was only ¼ mile long, but all of it was at a gradient of 16%! A rude awakening indeed. We joined the A487 for a couple of miles, sharing the road with a few early morning commuters. After about 2 miles we joined National Cycle Route 81, which started off on tarmac, before becoming gravel & finally a mile or so of muddy off-road – normally I’d avoid conditions like this at all costs, however this trip is about trying new experiences. There was one small section where the route was too challenging & we had to walk down a steep, slippery descent – sometimes discretion is the better part of valour.

Some 30 minutes (& only 5 miles) into the ride we joined the A485 at Llanilar, where we started climbing up to Rhos-y-Garth – a steady & consistent 650 foot climb that continued for a couple of miles. All this climbing meant that we only covered 9.7 miles in the first hour – the first time this has happened since one of my Alpine Adventures! As we crested the summit, we left the main road behind & joined an unclassified lane/track & cycled through wild & rugged countryside, with huge views in all directions.

We re-joined the A485 at the 15 mile marker & headed through Tregaron, before picking up the B4343 to Llandewi Trefi (made famous by Matt Lucas as The Only Gay In The Village). We were now following a small river downstream, occasionally switching sides as we passed through numerous hamlets.

We arrived at Lampeter after 28 miles & found a great little cafe, where we enjoyed a berry flapjack & cappuccino – if ever you visit Lampeter, look out for The Minds Eye, you won’t be disappointed!

Leaving town, we found ourselves on the A485 once again as we headed for Carmarthen. By & large the traffic was cyclist friendly with the exception of one lorry driver who scared the living daylights out of us both by trying to overtake, then pulling in on us as he realised there wasn’t room to pass. We survived, so no harm done. This was the part of the route where we clocked up quite a bit of the climbing, but because of the hedges either side of us, there were few opportunities to take in the scenery.

We reached Carmarthen after about 52 miles, so stopped in the pedestrian shopping centre for more nourishment – flapjack & sprite to top up energy levels. We then navigated our way across town, then found a deserted & unclassified road to take us out towards the river Towy at Ferryside, where we got our first view of the coast. This was part of a 10 mile detour & it was a great little addition. One of my aims of this week’s adventure was to live in the moment more & just go with the flow – our Alpine Adventures are organised to the finest detail, so this approach doesn’t come naturally to me.

From Ferryside, we followed a small lane that hugged the Carmarthen Bay coastline as far as Kidwelly, offering up great views of the estuary below. This was almost the last of the scenery as we took the A484 past Pembrey Country Park (where I watched the start of the opening stage of the 2018 Tour of Britain a few years ago – this was a couple of months after Geraint Thomas had won the Tour de France) & on to Burry Port.

We then followed the coastal cycle path into Llanelli, where we found our way across town to our hotel for the night. We had another stunning day in the saddle – different to yesterday, but in no way any less enjoyable.

Tour of South Wales – Day Two – July 2021

Tour of South Wales – Day Two – July 2021

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Brecon to Aberystwyth

After a huge fried breakfast to replace the calories we burned yesterday, we were ready for anything the day could throw at us. Just as well, as the ride began in rain & with a stiff climb straight out the blocks! Leaving town, we picked up the A470, passing through Felinfach towards Llyswen.

Within 30 minutes the rain had passed us by & we were able to store our rain jackets for a bit. As we reached Llyswen, we joined National Cycle Route 8. This took along the side of the heavily forested Wye valley with occasional views of the river way below us. Just as we joined the B4594 we passed the small village of Erwood where the old railway station had been preserved in pristine condition – there was even an old steam train on display.

From Erwood, we followed the contour of the Valley, making short, sharp efforts to climb 150 to 200 feet above the river, only to plummet back towards the valley floor straight afterwards. The constant change in gradient & elevation made it quite hard going, especially with the bike fully loaded. We briefly joined the A481, then the A483 as we continued to track the river Wye north & west, passing the outskirts of Builth Wells & the Royal Welsh Showground.

We were gradually climbing as we picked up the A470 again & continued in a north-westerly direction, passing through Newbridge-on-Usk (although it’s on the Wye!). The rain made one final attempt to dampen our spirits, but after 15 minutes or so, it gave up the ghost for good. In spite of spending time on A roads today, without exception they were fairly quiet & drivers were really considerate of us. It made the day so much more enjoyable.

At Llanwrthwl we turned off the A470 & took a small back lane up & out the Valley, as we headed towards The Elan Valley – the first shock was when the gradient reared up in excess of 15%. Definitely not what the legs needed! We stopped at the Elan Valley visitor centre to recover & enjoy a piece of banoffee pie & a cappuccino before embarking on a wild & wonderful adventure.

In 1893, 100 local people were moved out of their homes, so dams could be built which would provide fresh drinking water to Birmingham via a 73 mile aquaduct – an incredible feat of engineering in its day which today delivers 360 million litres of water per day to Birmingham!!

For the next couple of hours we climbed from the visitor centre past the 6 dams that make up the reservoir system, climbing some 1,000 feet in the process. The scenery & views were stunning as we switched between forest low down, then sheep covered heartland higher up. In places it reminded me of some of the high Alpine lakes I normally visit. If you get the chance, come & see it for yourself.

As we navigated around Craig Goch, the highest of the reservoirs, we assumed we’d pretty much finished the big climbing for the day – we were in for a big surprise!

The Aberystwyth mountain road(National Cycle Route 81) lived up to its name as we continued climbing for another 3 or 4 miles, with some of the gradients over 10%. There was some respite as we reached Cwmystwyth metal mine, as the road descended for a couple of miles down to the village.

Following a recommendation from a Welsh friend (name withheld, but you know who you are), we took a detour to Devil’s Bridge – this meant more climbing, as we had to get across to the next valley. There was a great little photo opportunity at The Arch, before we dropped down to Devil’s Bridge, famous for its waterfall & for having 3 bridges built one on top of the other over time. Another place worth a visit – we only had time to stop for an ice cream, I double scooped with banana split & vanilla with chocolate cookie!

Surely the climbing was all done now…….. well, no it wasn’t! There were big mountains all around us & we still had another 4 or 5 miles of leg sapping climbing to go. The views helped take our minds off how tired our legs were feeling!

As I stopped to get a photo of the river Ystwyth 100’s of feet below, a red kite glided overhead – if you look carefully you may just see it in the 2nd photo below.

This really was the last of the climbing & we just had to freewheel into Aberystwyth & find our hotel. This has been an epic day out exploring the best that Wales has to offer – I really can’t wait to come back & explore some more. Today’s ride from Brecon came in at 71 miles with 4,800 feet of climbing, a big day out with some stunning scenery on show!!

Tour of South Wales – Day One – July 2021

Tour of South Wales – Day One – July 2021

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Bristol to Brecon

For the 2nd year running, my planned trip to the French & Spanish Pyrenees got cancelled. Rather than cry over spilt milk, I spent a few weeks considering alternative options & eventually decided on a 5 day adventure touring around South Wales. I’m delighted to say that my cycling buddy Sean has decided to join me!

This trip is a bit different to usual, as I’m carrying everything I need for the next 5 days on my bike – (my weight = 182 lbs, bike = 40 lbs, kit = 24 lbs) – in other words, I’m dragging 17 stone 8 lbs around with me & up every incline! As a result, this trip is about enjoying the adventure, rather than seeing how fast we can ride.

I met Sean at Mangotsfield Station on the Bristol to Bath cycle path at 8.30 & set off towards the old Severn Bridge crossing via quiet country lanes as we passed through Frampton Cotterell, Gaunts Earthcott & Tockington. With bruised grey skies, there was a constant threat of rain hanging in the air, but we’re on holiday, so a bit of rain wasn’t going to ruin the day. We were surprised by how strong the breeze was as we crossed the bridge & entered Wales, it was a battle to keep the bikes pointing in a straight line.

After skirting around Chepstow, we took the B4235 & started our first climb of the tour – the road was never that steep, as we meandered through the forest, reaching the summit near Shirenewton. From here it was a swift descent into Gwernesney & then on to Usk, where at the 35 mile marker we stopped at #49 for a bacon sarnie & coffee.

We took the B4598 past the windmill at Llancayo & the tank driving school at Kerneys Commander, before taking a left which brought us to the Heads of the Valley intersection. For the next couple miles we were on a busy main road as we followed the A465 towards the road to Crickhowell. A better route would have been to take the B4246 through Llanfoist & Govilon, but you live & learn.

Having left the A465, we joined the much quieter & more scenic A4077, where we bumped along the side of the Usk valley. We decided to stop for coffee & cake in Crickhowell – by this point we were some 52 miles into the ride. Da Latte was a great little find & after demolishing a slice of Terry’s chocolate orange & an americano, we were on our way again.

Leaving Crickhowell behind, we pushed on towards Talybont-on-Usk, where we joined the tow path of the Monmouth & Brecon canal for a few miles of gravel off-roading – this was the highlight of a great day of riding. We had the place to ourselves & it felt like we were in the back of beyond.

A number of my friends are probably picking themselves off the floor at this point, as I usually avoid this type of surface at all cost. However, my new touring bike has 35mm tyres & the purpose of my trip is to try new experiences outside my comfort zone.

All that remained was to pick up the main road for the last mile or so into Brecon & check-in to The Wellington, our pub accommodation for the evening. While we sat relaxing with a beer we both reflected on how quickly our first day had passed by – if our next 4 days follow the same pattern it will be a trip to remember! Tune in tomorrow to see where we’re heading next!!

Tour de Cyprus – Day Two

Tour de Cyprus – Day Two

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The Baths of Aphrodite & Chrysochou Bay

Day Two began under blue skies & temperatures of 25 centigrade, with a light breeze – almost perfect cycling conditions, although the wind was forecast to pick up later in the day. Today’s ride started from Bob’s villa & we were on our way by 9am, heading for a day of exploration around the North coast of the island.

We joined the E709 for the 7 mile ascent to Kathikas & almost immediately had huge views out over Coral Bay & on towards Paphos, 100’s of feet below us. As we climbed, the gradient was a fairly consistent 7% – 9% (with one short, steep ramp), resulting in a 1,600 foot gain over the 7 miles. We had a bit of assistance most of the way up, as a tailwind helped us!

As we crested the climb at Kathikas, we found new tarmac, as we joined the E711. This took us along a ridge for a mile or so, before a swooping 10 mile descent into Polis. The road was fast & smooth, with corners that rarely required any braking, as huge views opened up to the coastline 2,000 feet below.

The descent ended as we skirted the edge of Polis & took a left on the E713, passing through Latsi on the way to the Baths of Aphrodite. We followed the coast, occasionally getting views of the turquoise sea just off to our right.

After stopping for a few photos, we turned back on ourselves & headed for the harbour in Latsi, where we’d arranged to meet Bob. After a brief stop for cappuccino & ice cream we were on our way again.

We crossed Polis & picked up the E704 coastal road towards Pomos. As we left town, we were able to join the cycle path, with the sea on our left. The wind was beginning to pick up & we were riding straight into a strong headwind. The views out to sea on our left & up to the Troodos mountains on the right took our minds off the tough conditions. We also passed a couple of small exercise spots, one of them having a static bike which I stopped at for a photo op.

As we reached Agia Marina, we turned around, picking up a proper tailwind back towards Polis. After a couple of miles, we were overtaken by a solo police motorcyclist who appeared to be indicating for us to slow down, but we weren’t too sure – he carried on past us, so we thought no more of it.

A few minutes later another police outrider went past me & was gesticulating for us to pull off the road – I looked behind me & in the distance I could see a convoy of 10 or 15 dark, SUVs heading my way, followed by an ambulance & more police outriders. After a bit of Googling this evening, the Presidents of Cyprus & Georgia met at the Presidential Palace & that was who was in the cavalcade that breezed past us!

We stopped on Polis for a quick lunch, before navigating across town again & embarking on the ascent back up to Kathikas – 2,000 feet of climbing in 10 miles, so it felt like a proper alpine ascent in approaching 30 centigrade conditions! The gradient was consistent throughout, so it was a case of getting into a steady rhythm & then keeping the pedals turning for the next 75 minutes. There were occasional views down towards Chrysochou Bay, which helped keep my mind off the big climb!

I’m out of practice on big, long climbs, so this was more challenging & tiring than I would have expected, but it was also good to test my mental resolve, as well as my physical fitness in such beautiful surroundings. As we reached the summit of the climb, we found out just how much the wind had picked up since the morning.

As we bounced along the ridge, we were taking a real buffeting – never dangerous, but enough to keep us focussed on keeping the bikes pointing in the right direction. Reaching Kathikas, we re-joined the E709 for the descent back into Peyia – this was the same descent we’d done on yesterday’s ride & we’d also climbed it first thing this morning.

This final 7 miles was over in almost no time – as yesterday, we stopped a couple of times to take in the big views towards Paphos in one direction & Lara Beach in the other. It was another cracking day out exploring the beautiful scenery of Cyprus.

We covered 58 miles, climbing almost 5,000 feet in the process. Unlike my normal cycling adventures, we only had 2 days of cycling on this trip, but I know I’ll be taking Bob up on his offer to visit again soon.

Tour de Cyprus – Day One

Tour de Cyprus – Day One

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I’m in Cyprus for a week, visiting my friend Bob who’s retired out here & in between all the eating, drinking & sunbathing, I’ve planned a couple of days out on the bike with my cycling buddy Sean. We woke up to cloudless, blue skies & the temperature was predicted to reach a high of 25 degrees centigrade.

Bob gave us lift from his home in Peyia to Paphos (a journey of about 10 miles), where we picked up our pre-booked bikes from Ride Easy – lots a great reviews from previous happy customers. We’ve splashed out 35 Euros a day to each ride a Cannondale SuperSix Evo Disc on 35mm carbon wheels – the guys at Ride Easy got us sorted in next to no time & we were on the road for a day of exploring the Troodos mountains by about 9.45am.

Within 10 minutes of setting off, I had a rear wheel p*nct*re, where a cactus thorn pierced the tyre. It only took about 15 minutes to find & remove the offending thorn from the tyre, replace the inner tube & pump it up with a small hand pump & get on our way.

We left Paphos by the pan-flat main airport road, skirting around Acheleia, passing through Timi & then taking a left turn just past Mandria, onto the quieter & smaller F617, which would ultimately take you to Mount Olympus – the highest peak in the Troodos Mountains at just over 6,500 feet above sea level. This was where the ride began in earnest, as we also started climbing into the foothills of the Troodos mountains.

Over the next 6.5 miles we steadily climbed 1,000 feet up to Choletra. The views ahead showed ever bigger hills, as they turned into mountains & every now & then we got a view of the Mediterranean behind us. We took a left turn onto a small back lane– we dropped 700 feet in quick order, crossing the river Xeropotamus (it was dry) at the bottom & then climbing up to Nata, where we joined the F622.

The climb was a little over 1,100 feet, at a fairly consistent 7%, so it felt like a short alpine ascent. We reached the summit at Axylou & then picked up a very small back lane, as we swooped back down to the valley below. We were surrounded by orchards of oranges, banana plantations (where all the crops were shrouded in blue plastic bags to speed up the ripening process & protect the fruit from insects) & small arcades of pomegranate trees.

As we reached Choulou we joined the E702, turning left & heading up the next climb. This one was 1,200 feet at a steady 6%, taking us through the small villages of Kourdaka & Letymvou, before topping out at the slightly bigger village of Tsada, where we’d arranged to meet Bob for lunch. The Nassau Café Bistro is a run by Chris & Sonia & has great views down to the Mediterranean, in the far distance. It was a great place to relax & recover from the morning’s exertions – we were about 37 miles into the planned 65 mile route. We both saw off an omelette in short order & were back on our way after a ½ hour break.

We joined the main Route B7 towards Polis & were rewarded with a fast descent towards Stroumpi, where we turned onto the F703, climbing through the small villages of Polemi & Lasa, where big views opened up of the Evretou Dam.

We briefly re-joined the B7, before taking a left turn onto a small road for what would be a 5 mile, 1,600 foot climb up to Kathikas, Along the way, we passed through the villages of Kato Akourdaleia & Pano Akourdaleia. It was a beautiful ascent through forest, with plenty of shade to protect us. There were a couple of 15% stretches, which tested the legs, especially as we were over 50 miles into the ride. It took us a little over an hour to complete the climb into Kathikas.

All that remained was for us to swoop down the twists & turns of the wide (but empty) F709 into Peyia, admiring the sun as it set into the Mediterranean, some 2,000 feet below us. I topped out at 43mph on the 7 mile descent, stopping a couple of times to enjoy the huge views along the coast. We took the 2nd Peyia turn-off & within ½ mile we were back at Bob’s villa.

Our adventure through the Troodos mountains involved 7,700 feet of climbing during our 65 mile ride – we’d had the perfect introduction to the best cycling that Cyprus has to offer. I can’t wait for tomorrow, when we have a trip to the coast planned!!!

Exploring North-East Ibiza

Exploring North-East Ibiza

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Santa Eularia del Riu Loop

I’m in Ibiza for a week, celebrating a friend’s 40th Birthday & in between all the eating, drinking & sunbathing, I found the time to spend a day in the saddle exploring the remote North-Eastern corner of Ibiza, the self-proclaimed sunshine Isle.

Late on Saturday afternoon, myself & Leighton took the decision to go riding on the Monday – as we’re here on a socialising trip, we needed to hire bikes. I’d done a bit of research before the trip & had found loads of good reviews for Kandani Bike Rentals in Santa Eularia des Riu. On the Saturday evening I booked an Orbea Orca for each of us, together with pedals, saddle, saddle bag & bottles for €35 euros each to be picked up by us at 9.30am on the Monday.

After a 15 minute cab ride to Kandani’s, everything was there waiting for us & after a little bit of fiddling around to get the bike fits right, we were ready to start riding by 9.45am. I’d found a hilly 51 mile loop around the North-East corner of the coast which looked like it would tick all the boxes, with a coffee stop along the way.

Before the ride started in earnest, we had to cross Santa Eularia, fortunately this involved cycling along a dead straight & quiet two lane road for a mile or so. In next to no time we took a right turn & we were on quiet country lanes which reminded me of Ibiza’s Balearic cousin, Mallorca. Lovely smooth tarmac took us between fields of corn & into a gorgeous smelling pine forest, with big, blue skies above us, while every now & then we caught a glimpse of the Mediterranean Sea in the distance.

As we headed towards Cala Llenya, the road turned inland & took towards our first bit of climbing, a short, sharp rise that took us up to cliffs with big ocean views to the North & South. As we descended the twisting & turning lane, we were met by a man & his dog stood in the middle of the road – I’m still not sure who was most surprised to see the other! A reminder that there are still many remote parts to Ibiza once you get away from the main towns & roads.

While the climb had been on pristine tarmac, the descent had grit on almost all the corners, so there was no room for mistakes & full concentration was required, As the gradient levelled off, we turned inland again before taking a right turn towards Cala de Sant Vicent. The pristine tarmac rose again as we gradually climbed the cliffs again to get yet more views of the beautiful Ibizan coast. We followed the cliffs for a mile or so, before a fast & sweeping descent which skirted the edge of town.

We were now at the North-East corner of the island, so took a left turn inland on the PM 811 along a fertile grassland valley towards Sant Vicente de Sa Cala, before the longest climb of the day (875 feet of ascent in just over 4 miles), as the road hair-pinned ever upwards. We climbed at a steady 6 to 7% & topped out at about 900 feet above sea level. While the gradient wasn’t that challenging, the temperature had risen throughout the morning & was now at about 30 degrees centigrade, which made the ride a bit tougher than usual.

As we dropped back down through Sant Joan de Labritja, we took a sharp right turn & continued descending towards Cala Benirras Beach, where we found a great beachfront restaurant & enjoyed a cappuccino & piece of whisky cake, as well as topping off our water bottles – at this point we were 24 miles into a planned 51 mile ride, so this was the perfect spot for a well-earned break.

As soon as we left the beach, the climb started to climb steeply, at times the gradient exceeded 15%, which was unexpected & a challenge for me, as I was on a rental bike with a 27 tooth sprocket on the rear, rather than my usual 32 tooth “granny gear”. The views from the clifftops were spectacular, which made the climbing well worth the effort. We descended into the picturesque Port de Sant Miquel, turned inland & then gradually climbed up to the small village of Sant Miquel de Belansat, which marked the end of the quiet back lanes.

We took a left turn & joined the PM 804, which gradually nosed downhill for the next 6 miles until it merged with the E 10 main road towards Ibiza Old Town & Port d’Evissa – out of nowhere, we spotted sculptures of blue cows in a field, we never found out what they represented. As we headed ever closer to Port d’Evissa, the traffic became heavier & we eventually found ourselves on a dual carriageway heading ever closer to the Old Town. We found our way across town easily enough & then navigated our way through the port & past the large cruise ships & ferries, which connect the Balearic Islands.

The route indicated that we had one last climb to conquer & that we were a mere 11 miles short of completing our loop. However, all was not what it seemed!!! We started climbing a very small & badly paved lane & as we climbed, we got a view back to Ibiza Old Town & Port d’Evissa. It was at this point that Leighton mentioned he was short on water & could I share any of mine, which of course I agreed to do – nothing to be concerned about as we were now fairly close to the summit of the last climb……except the road finished at a quarry!!

The only turning I could remember seeing was about ½ mile back down the hill & it looked to be an unpaved track. I was a bit confused, but we headed back to the track & my Garmin chirped to let me know we were back on track (pun intended!). After about a mile of riding uphill on the loosely packed gravel (remember we were on road bikes), the surface turned to sand & our progress was slowed even more for the next 5 minutes.

I was getting a bit concerned, as there didn’t appear to be an obvious road above us – this was confirmed when we rounded a corner & we were faced with a rocky track that required us to carry the bikes up a steep incline, never an easy task in cleats! This continued for about 25 to 30 minutes & at the time was quite frustrating as we also ran out of water at this point. However, Leighton & I are both quite stubborn (& the way back looked worse than the way forward!), so we cracked on with our hiking expedition.

Eventually we reached the summit on foot & we were rewarded with a rough track along the ridge, which we could ride. After about a mile we joined up with a small road at the side of a golf course & I knew roughly where we were – we’d passed the golf club on a larger connecting road on the way from the airport to our hotel when we first arrived in Ibiza.

All we had to do was descend back into Cala Llonga (where our hotel was based) & then follow the main road the final 4 miles back to Santa Eularia. We found a small bar by the port to re-hydrate with a coke, as we had 30 minutes to kill before we could return the bikes to Kandani’s. We’d had an awesome day out exploring Ibiza’s wild North-East corner, as well as seeing the trails less travelled. If ever you’re in Ibiza & based anywhere near Santa Eularia, I would absolutely recommend using Kandani’s if you need to hire a bike – they were more than happy to help us in any way they could & even sorted us out a taxi back to our hotel in Cala Llonga, where we toasted a great day in the saddle!

Passo Campalongo, Passo Pordoi, Passo Selle & Passo Gardena

Passo Campalongo, Passo Pordoi, Passo Selle & Passo Gardena

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Devilish Dolomite Delight – Day Five

After yesterday’s epic day in the saddle, I woke up this morning feeling dehydrated, heavy legged & several hours short of the sleep I wanted (& probably needed). The plan today was to drive to La Villa (a 20 mile drive), then ride the Maratona Dles Dolomites short course loop. In other words, 4 climbs in just over 36 miles with 5,600 feet of climbing.

For the first time this week, the skies were overcast & the mountains were all hidden from view as we drove out of Cortina & up the Passo Falzarego – we were soon in the clouds & the incredible views of previous days were very much a distant memory! However, the cycling gods were on our side, as the weather changed as soon as we drove down to La Villa.

We parked the car by the sky lift & as soon as we started riding, the road to Corvara started gradually rising – today we would be tackling the Campalongo, Pordoi, Sella & Gardena from a new direction. While we’d experienced the scenery previously, a combination of the different weather & a new direction guaranteed that it would feel like a totally new ride.

As we left Corvara & started to climb Passo Campalongo, it quickly became apparent I was in for a challenging day, as I didn’t have any power in my legs & I couldn’t raise my heart above 150 beats per minute (normally I’m comfortable doing a 1 hour effort at 175 bpm). This is a fairly standard symptom of being over tired – I was finally paying for missing 3 weeks of training. I knew this was likely to happen at some point on the trip & I’m rather happy it’s taken until day 5 for the symptoms to show themselves.

The climb to the summit was a little over 4 miles long & the road snaked its way between forest on the one side & ski runs on the other. It was pretty Alpine scenery at its best & the ascent was done in a little under 45 minutes. As we crested the summit, the clouds disappeared & we had glorious view down towards Arabba below.

We were only an hour into the ride at this point, so we made the decision to delay our planned coffee stop until we reached the summit of the Pordoi. Almost as soon as we started the climb (not that steep as you can see below), I dropped further & further behind Sean – we both know the importance of climbing at our own rhythms, so while it was frustrating to be feeling so weak, it wasn’t a big deal for either of us.

There’s a classic car rally taking place in the Dolomites this week & we were lucky enough to see tens & tens of vintage Bugatti’s, Mercedes’, Porsche’s & Jaguar’s (amongst others) streaming down the hill, as they did the same loop as us but in reverse.

I took time to take in the views as the road twisted & turned towards the summit. The climb itself took a minute over an hour for me, which was more than acceptable, considering how I was feeling – we’d climbed a little over 1,800 feet in 5.5 miles. Needless to say, warm chocolate cake & cappuccino revived my spirits.

The descent from Passo Pordoi was hairpin heaven, as we twisted & turned during the 4 mile descent to the start of Passo Selle.

The longest & steepest of the climbing was now behind us & we were back in sunshine – hurrah!!! Pine trees were immediately next to the road & further in the distance were enormous cliffs of bare rock – the view today was so different, mainly because what had been in sunshine on our previous ride was now in shadow & vice versa. Once again, the gradients were never too steep, although they always kept me honest.

A feature of the Selle Ronde circuit from either direction is the multitude of hairpin bends (there were 31 on the Pordoi, 18 on the Selle & more than 20 on the Gardena) – these give respite from the climbing & provide an opportunity to give the legs a fleeting moment of relief.

Before we knew it, we’d reached the top of the Selle with stunning views in every direction. Once again it was threatening to rain on a mountain summit, so we put our rain jackets on yet again & set off for the valley floor.

Within 5 minutes, the rain had stopped & we could enjoy the descent on bone dry roads. As we plummeted downwards, I could make out the rifugio on the summit of our final climb of the day – The apex of the Gardena was some 6 miles away at this point.

After a brief stop to tuck away the rain jackets, we began the final 4 miles of climbing on today’s epic route. As the road rose higher, some of the rocks that were visible on Wednesday were hidden from view, while some new ones showed themselves for the first time.

Once again, we clouds closed in the nearer we got to the top & by the time we reached the summit sign, it was spitting rain again, so it was out with the rain jackets for the final time.

The rain had finally caught us up & we were on damp/wet roads all the way back to Corvara, but all things considered, we’d been incredibly lucky to avoid any proper rain. The micro climate in the mountains is amazing, as by the time we’d completed the descent, we were back on dry roads again, enjoying the sculptures that make the Dolomites so unique.

We stopped in Corvara for a quick bite of lunch, then retraced our way back to where the car was parked in La Villa. As we crested the Falzarego, it was raining in the Cortina valley – when we got back to the hotel, the owner said it had been raining for most of the day. The cycling gods really had been kind to us today!

Daily Cortina Trivia Feature (stage 5) – The stunning mountain scenes in Cliffhanger (starring Sylvester Stallone) were filmed in Cortina d’Ampezzo, although the film was set in the Colorado Rockies. More useless trivia tomorrow!