Saturday 4 February
Weather today was generally sunny with some scattered cloud and temperatures up to 20C. I bought a paper today and noticed maximum temperature in Bognor Regis yesterday was 0C. This confirmed my feelings that it was a very good idea to give winter a miss this year!
Today I decided to explore some little used lanes north east of Teguise. I headed over to Teguise with the usual climbs and stopped in the town square for a break and a snack. Just out of town on the route to Haria I turned off on a downhill backroad to Teseguite. Then onto an even quieter lane via El Mojon. The lane meandered down towards the coast with some steep drops above Guatiza.
I crossed over the New road and then into Guatiza. I then decided to take an untried dead-end road down to Los Cocoteros. This turned out to be an uninteresting little place which probably wasn’t worth descending 300ft and then climbing back up again.
I headed back on the old road to Tahiche. I rode 4 miles on the old road which runs alongside the new road to Tahiche and for that distance the traffic count was zero and 1 bicycle.
I headed on climbing nearly back to San Bartolome but then turned off to descend down to Playa Honda a small resort between Arrecife and the Airport. I stopped at a cafe on the prom to enjoy the warm early afternoon sunshine.
I headed back to base on the seafront cyclepath encountering the afternoon aircraft rush hour as the planes passed low over the cyclepath which at one point is only yards from the end of the runway.
Mileage for the day was 48 with 2800 ft of climb. I had gradually been increasing the mileages over the last few weeks and the week ending today was the first over 200 with 224.
Edwin
Sunday 5 February
Weather today was sunny in the morning but clouding over in the afternoon. Temperature got up to 19C.
Today I took a ride south to Playa Blanca first climbing to 780ft at Uga. I took the old road which runs adjacent to the new road with a good smooth surface but very little traffic. The road gradually descends over about 10 miles first over lava fields and then across open plains.
Just before Playa Blanca I decided to explore a back road which does a loop to the west of the town. I made my way to a lighthouse with views across to the hills of Fuerteventura. Near here is the start of a wide promenade which I cycled for 3 miles into Playa Blanca.
After lunch at a seafront restaurant I headed back on a more direct but vertically challenging route via Femes. The road climbs with an easy gradient to a roundabout at 800ft but then heads up a cliff with grades of 16 to 18% to climb another 400ft to Femes at 1200ft.
Mileage for the day was 41 with 2200ft of climb.
Edwin
Monday 6 February. Slavering hound ride.
Today there was a bright and sunny start and then more cloud by midday clearing mid afternoon. Temperatures reached 19C.
I climbed to the central plateau on quiet lanes via Tias and then another lane across the lava fields towards La Vegueta. Passing near a farmhouse 2 dogs spotted me and gave chase. The smaller one was fairly harmless looking but the bigger one looked like a cross between an Alsatian and the Hound of the Baskervilles with a fierce bark and slavering hungry look. I tried squirting it in the eyes with water from my water bottle but it paid this no attention. Luckily both dogs seemed content to bark fiercely and run alongside and made no attempt to bite. It was a good 500 yards before they gave up and went back home.
I continued descending to the other coast via Soo and Famara. I then had a long climb back up to the plateau near Teguise and then I descended to Playa Honda to stop for lunch at a cafe on the prom. I then returned to base on the cyclepath along the prom and past the Airport.
Mileage for the day was 42 with 2100ft of climb.
Edwin
Posted by Ride Leader
at 11:16 AM GMT
