Saturday 4 March, Beach ride
Weather today was clear and sunny with light winds. Temperatures reached 21C.
I decided on a ride to a beach but riding up a few mountains in-between. I had heard there was a very good beach on the far south coast of the Island near Playa Blanca known as Playa de Papagayo. I cycled there on the back road to Puerto Calero and then up to the main road. Just before Uga I turned off on the back road to Femes gradually climbing to 1200ft. Then a sharp descent. Just before Playa Blanca I turned off on an unmade road. This was rough but just about rideable on a road bike and went on for 3 1/2 miles.
The beach was as advertised, a beautiful cove enclosed by cliffs. I had lunch at a cafe on a terrace on the cliffs above the beach. After a couple of hours sunbathing on the beach I headed back on the same route. After the steep climb back up to Femes I stopped for an Orange Juice in a restaurant at the top.
36 miles for the day and 2800ft of climbing.
Edwin
Sunday 5 March. Last Lanzarote ride.
Weather today was mixed with a lot of cloud but some good sunny intervals. There was a strong northerly wind and temperatures reached 19C.
Today will my last ride of the trip. Tomorrow I start packing. Tuesday after checking out will be a lot of hanging around before my early evening flight back (arriving past midnight Wednesday morning)
I decided on a ride north to take in the big Haria Pass one more time. As I rode across to Teguise one thing I noticed was more and more spring flowers in the fields (yes there is grass on Lanzarote, it is not all volcanic rock)
After Teguise at 1000ft I climbed up through Los Valles with a few hairpins and then a gradual climb to the top at 2000ft. Then down the multiple hairpins and loosing 1000ft. Just before Haria I turned off on the Tabayesco road. This is a narrow byroad which winds its way down a valley to the coast road near Arrieta.
I then headed south with a welcome tailwind on the main road before turning off for Costa Teguise where I stopped for lunch at a restaurant on the prom. Then the cyclepath on the prom and through Arrecife which had very little traffic on a Sunday and the Prom/cyclepath back to base.
56 miles for the day and 3100ft of climbing.
Edwin
Posted by Ride Leader
at 3:16 PM GMT
