Ciclo Montana Day 9

Climb - 1205 m :-(

Descent -  1350m :-)

Distance- 38.5km

Moving time = 4 hrs 7 mins

Ave speed = 9.2kmph

Killer day!

It seems I have been joined by a cross country bunch. 2 cyclocross Scots training for the Trans Portugal event and a Kiwi lady who races Sport/Expert cross country in the UK. I was not looking forward to this.

We parked above Carataunas at the restaurant had a cola cao and then started our climb. At first I was OK and in mid pack but suddenly I blew up, my head was burning my breath was short and my legs were like lead- I was suffering badly and kept stopping to drink. I guess I was a bit dehydrated and sun stricken from the previous day on the beach but this hurt and I got angry that I was not doing my best.

Eventually after 740m of climbing, and after I had eaten a whole pack of dextrosol and downed most of my camelbak water, we padded up and started a descent which was fast rolling wide doubletrack. Frankly its not my style to climb so far just to descend on doubletrack but this was a cross-country ride. Luckily we then hit some nice reasonably challenging singletrack and I was enjoying that again and feeling just fine on the bike working my way up from 3rd in the group to being at the front.

We descended through Soportujar all the way down to Orgiva again a lot of descent on wide open gravel roads unfortunately. There we ate at the Mirasol restaurant while some reckless Spanish workmen cut down tree tops from high up on top of passing traffic which they failed to have much control over- scary!

After a 3 course meal which I stuffed in - salad, pork chop and chips and a banana and laods of limon and water- we descended to start our climb up Cerro Negro- this was going to be painful and I worried I would blow up again.

I kept my pace going, it was very hot and the road turned from cement to dirt track and steeper and rockier then eventually a few respite of gradual or traversing ascent before a last push up tarmac to the church some 10km and 580m later. Ow! Anyway I arrived 2nd so I was pretty satisfied with that result given I'm no climber and today I am not on good form.

We drove the van back from there to Pitres and this bit was clearly more for me- we dropped behind the disco with me at the front over the rocky steps and round teh switchbacks and then down into Mecina, then we dropped round back of the bar in Mecinilla down to Fondales. Done- I certainly am!

Ciclo Montana- Day 6

Friday 13th so we wanted to play a little safe today as it was also Paul and Kate's last day. So we rode a big loop- starting in Potugos we descended down the gorge and crossed over to climb up Tourettes not cycling mind, hike a bike as this is worst than elephants tail for rocky tight switchbacks. Up at the top we took the GR142 fire road past the entrance to elephants tail, running over poisonous caterpillars in trains and descending a fast gravelling fire track to the farm where the author of Driving over Lemons lives- Chris Stewart. Here we watched and videoed a motorcyclist cross the narrow flimsy iron bridge and down the precarious stack of stomes holding it up- I'll post the video later- I did theink we might be retrieving him and his bike from the fast flowing river!

Then we pedalled on down into Orgiva and had lunch at the Nemesis restaurant then Jacky picked us up and dropped us at the Little Chef drop off again and we descended down Hansel and Gretel to Capilerilla through Portugos and down via Atalbeitar to Fondales and down back of the gas works to finish on a good rocky descents all the way which was great. I don't really like the gravelly fire track descents, I prefer singletrack technical any day so this made up for the GR142 descent.

Ciclo Montana Day 5

Today Ash, Scott and Charlotte headed home and it was Mark's rest day but he still drove Kate and Paul and I up above Bubion to the national park where we rode up the fire road towards the secret garden and we took a rocky then bermy descent of a few kms. Kate damaged the spring on her back brake pads for her Hope Minis and we had to remove it and she rode on without it.

We then climbed and climbed back up the fire road to the logging junction from day 1 past secret garden and we dropped onto the GR7 which turned out to be a swoopy gently descending singletrack, a few rocky obstacles here and there to catch you out just as you'd got into your flow and with a few hike a bikes to get round the barracos where the melting snow run off had washed out the track. Eventually the track became more vertical descent and we dropped altitude quicker into Portugos. With no restaurants open we headed into Pitres and had tapas and Fanta Limons in the village square, 3 drinks for less than 5 Euros and free tapas- not a bad deal!

Next we took the now famous "behind teh disco" descent which was a loose stony descent leading into a couple of s bend swictchbacks that were rather steep so we sessioned for several attempts to get around them, eventually Paul made it round on his 5th attempt after removing some loose stones which had caused me to not make the 2ns turn, so I went back for my 2nd try and made it this tim after a minor track stand and push out. Just made it- a tough one.

Soon we were back at base sitting on the terrace enjoying a beer and soaking up the afternoon sun- another top day. 

Ciclo Montana Day 4

Downhill day

Pancakes and fresh orange juice for breakfast courtesy of Kate.

In the van and up to the place where wedropped in on day 1 but this time we went to these trails: -

Joker junior

Janet street porter- lots of big toothy rocks sitting up to catch your wheels on the switchbacks

2 more before lunch

After lunch we climbed a litle to join... Elephants Tail a long long, rocky tight switchback descent which demanded all my concentration and skill, my eyes out on stalks and watering as they processed every potential line through the rocks and instructed my brain and muscles to respond to , my forearms pumped at the constant vibration and gripping of the brakes, my quads resisting the severe bumps from behind.

Down in one piece and then we had a substantial hike a bike push back to the main house- phew what a day.

Ciclo Montana Day 3

Today was absolutley glorious sunshine and we headed to Granada in the van via Lanjaron for a coffee.

We climbed on some technical rocky singletrack but once up we rode the most amazing flowy singletrack contouring the curves in and out of the hillside and crossing some narrow bridges with sheer drops for miles which gave me vertigo! Eventually we reached a trim trail at the top and we had a fantastic view over Granada before we descended some exposed rocky switchback singletrack quite steeply to another singletrack contouring gently downwards again in and out of the hillside opening up the view of the city as we descended.

We emerged through the cobbled streets of the Alhambra and admired its brickwork and size as we scared the locals and tourists riding down cobbled steps noisily. 

In the square we enjoyed a refuel lunch stop watching a Heineken truck reverse into a van as well as observing with interest and banter, the Spaniards go walking through the plaza.

A late day - we got home and showered and out for pizza rapido, great pizza in the local restaurant built in a converted double garage, very rustic and cosy with lots of trinkets on the walls, real fire burning to keep us warm, locals propping up the bar and  we were taken great care of by very enthusiastic and friendly staff.

Ciclo Montana Day 2

Another glorious day, a little cloudier but still very sunny and warm. No GPS tracking today but apparently we went to Cadiar and rode that area, Jacky rode with us today and we rode from Cadiar dropping into some loose rocky singletrack occasionally mixed with flowy smoothish tracks.

Lost bridge- some serious rocky switchback descents and a long push/bike back up and out.

More to come....

Finished on the zigzags from Busquitar to Ferreirola as a test of our switchback prowess andthen  followed the singletrack past the fizzy water fountain (water loaded with iron) until the track ended right outside my front door in Fondales!

Day 1 - Ciclo Montana

Flew from Gatwick to Malaga to join Ciclo Montana for 10 days of mountain biking in the Sierra Nevada.

Arrived on Saturday evening to find that all of the guests were connected in some way via this small world of mountain biking. Kate and Paul have been coming for 10 years here and know Charlotte who is here with Scott and Ash who I know!

We rode today a gentle start from a fire road with views of snow-capped mountains, it's about 17 degrees C and not a cloud in the sky- wonderful to ride in shorts and T-shirt in March! We took some wide rocky descent into Pitres where we had a coffee in the square while a funeral was going on for an 83 year old lady and then we climbed and climbed and climbed some 600m+ (piste de forest?) to the snow line before hitting some more rocky descents and switchbacks- this is a taster of what the week will entail! It took me a while to get back into the stride of riding this stuff especially on my less free ride set-up bike. The Zesty geometry pitches me just a margin more over the front of the bike so steep rocky descents are a little twitchy compared to previous ride.

I have a cute little rustic apartment in Mecina Fondales with 2 rooms, one with a double bed and the other with a single bed/sofa, a table and chairs for 2 and a kitchenette with gas camping stove for cooking my breakfast. The outdoor shower/toilet/wet room is really cute and I share it with several large spiders and a number of daddy long legs!!

I woke up and opened the stable door to see the sun rising over the mountains and oranges growing outside the front door with singletrack only 2 steps to the left. Wonderful!

This evening I have chilled with my book and a beer. These are the foundations of a relaxing week- loads of exercise, sun and chill out time and space.

Blow outs and sleet

Off to Spain on Saturday for some hope of sunshine. Today though the sun did shine here in UK despite the forecast of sleet and the howling wind and rain yesterday. I headed out on the Nirvana Old Blokes ride to face the mud. 

We climbed up to Redlands but I felt my rear shock was too hard after Rowan replaced the seals so I placed my pump on, let out some air - all good and then woosh all the air came out as I released the pump. We all tried our pumps but no good- I was walking back to the shop.

Jackie picked me up and Rowan replaced my valve core and I was set- so I went and rode alone to check all was working before Spain next week. Ended up staying out until it started sleeting and hailing on me. 

Summer lightning was wet on the last descent down but I stopped on the DH trail to jump off the tree stump - see video. Other than that today was just riding- for about 26km.

Bike seems fine so just need to clean and pack it up well for its holiday on rocky dry trails (I hope!)

Reigate Sunshine

It's Monday morning, the sun is shining (so rare), I don't have to go to work so I can just get out and ride- how wonderful! This hardly ever happens in life!

Sprinted up Colley Hill and along the NDW via Walton on the Hill and down to Box Hill base. Lunch with M&D then the big climb up the flint track to Box Hill viewpoint and across Headley common back onto NDW via Gattons farm home. 41km all in and after 4 days of riding I'm shattered.

Tomorrow rain is forecast so I can do some work and rest my weary legs. I'll sleep well tonight for sure!

Return to New Values

Yeehaaa- this is the sequel to the blog video below from Wednesday 25th Feb (scroll down) about "Will she, Won't she ride the New Values drop off?"

I joined the Nirvana ride from the shop. Alex in the shop told us that Ranmore was in good condition, usually so muddy at this time of year, it is pretty dry after this fine weather spell. So up we climbed to the North Downs Way (NDW).

We practiced our log hopping technique then headed down Abba Zabba- a challenging huge fast bomb hole descent with a sudden up and turn left around the tree down again into another hole and back up the other side. Then sweet singletrack to another technical rollover called "Blind Terror"-- mmm yes I can see why? Not as bad as it looks just go in slow and stay off the brakes over the roots. 

Along NDW and down to Shere for a picture postcard setting for a lunch stop next to the river. Up to Pitch Hill and play on Proper Beau for a few videos of the jump. 

Then Simon said "Let's go to "New Values"". Well at that point my heart rate went up as I refused it on Wednesday but said "I'll be back" (in my best Arnie impression). Can I do it today? Am I switched on?

I have to admit I have been "mentally rehearsing" it in bed. A technique I learnt in my netball days where you play the set plays in your mind before matches until you can do them without even thinking. In my dreams I can see myself riding up to the edge and punching the bike forward, enjoying the view from the air and landing buttery smooth on the transition slope- so I hoped I was ready!

As usual Simon and Gilles popped off it and made it look easy. So with my heart racing I threw the camera at Matt to video me (although I did not stop to check it was actually set up right). I was quickly starting my slow slow run in, I stopped thinking about the drop and just crouched my arms in tight to the handlebars, let go of the brakes and punched the bike forward off the edge. In the air for ages, landed, yeehaaa that felt just like I dreamt it- high fives- Job done! (Phew!)