Lanzarote. Tuesday 3^rd March to Friday 6^th March. Scroll down for local Club Rides.

On Tuesday 3^rd March we had another ride across Lava flows but in a different part of the Island. Weather was generally good and mainly sunny with temperatures of 20C. We caught the edge of one shower coming back, mainly spots.

We cycled up the back lane to Tias and then another lane to Conil. Then it was on to the main road along the centre of the Island which was quiet and very smooth surface and mainly downhill. We stopped at a winery for elevenses at a bar. At one stage 8 coaches were parked outside but the wine tasting absorbed the numbers. We continued down to the small towns of Uga and Yaiza and then on a lane with the road passing across lava flows which had split to pass either side of a hill. Then down to El Golfo, a small town on the coast with many cafes to serve tourists come to view the Volcanic Crater on the coast which had been half eroded by the sea.

We continued to ride round to a viewpoint and path on the other side of the Crater and looked at the striated rock and green mineral pool. Then it was along the spectacular coast road built across the lava flow at it hit the sea. The result was a rocky indented coast with waves crashing into the lava. We stopped at a viewing area, Los Herbivoros where waves had eroded under the lava flow.

We continued and rejoined the road further south on the route to Playa Blanca and headed north back to Yaiza and direct back to base on the coastal main road. 38 miles for the day.

On Wednesday 4^th March we did a long ride to the north of the Island to visit the Jameos de Agua caves built from a lava tunnel. Maurice Allen and Steve Underdown of Arun Adur Section had arrived the previous day. We split into 2 groups with Richard leading the harder riders, Maurice, Steve and Harvey up the hill and then on the LZ1 coast road north while I led the easier riders Peter and Bruce on the coastal cycle path to Arrecife and then on to Costa Teguise before a 500ft climb to the LZ1.

We soon found that a strong NE wind slowed our progress. In my group we rode the cycle route to Arrecife and through the City near the coast and stopped on the other side briefly for pictures near the Power Station and Desalination Plant.

We joined another cycle route on the prom at Costa Teguise and stopped at a restaurant for a late elevenses with views over the sea. There was a deal for a hot drink and cake. Bruce was obviously feeling the effort of riding against the wind as he doubled up with 2 cakes and 2 drinks. After climbing up to the LZ1 we joined the main road with a good smooth surface and not too much traffic. The long downhill to the coast should have been easy but the strong NE wind meant we were often pedalling hard to go downhill. With everybody struggling we eventually got to the halfway point of the ride at the caves at 3.00pm. We had a much anticipated picnic lunch and then walked round the caves. These are very large and formed from part of a lava tube. The first part is a café overlooking steps down to a small lake. This has many tiny white crabs unique to this area.

 The next part is a climb to an open area landscaped with a beautiful swimming pool.

Next we headed on back with the great advantage finally of a strong tailwind at our backs. We took the same route back but had to miss a tea stop. The outward ride took 5 and 3 quarter hours. The return ride took 3 hours 20 minutes. We arrived back at the Apartments just after sunset at 7 pm to a cheer from Richard and Maurice. We learned that the harder riding group did not quite have the same endurance as they cut their ride short at 1.30 when about 13 kilometres short of the caves. 58 miles for the day.

On Thursday 5th March we had a rest day.

On Friday 6^th March had an even stronger wind with gusts up to 68 kilometres an hour. Maurice and Steve decided on a short ride along the coast assuming correctly that the wind would be stronger in the hills. I led everybody else on a short ride into the hills and then back down to the coastal cyclepath. We took back roads to avoid risks with traffic in the wind. Although Lanzarote is often windy the strength of the wind today was exceptional and bordering on the unrideable. With a head wind over the hill to the plateau it took 2 and half hours to get over the ridge, an hour longer than usual. Instead of the main road we then took a back road to San Bartolome. Part of this was almost a rough road. It seemed to be the base of a road with no tarmac laid on it. Richard enjoyed it on his mountain bike.

We stopped for very late elevenses, 1.00pm at a café in San Bartolome. Then it was a long fast descent to the coast at Playa Honda. There was a side wind blowing us towards the side of the road and at one point we were riding down while leaning into the wind at about 15 degrees angle. On the more sheltered coastal cyclepath we stopped for a picnic lunch. After another 2 miles we stopped for tea in a café and Richard had a coffee topped with ice cream.

 After a few more miles we stopped for an Italian Ice Cream on the Prom back in town. 21 miles for the day.

Edwin

Posted by RideLeader at 22:26 GMT

Updated: Saturday, 14 March 2009 22:30 BST

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