Majorca 2013

[Zako]

I think I speak on behalf of everyone who went to Majorca that it was a brilliant trip!

[rayme]

I second that Zak

[lisa]

Allez allez allez!

[peterbryson]

Just woke up! - thanks to all, good times.

[conorr]

Great cycling. Great craic. Roll on next year. Good luck to the boys racing tomorrow.

[peterbryson]

Dromara CC Majorca 2013 Report.
03 April - 10 April.

So it is we come to the report of the club trip to Majorca in 2013. This was a notable trip, although club members have regularly been heading to Majorca around Easter for years it was always the domain of the serious roadies, the racers, the hard men; 2013 saw its fair share of these types but it was notable because the group had a mix of leisure, dark-side and road-riders, which is to be encouraged. However there was another reason, 2013 saw the emergence of the long suffering ‘cycling widow’, the wife, partner or other half. Those discussed freely at coffee stop’s across the land but rarely seen. So this report starts with much respect to the 3 trailblazing partners who ventured into the rarefied atmosphere of a male bonding event in the sun. All the better for it and the fact we had Female cyclists in the group.

They say “whatever happens on the island, stays on the island,” by its very nature this report breaks that code, however it also needs to be said that your reporter can’t actually remember much of the week, so it will be a somewhat cobbled collection of pieced together flashbacks, here-say, borrowed Strava recordings (thanks Zak) and probably a great deal of padding.

Wednesday the 03 April was a day for last minute shopping; frantic packing and the start of the worry about taking the bike of a flight, the 20 plus group met at the International and as is fitting for a fine collection of athletes, went straight to the bar. This theme was continued onto the plane with some of the group pouring themselves onto the tarmac at Palma and experiencing difficulty with the Spanish escalators - because like the roads they work the other way round. Transition to the hotel at Can Picaforte was great thanks to the Gary Bailey’s careful planning and after a quick bite off to bed in the wee hours of Thursday morning.

Day 1 the group headed south towards Manacor throwing a couple of loops giving 65 miles with 2500ft of rolling climbing, with the Gibson brothers experience of the island being utilised to full effect. The Hotel is really great, plenty of secure bike storage in the basement, three local bike shops within walking distance and as we found in the evening a huge buffet. The room balconies face towards the Bay of Alcudia, with the town of Alcudia to the North and running west from there the Serra de Tramuntana within which lies the famous climbs of Sa Calobra (700m) and Puig Major (1445m).

The first night set a bit of pattern in terms of a group review in the hotel bar and the start of a week- long focus on right arm training. A splinter group established at the alternative venue at Totters bar in the town, the owner of which, grew to love and be concerned about us in equal measure. Dromara CC’s colours now grace the bar, for posterity and as a means to make up for some of the gravity defying dancing that took place on a number of nights.

Day 2 a 50 mile ride South East towards Arta with a bit of heat in the air and 2500ft of rolling roads, lunch in the town square surrounded by hundreds of other cyclists – it is a real feature of the island that bikes out number cars and large groups of cyclists are a common site on the main route-ways through the island.

Day 3 the group headed North West to Polenca to head for Formentor Lighthouse at the Northern point of the Bay of Alcudia. The route has 2100ft of climbing but this comes as a climb, ramping up outside Polenca. Great ride on great roads through pined coastal forests overlooking some excellent views out to the Baleric Sea. Bit of a race to the Lighthouse on rougher roads and some great fast down- hill sections although it’s a well-used tourist route with heavy traffic. For some cyclists the traffic poses no risk at all as they have the magic glasses that bestow up the wearer the ability to see round blind corners! Lunch again amongst flocks of fellow roadies and back for rehydration watching Roubaix. I must mention the international rescue moment after Tommy Downey shredded a tire, thanks to the stunned tourists who drove a wheel out to a stranded Tommy, and mention to wheel carrier Bailey and the Rocket for his bike shop search.

Day 4 The Big day out….. To the Calobra 75 miles and 12100ft of climbing heading North West through the foot hills out to Sa Pobla, nearly 6 hours in the saddle, some great climbing, if you like that sort of thing, some great downhill’s, great roads and great views. Word of warning, don’t leave the food stop to the top of Calobra, the food is not great and I think they grow it to order because it takes an age to get served. The Calobra itself is something to behold from the top, its 4 km to the coast but the climb is 10km long, so there are some corners. The Italian guy who built it in the 30’s wanted to work with the natural features of the mountains therefore used no machinery or explosives in its construction, a hand built road! The other bit of weirdness is, you go down first, right to the sea, turn and come back up, it’s always in your head on the way down, odd. The other thoughts are “how am I going to avoid that bus?” ” Has Chris Magowans brakes malfunctioned?” “When is the end of this thing? “ The answer is 26 hairpins later, including one called ’the knot’ that literally doubles back on itself. So, pumped on adrenalin, you turn and crawl back up the hill averaging 7.1%. Ride of the day was from Zak Hanna, who looked right at home in the lumpy stuff. Long road home, and a messy night in Trotters. This was the night of big club love - a mobile hug hit squad worked the hotel during the wee hours, thankfully I have blanked the details.

Day 5 was a pick up the pieces day with individual groups doing their own thing and some doing nothing.

Day 6 day of departure, visits to bike shops and lunch in Bradley Wiggins favourite Pizza restaurant at Port de Polenza in warm sun with the fear setting in a return to Irish snow drifts.
Late night transfer and flight getting home at stupid o’clock, slightly tanned, happy, exhausted and never wanting to see red wine again.

Good steam, roll on next year and be careful who you room with.

[garybailie]

First class report Pete, very very funny, Tommy has asked next year if we could not take it so seriously and maybe have a drink or two at nights. ;P