The arrival After a fairly uneventful, yet 20 minute delayed flight from YYZ to MUC, I was fortunate enough to catch my connecting flight to PMI with a whopping 8 minutes to spare. I was relieved to make it to the gate and was very insistent to the gate-person that getting on this flight meant that my bike would be as well. So off to Mallorca I was greeted with a Warsteiner from the flight attendant… could life get any better at noon somewhere over the Pyrenees?
Arrived at PMI shortly after 1pm and was happy to find my baggage on the carousel; now the waiting begins for my bike. After speaking with several airport people it became evident at 2:30 that my bike hadn’t arrived. This has to be the worse feeling as a cyclist: you venture on a “cycling holiday” to a country that is 11 hours away and your bike is lost. It just doesn’t work without a bike. Furthermore, I happened to bring my “fancy bike”… So to the lost baggage kiosk I went and filled out the necessary paperwork – my worst nightmare.
Eventually made it to the hotel and was greeted by my Spanish family at Hotel Galeon (Pedro, Rico, Pepe, Tomeu); life is good. Within an hour i was sitting down to a fresh-fish lunch with everything Spanish: heaven. Once I finished lunch I made my way to the centre of Puerto Pollensa where I walked around and visited with old acquaintances. Dinner was waiting shortly thereafter, still no word on the bike.
Day 2 was much of the same. As a cyclist you are taunted by the thousands of cyclists that descend on Mallorca each spring to test their legs and enjoy a break from the UK and Germany (especially when your bike is missing). Lots of walking around: some picture taking, an espresso here and there along route.
Today was a great day indeed. Made it down to breakfast early to watch the sun rise over the water and had a lovely (and healthy) breakfast, lingering as long as I could just to gaze out at the water taking it all in. After breakfast I received the best news so far; my bike was here! Quickly assembled my bike and got ready… Day 1 on the bike was finally here after much anticipation.
Ended up riding for just over 3 hours today and visited some of the place I’d been in the past. It was so amazing to finally be outside in the warmth with only shorts, arm warmers and a light vest on… Pushed pretty hard today and at the 1 hour mark I had to remind myself this wasn’t an hour spin class. Rode solo for the majority of the ride today except for a run-in with a foursome that were riding strong at 40km/h on my way back to the hotel. Jumped in with them for a few minutes but them they decided they wanted to have their special team to themselves and pulled over to let me by. In all, an easy day on the bike with Tiesto’s Clublife in my ear, my colnago under my bum and the sun beating down on me.
Riding back to the hotel today I had the mountains at my left, taunting me, begging me to come closer. It’s in the mountains where one’s true self is tested. They can chew you up and spit you out, they can have you hitting the deck and can leave you for dead…literally. The mountains are no place for boys; it’s god’s country and you have to respect the rode on which you ride.
We’ll see what tomorrow holds.
