Memories of the Majorca Cycling Holiday October 2015 by Roy Jackson
Monday 5th October
9 members, Sue and John, Janet and Ivan, Michelle and Peter, Maggie and Stewart, and Roy, spent spent the morning hiring or unpacking bikes, followed by lunch at Scandals where the group met Ray Fitzsimmons.
After lunch they then cycled along the coast road to a part of Alcudia in a temperature of 340 for tea and cakes in a cafe overlooking the bay. Back to Can Pickfort by the same route,
After dinner drinks at the Don Juan (the round bar) near the hotel. 22 Miles.
Tuesday 6th October
10am start, a cooler morning at 280. Along the quarry road to St. Margalida, then via country lanes to Maria de la Salud for coffee. After coffee it was into a strong headwind to Petra, where the square was full of cyclists.
For lunch everyone shared a baguette between two except greedy Roy who had a omelette baguette all to himself.
After lunch a tail wind assisted ride with a fast finish along the main road into Can Pickafort. The plan was tea at Scandals but it is closed on Tuesdays, so it was drinks at the Round Bar. 33 Miles.
Wednesday 7th October
Warm and sunny again. Maggie and Stewart went to Sineu to the market.
The rest of the group, led by Bob of Manchester, rode through the lanes past all of the old windmills to the Caves de Campanet for coffee. Then a ride through more lanes, with spectacular views of the mountains, to Pallenca and lunch at the Golf Club. Lunch was eaten on the verandah with beautiful views all round.
The return was by country roads passing 'donkey' corner where a stop was made to see the donkeys and the small pigs. The evening was spent in Raphas again. 41 Miles.
Thursday 8th October
Rather a cold morning, with a tail wind through the windmill country for coffee at Llubi.
From Llubi more lanes then across a main road MH3240 to Costitx for lunch. After some very good sandwiches the group faced a headwind to Sencelles to pass the windmills for tea at Scandals. 48 Miles
Friday 9th October
The morning was spent in Can Picafort market, Quite a big market, selling mostly touristy things. Lunch was had at Scandals.
The group set off for Red Rum, but just beyond the stables Roy came off his bike caused by a burst front tube. Lots of skin off his knee and elbow which was bandaged by Michelle and Janet while John replaced the tube into the tyre. Then back to the stables for a mug of tea then to Max Huertzellers to leave the bike and put Roy into a taxi.
Drinks at Raphas after dinner.
Saturday 10th October
Roy stayed at the hotel for a rest. The group left at 10:30am to Muro, then Sa Pobla, where the road was closed for a cycle race, the onto Canpanet Caves for coffee and apple pie. Then to Cala Sant Vicenc where Peter was looking forward to sardines and Stewart got the last helping.
After lunch it was back to Port de Pallenca and Alcudia then Can Picafort where the group joined Roy and Raymond, and Raymond's friend Kate at the Round Bar for a drink.
The evening was spent in Raphas.45 Miles
Sunday 11th October
Ivan was not well so stopped at the hotel. Roy and Peter had a day off to relax and met at Raphas for lunch where Peter was able to get his sardines. They shared a table with Ken and Elaine from Garstang who had hired a tandem from Dieter.
Michelle, Janet, Bob, Big John, Helen and Rob rode via the Pipe Road to Sineu for coffee, then to Montuiri for a long lunch, then to Saint Juan. Round Sineu to avoid the steep hill, then the Quarry Road back to Can Picafort. 50 Miles
John and Sue went to Port de Polenca for coffee and Scandal for lunch and spent the afternoon relaxing.
Monday 12th October
Roy had another day off. Lunch at Scandals with Apple Pie, and a beer with Raymond in the Round Bar in the afternoon.
The rest of the group spent the day hill climbing out to Muro, then Buger and Campanet (not the caves). Coffee and cake at Muro and lunch at Campanet. Then to Selva, then Lloseta.
A stop for almond cake at Binissalem, which is all one way streets. The group went the wrong way down every one before finding the way out.
Then to the top end of the pipe road and back across the cabbage patch returning to Can Picafort at 5:30pm. 52 miles with 1500ft of climbing.
The evening was spent in Raphas again.
Tuesday 13th October
The forecast was for thunderstorms in the afternoon so a short ride was planned with lunch at Scandals.
Roy, Janet and Ivan went to Raphas for coffee about midday to be joined by Peter at 1pm to say Michelle had texted to say she realized Scandals was closed on Tuesdays so meet at Raphas at 2pm.
Maggie and Stewart went to Port Polenca for Coffee at Danas then to Polenca for lunch and after which returned to Can Picafort.
John, Sue and Michelle rode to Polenca for coffee and returned to Raphas to join Roy, Janet, Ivan and Peter.
The rain that was forecast didn't start until about 7pm and rained quite hard but stopped about 9:30pm in time for our visit to Raphas.
Wednesday 14th October
A very wet and windy morning hence a leisurely breakfast. Everyone stayed in the hotel until it was time to go for their free lunch at the Concord after a photo shoot outside the hotel. We had a good lunch.
After lunch the rain did stop and everyone chilled out in the hotel except Michelle who went to Max Hurzellers to pick up Roy's bike.
The evening was spent at Raphas.
Thursday 15th October
Sunny but cold. Left at 10am accompanied by Ken and Elaine on the tandem and also Anne. Maggie and Stewart went to Petra. The group rode along the coast road to Alcudia and had coffee in the cafe overlooking the bay. Then quiet back roads to Pallenca for lunch. More lanes on the return and tea at Scandals.
After dinner the usual drinks at Raphas, this time til midnight with John entertaining them with songs from the 1950's. Roy even drank a whisky bought for him by Michelle. 30 Miles
Friday 16th October
Sunny morning. Ivan came down to breakfast but still hasn't recovered.
Ken and Elaine went with them again on the tandem. Coffee at Petra, then on to Sineu and luch at the Velodrome cafe. Janet, Peter and John were brave enough to ride around the track.
Lots of country lanes in the afternoon and a stop was made just outside Muro for a map check when Maggie and Stewart caught up with them. They had been to Bunyola up the hill to 'The Orient', then down to Binissalem and then back to Cun Picafort – a total of 75 Miles and a huge amount of climbing!!
The group did 45 Miles
Maggie's birthday was celebrated in the evening.
Saturday 17th October
Sunny and warm again. Red Rum for coffee, then down the steep hill to Cala Sant Vicenc for lunch. Then back via Campanet and passed all the windmills.
Drinks at Raphas for the last time. 47 Miles
Sunday 18th October
Maggie and Stewart caught the bus to Alcudia to do a ridge walk. Sue and John stayed in Can Picafort to put away the bikes. Roy, Peter and Michelle, Ivan and Janet caught the bus to Alcudia Old town for a look round the market. Returned for tea and a last apple pie at Scandals at 5pm closely followed by John and Sue and then Maggie and Stewart at 5:30pm.
It was then by bus to the airport where John and Sue were quite ill possibly by something they ate at dinner time. The plane took of ½ hour late but arrived in Manchester on time