Tyred tales: CA - 6 Plan B

Today, we should have been departing the island and cycling along the Chocolata. However we have already done the Chocolata and the wind is now even wilder than yesterday. Really wild!

This means that we need a plan B.

Luis the trip mechanic has an alternative bike route that we can take. Luis is very young, very fit, and enjoys doing hills. I've gone off Luis.

The chosen route has four b**tard hills, and the wind is crazy wild, enough to blow you off your bikes. At first the route is tarmac, but very soon becomes a dirt road.

However, there is not much traffic, and what there is is not very fast moving!

The first hill is brutal, a lot of the group walk some of it, but I have some stupid plan in my head to not walk any of the hills. I manage on the first hill, but my lungs and heart feel like they are going to explode and I also think I might vomit.

On the second hill, I crack and just near the top I have to get off and walk, at the summit I find Barbara and her bike in a ditch.

I do check that she is OK first before I ask if I can take her photo! She has a few scraps and bumps and a second elbow appears to be growing, but apart from that she is in good spirits.

At the rest stop with two hills down and two to go, I am about to throw in the towel and jump on the bus with a couple of the others. Then I hear that Barbara is planning to finish the route.

Good grief! I feel I have no option, but to show solidarity and get back on my bike!

Barbara and I battle through the next two hills, supported by Miguel and Stuart. It's tough, very tough and we do walk most of both the hills. The road surface is so difficult it's hard to keep traction.

We survive without resorting to the bus, and Barbara shows her appreciation to Miguel.