Bobby Gilbert Adventures

Sally dropped me off in Soller so I could do a big ride on the 21st, up the Soller pass, out to Orient, up the Lluc climb then descending into Pollensa, full of memories of doing these climbs with Jose in 2014. For example, when we climbed to Lluc in 2014 there were about 12 of us in our training camp team. The Lluc climb was notable in that I was the first to go off the back, and by the top the only person left with the pro-racer leader was Jose who he paced so she dropped the whole field. Gilbert’s bracketing the field, as I later described it. The leader was so impressed with her tenacity on hills that he put her in touch with a couple of elite amateur and then semi-pro teams which kicked off her racing career.

She kept coming into my head while on my bike, all week. I usually found I was then going faster. Still trying to keep up with her! I remember she even started to descend reasonably well, following the line of the racing cyclists (and her dad!) through the corners.

Another morning we drove to Deia then caught a bus around the coast to Valldemossa. The walk over the mountain coming back was cold and windy, but great views nontheless.

The Andratx route was our biggest joint ride and constantly hilly. Sally tackled the climbs well and only complained when if I didn’t stop on the descents (I missed good views apparently). You start with some lovely climbs through woods but then come back along the beautiful coastal road which it seems they were resurfacing just for us. The first 5 miles were ripped up and bumpy, then after traffic lights we were on brand new tarmac getting high from the fumes as it had been laid only minutes before.

Comedy moment was when I rolled to a stop outside a cafe/bar in Andratx and couldn’t get my foot out of the pedal. I fell onto the pavement still attached and still barely able to get out. “Are you ok?” asked a cyclist on one of the outside tables. “Yes I’m fine”. “Don’t worry, nobody noticed” he said with a grin. I looked up to see tables of cyclist all laughing. “At least my girlfriend hasn’t arrived to see”, I said only to see Sally roll up in tears of laughter.

Sally went horse riding a couple of times while I was working from “home”. The one I saw looked a bit stiff, though you couldn’t say it was wooden. Apparently the others were more lively.