The white capped sea, misty air, sailing down the coastal road among forest and cliffs. The wind was gusting this morning at speeds that would make any cyclist have second thoughts. "This is your job, and you are so very lucky" ran through my head, trying to put a positive light onto a rather dreary day. The wind can change at any time here, and there is about a 60/40 split between no wind and some blustery days.
Our group headed out for the day 2 ride toward the beautiful, rustic and scenic town of Deia along the northern coast. Climbing the Coll de Soller was actually very pleasant, and the roads were much drier than expected. We had a light breeze since we were somewhat sheltered by the mountains. Coll de Soller is 5km at around 5% gradient, so a very nice warm-up but not too steep to hurt the legs. We follow the switchback ladened climb with a descent just as twisty but down the northern side, which can stay wet for much longer.
Snaking into the town of Soller brings a small feeling of accomplishment, but you are quickly brought back to the road as it ascends once again. This small climb almost has a different climate, resembling more high-dry pine forest than the wet and lush mountainside. Cresting the top brings an endless view of the sea; the reward for your effort. As we descend towards the gorgeous town of Deia you can't help but look at the sea in amazement. The coastal road winds in and out of the cliffs, through villages, and of course goes up and down.
The day 2 (Monday) ride provides a small taste of the week to come, and we then head inland towards Valldemossa and then toward Puigpunyent. No surprise that we continue our climbing and descending, but typically stop for lunch at a great corner cafe in Puigpunyent. The mountain town has a tight community and relaxed atmosphere. We savor our sandwiches with some great people-watching, conversation, and coffees or drinks.
With full stomachs and still no rain we happily spun down the road toward the hotel. There is a nice 30km flat and rolling section back to the hotel... and the wind was against us for a bit. We trudged through the wind and arrived home safely. Most usually hear the spa calling their names, but I rode 2km into town for some wine! I had to purchase some gifts and could not help but sample the local vino. After finding some perfect items to bring home I rode back to the hotel with my bags and a big smile. The narrow, stone-walled streets are fun to ride on, just as long as there are no cars coming toward you... especially when you have some bags of wine and other goodies!
The spa was certainly calling my name as I arrived, so after some work I indulged and followed with some stretching. We finished the evening with another delicious and fresh meal. I'm enjoying some wine as I write this, mom and dad would be proud, and I'm also thinking ahead.
May will be very busy because I think the month will pass much faster than expected. We will begin organizing items, cleaning and packing before that rush week hits. I'm anxious to take a break and be with loved ones... as the Black Keys sing, "Baby, I'm howlin' for you."
With that I say goodnight and thanks for reading my post! I hope to find more time to update regularly... instead of once per month!
Monday, May 2, 2011
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
What is Truly Dramatic?
The northern coast of Mallorca is simply dramatic. Cliffs drop straight to the water's edge, goats roam free in this land, their everyday life. Cyclists dot the roads like a rainbow of ants, carving in and out of the hills with an unwavering flow. These are practically daily scenes that I will never let become mundane.
Back-to-back trips has been quite tiring as of lately even with four being our largest group yet. The 18 guests arriving this weekend will be a true test of the ride camps and of us. The ride dynamics certainly change when hosting large groups on long rides with multiple options. We have been working hard to ensure full support while also sticking to the basic idea of these camps, which is a more self-sufficient avid riding trip. Personal time is always a luxury that we have few times during the week, so this Wednesday I have taken time to write this new post.
Wednesday is our rest day, because the rides become significantly longer and add significant climbing. Thursday's ride is a roller-coaster over 135km. We climb multiple colls (climbs of note), which eventually adds up to roughly 10,000ft of elevation gain. Friday's ride tops the week off with a 145km loop to Cap Formentor, a lighthouse and the furthest point east in the Tramuntana Mountain Range. The climbing is not as difficult, but the extra distance will gift anyone with a pair of sore legs. The photograph above is view from the road to Cap Formentor, which is one of many spectacular sections of the coastal road in the north.
With two big days ahead, a big trip next week, and some open time, I am going to tackle some more preparatory tasks. Thanks for reading and I will post some more photos soon.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Mallorca Livin'
Water crashes against the cliffs, slight breeze of crisp air and a coastal village perched on the edges. The northern coast of Mallorca retains an ever-present humbling power, a surprising element as an island, but so wonderful and varied. We are spending our time in Santa Maria del Cami, a small town at the foothills of the Tramuntana Mountains approximately 15km northeast of Palma. This is the backdrop of our Mallorca Ride Camps, trips focused on a no frills riding experience. Many people have been asking why we chose Mallorca as a ride camp location. The answer is simply because we feel that our guests from the western hemisphere have not discovered this majestic island, and the riding is second to none; a reason why so many professional cycling teams visit during their off-season.
Mallorca has so much to offer ranging from amazing hiking, mountain biking, road cycling, climbing, cuisine and culture, and the list continues. My co-guide, Justin, and I have been desperately trying to sample all of the possible activities because our time will go fast. Our first ride camp began on Sunday and we have a small group, 4 people, to guide around the island. The first day is a non-guided but planned route around the area to spin out travel legs. We follow up the next day with our first march into the mountains, and we are not shy on distance, cycling about 100km for the day. Today was our second trot into the western section of the Tramuntana Mountains along the MA-10 road. I thought yesterday's ride was the best to date, but today was even better... and I was in the van! I did get the chance for a quick and hard ride in the flatter areas south of our hotel, so I have been feeling fresh. The island has much more grandeur than I originally anticipated, and I've been pleasantly surprised everyday.
Our hotel, Read's Hotel, has been absolutely fantastic. The owners and staff are wonderful people and they are our new family. I am truly lucky to have the privilege of staying at Read's and meeting all those that keep the hotel running at peak performance. I hope to grow and learn more during my stay, which I am certain will occur. Everyday is another chance to have new experiences and share them with others. I also hope to share them with you as I continue my journey through life. Thanks for reading and that is all for now. Time to get going and rest up! Tomorrow holds another ride, easier for recovery, and then we ramp up with 125km and approximately 10,000ft. of climbing on Thursday! Yes, the weather is wonderful... 60ยบ and sunny! I just had to tell you ;)
Friday, March 4, 2011
Time to recharge... fast!
We have been pulling 15+ hour days, and time is limited... so no blog posts. I have not forgotten about this, but duty calls. Stay tuned for some updates. Now it's time to prep and try to recharge for our first ride camp on Sunday.
Thanks!
-Stefan
Thanks!
-Stefan
Monday, January 31, 2011
I'm Back!
Okay, I took a little hiatus from my blog, but I have received the call once again to guide. Stay tuned for an update regarding my next location and plan. Thanks!
Sunday, September 12, 2010
So it has been a while... again
I'm back! I find it hard to imagine that my last post was over a month ago, but time goes by so quickly while guiding. It is too easy to be caught up in the daily activities of guiding, which are actually daily duties because it is my job. The latest trip was the Pyrenees Sea-to-Sea, which is a 10 day trek (advertising plug) across the Pyrenees from the French Atlantic coast to the Spanish Mediterranean coast. Specifically, there are eight days of riding, one rest day, and the last day (non-riding). This was my first trip with another new guide, and we had a really great time.
Coming along with me as I retrace the trip, in brief, starts you off in St. Jean de Luz near Biarritz on the French coast. Having the trip start there was very stressful because there were too many unknowns; where will we park the van AND trailer, what if it rains (high likelihood in that region), and where can the guests change. Needless to say, we thought about those things all week and were always running scenarios through our heads to try and be prepared. Long story short, we found parking right in front of the fit spot, the hotel next to us allowed us to use their changing rooms, and it was nice and sunny. Although, neither of us enjoyed the amount of unknowns before day one. Everyone was fit to their bikes with the Atlantic as our backdrop, and we began to ride toward St. Jean Pied de Port. Half-way through the ride was a picnic lunch prepared by moi on the top of the Puerto de Otxondo (we crossed into Spain briefly). You can access my snapfish account and I will post a photo of the spread. We hit the road again after a hearty meal with a lot of leftovers, which are great for the guide lunches on our following guest choice lunch days!
St. Jean Pied de Port has a lot of history lessons to offer for those that are interested, and since Greg and I both enjoy the cultural aspects of this job, we were able to relay a lot of information to our guests. The town is well known for being a starting point for the Camino del Santiago de Compostela, and was involved in many wars, political situations, religious events, and always caught in the Basque struggle for independence. I really enjoy the Basque country because there is an abundance of character along with their cultural pride. The landscape, architecture, food, and people are much different than the average French population; and I mean that in a good way, because those differences are waning in contemporary cultures as smaller populations become absorbed into the masses.
Our non-Basque style accommodations, Hotel Les Pyrenees, in St. Jean Pied de Port had a 2-star Michelin rated restaurant where we ate for dinner. I wish we had known what to expect, because I probably would have fasted for the day in preparation for our meal that I would describe as a gastronomic jamboree. After the pre-starter starter, we had the entree, then the main plate, followed by the small dessert plate and finished with the large dessert plate. I was about ready to explode, and now following a breakfast of pancakes and cinnamon toast... I don't really want to think about that night. The next morning we wiggled our way out of St. Jean Pied de Port and went out toward St. Savin near the Tourmalet. I rode day three, which went over the Col de Marie Blanc, Aubisque and Soulor. For some reason I did not feel very well on the Marie Blanc, but slowly came to as the day progressed not knowing what would strike me down the next day.
The next hotel, Le Viscos, was slightly above the valley so it was a cold descent the next day. Let's rewind for a second because we successfully followed up on the previous night's meal with another delectable meal. We had an entree of crab salad layered on guacamole, a natural pairing, and moved on to the main plate; a very tender piece of lamb with a local preparation of beans and a side of pasta. Everything was very fresh as a result of being locally sourced, and the chef is also well-known in the region for his cuisine. Although, the next day, four, I was hit hard with a virus and barely made it up the Tourmalet. On our way up the climb we found a full pack of Marlboro Reds, so there are a few funny photos with those; we think the owner of those decided midway up the climb that they really needed to quit, ha! I made it to 8km from the top where I sat down, drank a coke, and proceeded to get a lift from Greg. Although, I'm too stubborn to get off my bike, so he towed me with the van for a kilometer or two. The last few kilometers were the worst as my whole body felt as though I was hit by a car and everything hurt, even my finger joints. Cresting the Tourmalet was never so satisfying as that day, and I cruised right past the sign, people, and views toward the van. This is where I called it quits and Greg switched out with me. The rest of the day was spent driving van support and having everyone tell me how bad I looked... like I needed to be told, haha. Finally, we made it to Bagneres de Luchon and somehow managed to find parking right outside of the hotel and squeezed the trailer down the narrow alley. Simple foods were managable, but I settled down for the night early.
The next day, five, was our rest day. Greg and I used the time to do laundry, clean bikes, organize the van and trailer, and I even did some resistance training in the hotel's "gym". I was not quite feeling up for the Luchon Thermes, but we still had a productive and restful day.
Thus concludes the first half of the trip, and stay tuned for part two of our "cross country" Pyrenean adventure! I have a few days off here in Provence, so I will update later on. We should try to get out and do something today, 2 of 3 woke up at 11:30 while I was up at 9. I slept in the van out back, so the sun woke me up earlier; and I'm a morning person, so I am up "earlier" regardless. We had about 4-5L of beer from around Europe, so we had a late night translating into a late morning. Talk to you soon!
Coming along with me as I retrace the trip, in brief, starts you off in St. Jean de Luz near Biarritz on the French coast. Having the trip start there was very stressful because there were too many unknowns; where will we park the van AND trailer, what if it rains (high likelihood in that region), and where can the guests change. Needless to say, we thought about those things all week and were always running scenarios through our heads to try and be prepared. Long story short, we found parking right in front of the fit spot, the hotel next to us allowed us to use their changing rooms, and it was nice and sunny. Although, neither of us enjoyed the amount of unknowns before day one. Everyone was fit to their bikes with the Atlantic as our backdrop, and we began to ride toward St. Jean Pied de Port. Half-way through the ride was a picnic lunch prepared by moi on the top of the Puerto de Otxondo (we crossed into Spain briefly). You can access my snapfish account and I will post a photo of the spread. We hit the road again after a hearty meal with a lot of leftovers, which are great for the guide lunches on our following guest choice lunch days!
St. Jean Pied de Port has a lot of history lessons to offer for those that are interested, and since Greg and I both enjoy the cultural aspects of this job, we were able to relay a lot of information to our guests. The town is well known for being a starting point for the Camino del Santiago de Compostela, and was involved in many wars, political situations, religious events, and always caught in the Basque struggle for independence. I really enjoy the Basque country because there is an abundance of character along with their cultural pride. The landscape, architecture, food, and people are much different than the average French population; and I mean that in a good way, because those differences are waning in contemporary cultures as smaller populations become absorbed into the masses.
Our non-Basque style accommodations, Hotel Les Pyrenees, in St. Jean Pied de Port had a 2-star Michelin rated restaurant where we ate for dinner. I wish we had known what to expect, because I probably would have fasted for the day in preparation for our meal that I would describe as a gastronomic jamboree. After the pre-starter starter, we had the entree, then the main plate, followed by the small dessert plate and finished with the large dessert plate. I was about ready to explode, and now following a breakfast of pancakes and cinnamon toast... I don't really want to think about that night. The next morning we wiggled our way out of St. Jean Pied de Port and went out toward St. Savin near the Tourmalet. I rode day three, which went over the Col de Marie Blanc, Aubisque and Soulor. For some reason I did not feel very well on the Marie Blanc, but slowly came to as the day progressed not knowing what would strike me down the next day.
The next hotel, Le Viscos, was slightly above the valley so it was a cold descent the next day. Let's rewind for a second because we successfully followed up on the previous night's meal with another delectable meal. We had an entree of crab salad layered on guacamole, a natural pairing, and moved on to the main plate; a very tender piece of lamb with a local preparation of beans and a side of pasta. Everything was very fresh as a result of being locally sourced, and the chef is also well-known in the region for his cuisine. Although, the next day, four, I was hit hard with a virus and barely made it up the Tourmalet. On our way up the climb we found a full pack of Marlboro Reds, so there are a few funny photos with those; we think the owner of those decided midway up the climb that they really needed to quit, ha! I made it to 8km from the top where I sat down, drank a coke, and proceeded to get a lift from Greg. Although, I'm too stubborn to get off my bike, so he towed me with the van for a kilometer or two. The last few kilometers were the worst as my whole body felt as though I was hit by a car and everything hurt, even my finger joints. Cresting the Tourmalet was never so satisfying as that day, and I cruised right past the sign, people, and views toward the van. This is where I called it quits and Greg switched out with me. The rest of the day was spent driving van support and having everyone tell me how bad I looked... like I needed to be told, haha. Finally, we made it to Bagneres de Luchon and somehow managed to find parking right outside of the hotel and squeezed the trailer down the narrow alley. Simple foods were managable, but I settled down for the night early.
The next day, five, was our rest day. Greg and I used the time to do laundry, clean bikes, organize the van and trailer, and I even did some resistance training in the hotel's "gym". I was not quite feeling up for the Luchon Thermes, but we still had a productive and restful day.
Thus concludes the first half of the trip, and stay tuned for part two of our "cross country" Pyrenean adventure! I have a few days off here in Provence, so I will update later on. We should try to get out and do something today, 2 of 3 woke up at 11:30 while I was up at 9. I slept in the van out back, so the sun woke me up earlier; and I'm a morning person, so I am up "earlier" regardless. We had about 4-5L of beer from around Europe, so we had a late night translating into a late morning. Talk to you soon!
Sunday, August 1, 2010
So I went away for a while...
The Tour de France trips were much harder than expected, but at the same time, not really (if that makes any sense). I expected the trips to be hard and time consuming, but it does not hit you until you are in the thick of it. This is why I have not had the time to post in a month! Our FTP went really well, but it took some time to get everything nailed down. We were still making updates until a few days before our week 2 trip!
Our week 2 trip was the Behind the Scenes trip and had a decent amount of encounters with all things Tour de France. We started in Evian, so we had some great water, and then moved down to Les Gets. That is where we were based out of for the Morzine climb/stage, and the Morzine stage start village passes. Afterwards, we moved on to Megeve and finally ended on top of Alpe d'Huez. This trip was difficult to support because we had a very wide spread of abilities, but we did our best and everyone seemed to have a great time. That was in the Alps, so we had some great rides and hard climbs. The highlight was probably our helicopter ride around Alpe d'Huez on day 6, and I have some great photos to upload on my snapfish account. We had a great group of guests and I enjoyed my first time in the Alps.
Week 3 was a lot of fun because we had a very flexible group and everyone was able to keep up with one another. This just meant that I had 2 very hard rides at the end of the trip (when they discovered their riding similarities), and they hammered for 70k both days! I was the front man because of keeping up with the group but also making sure we took the right turns and did not get lost in the mass of people at the Bordeaux finish. We started in Lourdes, which is best known for Bernadette's Virgin Mary apparition and the spring at the spot where she saw this. It is bottled and sold as holy water, and there are a lot of people in the city. Lourdes is 2nd to Paris for the most hotels per sq. km., and there are over 300 hotels. Once again, we had great climbs and fantastic viewings for the TdF. We climbed Tourmalet twice, once from each side, and explored the region. The best viewing had to be for the ITT at Chateau Pichon, and there was a lot of great wine, food and fun.
Afterwards, we trained up to Paris for the last stage and our viewing at the Autoclub de France. That was a great day, but the best was saved for last when we all had dinner and drinks on a Seine River boat cruise. The guests departed for the hotels around 10 or 10:30, and that's when all of the guides gathered on one of the boats for our party, haha. We danced until 3am and it was so much fun that we couldn't stop talking about it for days. We're all very tired and my random 1hr+ nap today is a sign of that.
I'm currently FTP'ing for a Classic Climbs of the Alps trip with JV and Greg. Today Greg and I rode up to Les 2 Alpes from La Grave, so we had a great afternoon while JV went for a run up the mountain and around the ridge. The dinner at our hotel, Hotel Edelweiss, was phenomenal. We started off with fresh gnocchi with pesto, and then had roasted pork with a prune sauce/roasted fingerling potatoes/broccoli. That tasted great after our hard ride and JV's long run, so now it's time for bed. Plus, they seemed interested in having me work for them over the winter in the kitchen, so I may not take that lightly :) What a shame to have to live in the Alps during winter, must be a drag... just kidding. Although, I just bought my new mountain bike, Gary Fisher Superfly 100, and that will be waiting for me at home along with my family; then I would probably take some time to decompress and travel with my bikes. We'll see where things go from here, but I'll keep everyone updated on the trips that I am guiding! Thanks for reading!
Our week 2 trip was the Behind the Scenes trip and had a decent amount of encounters with all things Tour de France. We started in Evian, so we had some great water, and then moved down to Les Gets. That is where we were based out of for the Morzine climb/stage, and the Morzine stage start village passes. Afterwards, we moved on to Megeve and finally ended on top of Alpe d'Huez. This trip was difficult to support because we had a very wide spread of abilities, but we did our best and everyone seemed to have a great time. That was in the Alps, so we had some great rides and hard climbs. The highlight was probably our helicopter ride around Alpe d'Huez on day 6, and I have some great photos to upload on my snapfish account. We had a great group of guests and I enjoyed my first time in the Alps.
Week 3 was a lot of fun because we had a very flexible group and everyone was able to keep up with one another. This just meant that I had 2 very hard rides at the end of the trip (when they discovered their riding similarities), and they hammered for 70k both days! I was the front man because of keeping up with the group but also making sure we took the right turns and did not get lost in the mass of people at the Bordeaux finish. We started in Lourdes, which is best known for Bernadette's Virgin Mary apparition and the spring at the spot where she saw this. It is bottled and sold as holy water, and there are a lot of people in the city. Lourdes is 2nd to Paris for the most hotels per sq. km., and there are over 300 hotels. Once again, we had great climbs and fantastic viewings for the TdF. We climbed Tourmalet twice, once from each side, and explored the region. The best viewing had to be for the ITT at Chateau Pichon, and there was a lot of great wine, food and fun.
Afterwards, we trained up to Paris for the last stage and our viewing at the Autoclub de France. That was a great day, but the best was saved for last when we all had dinner and drinks on a Seine River boat cruise. The guests departed for the hotels around 10 or 10:30, and that's when all of the guides gathered on one of the boats for our party, haha. We danced until 3am and it was so much fun that we couldn't stop talking about it for days. We're all very tired and my random 1hr+ nap today is a sign of that.
I'm currently FTP'ing for a Classic Climbs of the Alps trip with JV and Greg. Today Greg and I rode up to Les 2 Alpes from La Grave, so we had a great afternoon while JV went for a run up the mountain and around the ridge. The dinner at our hotel, Hotel Edelweiss, was phenomenal. We started off with fresh gnocchi with pesto, and then had roasted pork with a prune sauce/roasted fingerling potatoes/broccoli. That tasted great after our hard ride and JV's long run, so now it's time for bed. Plus, they seemed interested in having me work for them over the winter in the kitchen, so I may not take that lightly :) What a shame to have to live in the Alps during winter, must be a drag... just kidding. Although, I just bought my new mountain bike, Gary Fisher Superfly 100, and that will be waiting for me at home along with my family; then I would probably take some time to decompress and travel with my bikes. We'll see where things go from here, but I'll keep everyone updated on the trips that I am guiding! Thanks for reading!
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