Cycling is a fantastic hobby that can enrich your life in many ways, but it is also one that can be challenging to enjoy during winter. The cold temperatures, rain, wind and shorter days can make cycling not only challenging but even dangerous, but you do not have to pack your bike away during winter when you know how to manage.ย
In the last week there’s been a lot about Tenerife but now that I’ve returned to the UK from my short break on the Canary Islands, the focus returns to Le Grand Tour, my 5,000km cycle around France, Switzerland and then down the Rhine in the summer of 2022. Hopefully many of you will have been able to watch the series of four films that were published back in December – they are all available on the Cycling Europe YouTube Channel (see links below) – and listened to the series of podcasts that were released during the journey itself. I’ve spoken about my journey at a couple of events since returning from the continent; at the Cycle Touring Festival and then at my local Cycling UK group here in West Yorkshire. Next week, however, I’m heading south! Not too far… Just to Sheffield at the invitation of the Sheffield CTC group:
A few months ago I was approached by Jet2 Holidays who asked if I would be interested in discovering the joys of cycling in one of their winter destinations in southern Europe. Of course I said yes and had a look at the map. Where would be nice and warm in the middle of February? The Canary Islands seemed the most likely place to deliver good weather so I arranged to travel to Costa Adeje on the island of Tenerife. I hired a bike and headed along the coast and up the hills… This was a different approach to travelling on two wheels. How did I get on without a tent and four panniers but in a luxury hotel on an unfamiliar bicycle?Show less
A few mindful moments just after sunrise on my final morning staying in Costa Adeje on the Spanish island of Tenerife. It’s interesting seeing how, from the perspective of the drone, the natural and man-made worlds have collided rather sharply. But at 8am there was still calm to be found before people crawl from their beds and take up position beside the pools, in the cafรฉs and bars and on the beaches…
When I was thinking about what to do today, top of the list of โpossiblesโ was staying at the hotel and cracking on with some writing. I was hoping to knock off at least another couple of chapters of the new book this week, but it hasnโt happened, yet. And it never happened this morning. With it been another nice day, it seemed a waste to sit at my computer, especially when there are so many things I havenโt done on this island. That includes getting anywhere near Mount Teide. Would today be the day I did?
The cycling dayโฆ Itโs strange being on a cycling holiday without a bicycle. Thatโs how it felt yesterday. Today the normal order was restored and I have been cycling. Not on my bike but a hire bike from a local company called Mr Bike Tenerife. I donโt think thatโs his real name but Mr Bike delivered the โPro Mountain Bikeโ to the hotel this morning at just after 11:30 as promised. Let the cycling commenceโฆ
I still have to jump on a bike butโฆ I suppose that was never the plan until day 3. Today was spent wandering very slowly along the coast from Costa Adeje to Los Cristianos and then back again via a route slightly inland. My fitness app tells me 20km and 27,000 steps. Thant will work wonders on the average. โ
Itโs a slight departure for this esteemed organ of the cycling world to head off on a package tour but this week thatโs exactly whatโs happening; I have been invited by Jet2 Holidays to sample a bit of cycling on the Spanish island of Tenerife. โTo say itโs outside of my comfort zone would be a mild understatement – I am happiest with at least two panniers and a simple campsite at the end of the day – but Iโm always up for something new so here goesโฆ
