Saturday and Sunday’s rides were under a sunny sky with the temps reaching 94F/34C. My Garmin now says I’m “100%” heat acclimated now, so I have that going for me.
Saturday’s ride was a loop from Valencia via Segart to El Garbí, the local mountain peak with three ascent routes.
The route via Segart is about 4.3mi and allegedly averages 6%, but that average is very deceptive, if not wrong, as in there is a one-mile section of 13% with a kick allegedly to 17%. This is from inside Segart, partly up the climb but clearly with most of the serious climbing in front of me. My first thought was, “I’m here because I want to be” and my second was “this would be a lot easier if I weighed what I did 2yrs ago” (15lb less).
The view is nice from the top of the hardest bit and while the climbing isn’t over, there is some spots of shade coming up. The shade is welcome because even though this was 10a, it was about 90F. On the plus side, once this climb was over, it was net descent (it’s all “downhill from here” is too ominous) to home, though there were a few bumps to surmount.
Back into Valencia, due to COVID travel issues, there are virtually no tourists. This is the 14th Century gate to the city (completed 1396 or so). Normally, the gap on the right is filled with parked tourist buses and tower and sidewalks are packed with people and the road is clogged with cars. Saturday 11:30a and it’s empty. Overall, it was 50mi with only 3k’ of climbing, in a “moving time” of 3:10 with a total elapsed time of 3:16.
Sunday’s ride was an out and back to do the other two approaches to El Garbí. First is what seems is the “standard” ride: Valencia to Náquera and up. There is a large sign early on this approach reminding drivers the route is “intense” with cyclists and frequent signs reminding said drivers to keep 1.5m from cyclists, with some signs showing two-abreast cyclists plus the 1.5m gap to the car.
While it’s ascending the whole way from Valencia, the main climb is shy of 9mi and allegedly averages 3%, but that’s misleading. Much of it is 6-7% with some shorts kicks that are steeper. Overall, though, it’s not hard. There are typically a lot of riders of all abilities, and on different levels of bike, on this climb on the weekend, which is great to see. You’ll see MTBers going up as there are trails off the road, which I hope to explore in September when I bring my gravel bike, providing travel conditions permit. As it is, staying this weekend means the kids and will have to self-quarantine for 10 days on our return to Switzerland tomorrow (I’ll have 10 days of only TR inside). If we left Friday, we’d be in the clear, but she was working last week and wanted the four days with us… so four days with the wife to make her happy paid for with 10 days of self-quarantine and no outside riding, seems fair (she’s not returning with us due to work). Anyway…
Up and over the peak, down the third approach, which is a raceway with an excellent road surface and smooth turns. Down to the bottom and I turn around and go back up, hence the “cleavage” in the hill profile looking a bit like a mirrored image. The pic is nearish to the top at slightly before 10a and it’s about 91F. This approach is only 3.5mi and averaging 5%, and generally completely exposed, just like the other approaches.
In the end, another 50mi, a few feet shy of 3k of climbing, 3:05 moving time, and with an elapsed time of 3:07. The few traffic signals were in my favor and otherwise it’s just roundabouts, so no need to stop.
A good time under the sun. Today is cleaning the chain (and the bike) and the beach, after I get out for a short run after finishing this.
) but yesterday evening I went for a quick blast over the local hill.
one of which is 4.2km long with 235m of ascent, first third on tarmac then off-road to the top - 24mins with my HR in Z4 was hard work. There were also a few segments where I’m top ten and I was a handful of seconds off my PB so a pretty decent ride and I’m definitely feeling much better than I did at the weekend.
Fortunately the load from intervals.icu works out as “Very hard” on TR’s estimate stress scale.
