Waxed Legs ready to take on the highest Mountains Europe has to offer

Calpe - Spain.

Putting in some miles before the real thing.

Hi All
 
Hello from Spain.
 
Most of you will know that when Linda and I were riding through the French Alps last year (on our motorbike) and saw hundreds of cyclists (on pushbikes..... some of them real old buggers) I had a moment of weakness and said to her that I just had to do this.....ie. ride a pushbike over the big mountains.

Linda, as always, was very supportive and said go for it.  I found a tour called Euroride, 2100km from central Spain to Bern in Switzerland in 14 days and booked to go.  So on the 8th December 2008 after being off the bike for 33 years I started training.
 
Well, let me tell you this has all been a bit extreme but I'm here.   In an effort to get fit I have had the privelidge of riding with a group of (very mature) cyclists in Auckland and a group of (older) cyclists in the Subshine Coast.  And although it has been a struggle and these guys gave me no quarter but I have really enjoyed riding with them and am grateful for their support.  So to Nick, Ed and Pete in Auckland and Jeff, Mick and Alan (and others) in Sunshine Coast thanks for knocking me into shape.  I hope I can get fit enough to repay the pain!!!!
 
Arrived in Calpe, Spain, afer a long trip from NZ feeling pretty jetlagged.  Just don't seem to be able to sleep on those planes. A couple of interesting events on the way. Stopped overnight in Bangkok and they wanted to charge me duty for importing a bike......for 21 hours.  Took a while but won that battle.  Then when in Madrid for the 1 hour flight to Alicante (where I was being picked up for the tour) Iberian Airlines wouldn't take my bike unless I paid 100 euro. Almost as much as the price of my seat.  Lost that battle.
 
90km with a couple of the Euroride riders the next day.  Not to difficult.  Today the ride was 170km over 4 mountains.  The furthest I've ridden in 33 years. Had the pleasure of riding with John Dean, a double NZ Olympian who I last saw about 34 years ago. John will be known to the Sunshine Coast guys.  It almost seemed like not much had changed....we just took up from where we left off.....just a lot more wrinkles...and a lot less speed and a lot of stories.  Mostly bullshit.
 
Todays ride is a prelude to the Euroride which starts on Sunday. 40 riders in three groups doing differing rides of hardness and length. A few things really hit home for me. The roads here are fantastiic compared with what we ride on in NZ and Oz.  Hotmix all the way, virtually no potholes ( and no broken bottles at all) and the riders here pump their tires to 130 pounds (about 110 in NZ and Oz) as the roads are so good. Secondly, the drivers are soooo soooo courteous and patient.  They are almost painful in waiting to pass the riders,  In NZ and Oz we regularly are abused. almost hit or run off the road or passed on blind corners or as you approach an intersection or roundabout and the overwhelming feeling is that drivers don't want to consider you and think cyclists should not be on the road. There is a constant display of aggression, arrogance and a real lack of care.  We really have major problem with driver attitudes and behaviour.
 
The founder of the Euroride is a fascinating guy, Gusti Zollinger.   Was a world motor pacing champion about 40 years ago.  Had a number of successful businesses that he has passed onto his sons and spends all his time these days organising cycling tours.  Based on the cost of this tour I'm sure he just does it for love but he has a great team of drivers. mechanics, tour leaders etc etc.   He just travels from location to location and rides with the tourists. Majorca, Spain, France, Switzerland and othe exotic places. Brings his wife who runs around fussing over people while hejust rides each day. He is 66 and rode on the front all 170km today. Amazing!!!!
 
57 riders on the Euroride this year and most have arrived by today. 5 kiwis but no Aussies that I have come across yet. Mostly Swiss and Germans but a few Americans.
 
Weather has been overcast but pleasant.  26 degrees today with no wind.   Feel good but still a bit lagged. Hope I recover tonight and get a good sleep so we can go out again and do it all again tomorrow. :-))
 
Hope you are well and the weather over there is not too bad. Will organise a couple of photos over the next few days.
 
Cheers
Baz