Day 13 - Nowhere To Go - All Day To Get There
by Will Wattles

I'm writing this from another Cappuccino coffee shop. This one is near Palma's Plaza Espana so the atmosphere is terrific (and it has wi-fi to boot).

I had given thought to a hard ride today but discarded that plan. I went for a 3-mile run to start the day. I've seen lots of runners out and wanted to join them. I checked out of the Hostal Terminus and into Hostal Brondo for my last night. For 40 euros, I got a very nice room with a full bath.

I verified that my Montague MX folding mountain bike box still waited in their crowded basement and went for breakfast. I ate at a great little outdoor place in the marina on Gabriel Roca, just west of Palma. Then I pedaled east all the way down the coast. Today I never spent more than a few minutes from the gorgeous coastline. Ten miles from Palma, the bike lane ran out but I found pretty roads in neighborhoods of exclusive homes.

I enjoyed going down dead end streets and finding that they weren't for a mountain bike. Little foot paths led to secluded beaches open to the public but not advertised. I also found some mountain bike trails through a big wooded area. Lastly there was a cool, very rough road on an undeveloped peninsular. From there I enjoyed a grand view of the enormous expanse of the Bay of Palma with the mountains across the entire horizon.

I pedaled back for an outdoor lunch and then went to work to pack up my folding mountain bike. Even with my needing to remove the luggage rack and working slowly it took only 15 minutes. It's nice to know that when I look for a taxi in the morning it won't have to be huge. Last year, in Costa Rica, I took a conventional mountain bike in a box from the bike shop. It took a full hour of disassembly and was then a box twice as large as this one.

Folding bikes are new to me and I'm impressed at how well the Montague MX worked. With my 57-year-old knees, I had to shift constantly; yet, the full size folding bike worked flawlessly. I also gave the brakes a workout and they were fine too. In the interest of a full report, I had one pedal that made an annoying clicking sound (a bad bearing I suppose) the last three days. It didn't affect performance or fun. So on a folding mountain bike you can see a lot of Mallorca in two weeks. I rode 466 miles on roads that could spoil a person for biking. This is the most bike friendly place I've ever ridden.

Mileage for the day: 36
Total trip miles: 466

Recap of Will's Mallorca Bike Tour Posts:
Day 1 - Mallorca Via Montague Folding Bike
Day 2 - Touring Mallorca By Full Size Folding Bike
Day 3 - Mallorca - Bike & Hike to Castell d' Alaro
Day 4 - Bike Touring Mallorca From Alaro to Alcudia
Day 5 - Alcudia To Port De Pollenca By Folding Bike
Day 6 - Mallorca Bike Hike - Alcudia Peninsula
Day 7 - Alcudia To Mt Randa By Folding Mountain Bike
Day 8 - Mt Randa To Palma Via Montague MX
Day 9 - Mallorca Mountain Bike Tour - Palma Region
Day 10 - Perfect Mallorca 50 Mile Bike Tour
Day 11 - Rugged & Wild Formentor Peninsula By Bicycle
Day 12 - Delightful 55 Mile Mallorca Bike Tour

More about Will Wattles... Will truly enjoys bicycle touring. Over the last decade, he's toured places such as Greece, Costa Rica, Malta, Chile and Venezuela. For more stories and photos from Will's previous bike trips, visit WillBike.com.

Labels: Mallorca-bike-tour, Montague-MX-folding-bike

Day 12 - Port de Pollenca to Palma
Via S'Albufera Nature Area
by Will Wattles

The Hostal Paris made up for no heat and no sleep with a free breakfast that included cereal and fruit: the first of the trip. I loaded my gear onto the Montague MX folding bike and biked eastward from the Port de Pollenca along the expanse of Pollenca Bay and the Alcudia bay. On a lovely morning, I rode for miles and miles along the beach; it was a great way to start my penultimate day.

S'Albufera Natural Area
Eventually I turned inland and, after a little while, found the S'Albufera Natural Area - 2,000 acres of protected marsh accessible only to pedestrians and bicyclists. I pedaled the folding mountain bike along roads overgrown with rushes 20 feet tall seeing birds too many to count. Most I could not identify but I did recognize the purple gallinule, a large bird with bright purple feathers and pink legs. It looks a lot like a moor hen which is common on my bike rides in the southern U.S.

S'Albufera features a route around the very extreme of the preserve so, of course, I was drawn to it. There were some puddles in the trail. After the first few, I told myself I should turn back before I got my feet wet. I couldn't resist though and pushed on along the now flooded road. I pedaled slowly so I wouldn't drench my panniers but not so slowly as to stall and have to put my foot down. Then I hit a deep spot and that was that.

At one point, on the edge of the preserve, I rode through a gate. I liked it because it exemplified the Mallorcan style of gate which I've seen many times on my rides. In addition, it marked the first time I had even seen a cattle guard (a series of steel pipes that vehicles can cross but cattle cannot) specifically designed for a bike. How cool.

I stopped to take off a layer of clothing and enjoy the view. A friendly white horse came over so I decided to take my apple break and share. She liked that and clearly wanted more. As I pedaled along, I obligingly stopped at every view point, and observation deck. I loved the solitude of the narrow trails claustrophobic with the rushes.

Leaving the park I passed through the little town of Sa Pobla and followed a secondary road through a few turns and made my way to Inca for lunch. Ordinary describes Mallorca's third largest city and the little Cafeteria where I stopped to eat offered me anything I wanted to eat - as long as it was a bocadillo. I have this theory that ordinary Mallorcan's don't eat out; they just go there for coffee or drinks and then eat at home.

Great Cicloturismo Route
Leaving Inca, I found the Cicloturismo route with some difficulty. I am glad that I persisted as the route was really a delight. Typical of Mallorca's country roads, it was about half the width of our two-lane roads, forcing cars to slow down to pass one another. Given the limited road width, most drivers take some highway and leave the lane to cyclists. I passed the usual groves and fields of crops as well as acres upon acres of grape vines. In the distance to the east, I could see Puig Randa where I slept in the monastery. To the west, I could see the castle ruins above Alaro of my first hike.

Delightful Cappuccino in Palma
At Santa Maria, the bike route gave out and I rode the Montague MX along an ordinary road. It wasn't so bad and a tail wind pushed me along. I arrived in Palma and checked into the Hotel Terminus where they treated me like a regular. After a 55-mile ride I might have had a nap but had to meet a friend at Cappuccino. We talked for hours beneath the cathedral in a really delightful spot I recommend to all who travel here. I felt full of gratitude that I had such a pretty day and was able to spend it all outside on my full size folding bike, wet feet and all.

Mileage for the day: 55
Total trip miles: 430

Montague MX Mallorca Bike Tour - Final Post

More about Will Wattles... Will truly enjoys bicycle touring. Over the last decade, he's toured places such as Greece, Costa Rica, Malta, Chile and Venezuela. For more stories and photos from Will's previous bike trips, visit WillBike.com.

Labels: Mallorca-bike-tour, Montague-MX-folding-bike

Day 11 - Peninsular de Formentor
by Will Wattles

Kept up to 4 a.m. by drinkers celebrating Christmas while the hotel owner was on Holiday in England, I didn't drag myself out of bed until nine Christmas day. By then blue sky ran from horizon to horizon and stayed that way all day. I couldn't have asked for a prettier day to bicycle the formidable Formentor peninsular.

I climbed the long scar across the cliff face that is visible from all over Port de Pollenca. After 2-3 miles of relentless climbing I got to a wonderful viewing area with impressive views of the town behind me and the tortuous landscape of the peninsular in front. Books say it is only a 25 mile ride but will seem like more and, I'll agree. The first thing that happened as I continued out the peninsular is that the road dropped directly back to sea level. So I had that big climb to look forward to. Then the road started climbing again as I pedaled through a thick forest of conifers in marked contrast to the stark rock faces up above.

The road went up and down in a gorgeous tour of the unspoiled land with steep mountains, sheer cliffs and isolated coves. At one point the road approached a sheer drop off and a tunnel appeared. I was glad to have good flashing lights as I heard a car approach from behind. Traffic was light on the way out and moderate on the way back. Despite the narrow winding road it felt safe to ride because the cars travel slowly due to the laws of physics.

As I worked to climb yet another series of curves I wondered if I would have enough water. I had thoughts of a 25 mile ride but this involved more exertion than normal and there would be no stores or restaurants. I even considered cutting it short but the lure of the road was too strong.

Finally, I looked down at the stark promontory approached by winding roads and holding a bleached lighthouse. I coasted down to the beginning of the last climb up to the lighthouse. Paths led down sheer cliffs to the sea far below. I would have to skip those as I had my challenge just to make it back for lunch.

I had an apple and bread and got a fellow to take my picture over looking one of the coves. The ride back went fine as I conserved my water until the start of the big climb and ground it out without incidence. There's a natural high that comes with conquering something challenging and I felt great as I coasted down the long scar back into town.

After lunch and a rest I pedaled over to Pollenca to see the Roman bridge: not much to look at but very old. Up the hill from it I climbed to Puig de Calvari, a hill cherished by the locals for its stations of the cross along the road and a huge long stairway that runs from the city to the little chapel that holds a thirteenth century icon. I enjoyed the outstanding view of Pollenca, Port de Pollenca, the mountains on the Peninsular de Alcudia and the beginning of Formentor with its highly visible road running across the ridge. I finished the day out riding along the bay watching the sun set over a scene one dreams about.

Mileage for the day: 42
Total trip miles: 375

Delightful Mallorca Bike Tour

More about Will Wattles... Will truly enjoys bicycle touring. Over the last decade, he's toured places such as Greece, Costa Rica, Malta, Chile and Venezuela. For more stories and photos from Will's previous bike trips, visit WillBike.com.

Labels: Mallorca-bike-tour, Montague-MX-folding-bike

Day 10: Palma to Port de Pollenca via Bunyola and Orient
by Will Wattles

I may have found the perfect Mallorca 50 mile bike tour.

I left the Hostal Terminus and followed the narrow gauge rails of the Soller train. Known locally as Mallorca's tourist train, this beautiful antique takes passengers (but not bikes) into the mountains. After a while our paths diverged, my road went over the freeway and continued north. It was a bit congested but, I never felt really uncomfortable.

In a mile or two, it became a quiet back road with a slight incline that increased as I went. After 8 miles I joined a regular two-lane highway for the last mile into the village of Bunyola. I had coffee at the Paris Cafe, noticing the name because I was headed to the Hostal Paris in Port de Pollenca. This cute village hangs on the side of a hill and has narrow streets. The sign with the two arrows means that the car going the direction of the white arrow has the right of way. When I see such a sign, usually at narrow bridges, I'm always glad I'm touring by bike instead of driving a car. In the case of the streets of Bunyola the one that is to yield usually has to back up because visibility is limited.

Right outside of town I saw a row of cars parked mostly on the road so that the narrow two-lane road now was really narrow. I passed a sign telling about 5.4 km road to the top of the pass and its 5.9% average grade. Another sign used pictures to tell cyclists in groups to ride single file.

The road ventured into a narrow valley with steep sides covered with trees and wound back and forth in the familiar switchbacks. The cold morning air felt good as I worked up a real sweat hauling all my gear on the long climb. I saw not a car along the way and heard some sheep bells and nothing else. I took a picture of a gorgeous house set alone in a high spot of the pass with a sheer wall of rock behind it. I got to the top where I sign announced I was at Coll d'Honor. Col means mountain pass in French and I liked the name that seemed to give me credit for my 550 meter (1800 foot) climb from Palma. A teenager on a mountain bike happily took a picture for me in front of the sign.

Naturally the next thing was to go down the other side. The beauty of the road forced me to go slowly and enjoy the unmarred natural scenery. Then through an opening in the trees I saw a picture-perfect green valley in wonderful isolation, surrounded by hills and mountains.

I biked across the valley enjoying the sound of the sheep and went over a small hill, around a corner and into the tiny town of Orient. As I continued up and beyond Orient it seemed too pretty to be real. I could look behind me and see the rocky outcropping of the pass I had come through.

The road then wound smoothly and elegantly through the countryside basically going around the mountain with the old castle ruins I had climbed from Alaro on day three. I had seen this road from the castle and regretted that I wouldn't have a chance to ride it. The decision to include this scenic detour on my ride to Pollenca was not one I made lightly. I worried some about carrying all my gear over the hill but my previous outings must have given me some climbing legs because it felt great.

The last 25 miles to Pollenca involved some of the same road I had enjoyed so much a week ago. However, I followed the bicycle tour signs through Mancor de la Vall and Caimari instead of Binimar and Selva. It was marginally more scenic and slightly more effort.

I arrived in the Port de Pollenca found my way to the Hostal Paris. At 20 euros a night, the hostal was quite a bargain. As was the case with my last lodging in Palma, there was a shower and sink in my room but no toilet. The room also had free wi-fi, a nice bonus for a guy traveling alone without a phone. The lack of heat probably explains the low price though.

I cleaned up from the ride and went out again to forage for groceries. By the time I returned to the hostal, my odometer had clicked 50 miles for the day, my most enjoyable bike tour of Mallorca thus far.

Mileage for the day: 50
Total trip miles: 333

Mallorca Bike Tour - Formentor Peninsula

More about Will Wattles... Will truly enjoys bicycle touring. Over the last decade, he's toured places such as Greece, Costa Rica, Malta, Chile and Venezuela. For more stories and photos from Will's previous bike trips, visit WillBike.com.

Labels: Mallorca-bike-tour, Montague-MX-folding-bike

Day 9 Palma: Beaches, Windmills and a Castle
by Will Wattles

This day began with a dour forecast: light showers becoming more prevalent in the afternoon. It was a day to stray not far from home in between periods of rain.

First I pedaled the Montague MX folding bike up on a hill for a bocadillo (sandwich) and coffee at an outdoor place overlooking the harbor and the cathedral. I figured I must be adjusting to the climate to be able to eat outside. It is the best way to avoid the omnipresent smoke.

I rode my folding mountain bike down the beach for miles. A few sprinkles fell and then the sun came out a little bit. Encouraged, I stopped for lunch at an outdoor restaurant for a Roma Pizza. With its bike lane along the water, the beach area east of Palma consists of one hotel, condo and tourist business after another. Lino's II, a cheerful amalgam of tables and blue/white awnings, listed menu items in German. As I ate, I watched planes landing and felt the march of time toward the end of my chance to explore this delightful island.

Windmills, Windmills, Windmills
With the finish of my pizza, I rode into countryside. I passed one windmill after another; there must have been hundreds of them. Struggling into a stiff head wind, I was amazed that each windmill sat idly. I thought back to the electric power plant I had passed at Port D'Alcudia with huge piles of imported coal just waiting to be consumed. How sad that those pretty, pollution free windmills can't compete.

After my ride in the country I was dying of thirst so I went "home" and drank a few bottles of water from the tap. Then, since it still wasn't raining, I went out west of town. After riding up a long hill from the harbor, I saw some woods behind a tall rock wall, people on mountain bikes and a hole in the wall. I carried my folding mountain bike over the rubble for a look and pedaled the Montague MX up the trail.

Two guys were taking pictures of one another going over a jump and invited me to join them; I declined. They turned out to be former Londoners that have lived here for a couple of years. These friendly and enthusiastic cyclists told me the trail would lead up to the castle so I took off up the trail for my most serious mountain bike adventure of the trip. I rode the dirt, rocks, roots, mud and loose gravel trails quite a while. Sure enough, the single track mountain bike trail dumped me at the gate of the 14th century Castell De Beliver.

The Castle has survived in remarkable good condition but its real claim to fame is the grand view. A Japanese couple cheerfully took my picture overlooking the harbor and city of Palma. Then, I put all my flashing lights on for the ride back to my room. I had a great day of riding 40 miles on the beach, in the country and on rocky trails without ever getting more than a few miles from Palma and without getting rained on (sprinkles excluded).

Mileage for the day: 40
Total trip miles: 283

Perfect Mallorca 50 Mile Bike Tour

More about Will Wattles... Will truly enjoys bicycle touring. Over the last decade, he's toured places such as Greece, Costa Rica, Malta, Chile and Venezuela. For more stories and photos from Will's previous bike trips, visit WillBike.com.

Labels: Mallorca-bike-tour, Montague-MX