Mallorca. I love it.

             I treat myself at least once a year to a hotel break in Mallorca. Based in one spot in an all-inclusive hotel and a rental bike. To me it is pure luxury. No hassle at the airport. I swan in straight to the gate towing a small carry on bag. No power mad check-in person to decide whether my bike is packed correctly, no humping it through the airport to another oversized check-in to be checked again. At the other end no waiting to see if my bike will arrive? Or not. Will it be in one piece? Or not!

            I just stroll past all the people at the carousel and walk outside to the waiting sunshine and the coach that will take my case off me, to be stowed and then chauffeur me to my hotel. No struggling to unpack my bike, put it together, usually in the rain, looking for the vital tool I have forgotten. Getting rid of the acres of packaging. trying to keep oil off me and the bike. Why won't my panniers fasten, why won't the brakes adjust properly? shh.. It getting dark. where did I put my lights? No. None of that.

               I'm deposited with a smile at the  previously booked hotel. No searching for accommodation or campsites. One hotel for the entire stay.

                 Booked in to a nice room and balcony. I may wander downstairs for a 3-course meal with a glass or two of wine before venturing out to wander the town and find a bike shop, where I will negotiate a week’s rental on a full carbon road bike. The bike will be picked up the next day.

                  The rest of the day. depending on my arrival time. maybe spent in a gentle stroll before heading back to the hotel and sitting over coffee and cake while I study a map and decide on tomorrows route.

It’s soon time to head into the restaurant for the evenings 3 course meal with wine and maybe a couple of hours in the bar with  some interesting conversation with other guests or an hour spent with my Kindle, before  a good nights sleep.

                    I’m up early and down for breakfast. Back upstairs to change into my riding gear and clutching full water bottles and a map I head out to the bike shop to pick up my waiting steed. It’s been set up for me with my own saddles and pedals and I head out to day one of my bike holiday.

                    I knock out maybe fifty miles, maybe sixty. Depends on the hills and how the wind blows. There is of course the compulsory coffee stop at whatever village square I end up in. Do I dawdle chatting to other cyclists or people just curious about where I am from or where am I going? I’m in no hurry. The day is mine.

I head back to the hotel. I’m in nice time for a late lunch. I’ve worked up the appetite and feel good sitting at my table dawdling over a glass of wine watching the world go by.

                 I’m a bit sweaty and horrible so it’s upstairs to soak in a warm bath and climbing out, wrap myself in a fresh, fluffy white towel. I  wash my sweaty gear through and retire to sit in the sun on my balcony for a while, clutching a nice cup of tea.

                 I’ll probably go for a stroll before my evening meal and then of course I need to work out tomorrows route.

So that’s my daily routine of my Mallorca holiday.

                   Of course I could go camping. Hmmm…  What to do?

Yes, I know adventure and all that. But of course I do the touring thing as well but, there is also a lot going for this type of holiday. Well that’s my excuse. No To hell with it! Who needs an excuse. I love it. Absolutely love it!. How could you not?

A few pics.

Look at the Alien sat on my head.

A quiet village square to sit and gaze at something I can't afford. My rented Pinarello.

Englich CTC club on a coffee stop.

My banana stop in Posrto Christo.

Not worked out what this is but a hell of a climb to get there.

I keep the expensive machine on the balcony.

Hunk on a bike. LOL. Mallorca 2014

I even get lost on Mallorca.

Nice to people watch.

On the way back to Arenal and a coffee.

Another welcome coffee stop.

My hire bike having a break. This is early February! Can you believe it?

Another cappu break.

Parking the bikes in Palma.

So many people to watch.

I was wondering how you could concentrate on an I-Pad with that beautiful view of Palma Bay in front of you?

My Photography. Or lack of...

Dear reader. You may have noticed my inept attempts of photography. But not suprised. You may however be suprised that for many years in my dubious past I earned my crust as a professional photographer.
                  The trouble with that is that once you start earning a coin taking pictures you tend to lose interest in the creation of images as an art or hobby form. Once I stopped working in that stressfull profession I rarely picked up a camera. Even though I had plenty to choose from.
                   I was never a good landscape photographer. Oh I know how to compose and can still read light pretty well  without looking at a light meter. I've also still got a pretty good eye. But I don't have the interest. I'm much more interested in photography where people or interesting objects are involved. I love street scenes. Most of my pics [yes you've noticed] are taken on the hoof. Usually with a blackberry mobile phone. I find it good enough for what I want. I would love to go back to film photography as I love all the mechanics involved but it's just too expensive. Shame.
So thats my excuse. I'm going to throw all sorts of photos under this posting as it's a good repository for me as well as my Flickr account. But I'm not just sticking to the bike pics. There will be personal ones. Some taken by me some not. But just ones I like for one reason or another. Please feel free to view and comment but remember pics on the hoof. Usually.

Somewhere in Germany on the Danube path.

Break time.

I like stuff like this. Taken in Biarritz while on a tour down the west coast of France. Not a typical Biarritz scene.



My youngest son got married last week so I took a few pictures. I like these.

My harry hall on a local ride.

My recent Portugal assisted ride pics.

My most recent Dawes Galaxy.

My other Harry Hall.

Lets also talk about equipment.

Bags
Yes bags. bags of them. thats what I have. I'm always looking for the lightest way of transporting my stuff. I've done lots of panniers. too much too heavy. I'll fill them. Need to lose the front ones.

Loaded Saracen Skyline.

 So just front panniers and bar bag. panniers 1200kg total. frame 600g. That works better.  No problems and all my gear sqeezed in for a camping tour.

Two panniers and a Barbag.

But if I'm not camping what can I get away with. I've got this huge Canvas basic Raleigh branded saddlebag. Obviousley a Carradice copy. I've used this as hand baggage. Holds about 24 litres and a lot lighter than Carradice offerings.

Raleigh saddlebag.

When I was young and fit and crazy I used to Youth Hostel a lot and weekends or short breaks or even a two week tour. I used this for everything. No Barbag or anything, not even jersy pockets. It all had to fit in this Carradice bag the same as this.  This is a 1976 model. Never use it these days must sell it.

1976 Carradice Saddlebag.

I'm always looking at ways to lighten the amount of weight my sorry ass has to drag up those hills. I don't particularly like hills. Suprised? No, didn't think so. I'm big and heavy. My bike has to be big to accommadate me so I'm on a loser but I do try. Baggage is one thing I can try and lose a bit of weight on. I've read about stuffsacs so thought I'd give them a go. But I came across the bag in the picture on e-bay. It's a Carradice Frame Bag. Discontinued now but it was only £6 and weighs 300g. I reckon it will be about 30litre volume. It's also padded underneath, plus it can be used as a rucksack for trundling the bike around the airport or station. It is not waterproof. Showerproof, yes. But I always wrap everything in a bin bag just to be sure. It's done a lot of trips [see tours] and works well. It's also a good shelf for stapping things to, as in the third pic.

Takes a lot of stuff.

Rucksack?

Makes good flat shelf

I bought a used Dawes Galaxy recently. Impulse purchase again. Oh well. It came with a bag attached. It turns out to be this large Carradice bag. But it's not cotton duck material. I think it's Carradura whatever that is. However it seems as big as the Carradice Super C  but a lot lighter. I think this may feature as a future touring bag as it seems big and good enough for B&B tours at least and less wait for me to drag up those hills. A big plus it comes with it's own support frame that tucks into a pouch on the back of the bag. Great design, can't understand why they still don't do them.

The bag above was given a good test this year as I used it for my Portugal trip. It swallowed all my gear with ease and I did not really notice it on the bike except when I was cursing my way up hills, but I do that anyway. It was very stable even when I was out of the saddle. The only downside was attaching it to the bike.  Fastening the retaining straps to the Brooks saddle was close to impossible as the weight is pulling against you all the time you are trying to attach it. I gave up in the end and transferred my gear to a carrier bag and rucksack to carry inside each night. I need to find a quick release system for next time.  Here it is loaded on the bike, with a few bits strapped to the top.

Now here is a thought

On my last tour I took the large Carradry/Carradice saddlebag. It was voluminous and carried all my gear with ease. It was also a pest. A nightmare to take on and off the bike as undoing the straps meant shifting the gear in the bag to get at them. Got to be a better way. I resorted in the end putting my regularly used gear in a swim rucksack and just lifting that out of the bag each night and leaving some stuff on the bike. This resulted in my Kindle being nicked one night.
So I've been sorting out a quick release system and think it's done. But I also got to fancying one of those Carradice SQR Tours. They are £80 though and heavy with the SQR. Hmm.. Now then. I've got a set of those cheap panniers that SJS sell on e-bay. I've found them reasonably light and very tough material. They are also the Tour sort of shape. I paid £10 for two posted so they are cheap enough. I set to and this is the result. It's very stable, takes all my gear and unclips in seconds. Even comes with a carrying handle. Used a copper pipe, rear wheel QR skewer and I think thats it. I may fit a bracket in case it touchs my thighs when riding but works for me at the moment. I could also sew some straps on top for a jacket but there is space inside for that. You don't need the QR as a threaded bar would do but this way I can also use the system for my saddlebag. The ex pannier just drops over the bar as it would on a rack. May be useful idea for someone.