El Palomaret DH/road/touring ride

[bikenweed]

El Palomaret

Around 5pm, I headed out for a good-sized XC ride. It has been a couple months since I’ve ridden the local gnarly DH stuff, so it seemed like a good chance to kill two birds with one stone. El Palomaret is the name of a restaurant at the base of the mountain. It’s known for its incredibly good food, and it’s somehow pretty hard to get reservations for, too. There’s nothing better than getting an awesome meal after a solid day of shuttling, but that’s not what happened today. With no car owners free to drive, it’s all about making a 3.5hr ride with two DH runs and a whole lot of pedaling. Got home around 8:30, and it still wasn't dark yet! The legs feel good!

Agost, Alicante, Spain.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v293/bicycleweed/IMG_1138.jpg

El Palomaret is about 5km from Agost, which is 12km from San Vicente, where I live. So that’s a 34km round trip just to get to the base, not counting the two runs I got in. It was about 5km to climb to the top, and the descent is probably half that, it’s steep. All in all, it was around a 50km ride, about 31 miles. On a 43 pound, single ring bike with a full face and no water. And lots of photo stops!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v293/bicycleweed/IMG_1091.jpg

There’s this cool bridge you pass over on the way to the base of the mountain. 1 lane the whole way; it’s less than 8 feet/3 meters wide.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v293/bicycleweed/IMG_1092.jpg

The final portion of the descent. Straight down hill. A kid died here a few years ago of massive blood loss when he broke his femur. He made it to the hospital still alive, but didn’t pull through.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v293/bicycleweed/IMG_1098.jpg

The view from nearly the top, at 850M (2,800 feet) above sea level.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v293/bicycleweed/IMG_1108.jpg

Check out the other two mountain I usually ride during the week, they’re tiny in comparison to this one.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v293/bicycleweed/IMG_1109.jpg

Remember that bridge? I found it with the telephoto.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v293/bicycleweed/IMG_1107.jpg

Cruising down.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v293/bicycleweed/Sequence.jpg


The view down the final portion. It’s a lot steeper than it looks.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v293/bicycleweed/IMG_1133.jpg

What the…, who designs these streets?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v293/bicycleweed/IMG_1136.jpg

After about 3 hours, I made it home. All in all, it was a good adventure. When you don’t have a car, and want to both explore and ride your bike, bicycles work wonders. Even if they aren’t meant for the style or riding you’re using them for, bikes are rad.

Rock on!

[BAH]

awesomeness defined

[splat]

I like that bridge that is cool!

[bikenweed]

ARG! Why is PhotoBucket not reducing the size of my images! ARG!!!!!!!!

Thanks to azonicbruce for the sequence edit.

I've never really noticed the bridge before today, I always thought it was an old one, but it's a very recent construction. That's baffling, as this is pretty much in the middle of nowhere.

I am pretty beat right now, it's 1:30am, and I just turned down an invite to watch a movie with a beautiful Spanish chick cuz I'm so tired. It was worth it, the ride was a good one.

[Skookum]

The view down the final portion. It’s a lot steeper than it looks.

That's what they ALL say....:rolleyes: ;)

Nothing better than finishing a big fat trail ride with some quality grub. You should get a camelbak, no water or food during a ride is way too harsh. Especially considering your riding the squeeling piggie bike around like that. Always gotta fuel the machine bro....

[Pat...]

Nice pictures! That looks like a fun area to ride. These ride reports really make me want to go exploring.

[bikenweed]

That's what they ALL say....:rolleyes: ;)

Nothing better than finishing a big fat trail ride with some quality grub. You should get a camelbak, no water or food during a ride is way too harsh. Especially considering your riding the squeeling piggie bike around like that. Always gotta fuel the machine bro....

Prehydrate. It's easier, cheaper, more efficient, and faster.

I drink about 3-4 liters of water before a ride, and am less thirsty than the backpack-wearing kids when we get to the bar.
On a big, hot day I might bring a water bottle in a jersey pocket.

I'm stoked that on the sequence you can see the elevation change pretty well. It's really hard in any photo to show steepness, especially with video. IMO it keeps DH out of the X Games/big sporting scene.