Mallorca Road Journal: Part 2
In Part 1, I wrote that my interpretation of heaven is an endless climb — to be trapped in an infinite loop with a vanishing summit. Perhaps I need to explain why?
To me, climbing at threshold is meditation: jersey unzipped, jaw down, sweat rolling, and my pendant tick-tocking in sync with my cadence like a hypnotic metronome. The focus required to maintain this effort demands all of my consciousness (meditation).
Climbing in this manner achieves a mentally clear and calm state. There are no external thoughts to the act of doing: ideas, problems, to-do lists, or memories.
You know when you are climbing and think, "This hurts. I wish it were over."? But then you get to the top and think, "That was brilliant. I can't wait to do it again." — to me, inner peace sits in the middle. It hurts, but it's a good hurt.
Adding other riders into the equation disrupts the balance, as it will inevitably turn into a race (but this dynamic holds another world of enjoyment).
Day 4:
Descending the Puig Major felt 'endless', let alone the climb. "The Pig" is a great mountain to find equilibrium, as it's the longest on the island: 14km, 830m elevation, and a steady 6% gradient (from Soller to Tunel de Monnaberthe).
I still prefer Sa Calobra to the Puig Major. It has more character, better views, and winding hairpins — like a Scalextric track laid by a sugar-filled, overly ambitious, imaginative kid — but you can't come to Mallorca without paying your respects to the Puig.
I had a fair bit of volume in my legs from the previous days and weeks but laid down what I could.
I left our villa at sunrise with a pocket full of bars, gels, chews, a 500ml bottle of VIVO electrolytes, a large carton of coconut water (another great source of electrolytes) and some freshly squeezed orange juice from the trees in our villa. You have to be self-sufficient on dawn patrol, as everything is closed. That's why I take cartons, so I can drink them first, then throw them in a recycling bin — saving my bottles for the ride back.
In the morning shadows, I was already riding “full Schleck” (jersey open) to cool down. It’s easy to become dehydrated while climbing in the heat. You have to replenish your fluids, salts and energy — especially if you are riding for consecutive days. You perform and recover better when you fuel and hydrate before, top-up during, and refuel after each ride.
Fitness is ultimately about your ability to recover, and under fuelling is the fastest way to destroy all of your efforts.
Thankfully, the final descent of the Coll de Femenia slung me back into Pollença. I collapsed poolside with a recovery shake before jumping in to cool down. I wish all rides ended this way.
4hrs in the bank. Now to enjoy the day. I’d booked lunch at Restaurant Es Guix, a little spot hidden in the woods below the Sierra de Tramuntana (between the Coll de Femenia and Sa Calobra) with a blue lagoon.
After some Mallorcan almond cake, we took a dip. The pool is stream-fed by the water table of the surrounding mountains — which means the water is freezing. We sat and dipped our legs in. The ice-cold water flushed the dull ache from my morning ride. When I stood up, my legs felt brand new.
As you submerge in cold water, your blood vessels contract and then slowly dilate when you get out, and your temperature rises — which improves blood flow. I dived in and reemerged, completely refreshed and invigorated. This "ice-bath-like" pool is magic after a big training block.
Day 5:
A bit of “roll for the soul” was in order, so another trip to Formentor to recover and soak up the sunrise.
Formentor is not just a great cycling destination. There is a great beach to kick back and relax — so as soon as I got back from my ride, we made a picnic and jumped in the car to head straight back.
La Mar Dolça is the best coffee shop on the island and the only place in Pollença that has Oatly Barista (for the fellow oat milk lovers out there). They also make the best empanadas, so we stopped by on the way for some iced coffee and additional picnic snacks.
The water at Formentor is gin clear, and the perfect temperature for swimming. Baby loved it and started wriggling as soon as Becky began floating. The beach is nice and quiet on the left side. However, if European techno music and beers at 10am is more your thing, turn right.
After a day of sun, sea and sand, we headed to the infamous roadie hangout, Tolo's, in Port de Pollença, for the early bird special (being an early riser, I am used to having dinner with the toddlers and pensioners).
There is a reason why gaggles of cyclists flock to Tolo's. They produce enormous bowls of delicious, calorific food, and the restaurant is full of cycling relics to help whet your appetite.
To fully embrace the Tolo's experience, try the "Wiggins Pappadelle," made with sautéed mushrooms, pecorino, fresh vegetables, and truffle oil (it's fantastic). But the best dish on the menu has to be the crab and lobster ravioli.
I’ll leave you here salivating.
I hope these recommendations help if you’re planning a trip to Mallorca. I have a few more up my sleeve for the third and final part of my Mallorca Road Journal, namely the best helado🍦.
G