Autumn visit to Costa Blanca to join the Ladies in pink!

We were last in Costa Blanca in the spring. After 4 months in Brittany and 2 weeks in New Malden at the end of August, F&F waved “Bye Bye” to the cool northern European summer and set off back to Costa Blanca for a couple of months. The drive from Caen and through Western France, was horrendous under the beating rain. It is only when we reached Bordeaux that blue sky and fluffy clouds made their appearance. From there, it became hotter and hotter with every mile until we reached Torrevieja where  the thermometer in the shade under the balcony registered 30 degrees at 8 am. According to the locals July has been much hotter than usual with daily temperatures in the 40s. In previous years, such heat appeared only in August. As a result our 10-years' old orange bush has died, the very resilient yucca and lush money plant look quite desiccated. We normally come later in the year and enjoy milder temperatures.

Nonetheless on Wednesday Francoise set off on her “tractor” (ie. hybrid bike) to join Lynn and her cycling club at Quesada. At 11 o'clock, Lynn's bike computer showed high forties in the direct sun. Lynn had chosen a very suitable ride leading us along the canals, amongst the orange groves, a normally fresh and airy ride. Sharon like myself had just arrived from the UK and we ploughed on following the very tanned ladies who are full-time residents and who had cycled through the summer... whatever the heat! As a result they all are remarkably fit. I could not help wondering how I managed to climb Mont Ventoux in May. Although very flat this canal ride seemed far more difficult in the heat - probably the change of bike was no help. After a small incline we reached Torremendos for the first break. After enjoying cool cubes of melon, long cold drinks and refuelling the water bottles with fresh water, five ladies continued on to Pillar de la Horrada. Having ridden that hilly route in cooler days, three of us chose to turn back with a headwind most of the way. Strangely enough headwinds can be pleasant when it is really hot. It was perhaps a bit harder but so much cooler, somewhat like cycling towards a fan. The mileage and time taken are not worth recording...

Francoise

Most welcomed cool drinks.

Off to Pillar de la Horrada...