An early departure (8.30am) means that we are the only group at the hotel reception start point. However, Stuart's group has grown in size again, there are now 14 of us!
It's at least 30 miles to coffee, and most of this ride we stick to the Garmin route. However, at Selma there is more map consultation and unfortunately we diverge from the Garmin route.
This does not end well for Deborah, who is on the front and approaching a very confusing junction with poor visibility, doesn't know which way to go, receives conflicting shouts from behind and ends up taking a slow tumble off the bike. She has bloodied knees is a bit shaky, but get straight back on her bike - she is tough!
Before the coffee stop we have the Col d'Orient to tackle! Although not as long as Lluc it is much hotter today, and I think we all find that the heat is a bit of an issue.
However, we make the top and have a partial group photo.
Don who has joined us today, makes a similar mistake to Roy, and leads a few others off to coffee without waiting for the group photo.
But the rest of us aren't far behind and the coffee stop is delightful.
After coffee we have a few issues with one of the "cafe locks". It jams completely, but the cafe shop owner has a handy pair of wire cutters available to sort us out. I think he has seen this issue a few times before!
We have another small (ish!) climb before lunch and the views are simply stunning. In fact most of the day the scenery is awesome, and with beautiful blue skies it makes today really special.
We then have a glorious (but slightly technical descent) into Bunyola for lunch.
Two unfortunate factors combine - the group heads into a shady cafe rather than the sunny square, and Lesley is last down the hill (most unusually). And this ends up with us losing Lesley.
Stuart and Shaun head off to find Lesley, and with the help of technology we are all soon reunited.
After lunch we are cycling along a road known to cyclists as the water pipe. A long straight flat road, great for riding as a chain.
There are 14 of us, so a bit too large a group to work properly, but we give it a go and it works successfully (with a minor detour when we find a road closure mid-route).
After riding 30 miles after lunch non-stop and fast, Stuart reckons we need some refreshment to help get us home. 14 lemon fantas are ordered, and we listen up as Stuart tells us how well we have done today!
Due to some weird cycling law of sod, there is a puncture immediately after the cafe stop.
Mel and Nigel fix the puncture whilst the rest of us hide in the shade and look longingly at alternative cycling transportation.
Quite soon after that puncture, Stuart also has a puncture. Fortunately, Steve is at the back with Stuart and they have quite a tricky repair to fix, as the tyre is shredded. The rest of the group are quite far ahead as it took a while to find a safe place to stop. Shaun volunteers to go back and take extra inner tubes as the return journey is going to be precarious with the state of the tyre. The rest of us head back to the hotel and arrive without further incident.
Bikes are abandoned and we head straight to the pool bar.
Stuart and Shaun are not far behind and we have two large cold beers waiting for them. Shaun has been feeling poorly today, so he has definitely earned this beer!
Deborah has a medicinal beer to help aid the recovery of her knee. It appears to work really well, as in this picture the wound is hardly visible!
I then enjoy telling the story of how I pulled past Laura on a small incline and turn and say "is that all you've got Coops?". Laura is the queen of the mountain in our group, so very surprising that I was able to do this. I'll never be queen of the mountain, but I was queen of the motorway flyover!
As this picture was taken we reminded ourselves of how to pose for a picture. "Teeth and tits" went the cry. I then turned to Laura again and said "is that all you've got Coops?" Oh dear. Time for another beer anyone?!
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