{"id":5247,"date":"2022-03-01T15:48:36","date_gmt":"2022-03-01T14:48:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cyclingdestination.cc\/?p=5247"},"modified":"2022-03-01T15:48:36","modified_gmt":"2022-03-01T14:48:36","slug":"cycling-in-gran-canaria-off-road-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cyclingdestination.cc\/en\/verhalen\/fietsen-op-gran-canaria-off-road","title":{"rendered":"Cycling off-road on Gran Canaria: part 2"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ruth Koops of \u2019t Jagt<\/a> was for our platform a week in the Canary Islands and specifically Gran Canaria<\/a>That this island can be a wonderful escape from reality is evident from the first part of her report, which appeared on Cycling Destination a while ago. Once again, there are beautiful tips and tricks. This time, let\u2019s go off-road and go for a nice walk on our own! Well, sometimes you just have to think outside the box. We are absolutely enthusiastic about this island and the possibilities for cycling and being active. Check out the report below. Enjoy reading! Cycling on Gran Canaria is also great off-road! Read the rest of this entry Part 2 here<\/a> and read the first report here<\/a>!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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MTB with Santiago <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

From the moment we step on the plane, we look forward to this Tuesday, with the butterflies of anticipation you felt as a child before your birthday. In the Netherlands, together on the mountain bike, we tackle the climbs and singletracks of Gieten Gasselte. So on our wish list for Gran Canaria<\/a> At any rate, we had one beautiful mountain bike tour, preferably with a guide. We still know very little about what awaits us exactly, so we definitely warned Santiago by text message. \u2018We are really recreational cyclists\u2019, we sent him. Fortunately, we received reassuring words back: \u2018Don\u2019t worry. The course is not steep. We will go down first and go up easily. If you get tired, I will recover you.\u2018 That\u2019s a relief. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"Kim<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Pick-up service<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Shortly after 9 a.m., Santiago picks us up in his van for Dunas, with his mountain bikes in the back. In just over an hour we drive over winding roads and past blooming almond trees to his \u2018countryhouse\u2019 Finca Nido de Aguilas, whose name means \u2018Dwarf\u2019s Nest\u2019. The house is located at more than 1500 meters, near the high-altitude Cruz de Tejeda, and was once built by his father and grandfather. As we get into the car, we notice the outside temperature drop from 25 degrees at the coast to a meager 12 degrees in the mountains. And then there\u2019s also a gusty Calimazo wind. As soon as we get out of the car, we immediately realize that we should have brought along a jacket or at least gloves besides the \u2018helmet, sunglasses and culotte\u2019. Fortunately, Santiago still has some spare clothes and has started packing a bit better, so we begin the first part of the route. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Breathtaking views<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

After a short stretch of climbing and descending, we come across a breathtaking viewpoint. The wind blows here so hard that I (with wind trauma<\/a> of the Mont Ventoux<\/a>) My helmet holds on tightly. In clear weather, you can see the Teide from here. Tenerife<\/a> We can see it lying there, but in recent weeks the Calima has been blowing too much dust into the atmosphere. We don't care. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

After about a kilometer or so, we leave the asphalt and enter a forest: the pine forest of Pinos de G\u00e1ldar. The road there goes up quite steeply almost immediately, but fortunately my chain \u2018saves\u2019 me when it falls off in the last gear. That gives us time to gather our courage. Santiago talks us through the native flora and shows us, among other things, the plant species Tajinastes, Tabaias, Mirtillo, Retamas and Cobezos. While Santiago then routinely reattaches my chain, Kim is already climbing up. I follow on shortly thereafter with the utmost effort. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Further up<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This is, in my opinion, the most beautiful way to cycle on Gran Canaria: climbing over the forest paths and swinging over the rocks up towards the top, surrounded by tall pine trees. Breathless, but with the focus that is necessary on unpaved paths. At the top of the short climb, Kim is waiting for me smilingly, assuming that we are only halfway through. But we turn out to be allowed to descend from here. Through the \u2018pine forest\u2019 a beautiful long, rolling descent follows. The first stretches are a bit steeper, but even for amateurs they are easy to handle. We bounce around the rocks with concentration and practice our \u2018piano fingers\u2019. That, according to Santiago, is the way to descend without cramping in your hands. He also teaches us that you can descend faster against our intuition, because that is actually easier than slowly and cautiously. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Read also:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Cycling on Gran Canaria: the ultimate place to escape the winter<\/a><\/blockquote>