So the recommended route from our bike renter was up to Banyola and then heading east towards Alaro via Orient. The boys were too hungover so went solo again but opted for doing the 5k 400m Soller Col which I had claimed in reverse the day before. I got there in the pouring rain but stopped the clock and then went for it. 17 minutes later I made it to the top a whopping 7 minutes behind the pro rider Michal Kiwiatkowski. That is a ridiculous time.
Then descended through the mist taking a left turn to Banyola but messed up as should have then headed toward the Orient but instead went the direction to Inca. 30ks later I realised my mistake and then tried to circle back but punctured literally in the middle of no where. So 10 minutes of struggle I change the tube only for the second one to blow. Holy crap I was stuck. I really had no clue what to do and so called Mo and O but neither were picking up and then looked anxiously at my watch with the time approaching 5 and 1 more hour of day light.
Then I got really lucky and perhaps karma played a role but after 9 cars sped by (despite my efforts to waive them down) the 10th car finally stopped. It was a family surely with better things to be doing on a Saturday arvo. Nick (the dad) was an absolute gent. 'Ok so the bike shops are closed' he said 'so there is no alternative other than for you to come home with us and I will give you a new tube'. I could not believe my luck so I got in with kids and all. The family must have been thinking who thebhwll is this guy?
We drove the 10 minutes to their idyllic sandstone village (Santa Eugenia) at the foot of the mountains and with no hesitation. They duly let me (a total stranger) into their home and put my mind at ease. 10 minutes later the puncture was fixed. Nick (a fellow rider from York who has been living here for 10 years and mrried to a lovely Spanish lady) is a fellow rider later said that he'd hope that karma would play its role gain and someone would some day rescue him. We swapped email addresses and I promised I'd look him up the next time I was here. I need to send a thank you pacakage as well.
In good spirits I hammered it home averaging 35kmh all the way back to Palma trying racing the daylight - there was more drama as whilst doing 45kmh I bounced against a passing car which scared me shitless - I am still not sure how I stayed upright.
On the way home it got me thinking that there is always a silver lining in adversity. The silver lining being that I had met an amazing family which I would never had done had it not been for the puncture.
Nice chat with O back at the flat sharing war stories over a glass a red and then off for Pizza with Stevie and Mo. A massive day in the mountains tomorrow.
Routes:
https://www.strava.com/activities/752456563
https://www.strava.com/activities/752567797
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