Monchique! It is a mountain to the North East of Lagos. When I say I have ridden it, people are very impressed but they think I actually go up the mountain. No way. I kill myself enough just taking the road that provides access to the mountain road.
In 2016 I tried a couple times from the East, counter clockwise, and never made it. In 2017 I finally succeeded but it was a Sunday and I had a terrible time finding lunch. In 2018 I tried the first day in rain without my phone maps from the West counter clockwise and made it but did not eat lunch, took the wrong way down, even had a flat! On the second day I made sure I had my phone, had a nice lunch, etc. So, the idea, if I can, is to do Monchique from the West the first 2 days and then never think of it again.
The start for me is from this windmill just outside of Odiaxere:
Signs:
Hills:
The flower that was everywhere during the whole trip:
A man car camping along side a lake:
The windmills:
Finally the signs at the top. I still have 8 Killometers until lunch but the brunt of the climbing is over:
This bus stop is in Marmelete. It saved my psychie on the rain ride in 2018. I was able to camp out for a litle while.
Right across the street is the place I finally had lunch on the first successful climb in 2017.
And a little further down the road is a place that had no room for me on that hungry 2017 trip
Finally at lunch!
Most descriptions in these pages are written weeks after the event but occasionally we are treated to some real time commentary:
Experiencing happiness from the jaws of defeat. With terrible panting and mental control I made it up the 3 bad uphill pitches from Odiaxere toward monchique but died on the 4th which is not really steep but goes on and on and on. I walked twice. If I had confronted this earlier in the ride, it might have been doable. But after pant breathing etc on 1 2 3, I have no mental reserve to keep suffering. I will never do this again until I can get a even more granny gear than I asked for.
But now I am seated in the restaurant of my dreams. I am on my second 1/2 liter of house white. I have spoken to the Canadians at the table next to me and tried to help them find my favorite restaurant Solar Do Farelo. I have been given a taste of the pork dish by my new neighbors. I am ready to do this again tomorrow??? Some terrible experiences leave a indelible mark on me and others do not? What will be my mental attitude as I remount! I have to mention the sun! You can see I am sitting in it! I have the helmet in the place of honor, trying to dry it out!
The above notes were written in the restaurant and the below once I am back in Lagos:
At the moment, 9pm lagos, my idea is to continue in the obsessive compulsive tradition and reride monchique for a second day. I certainly was tempted to change anything possible. Maybe ride in the opposite direction. At of this writing I am inclined to repeat! I will just walk #4 again. In fact I could ride #4, it is not that steep I think.
Friday, back to Monchique. A tree on the way up:
1pm, back at my lunch spot:
What a difference a day makes. I almost collapsed getting to lunch. I felt I was about to fall asleep! Throw up! I had to stop over and over on the last 9k after I had taken the right across the top of the valley. I am sucking down the water as fast as I can now at lunch but still feel shaky. Hard to type. I did ask for and got the seat in the sun.
Just remembered my first date in NYC freshman year. Mama leonies and the play The Fantastics! It had been running off Broadway for many years.
It is now 2pm. I have been here 30 minutes. I will certainly stay another 30, have dessert and hope I can get my body back to functioning but does not feel great yet! Maybe I will have to put on another layer from my back pack. Can’t afford any energy going to keeping me warm as I need all the energy possible going to my brain. I have to get the name of this restaurant. Third time here. Once back in 2017 does not count as it was Sunday and they were too busy to serve me. Maybe I should know about “easily processed carbs”. Maybe fruit is best? I am trying chocolate moose. The sun goes in and out. I would like to ask the waitress to keep it out but one imagines that the humor might be lost in the translation. My stomach does feel full now, god knows what the ride home will be like. I do have a couple of minor hills. End of at the time notes.
On this second day I walked 3 times. The first two on pitches that I made it up Thursday and then once on the last pitch that did me in yesterday. Thursday I counted 4 hills and today there were a lot more! What can I say?
A little scenery on the way down:
