First real cycling day:
Mijas Pueblo – Alhaurín el Grande – Coín – Guaro – Monda – Marbella.
Riding through the mountains solo has its charm – calm, almost peaceful without the pressure of keeping pace in a group.
I could stop whenever I wanted, take in the views, make a photo or two.
According to Garmin, I hit a personal climbing record today: 1 797 meters in a single ride.
The whole route came in at 98 km. For someone like me, that’s a lot of climbing.
The sun was out all day, only hiding behind a few scattered clouds now and then.
I could’ve done without the final stretch from Marbella to Fuengirola – but still, what a great day. 🙂
The first climb starts right at the corner of the hotel and stretches 5.5 km uphill.
By the time you reach the top, Garmin says 428 meters of elevation gained – and you’re right in the heart of Mijas Pueblo. Winter legs aren’t loving it…
With no warm-up, an average gradient close to 8% and a final stretch hitting 15%, it’s a rude awakening. Not having anything easier than a 34-28 gear combo adds to the pain, but it works.
The road up is two lanes wide and, this time of year, pleasantly quiet. Drivers are patient and give space – everyone’s respectful.
This is where the cycling really begins. Even in the off-season, there are quite a few of us out here.
At the roundabout in Mijas, you make your choice – every road from here goes uphill, except the one back home.
Today’s route takes me to Coín via Alhaurín el Grande. The view as I roll along the mountainside is breathtaking. I decide to risk a quick stop for a photo… In Alhaurín el Grande I get my first real downhill. It’s steep, right in the middle of the village, with lots of cars and a rough road…
The brakes are definitely working hard.
Heading toward Coín, the road remains quiet, and the drivers are still nice. I’m starting to realize I know my map pretty well – the road signs are spot on.
The GPS is only really needed in the villages – and even that’s pushing it.
Coín is a bit bigger, and I briefly consider stopping for coffee, but with only 25 km behind me, I decide to wait.
Next up: Guaro.
A few kilometers of easier climbing after Coín. I turn left toward the town center to find that coffee. Just a few hundred meters in, I find a little bodega. I stop, and before I know it, someone speaks to me in Swedish…
Yeah, it’s hard to miss where I’m from in the HCK kit. A group of people from Kungälv are sitting there in the small mountain village.
They thought I was crazy, of course, and even offered me a ride back! But they were all very friendly.
The coffee was excellent and only 1€ – and that included free WiFi. 😉 So, if you ever pass through Guaro, take a left at the roundabout and head to the bodega.
Shortly after Guaro, I stop for a quick photo…
Then it’s more climbing, winding up toward Monda.
Somewhere here, I make a wrong turn, heading toward Ojén/Marbella, riding on the wrong side of the mountain. That route was in my plan but for another day. Good thing I went over the map so thoroughly, I still know exactly where I am.
I realize my mistake when I see the sign for Refugio de Juanar. The serpentine road leads as close to the top of the mountain as you can get on a road bike. That’s also part of the route I had planned for another time.
I make a quick decision – I’m riding it today. 7.5 km, average 5%, that works. This ride is actually a little shorter since I went the wrong way.
After 1 km, common sense kicks in. I’m out of water and almost out of food. I’m nearly at the descent and the final flat stretch of the ride.
I turn back…
and begin the descent toward Marbella.
Note to self: Most of the road is shaded by the mountain, so I should’ve put on my sleeves and zipped up my vest – it’s cold!
A couple of kilometers in, I find a viewpoint, stop, layer up, and take a bunch of photos…
I’m now about 425 meters above sea level. Traffic has picked up here – it’s clear Marbella is getting closer. But still, everyone’s being very considerate.
In the last 4 kilometers downhill, the sun finally reaches my side of the road, and it’s pure downhill magic.
Once I reach Marbella, I briefly think about stopping for a bite to eat, but decide to press on and do the last 40 flat kilometers to Fuengirola.
Big mistake. The last 40 km turn into a nightmare.
I’ve ended up riding on what’s not quite a highway, but it’s treated like one. The traffic is unforgiving.
I ask around and look for alternate routes, but it’s either the A7 or the AP-7/E15. The latter is out of the question – it actually is a highway.
For 40 km, it’s a slow ride on a narrow, gravelly shoulder, tightly hugging the guardrail. Alternating between riding on the shoulder and the rough lines of the road, 100% concentration is required. A wobble could mean disaster. No one slows down or moves over, even when the left lane is wide open.
Just a few kilometers before Fuengirola, I hit the wall – mentally and physically. Breakfast was over 8 hours ago, and since then, it’s just been coffee and a few energy bars with way too little fuel. I’ve forgotten some of the food I should have packed…
A quick stop at a gas station, a few deep breaths to lower the stress. A chocolate bar.
I finish the last stretch into Fuengirola and roll along the promenade back to the hotel…
