We are all fired up for week 2. Week 1 campers carry a litte fatigue in their legs but are excited about new adventures after a great first week. New campers arrive with nervous hesitations after hearing the stories but ready to see it first hand.

The first day of riding took us to San Salvador where Easter celebrations were still taking place (see pics of smokey bar b ques). It was a flat arrival to a ~ 5km climb made up of nice gradual switchbacks. Albeit a little bit of long day, ~120 km, for the new campers,  still one that provided all the material from the cycling stories they have heard and read prior to arrival.

Tuesday, brought the "Orient Express" and onto the Lluc Monestary. The riding up to the Orient climb is spectacular and grade and speed that everyone could take it all in and enjoy together. Once we hit the climb everyone had to climb at their own pace. It's another 5 km climb but winds through trees with almost zero traffic making it an intense drill or a nice social outing.

Lluc provided climbs to newer heights, more open road riding but the traffic is so respectful of riders that is is always 2 abreast and steady chit chat until the grades get to steep, then riders go t their own pace and meet at the top for pics.

The Coastal Classic, this provides the same lead up anxiety as an Ironman. Its a 140 km to 165 km ride with an enormous amount of climbing but the most beautiful scenery you'll find on the Island. Check out video of Chris McNeil through Deia and other pics along the coast. Also included is another stint on the infamous SaCalobra. I took a turn this go round making for a full self destructive day. As cycling fitness has declined to a certain degree over the past couple of years I pick my spots more for my turns working with group one. I told Chris Thursday that I would ride as hard as I could for as long as I could and then he would be on his own. Although he was detroying me km by km I managed to stay within striking distance until SaCalobra, for the 11 km cement snake climb. Coming out of the climb and heading into the final 45 km to home I died a slow death.

Plans were altered somewhat with the fatigue and a chance of rain on Saturday. We shortened our ride to ~90km to Sineu and had some fun on the velodrome track. It was a great time, after doing some teaching on the workings of the track, cyclists organized themselves into teams and we had a variety of team pursuit races. It made for a super fun day with soem disguised intervals. Because of the threat of rain for Saturday our Finale ride into Petra for the famous cakes was tacked on to todays Sineu  adventure. It worked out well as Petra provided te best it could with a Plaza full of cyclists from all over the world, what a spectacle.