I really enjoy spending time in Tenerife. The gorgeous African sun just soothes my aching bones so much. I flew out there a few weeks ago, not to see Jay Lo headlining the Cook Music Fest in Santa Cruz, but to get my trusty Triumph Speed serviced and put some miles on her, running the gauntlet, slipping effortlessly though the gears, exploring the deserts, forests, parks and beaches on the most exciting mode of transport invented.
‘Because of you, I am stronger, wiser,’ Lopez belted out. ‘Better than I’ve ever been.’
This is what Jay Lo sang in her first time performed revenge song, dedicated to a recent, unnamed ex boyfriend (Ben Affleck?), but it rang true with me. It is easy to blame the accident which crippled me, or figure it has made me stronger. This is true. I am not the person I was before the car crash. It has taken me a while to figure out how to achieve things with my disability, but I will still get things done. Maybe a little slower, not quite as well, but I will do my best. That is all I can hope for. That is all I can give.
First day out, I take the road North to Santa Cruz, skirting the massive stage for the Cook Music Festival and heading past the massive docks, where goods and tourists disembark to support the massive tourist industry here. I arrive at Playa Las Teresitas, a beautiful, white sand beach further North than Santa Cruz. The sand is imported (most sand up North is black) and the water is clean and clear. There is plenty of parking and enough beach bars to keep tourists and locals smiling. I take a Coke Zero before heading across the mountains to a great surfing beach I love called Benijo. The road takes me through the incredible Anaga Rural Park.
I ride long, winding roads through majestic laurel trees, towering peaks, and peculiar cloud formations. I ride alone and carefree with my worries left bejind. The blues, purples and greens of the stretching landscapes fill my vision, and the sweet aromas of the vegetation and flora keep me fresh and alert.
This is Parque Rural de Anaga -the Anaga Rural Park. A fantastic park, loved by adventurers from all around. Hikers, pedal bikers, motorcyclists, travel here to explore, exercise and relax.There are many little hamlets dotted around the North West and soon I am cutting through a mountain tunnel to drop down through the lookout point at El Bailadero into Taganana. In the past, it was the local center of wine and sugar cane production, which still happens, but fishing and catering are now catered for too.
I travel further to Playa de Benijo, which is a wild beach with black sand and great surf. Just up the road, there is a great little bar, with great langoustines and plenty more on the menu, with a beautiful, panoramic view of the surfing beach below and the rugged coastline. But the car park is chained closed. Aw man! I really hope that this is a one off as this is one of my favourite stops on the island.
I take a little walk, waste some lazy time, before I head back to Taganana to another great beach bar for some grilled pork, peppers and mushrooms.
I then head back up the mountain, over to San Cristóbal de La Laguna, the first city of Tenerife and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The old part of the city is beautiful. I stop for a cup of tea and look around the breathtaking buildings. The cathedral here is awesome, I highly recommend a visit. Sadly my phone is dead, so I could not take photos, but I am sure you can find pics online. Better still, take a visit.
The sun starts to draw and Islide into the evening traffic out of town to my comfy bed in Puerto de la Cruz.
So,before bed, I pop down to Molly Malones on the harbour, for refreshment and entertainment and plan the rest of my time here. It really had to be done! Brendon does a great job there. And he, like me, loves the Saw Doctors.
The next day, the Triumph is in for it’s first service. On the travel back, I really marvel at the fact that is is so much faster now. It is too late to do along trip today, so I am planning a trip across Teide down South for the morning.
There is a deep routed beauty in the Canarian miles leading through La Orotava into Teide National Park, another UNESCO World Heritage site and home of Spain’s highest peak. La Orotava offers stunning views of Teide and the surrounding valley, and is known for its historic architecture, gardens, and the annual Corpus Christi festival.
The Corpus Christi festival in La Orotava, Tenerife, is renowned for its elaborate, ephemeral carpets (alfombras) made of flowers and sand, particularly a large sand carpet created in the town square using volcanic sand from Teide National Park. These “alfombras” are laid out along the streets of the historic quarter, forming intricate religious and artistic designs, a tradition dating back centuries and recognized as a Cultural Heritage Asset.
I have never attended, but it is on the to-do list.
I shoot through the cool, cloud layer and travel up and into the mountain desert. Lizards skit-scatter across the tarmac in front of my bike, through the sandy dust peppering the way. I really love this road. It feels engrained in my DNA as my Triumph eats up the twisty miles over the top of the volcano and more tight hairpins down to Los Cristianos.
I had heard of a secluded beach near Los Cristianos where turtles come to visit. This is where I am heading. I park up amongst the gorgeous, beachside bungalows and apartments, and I head to the sandy beach. I sit at a little beach bar shack and catch my breath.
I speak to some of the locals and they say there are no turtles today. I am disappointed, but I can visit again.
There is a magnificent, viking style boat in the bay, a party boat. I can see noisy youngsters jumping from the boat into the water, generally having the time of their lives. I wish them well, but it is obvious why the turtles are staying away from the noise.
I travel back to Puerto, through Santiago del Teide, and over the mountain to Icod de los Vinos, which is only a short run home. The road is a windy one, and for the first time this trip, I catch the rain. It is mostly breaking theorugh the cloud, and it is refreshing after all the bright sunshine.
Rain is never the bikers friend, but it is necessary. It adds a difficulty to the journey, but I add more care to my riding and I travel down to the coast, to more sunshine.
Half an hour more, I bike into Puerto, park my Triumph and rub my tired eyes.
I am flying home in the morning, so I head over to the Cuban bar opposite for a Cervesa (or two) and Croquettas.
I have had a fantastic time here, I am extremely fortunate.
I consider myself lucky for all manner of reasons, it is often pointed out to me. It is amazing though, the harder I worked, the luckier I got.
