2020...When almost every Mallorquin dusted off their bike and took to the roads

It's been an interesting year in Mallorca! just as the Cycling Season was due to begin, the island went into retreat and we all know why.

All forms of exercise except dog walking were off the agenda. Thankfully Mallorca saw a mere fraction of the cases reported on the Mainland and as such it was amongst the first to relax the rules. We were allowed to ride within our municipalities - mine being Bunyola - which gave me access to the Col of Soller and Col D'honour/Orient with a morning window and then an evening window.  Limited for sure but a lot better than nothing.

When the Island fully reopened it appeared that every Mallorquin dusted off their bike and took to the roads - healthy behaviours being a great way to buffer onself. Instead of the Mallorca standard of large groups of CycloTourists from all over the world,  the assumption amongst riders was that if you were riding you were local and/or Mallorquin. Whether you were overtaking or being overtaken you could expect a resonant Bon Dia! Being from the UK it felt a little disingenuous to partake however it was a great improvement on the prior silence.

As the various governments relaxed and then re-tightened their rules around the world, though open for business the Island never regained momentum in terms of bookings. Though again Mallorca had significantly lower figures on the European Scale than the mainland we got categorised as Spain, which was the nail in the coffin. 

The upside has been empty roads without all the stop/start rental cars with cell phones poking out of the windows which has frankly been a godsend. The dedicated coffee stops that are open include Cycling Planet, Sa Ruta Verde and Sa Mola 13 with reduced hours. Many of the bike shops are still open but operating at a reduced capacity. Boris at Kilometro Cero in Soller will always have a big smile and an exquisite bike for you.

Life goes on as they say, on the one hand we are making the most of the situation whilst keenly anticipating a return to some semblance of New Normal.