Ride Report: Xplore Experiences Massif Central #AquíNoHayPlaya
Posted By Gravel Union
On 4 August 2021
Shimano Gravel Alliance rider Ibai Fradejas sent us this fantastic ride report from Xplore Experiences’s latest gravel event in Spain. As the hashtag suggests, you’ll find no beaches here, just mountains. Sign us up for next year!
If you are a fan of gravel biking and want to ride some of the best routes in Spain, look no further than Xplore Experiences. You may have heard of some of our past events —
IV Lands, a 300km gravel route that crosses four different provinces through Spanish wine country, starting with a ride up to a ski resort at 2000m and climbing several mountains before descending to a medieval monastery built in 1054. Or
II Deserts, an epic bike tour through two deserts of Spain—the
Monegros and
Las Bardenas Reales.
Our eagerness to explore led us this time to the Sierra de Madrid. Known mainly as a weekend and winter sports destination, in summer it reveals its other side—a green and spectacular landscape full of hills. With the help of
komoot, we discovered endless zigzagging and nearly empty trails which were ideal for gravel bikes.
Inspired by the gravel adventure potential in these natural landscapes, we decided to organise a trip here together with our friends from Lighthouse Cycling. We named the event Massif Central with the motto #AquíNoHayPlaya or #HereThereIsNoBeach.
It was a perfect weekend to recharge from our busy lives, including everything from moments of pedalling at maximum power and stops to photograph the surroundings, to sweat-inducing hard climbs and heart-stopping descents on tracks in good condition. The main goal was to be in the saddle for most of the weekend, but leaving enough space to enjoy good meals, meet new riders, and laugh with old friends over a beer.
We won the game of exploring outside of our comfort zone, even when the inclines were steep and the downhill sections were back-breaking and twisting. Despite the mountainous motto of the event, on Sunday morning we actually found an artificial beach by the lake to cool off. When it was finally time to go home at the end of a few days of riding, we all came back a little more optimistic about life.
Thanks to everyone who took part in this weekend!