Gaby Book 26 On The Edge by Maddy Bell Copyright© 2021 Madeline Bell Seventeen - it's a birthday overshadowed by its predecessor and successor and Gaby's looks set to follow that pattern. There are however big decisions to be made, should she grab life by the horns and experience everything it has to offer or take the more conservative, safer route through life. This volume, the 26th in the Gaby series has all the elements of classic Gaby, bike riding, teenage angst, developing relationships, grist to the mill for our heroine as life in the Ahrtal ticks on.

 
At least there was no dress code tonight which is just as well as we were running things a bit tight by the time we got back to the Hotel las Águilas, after having to wait nearly fifteen minutes for a taxibus. I guess we could've just got two cars but we're not made of money you know. Anyhow, we had long enough to dump our shopping, get cleaned up, I did swap my cami and shorts for a sun dress, just because we don't have to dress up doesn't mean we have to look like slobs.

"Enjoy the film?” Mum asked when I joined the olds table.

I'm not sure if it was intentional but the usual junior/senior separation wasn't happening, the Rents, Tina and Erika had space so I found myself sharing the extra chairs with Daz.

"It was okay.”
"Just okay?” Dad queried.
"There were some good fights Mr Bond,” Daz supplied.

I couldn't help myself, I started to titter.

"Whats so funny Gab,” Erika asked.
"Er nothing.”
"So what did you see?” Tina enquired.
"The new Bond film,” Daz advised, "Ah, got it now Gab, Mr Bond.”

I used to get some ribbing about being Bond back in Warsop but nowhere near as much as Jules did, yeah, J Bond, why don't parents think more when they give out names? There actually was a Theresa Green and a Richard Head at Warsop College too, I mean, thats just cruel.

"So what did you guys see?” I asked Mum, we hadn't seen them but that doesn't mean much.
"We went down but Anita spotted a bowling alley so we went there instead.”
"Bowling, that woulda been cool,” Daz opined.

It would, I can't remember the last time I did that, theres an alley in Bonn but i've never been, might suggest it to the Angels.
 

My previous experience of Tapas was at the Vuelta Catalunya last summer, you remember, right after the doping episode. That was at a restaurant, nice though it was, it tended to a bit oily and like Tali said earlier, there wasn't really enough of anything. Dunno what the hotel chefs thought of Kat's menu but her version was like a homemade burger compared to a Big Mac™.

For the uninitiated, Tapas is essentially a selection of small servings of main courses, you usually have three or four each which is great for trying different stuff but a bit frustrating if you like something. Kat's version was definitely lower on the oil content and instead of individual plates, each table had tureens of the various components on a self serve basis. It was of course made up of the usual suspects, paella, patatas bravas, tortilla, fritters, salad, croquettes and assorted seafood.

My opinion of Kat's skills as team dietitian went up a notch as the dishes were delivered by the wait staff. We didn't have plates yet so we sat, mouths watering surveying the food.

"Told you it was Tapas with a twist Gab,” Kat smirked coming over to our table.
"So what've we got Kat?” Erika asked.
"You recognise some I'm sure, the croquettes are with goat cheese and pepper, prawns with garlic and chilli, anchovie salad, I think Hering fritters, there is something with ham too. Ah here are your plates, enjoy.”
"Thanks Kat,” Dad mentioned before Pinger moved on to the next table.
"Well I don't know about you lot,” Mum started, "But I think Kat's excelled this time.”
"Proof is in the eating,” Tina noted.

With the newly arrived plates there was nothing to delay distribution, for several minutes the table was a sea of spoons, dishes, plates and food as we each added stuff to our preference. Whilst it was tempting to load up with what you know I went for the 'try everything' approach, Tapas stylee but all on one plate. There was a good balance of tastes, nothing overwhelming and even if I'm not a big fish eater, I enjoyed it all.

There was certainly plenty available, people dipping in for more of their favourites emptied some dishes faster than others but everyone had their fill. The follow on sorbet didn't need to be much to do its job, there were smiles all round as the tables were cleared, you wouldn't want it every day but if this is healthy food, well maybe a few less pommes wouldn't be so bad.
 

I cracked an eye to see the time, seven o'clock, urgh. Its our last riding day, tomorrow we variously catch planes or ferries to return to our normal lives. Daz'll go back to England until the race season starts, I'll be back in college Monday, the seniors have some racing around the Med, yup back to normal. Seven o'clock, guess i'd best shake a leg, don't want to be late for breakfast.

Half an hour later and I wasn't the first, or the last down for breakfast, beyond the air conditioned interior the morning was already warming, the Atlantic, just a kilometre or so away, already reflecting the almost cloud free azure sky.

"So what's the crack with this ride today hen?” Josh's query, breaking my musing.
"Eh? Oh morning J, er dunno, something about a big group ride?”
"Aye that's what Bossman said, thought you might have the inside from your dad.”
"As if, I find stuff out on a need to know basis.”
"And ye don't need to know,” the Toon finished for me. "Oh well, it can't be as bad as all those reps yesterday.”
"Tell me about it,” I agreed.

Yeah, they might be a useful training aid but they really suck, like big style.
 

"Listen up people,” Dad called across the gathered masses, "Few pointers on todays ride. Number one, it is not a race, I know there will be some riders out there who think it is, try not to get dragged into any petty rivalries, its meant to be a relaxing fun ride to round out everyones week. Remember we are on public roads so be aware of other traffic, the authorities might be quite pro bike but they don't take kindly to mickey takers.
Mike and myself will act as service, the girls will go with George along to Hildago Point where we'll have a short break before the return. I think there will be one or two other teams with a similar arrangement. There will be a number of private riders joining in, don't assume everyone else has your level of competence.

We leave at fifteen to nine, questions?”
"How far is it?” Tali requested.
"About a hundred K Tali, anyone else?” no one spoke up, well the briefing was fairly informative, Dad went into his conclusion, "Okay, Pet wanted me to remind you about sunscreen, the wind can be quite cutting along the coast, she'll have some at lunch but get some on this morning eh. Right, we'll see you at the bikes in,” he checked his watch, "Thirty minutes.”

 
We rolled down into Puerto de la Cruz, a tight formation of shiny bikes and pretty faces, well apart from the lads! It might be informal but clearly it was no secret, we reached the gathering point at the lighthouse car park to find something like a hundred other cyclist already there. Like Dad said, it was a wide spectrum, club and team groups, some rather keen looking individuals, others who looked like they'd struggle to get much beyond the town.

Dad came over to where our lot were gathered ready for the off.

"Be careful out there and enjoy yourselves.”

He scurried back to the bus, Mum calling for our attention instead.

"Guys, I think if we try to stick together it'll help control things along the road, at least until we stop, yeah?”
"Sounds good Jen,” Anita agreed.
"Looks like there's some movement, time to rock an' roll ladies.”

A few riders were already moving away before the start was sounded by, I'm guessing the lighthouse foghorn, it was flippin' loud anyway. The excited murmur of the assembled riders was quickly replaced by the familiar clicking of cleats into pedals, admonishments of others abilities or otherwise and a gentle surge out onto the road. Team Apollinaris were quickly organised into a double line of cream, blue and rainbow striped jerseys sailing along amidst the morass of bikes.

The first couple of kilometres were always going to be a bit chaotic as we threaded our way around the town centre and out onto the main TF-31 road. The speed was quite high, clearly some riders hadn't taken the note on it not being a race, the effect though was a bringing of some order as a fast moving train is no place to get isolated. A few riders made herculean efforts to move up the order, as many slipped back the other way.

It was never going to all hold together, this mega chaingang, by the time we passed under the motorway there were two distinct groups separated by maybe a hundred metres. We joined TF-217 and I started to recognise stuff from last week, a house there, a parked truck on a forecourt. Things settled down and we found ourselves part of a rotation of at least fifty, sixty riders knocking along at the stiff end of forty K.

We weren't of course, the only team present although we were certainly the biggest single entity. I might only be small but I still took my turn at the front but with such a large group it was almost through and straight off, two forward lines in the middle, a trickle sliding back down each flank. The road was certainly wide enough to accommodate this – at least for now and everyone seemed happy enough with the arrangement.

It might be the old coast road that we were following but it doesn't exactly follow the coast, nor is it particularly flat, it meanders about quite a bit. Its only after Puntillo where we recrossed the autobahn that we started to follow the coast more closely, albeit on smaller roads. There were a few dodgy moments through the villages, the result was some disruption to the steady chain, after the third such log jam, we went from two up, two down to just a single line rotation.

Of course, this had the effect of stretching the line somewhat while increasing the time between rotations. For our lot it also meant that instead of a block of twelve we had become two groups of six seperated by about twenty bikes. Not that it matters of course, its not like we had to be together.

Up to Tejina we were still following the route that we used last weekend but instead of turning east towards the airport we continued north. According to the signpost, Punta del Hidalgo was only six kilometres away, the speed of the big group really had reduced our ride time north. The road was much nearer to the Atlantic now and hedged to our right by the sharp defiles of the northern mountains.

I guessed we must be close to the turn cum stop when more than a few bikes started to pass in the other direction. We haven't come far when all is said and done but we have been going fairly hard – so much for an easy day! Through Hidalgo town and then a chaotic scene as riders started peeling off into the car park whilst others, clearly wanted to head straight back.
 

"Well that got a bit intense at times,” Mand suggested as Team Apollinaris congregated around George's bimmer.
"Good fun though,” Erika opined.

Pet and Kat dodged about distributing fresh bidons, fruit and hmm, peanut butter sandwiches.

"How long we got?” Tina enquired.
"Ten minutes maybe,” Petra suggested.

No time for sightseeing then, mind you we could see the jagged coast from where we were. I'd guess that less than half the mass of bikes that left Puerto de la Cruz had stopped and some of those set off again after no more than a couple of minutes.

"So,” George addressed us, "That was the easy part. The return is time to earn your dinner. Myself and a couple of the other managers, we have a little wager, they think that they can have all their riders back at the lighthouse before any of you. Maybe they are confident that their Herren are better than you despite young Gaby's efforts on Mount Teide, I think we can prove them wrong eh?”
"What's the catch George?” Mum interjected.
"Catch Jenny, no catch, if we can get even one rider back before their last, they pay for dinner tonight, otherwise I'm paying for the beer.”
"So come on, who are we up against?” Tina pursued.
"Hmm, they are mens professionals, some may be Elite.”
"Geez George, we might be ranking in the Womens teams but we've got youngsters here, its hardly a level playing field,” Mum pointed out.
"Hence the terms, we only need one rider ahead but they must have all.”
"Still a tall order,” Anja noted.
"Oh, and remember, it is not a race, we don't want to upset the authorities,” George concluded.

Ten women, two lads against, well looking about I couldn't say for sure, there were riders in several pro team strips that I recognised, more in strip I didn't and just which ones are in on this, George didn't say. Someone tooted a horn.

"Time people,” George told us.
 
"Plan?” Erika asked as we remounted.
Mum shrugged, "Hang on for as long as we can I guess, if you get dropped don't worry too much, I'm sure we won't be the only ones they put under duress, not all these guys are in the 'not race'.”

As plans go it wasn't great but with the cards stacked against us its about as good as it gets. Oh I know what you're thinking, look what Gabs did on Thursday but that was different, every man or woman for themselves and being a flyweight was an advantage as it was up hill. Today there will be teams riding against us, its as much down as up, I'm at a disadvantage all round.

There was no foghorn or other obvious signal of the resumption of riding but there seemed to be a general concensus and we were soon retracing our route through Hidalgo. Everyone seemed content to just get the legs going again for now which gave me a chance to case the opposition. Clearly any singletons weren't part of this loaded bet which ruled out pretty much half the group, of the rest six teams were represented with between four and eight riders, twelve of us and up to twenty five of them.
 

"Sae what d'ya think Gab?” Josh queried.
"Dunno mate, we don't know who we are really up against but they can easily identify us.”
"Aye, the Bossman has loaded it against us for sure.”

Then it hit me, well not literally, but an idea grew between my ears.

"What if we keep someone, anyone, it doesn't matter who, in the top ten.”
"And what does that do hen?”
"Helps us identify the enemy, those 'not racing' will try to keep all their riders forward, the rest will just mix, if we keep someone sufficiently close to the front I'm pretty sure they'll try to get ahead wherever we are on the road.”
"Worth a try ah guess.”
"I'll talk to Mum.”

"Hmm, might work kiddo,” Mum allowed as we passed through Bajamar, "You got anyone in mind?”
"We just put riders up there randomly, maybe a couple together even, if they are in on it they'll be watching us, so twelve can play that game.”
"I'll pass the word, maybe you'd like first watch?”
"On it,” I agreed.
 
Unlike the outward ride with its comfortable rotation, the return was, on the outside certainly, less structured. In total there's about fifty of us, a fair bunch, but instead of everyone taking a punt on the front, the professional mens teams were taking the brunt of the wind breaking, a phalanx of maybe half a dozen dictating the pace, riders taking point for longer stints, if this doesn't look like a race I'll eat my helmet.

I filtered forward, Erika casually slotting on my wheel. The pace was high but not ridiculously so, not so fast that we were losing bodies at least. Of course there's a second question, once we have some idea of who we are up against, what then?
 

By the time we reached Tejina most of us had been 'for a look' up at the front, it wasn't really that difficult to work out who was concerned by our presence and who not. Any sort of 'attack' on our part would be shut down pronto, when one of the indies tried to go off the front, well he didn't get a length clear. No, we need to be more subtle in our approach, let them think they are in control of things, we only need one rider in the mix to upset things but what if we had say four?

"Mum,” I hissed, "You, Anita, follow Josh.”

She looked about to argue but instead just signaled 'Nita. I'd evaluated our options, Tina is a bit of a terrier but a bit obvious, Neet, with her 'cross background is rangier but I know from experience she's a bugger to shake off. Mum? Well who wouldn't include her, Josh though is our ace really, he might not have the years but he's full as big as some of these guys and he'll take some shifting. Et moi? Well maybe my Pinarello and rainbow bands will dazzle them?

The plan? Well its 'not a race' so any sort of attacking move was out, all we really needed to do was distance even just one of them, by haunting them at the front its they who will have to make the move. Yeah all we have to do is hang tight.

BANG!

The tyre explosion made pretty much everyone jump, not least me, it took me seconds more to realise that it was my rear tyre that was shredded, bum and double bum. I stuck my arm up and eased myself towards the gutter.

"Okay Gab,” Mand asked as the others came up.
"Flat,” I sighed.
"Bang goes dinner,” Erika opined.
"I'll stay with,” Tal stated pulling to the side.

It was with some frustration that I watched as the peloton disapeared up the road.
 
Maddy Bell © 30.03.2021