Paradise Found, La Palma: Part 2

The morning broke with mixed skies and enough promise to warrant making plans for a big day. The goal was the formidable Caldera de Taburiente, all 2429m of it. This volcanic peak is the highest on the island and it dominates the northern half of La Palma as the centerpiece of the national park. Long ridges climb relentlessly from sea level, green and inviting on the lower flanks but black and malicious near the top where they disappear into fast moving clouds. It's a little intimidating, both on top and in person, but the payoff is an epic descent.

It’s almost too perfect. You need to get here, like, right now.

The weather was balmy and warm at sea level but by the time we reached the high alpine trailhead the temperature had dropped below freezing and the light jacket, which seemed ridiculous when we were loading up our gear beach-side, was now a little inadequate in the brisk wind. It's a stark landscape; windswept and wild with colorful hues to the earthen mounds. We scrambled a short foot path to the edge of the ancient caldera and surveyed the gaping maw of almost 5km across. Its an awe-inspiring panorama but behind us, far below an impressive array of observatories, laid our destination: the Atlantic.

Rolling off the top. Mind blown once again.

Daniel Schaefer (dansdesktop.com) and I pedaled off the peak, pin-balling down a cobbled pathway at mach chicken before reaching a sinuous singletrack that continued down and down through the grasslands. With long sight lines and well-constructed surfaces, the upper sections are fast bits of trail, keeping you off the brakes and giving the suspension a good workout. But as good as the trail is, it's the mix of the elements, the volcanic fields and shimmering ocean far below, that make this such a fantastic experience. A couple hours of this and a gorgeous beach at the bottom is truly something to write home about.

Yeah, we got a few flats. Although long travel and shuttles is a common modus operandi here, there are also XC routes through the hills.


At the halfway point we hit a small town and opted for a short break since an approaching shower was almost upon us. Any gastronomic tour of La Palma is incomplete without savoring the delicacies of... the gas stations. It may sound odd but the gas station cafe is often the social hub of these little hamlets and the snacks they offer are simple, homemade, cheap midday bumps. And really, I couldn't have imagined a better way to spend those 30 minutes than to listen to old men jabber on in Espanol and get their beers served up with a side of attitude by a saucy young waitress.

It seems that any time is cerveza time on La Palma.

When the clouds finally parted and the sun's rays shone brightly once again a massive double rainbow framed the highlands that we had descended from, as if I needed any more convincing that La Palma is paradise. But before we could get too wrapped up in double rainbows, Daniel was on the pedals and, like I said, it’s tough to keep up with this guy. In an instant we were flying down a rolling double track, jerseys flapping and picking up spray from the liquid sunshine. The brightly-painted farmhouses became more sporadic and the track narrowed to a ribbon as we slid back into the forest along the edge of a lush gorge with a wisps of cloud blowing through. The magnetic pull of the coast was irresistible at this point even though every switchback and pedal stroke brought us closer to the end of this amazing ride. Minutes later we shot back out into the sunshine of a picturesque seaside town with some memories to last a lifetime.

Daniel Schaefer is a boss on a bike. It’s a blast to follow him down trails and absorb some style.

On my final night in La Palma and I wandered the dark and narrow streets of Puerto Naos for a while after sunset, just to absorb a little more of flavor of this tiny hamlet. Hunger soon reeled me back in and I met up with Daniel and Biggie for a pizza down at the local Italian joint. Although Daniel has guided countless clients down these trails, his enthusiasm for riding in La Palma seems boundless, and for good reason. Lush forest loam, gorgeous coastline singletrack, high alpine adventure - its all ripe for the taking on this island. That night I slept the slumber that comes from the deep satisfaction of a tremendously successful trip.

Like I said, every day ends like this on La Palma.

Bonus Round

The alarm jolted me out of bed well before dawn and I groggily pulled my gear out to the street, which was cool and quiet in the wee hours. We were heading on a special dawn patrol shuttle mission with Daniel's friend Siggi and his lifted Landcruiser. The drive south and the initial ascent was quiet and uneventful but halfway up the mountain, still in darkness, recent washouts slowed our progress to 4-low. Siggi crept through them expertly, parking us at the summit just minutes before dawn with a clear view of 3718m Mt Teide on nearby Tenerife. The eastern horizon changed from inky black, to navy and then azure, before the first solar rays shot across the sea of clouds and marked the start of a new day.


Hey buddeh! Back so soon? Mt Teide on the right.

Within minutes, bikes were prepped and packs were on and I surveyed the numerous singletracks leading out toward the colorful cinder cones. An epic descent laid ahead and Daniel's smirk told me that he'd saved the best for last. As we pedaled off, I was already imagining the sumptuous pumice switchbacks, the wide open high speed lava fields, the endless forest descent, and of course, the beach at the bottom. Yup, things were definitely going my way.

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