Eat Sleep Cycle Backup

Category: Bikes & Gear

  • Eat Sleep Cycle x MAAP Cycling Kit

    Everyone loves new kit day, and this one is extra special! We’ve teamed up with MAAP for our new Eat Sleep Cycle kit, and we think you’ll agree when we say it’s one to inspire some envy out on the road…

    Why Cycling Kit by MAAP?

    There are plenty of clothing brands out there so why did we choose to go to MAAP for our new Eat Sleep Cycle kit?

    Here at Eat Sleep Cycle the brands that we work with and stock in our Girona Hub are carefully selected from a handful of likeminded partners who share our mission: “Bring people together, experience the world, savour the ride”.

    Quality and Inclusivity

    As cyclists ourselves we know how important good quality kit is, whether you’re spending 30 minutes or 6 hours on the bike, good kit can make all the difference and MAAP understand that. The brand mixes stand-out, stylish designs with practicality and, in their own words, are “committed to developing the art and progression of cycling through a considered approach to style, innovation and performance.”

    The brand is inclusive of all types or rider, from racers to so-called ‘weekend warriors’: “We strive to produce world class apparel, engineered to excel in all conditions, at all levels of the sport. You might be at the pointy end of the bunch, or riding simply because you love it. Whether training, racing, or on a massive ride with your mates, you deserve apparel that will match your every move.”

    There’s No Place Like Home: Girona

    Australian-based MAAP have visited us here in Girona on two occasions in the last 5 months, first in October where we hosted their ‘In the Field’ ride which proved a huge success with around 60 people joining the ride. More recently, in December, MAAP chose Girona as the location for the photoshoot with their newly-formed cyclo-cross team TPR Racing.  A brand that shares our passion for our home city will always win our hearts!

    Watch this space for our continued partnership with MAAP, in the meantime you can purchase our new kit as well as MAAP’s collection from The Hub or our online shop!

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  • Eat Sleep Cycle in Four Seasons: 2018 in Review

    It’s the time of year to crack out the bubbly and to reflect on the year just passed – and we certainly have a lot to reflect on from 2018 at Eat Sleep Cycle. We take a look at the last four seasons at Eat Sleep Cycle, from opening our new Girona Hub back in February, to conquering new climbs in new destinations on our tours in Spring & Summer, as well as partnering with new brands. It makes us wonder what 2019 will bring. 

    Winter 2018

    We started 2018 with the launch of our new brand, designed by Aussie cyclist & designer Matthew Slade. Our Sismic kit is modelled here by Zeta & Peter – a stylish way to kick off the year.
    In February we opened our new Eat Sleep Cycle Hub in Girona, our home & heart of the Eat Sleep Cycle community.
    As 2018 got underway our brand new fleet of Ridley bikes started to arrive at our Girona Hub – it felt like Christmas every day!
    We travelled south to Calpe and climbed some vuelta classics under the winter sun – here’s the gang up Cumbre del Sol.

    Spring

    Under a moody sky we conquered the 3 peaks of Girona: Els Àngels, Mare de Deu de Mont & Rocacorba. Kudos to all who continued riding after the freak hail storm.
    With Spring well underway we partnered with Assos in May for a ride to our local mountain Rocacorba. Best dressed peleton of the year perhaps?
    In May we went for a luxurious jaunt to the sun soaked Lake Como. We ate pizza, pasta, took ferries to restaurants to watch the sunset and even managed to take a day trip to see the Giro D’Italia pass through town. Magic.

    Summer

    We gathered the Eat Sleep Cycle crew at the top of Montjuic, ready for the season of cycling ahead. It was great to see our amazing team of staff and guides all together.
    In June our road turned north to the lush green landscapes of Cantabria & Asturias, home to the fabled climbs of Los Machucos, Lagos de Covadonga, Sotres, Les Praeres and, the giant of them all, the Angliru. Here’s one of our favourite roadside picnic stops from the year.
    Meanwhile back in Girona a sea of blue, in the shape of the London Dynamo Club, descended on the Eat Sleep Cycle Hub for a week of cycling and the Girona Gran Fondo.
    The Full Monty Cycling Club landed in Italy and climbed straight up Monte Zoncolan to kick off their Trans Dolomites Challenge with a bang. Here’s Coby at the top after his brutal effort to conquer the beast.
    July came and with it a trip to the Pyrenees to see the Tour de France.
    Back in Girona we teamed up with local cycling brand Tactic to head out for a ride.
    Our August Trans Pyrenees Challenge saw blue skies and determined riders. Here’s our champion crew ahead of the toughest day from Saint Savin to Saint Jean Pied du Port.
    We travelled to Andorra and Europe’s tougest sportive, the one and only La Purito. Here’s guide Knut giving our guests some moral support…

    Autumn

    In September North Spain was calling again, this time the rolling climbs of Pais Vasco. With incredible food a staple of the tour the cycling did more than match its culinary challenge – here’s Alejandro decending Monte Oiz with misty views of the Costa Verde.
    A strong contender for our photo of the year on the first edition of our Women’s Pyrenees Tour. Here are the ladies climbing high on the Col D’Aubisque.
    In September we went to Viella in the picturesque Vall D’Aran to support the first edition of the Bonaigua Gran Fondo. We’ll be back for sure next year. What a ride!
    Welcoming the boys and girls of Maap to Eat Sleep Cycle & Girona for the Maap in the Field ride.
    We welcomed David Millar’s Chapter 3 into the Eat Sleep Cycle fold along with the brand’s latest collection inspired by the architecture & landscapes of Girona.
    In November we followed the sun south to explore Andalucia & soak up the winter sun in the Costa del Sol & the Sierra Nevada mountains. Here’s Steve loving one of our last Eat Sleep Cycle tours of the year!
    In December we welcomed Brompton Bicycles to the Hub – here’s a couple of special edition beauties designed by Chapter 3.
    Entering the terrible two’s! Lee, Lou & Brian celebrating two whole years of Eating, Sleeping & Cycling (there was a huge bike ride before the cake was demolished!)
    To get ourselves in the festive spirit we teamed up with Chapter 3 and our friends at the Rocacorba Food Truck to mount a botifarra fuelled christmas ride.
    We hosted guests from England, Ireland & Scotland for a week of cycling over Christmas. Here we are with our Girona community on Christmas Day at Can Pol. A fitting end to the year!

    We couldn’t have had such a successful year without the help of all of our staff, guests and partners. We’d like to extend a huge thank you to all of our wonderful staff who work tirelessly behind the scenes and in the Hub, everyone who visited us in Girona or came on tour, and all of the wonderful brands that we have worked with this year. Here’s to achieving all of this and more in 2019! Happy New Year!

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  • How to Prepare for your European Cycling Holiday

    Embarking on a European cycling holiday takes a lot of planning but the right preparation is important to ensuring that everything goes smoothly from the first idea to the first pedal stroke. So what is the best way to go about planning your European cycling holiday?

    How To Plan A European Cycling Holiday

    When considering a cycling holiday there are two methods to beginning the planning process, namely:

    1. Lead with location: One way to plan your holiday is for your dream location to be the base upon which to build the rest of the aspects of your trip. Whether you’ve always angled to visit the Classic Climbs of The Alps or are dying to see the Dolomites, or maybe there’s that one famous climb you’ve always wanted to tackle, knowing where you want to travel could be the first hurdle to putting your trip together.
    2. Dictated by Dates: It may be that work or other restrictions only allow you to take your cycling vacation at a particular time of year or, if you have done your location research well, you know that a particular location is best visited during a particular season. Starting with a set of dates allows you to choose the location wisely based on what time of year is best to visit.

    Once you’ve been able to start the planning process by either working from a location or a date the other items to consider for your European cycling holiday are outlined below.

    How to plan a cycling holiday - Eat Sleep Cycle

    Equipment

    What To Consider for European Cycling Vacation - Eat Sleep CycleWhen it comes to equipment for your cycling holiday the age-old question of the jet-setting cyclist will probably be the first consideration:

    ‘To travel with a bike or not to travel with a bike?’

    If travelling with a bike bag seems like a burden and thinking about baggage handlers throwing your precious carbon around leaves you in a cold sweat then the answer is to hire a bike. Hiring leaves the stress out of travelling and allows you to rest easy knowing you have a bike waiting for you dialled in to your measurements and size on the other side. Just remember your own saddle and pedals!

    If, however you prefer to stick to what you know and bring your own bike then this can also be a good option if you know what you are doing. When travelling with a bike it’s vital to make sure all parts are protected, especially the derailleur – there’s no such thing as too much bubble wrap!

    Your Travelling Partners

    If you are travelling with other riders who are either weaker or stronger than you it’s important to factor the mixed ability into the itinerary. If you are travelling with a partner or spouse it’s worth checking out the surrounding area to ensure that there is enough around for them to occupy themselves while you are riding.

    Tour Package or Bespoke?

    Deciding whether to join a package tour or go for a bespoke cycling tour depends on both the size of your group and how specific you want your itinerary to be. If you are planning your trip as a large club or group then the best way is bespoke but if you are a lone traveller looking to meet new people whilst discovering new places then a package is the ticket.

    Nutrition

    If you are usually reliant on one type of nutrition to get you through your rides then you need to make sure you order it before the trip to take it with you. Most tour operators provide nutrition which is great for emergencies but you want to make sure you’re consuming something that your body is used to so as not to provoke any adverse reactions!

    Stress-Free European Cycling Holidays

    If you take all of these important points into consideration then planning your European cycling holiday should be stress-free and simple, allowing you to relax and focus on counting down the days to the first ride on new roads! If this has got you inspired to plan your next cycling vacation then why not view our cycling tours (and top winter cycling destinations) and see what suits your preferences. For more information give us a call on +34 972 649 131 or contact us online to get your plans underway!

    P.S. Enjoyed this blog? Why not sign up to receive notifications every time we post and get regular updates on our latest tours!

  • Let Down By Rapha Travel Cancellation? We Have A Solution For You..

    Have you had your 2019 Rapha Travel tour cancelled? At Eat Sleep Cycle we see ourselves as part of a wider global cycling community united by a shared passion for the freedom of riding. We understand what these bucket-list trips mean to hard-working cyclists all over the world who look forward to visiting some of the most famous cycling destinations. That’s why we’re extending a €100 discount on all 2019 tours to guests who have had a Rapha Travel trip cancelled*.

    Cycling Tours Similar to Rapha Travel

    We provide tours in most of the same European destinations as Rapha Travel and we also hold ourselves to the same high standards; hotels are 3 and 4 stars and our expert and experienced staff are always on hand to assist with your every need, trips are full board with breakfast and dinner served in hotels and a roadside lunch provided to fuel your ride.

    European Cycling Tours for 2019

    So, before you spend that Rapha Travel refund on another new bike why not take a look at some of 2019 tours and avoid missing out on an amazing cycling experience:

    Alps
    New for 2019 is our Classic Climbs of the Alps tour: 7 days of fully supported guiding, stay in the best hotels and guesthouses in the region & sample delicious Alpine food. Highlights include the legendary Alpe d’Huez, Col du Galibier, and the beautiful lake Annecy.

    Italy
    Tackle the giants of the Giro in the Dolomites and Italian Alps on our Trans Dolomites cycling tour covering all of the classic history-soaked climbs including the Passo Dello Stelvio and the Zoncolan and of course, plenty of pizza!

    Pyrenees
    The Pyrenees are right in the back yard of our Girona base and provide some of the most varied and exciting terrain for cycling there is. Our Trans Pyrenees cycling tour is an epic adventure from our Hub in Girona to the beautiful coastal town of San Sebastian across some of the most stunning Pyrenean landscapes and including some classic Tour de France climbs such as the Tourmalet and Aubisque. Other tours we offer in the Pyrenees include our Womens’ Pyrenees, and Tour de France Experience.

    North Spain
    Asturias, Cantabria the Basque country & Galicia offer quiet roads, lush green landscapes, beautiful routes along the Costa Verde and hardcore stage finishes for the Vuelta España. The people of Northern Spain are open and friendly, the food hearty and delicious, making this unique region perfect for a cycling tour. We offer two tours in this region: Trans Asturias from Cangas de Onis to the Angliru, and Trans-Picos de Europa from Cantabria to Asturias.

    South Spain
    Southern Spain is the perfect destination for a winter getaway, when the rest of Europe is still stuck in the depths of winter look no further than Andalucia for some sunshine. Our Andalucia Experience cycling tour is all about discovering the region, it’s culture, food and of course, fantastic roads to ride! Alternatively, Trans Andalucia takes you from Grenada via the highest paved road in Europe, Pico de Veleta, through the Costa del Sol and to the coastal town of Nerja.

    Girona
    The heartland of Eat Sleep Cycle and a hotbed of cycling, Girona has become a classic holiday destination for cyclists looking to find out what makes the pros flock here from far and wide. Discover it for yourself on our Girona Cycling Experience tour and uncover the unique charms of Girona and it’s fantastic riding.

    European Cycling Tours for 2019 - Eat Sleep Cycle

    A Rapha Travel Alternative

    If you’ve been let down by a Rapha Travel cancellation then don’t fret, with our European cycling tours we’ve got you covered! For our full selection of 2019 tours visit our European Cycling Tours page for more details. For more information or to request a brochure contact us online or email us at info@eatsleepcycle.com and we’ll get back to you asap.
    Happy riding!

    *Proof of booking & cancellation with Rapha must be presented to claim discount.

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  • DIY Cycling Tour Survival Guide

    Setting off on a cycling tour is the best feeling in the world: sun, fresh air and the promise of the open road. Except sometimes, bad weather will strike, cables snap on a mountain pass, and when you arrive in town with your last drop of energy spent, there’s no room at the inn.

    However, as the following cycling tour survival guide shows with careful planning – and some household items we often take for granted, your DIY cycling tour can be greatly enhanced. Eat Sleep Cycle founder Brian shares his words of wisdom.

    ESSENTIAL HOUSEHOLD ITEMS FOR DIY CYCLING TOURS

    Here is a list of things you should always pack before heading away on a cycling holiday…and why

    Bungee cords

    Why? No support car driver likes anything moving around in the back and if you respect your bike, you should never allow anything hard come into contact with any part of it! There is no uglier mark on a bike than a pedal scraping the chainstay or seat stay, and it can all be avoided by packing everything neatly and tightly together. The best way to achieve this is bringing some bungee cords!

    Bubble wrap and/or cardboard

    You can’t even imagine the horror of what your bike goes through on some flights and some transfers so eliminate the risk of damage by bringing your own packing material. 9 metres of bubble wrap will set you back about €4 and this will protect your precious frame from being scratched. Bubble wrap+bungee cords = happy bike.

    Baby wipes

    Your hands will get sticky when that energy gel bursts, when you need to remount a dropped chain and when you’ve reached into your pocket for a mushy energy bar. You’ll get chainring marks on your right leg and probably your shoes too. Your face will be covered in chocolate – and your bidons too, so keep yourself neat and tidy with a simple baby wipe.

    Masking tape

    Does it even need an explanation? This week alone we found masking tape useful when building a cardboard bike box for shipping, for taping cardboard and bubble wrap to frames pre-flight and pre-transfers. If you’re feeling pro taped the day’s profile to your stem.

    Newspaper

    Is there anything worse than descending a climb in the cold with your chest taking those icy gales? Yes there is….stepping into a pair of wet cycling shoes you forgot to dry out after yesterday’s  ride. Thankfully, a newspaper forms a brilliant wind protector and it can be very neatly tucked under the straps of your bib shorts. Simply bin it at the bottom and you’ve perhaps avoided picking up a nasty cold. As for the shoes, stuff a sheet of paper towards the top of each and have bone dry feet the next day!

    Lights

    Tunnels are common in Europe, especially in the French Alps and Italy. Many have ways around them but some are unavoidable. They can be scary places as there’s often no hard shoulder. Solution? Front and back lights. They weigh nothing, cost a pittance, and could save your life.

    Adaptor

    Is there anything more frustrating than running out of charge on your bike or worse, your computer dies six hours into a seven-hour day? Don’t expect hotels to supply the adaptor so bring your own.

    Sandwich bags

    Keys, cards, cash, phone and map. Keep them dry and keep them together by using a sandwich bag.

    Tin foil

    Keep those feet warm and dry on icy cold days by packing some tin foil into the top of your shoes, over your socks. Yes, the Galibier and the Stelvio can be freezing, even in July, so take no chances!

    If you’re doing your own DIY Cycling Tour we’d love to hear if any of these tips came in handy. Let us know in the comments below. If this has put you off taking the plunge and going it alone, we can help – check out our supported cycling tours!

  • Vision for a new type of Bike Shop

    It’s just under 4-weeks until the opening of our new Girona Hub and you are all invited! https://www.facebook.com/events/157923644829501/

    The Hub, as we are calling it, is the culmination of learning from 2 previous smaller shops in Girona, hours of debate, benchmarking, research and endless sketches by our more creative third, Louise. We love keeping our old sketches and notes, because often, our initial concept which is based on pure imagination and passion, is the one we end up going for. As soon as we start thinking about the cost of rent and reform, persuading the right brands to be there, ideas normally get downscaled and it’s easy to lose the ability to think big. For the Hub we are thinking very BIG.

    Everyone at Eat Sleep Cycle is a passionate cyclist and has their own childhood memories of their local bike shop. A place they went to gaze at a bike they couldn’t afford, ask about the latest frame material (oooooh carbon fibre!), or persuade the mechanic that their bike is more important than the other 8 he has to do, to make that weekend race.

    What is happening to our poor local bike shops? Just like many other digitised industries, it’s getting harder and harder to make a buck and many are forced to close. The brutal truth is a bike shop can not sell clobber and compete with online retailers. It’s definitely time to rethink the local bike shop, so much so that we´ve come up with a completely different name for ours.

    The Eat Sleep Cycle Hub will be an inviting space to hang out, meet your friends for a ride, or chat to us about anything to do with cycling. You can break your legs in our “Pain room” or enjoy a massage in our “Recovery room”. Top class mechanics are on hand to solve any problems with your bike. If you do fancy a new bike, make sure it’s the right fit with our Retul fitting service. Or maybe you just want to try another discipline and rent a gravel or mountain bike for one day. Whether you are a pro, weekend warrior, or just starting out, we want to meet you. This is not an elitist center for the fittest but a place to go if you love cycling.

    Plan your dream holiday escape anywhere in Europe with our trip planners. Of course there will be bike clobber, but it will be carefully selected by us so you’ll only see the best and latest stuff on our shelves. It will be like a cycling heaven! Is that thinking big enough?!
    Of course we couldn’t deliver all these speciality services without working with other local businesses and experts and that’s what makes the ESC Hub a collaboration with the community. Through our club and mens/ womens race teams we will continue to give back to the community and develop cycling in Girona.

    Don’t take my word for it. Come and check it out for yourself! https://www.facebook.com/events/157923644829501/

  • A brand-new look for Eat Sleep Cycle

    It was a key moment in the Eat Sleep Cycle journey when our good friend and web designer Hollie told us that we needed to re-brand. It hurt a little bit knowing that our trusty logo (a collection of triangles and circles mushed together on Microsoft Word to make a mountain and some bicycles) just wasn’t going to cut it as the company grows. She put us in touch with a designer (and cyclist) in Oz and he set to work sprucing us up.

    It was a fun and necessary journey, thinking about how we wanted to present ourselves to the world, our core values and our company mission. Eat Sleep Cycle is our mantra and at the core of what we do, that means good food, good rest and, most importantly, damn good rides.

    Our signature images are epic landscapes, our natural habitat for our collection of tours. Our logo is our company name and mantra, two orange dots a homage to our two cyclists and a pair of bicycle wheels. Our icon is a mountain, for we would be nothing without them. We Eat, Sleep, Cycle them and then attempt to conquer the next one.

    Our colours are not testosterone driven, they are subtle and elegant like the beautiful act of riding a bike. Our overall feel is relaxed, fun, epic and inclusive. For the bicycle is for everyone who wants to join the ride. Our feel is modern and fresh, as the bicycle is our future.

    To outgrow our homemade logo in just over a year isn’t a reason to mourn, it’s a reason to pop the corks and celebrate, an excuse to order custom paint jobs for our rental bike fleet and an excuse to order beautiful new cycling kit.

    The result? Eat Sleep Cycle is no longer Lee, Lou & Brian, it’s a European Cycling Tour operator with international ambitions and we’re determined to be the best.

  • Eat Sleep Cycle’s 1 year Anniversary

    So much has happened in the first year of Eat Sleep Cycle that for the first time in my life looking back actually slows time down. “Were we really painting the walls of our first shop the night before it opened just one year ago?!” I have never enjoyed reminiscing so much!

    Yesterday around 60 cyclists descended on our Girona HQ to celebrate one year delivering amazing cycling experiences: 10 Pyrenees trips, over 30 Girona trips, hundreds if not thousands of bike rentals. But much more than that it was a day to celebrate with friends, loyal clients who have been with us since the start and anyone simply in town who likes riding bikes.

    From the very start we set out to create a different type of business. At the core of what we do are the tours and bike rental but Eat Sleep Cycle means much more than that to us and hopefully the people that come and meet the community. The weekly social evenings and rides have brought locals, tourists and even non cyclists together. New international friendships are made, epic bike rides are planned and more people have more fun.

    One of the early social nights. These days upwards of 30 people come along!

    I’m sure that all new businesses have funny stories about how they got to where they are today. I sometimes wonder how many of those are kept secret and at what point they can be told!

    We started with 7 bikes purchased on credit cards and stored in our apartment. When a client was in town they would call me and I would run down to the street, inviting them in and explaining we are new and looking for a shop…

    We ran our first trip in August 2016 by recruiting friends. We rented a van, booked the cheapest accommodation we could find and set out into the wilderness. At the time Brian was still a reporter and had to stay back to finish some articles. He’d booked an apartment with one room less so Louise and I spent the night on the floor of the kitchen next to the noisy fridge (He claims this was intentional to prepare us for the first months in business; backs to the wall but staring at the stars!). I was determined not to switch it off to protect the mornings orange juice. The blow-up mattress was completely flat by the morning!

    Day one of our very first tour! Girona to Biarritz, August 2016

    From our small savings we found a 30m sq shop and got to work painting, drilling and squeezing in 20 bikes. Clients would constantly bump into themselves or our bikes but still seemed to return to us. This first shop was opened on November 11th 2016 and that marked the date of our anniversary yesterday.

    Six months later and we opened our HQ just across the road. The shop had been on the market for a long time and it was only the three of us (Louise, Brian and I) who persuaded the lovely gentleman Jordi that we were the reliable people he was looking for. We have now become good friends with Jordi and his lovely wife. We found local superstar Boris; an outstanding mechanic, creative whiz and all around incredible person. Rien from Belgium completed our 2017 team perfectly; mechanic, web designer very strong cyclist.

    The opening of the new HQ, June 2017

    Between Brian “breaking” into hotels to find coffee for our clients the next day, Lou making a minor error in the route planning meaning an extra Pyrenees climb for our otherwise exhausted clients and me hurtling that first rental van around the switchbacks without strapping the contents down, there have been many challenging moments. One thing I am sure of is not the importance of these mistakes but how we react, deal and learn from them when they are made.

    Hopefully this explains how we have come so far in such a short period of time. Our genuine social motivations, continuous improvement and a multi-disciplined team, each person bringing skills and different personality traits; together forming something much bigger than the sum of each of us.

    Next year we want the Anniversary ride to be even bigger. We’ll probably need a rolling road closure to do that but we’re already planning that. We’re heading to the Dolomites and Picos mountains on our tours and the Girona bike rental operation is expanding too.

    Thank you for being a client, a friend or just reading this blog!

  • The coffee that ruins all other coffees

    I didn’t really have anything to complain about. I was working as a bike mechanic in a very nice typical Belgian bike shop in my hometown of Antwerp. I had a good boss (it feels a bit odd to call him boss) and a job I enjoyed very much. I spent two winters working and cycling in Gran Canaria; the sunniest part of Europe during winter where it´s summer all year round. There are stunning roads for cycling and I made a lot of friends on that island. But still I felt something was missing. I’m not talking about getting my own place, a girlfriend, kids or a dog. Those are the things that I trust will fall into place over time.

    6 months after I returned from Gran Canaria, when I was working in Belgium, we had our annual holiday from work. The last two weeks of July are usually pretty quiet so we closed the shop. I strapped a lightweight luggage rack and two pannier bags to my bike – took a train to Charleroi – cycled 180 km to Leon – cycled another 200 km to Paris the next day – took a sleeper train to Cerbere, the last train station in France before the Spanish border – and from there I rode my loaded bike  70 km more to Girona. There I would stay a few days to enjoy the city and the amazing cycling roads (according to the internet).

    That’s when I saw the Eat Sleep Cycle HQ for the first time. A tiny shop and a tiny workshop on a tiny square in the middle of a maze of tiny roads in the beautiful old city center of Girona. The only way to find your bearings around this part of Girona is to get lost a few times. The alleys are narrow and there’s small tunnels and overhanging terraces everywere; google maps has no use here because your phone gets confused by the weak and messy satellite signal. The old town, or barri vell, is big enough to get lost but not so big that you won’t find your way around after a few tries.

    On the ESC Lazy Lunes ride I met a bunch of people passionate about cycling, half of whom I can call friends now. Cyclists of all levels from all around the world, meet and ride together around what has to be the true cycling heart of the world (I’m sorry Belgium). I met Australians calling Adelaide the Girona  of Australia, Americans saying Boulder is the Girona of the US. Almost all non-European and a lot of European pro cyclists base themselves in this city which suits all their needs during racing season. The people of Girona and Catalunya have a similar mindset to cyclists. They like to enjoy good food, good coffee, an afternoon by the lake relaxing. But they are also concerned about the appearance, health and wellbeing of themselves and the people around them.

    I started getting to know the ESC crew. Brian, an Irish guy who I met on the ESC pintxos night (tapas, beer and good company). It takes even the best English speaking person at least 15 minutes to understand his rapid Irish accent, but you can’t do anything but love it once you understand his words and his passion for the things he does. Louise, who was the one who inviting me to the pintxos night. People say she has a heart of gold, but I think the more fiery coloured ruby is a better way to describe her. Boris, the newly hired mechanic, always busy in the workshop when I met him, we got along from the first day. Lee, the first one of the bunch I had a longer conversation with. I rode with him on the front of my first group ride around Girona, trying to say something once in a while in between his never ending banter and shouting things to the rest of the group behind us. I must’ve gotten through to him because a few days later they offered me a job. There was one catch though, they wanted (and needed) me to start working with them as fast as possible.

    This put me in a difficult spot. After a few years of looking I had found a nice job in Belgium, with an owner passionate about his work who realised his employees also needed the time and freedom to be able to fully exploit their passion. Happy employees make happy clients. I didn’t want to be ungrateful to him and the chances he gave me by leaving him in a busy time of the season. I told the ESC team I would have to think about it a few days but would have an answer before the end of the month. They were understanding and although they really needed an answer fast, gave me the time I needed. This to me, was another good sign that this company cares, and this was an important factor in my decision. I travelled back to Belgium, hauling my bike and bags on and off 2 trains, a ride around Paris and and a long bus ride from Paris to Antwerp. All the time thinking of the dilemma that had presented itself and thinking I should get a haircut.

    I had my last day of work in Belgium the 19th of August and flew to Girona on the evening of the next day. I started working at ESC the day after. I have been working for ESC every day since that first day preparing for three weeks worth of trips across the Pyrenees: 1. Manning the HQ with Lee while the others went on trip, 2. Preparing for trip, 3. Guiding and driving the ESC support van across the Pyrenees, with a bunch of foul mouthed but gold hearted Americans from Chicago, 4. Taking a train from Toulouse to Girona with a backpack, suitcase and two bikes that need go back to Girona (the other bikes stay in Toulouse to go on trip No. 3).

    I’m writing this on that train, vineyards on the left, Pyrenees on the right, reflecting on the path I chose and I realise I made the right decision. Technically, I have been working for 18 days in a row. But it doesn’t feel like that in any way. Guiding a bunch of nice people on a Monday morning to the beautiful Banyoles lake for a coffee is part of my job now. I used to take days off from work to cycle across the stunning scenery of the Pyrenees.

    The first thing I will do when I get back to Girona before I unpack the bikes I’m carrying will be crossing the street from the ESC shop to get an Espresso. They say the coffee from Christian & Amber Meier’s Espresso Mafia will ruin any other coffee for you. Handpicked coffee beans, roasted in their own laboratory and a brewing process that’s timed to perfection. All steps closely guarded by the man himself make for a coffee that tastes like an angel pissing on your tongue (as we would say in Belgium). After you’ve had this coffee, all future coffees will be enjoyed less and even the best coffee you’ve had so far won’t ever be as good as it was on that particular day. Of course in the right circumstances a decent coffee can be enjoyable, but in the back of your head you’ll know the coffee could be better. The Espresso is like the job, thanks for hiring me ESC!

    After the coffee, I do need to get myself a haircut!

  • The wonder of Carrer de la Rutlla (Roo-ee-ya!)

    By Brian Canty

    Next month I’ll be celebrating three years in Girona and I’m just amazed at how quickly the time has gone.

    I still have the most vivid memories of those early days and weeks of arriving on 94/96 Carrer de la Rutlla, a street that meant absolutely nothing to me back in late August 2014 when I touched down.

    Nowadays I call the street by a different name: my street. Though ‘my’ street is actually Carrer de la Creu, it’s Carrer de la Rutlla I like to call my own because it was where I first lived in Girona – and I simply love it.

    Why? Well, where to start…

    I love the old guy about halfway up between C/Ultonia and C/Creu who works in a dimply lit dungeon sharpening knives and scissors and other bits and pieces.

    He’s always busy, never (ever) lifts his head to see what’s going on outside and is just consumed in his trade. I often wonder is it actually just a robot in there.

    There’s another guy, rather robust looking, who stands outside the 24h shop and never seems to do anything aside from be there, scanning left and right like someone in the crowd during Wimbledon.

    My favourite people are the four (three men and a lady) who work in the American-themed joint Kruskat Burger, just opposite where I used to live on Rutlla.

    I love them because they were the first to welcome me to Girona and that meant allowing me type stories using their Wi-Fi as I sipped green tea or an agua amb gas for two hours.

    Their burgers were – and still are, sensational and the American rock anthems blasting out no less so. The tracks repeated themselves but that was okay and on my Spotify playlist ‘Canty Favourites’ I have at least 10 songs they used play here. For fear of being chastised, I will keep the songs private.

    I get my haircut on Rutlla as there are five barbers within 300 metres of each other.

    I have spent thousands on bread, eggs, ham, cheese, chorizo, milk, bananas and wine in Novavenda. The girls in the shop always greet me and tell me take my bag off my back and leave it at the door like everyone else.

    I enquire about house prices every so often in the two letting agents on Rutlla. I get my NIE laminated in the photocopying shop when it gets tatty.

    I buy outrageously expensive healthy food in BioNefre though I swore I wouldn’t come back when the lady didn’t allow me take a trolley home once.

    I always say I don’t want a customer loyalty card as a kind of mini-revenge.

    There is a dog groomers where I stop and stare at the dogs getting their hair done inside the window. They look back at me and I’m sure they smile and think, ‘fuck yeah!’

    I cycle down this one-way street the wrong way every day and smile at everyone because I know I’m at fault. I see the same people at the same time every day and I think they’ve just accepted this is how it’s going to be. I kill them with over-the-top waves and smiles.

    There’s a pizza place (Tele Pizza) I’ve only eaten in once. It mainly attracts kids who play keepy-uppy and skateboard in the small square outside.

    I just love the street and everyone on it! Cars take forever to get into the underground spaces and I am often held up…but that’s okay because I piss them off as well.

    The place just warms me and I can’t imagine living anywhere else. Lee and Louise don’t like it and we’ve had some discussion about me moving closer to town.

    You see, they are ‘townies’ who do not know anything but the Old Town. When I invite them over for dinner Lee moans it’s too far – and for a man who enjoys food, that is quite something.

    But I make no apologies. Carrer de la Rutlla is Girona in a nutshell!