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.

 
"It does seem a bit mean, making everyone else ride back,” I mentioned to the occupants of the minibus as we followed the Apollinaris peloton across the Teide desert landscape.
"I'm not complaining,” Tina stated.
"How is it you Brits say, don't look in the mouth of a horse,” Kat added.
"Don't look a gift horse in the mouth,” I corrected, "And my passport says I'm German, you're right though Pinger.”

Dad chuckled.

"What?”
"Nothing kiddo.”
"No come on, what am I missing?”
"Better tell her Dave,” Kat suggested.
"Okay, after the coffee stop its only the seniors who are riding back, all of the Jungere squad get to ride the bus from there.”
"So all Manda's moaning...”
"It was always planned this way,” Dad advised.
"Why didn't you say?”
"We wanted to see everyone's reaction, it was quite interesting that no one was complaining about the riding bit that much, it was you two getting preferential treatment that was the craw.”
"Which means?”
"Lets just say its something for management to worry about not you.”
 

"I'm glad we don't have to ride up to the top of that,” Tina observed, staring up at the cone of Mount Teide looming high above us.
"Yeah,” I agreed, "I bet there's a great view from up there though.”
"We could go up tomorrow,” Dad suggested.
"Eh?”
"Unless you've got anything else planned.”
"The water park was mentioned.”
"Well its up to you, its on offer.”
“'kay.”

Don't get me wrong, I quite enjoy hanging around a pool, catching a few rays, chillin' with my friends but I'm a sucker for a bit of sightseeing too. Knowing Dad he's got more than a cablecar ride in mind, probably some old castle or the like, I can work on my tan the rest of the week.
 

Our little convoy reached the cablecar turn off and started the generally downward tilted ride toward the still distant ridge that lies between us and the north coast. There's not a lot to see but its more comfortable doing it from an air conditioned bus than riding a bike. The most interesting thing really was the vent cone that looms out of the valley floor, it reminded me a bit of something i've seen before – oh I remember, we stopped on the way to a race back in England once, something hill.

"Dad?”
"Whats up kiddo?”
"What was that hill place we stopped at that time?”
"You'll need to be a bit more specific.”

Kat sniggered.

"We were going to a race and we stopped at this place that looked like a volcano but it wasn't.”

He didn't reply straight off, clearly trying to recall something from what, maybe four, five years ago.

"Silbury, you did that twenty five at Trowbridge. What about it?”
"Apart from the desert, it looks just like that mini cone ahead.”
"I guess,” he allowed, "Your Mother is the one to talk to about that stuff, something about material stiction or some such.”
"If you say so.”
 

After that we seemed to close on the ridge and the ensuing climb quite quickly, when the signs for the turnoff came I was a bit surprised, but that meant we were at the cafe place too. Being late afternoon it wasn't so busy so Team Apollinaris descending on the place caused no more than a bit of table shuffling. Drinks were soon ordered, Kat and Petra were soon occupied with attending sore legs and applying extra sunblock – it doesn't take long to get burnt.

It might seem like we are spending a lot of time eating and drinking, but there's good reason. Back in Germany we probably wouldn't be out so long this time of year so we might have one stop during a four hour ride but its a lot warmer here. Well duh, that's obvious right but that means you need to keep hydrated and if you are doing a full day, well fuelled too.

Anyone riding all the way back will have done the thick end of two hundred kilometres today with a not inconsiderable amount of climbing so splitting the ride up, taking on board calories and H²O in addition to what#s on the bike prevents over stressing the body. I know, science, not my favourite subject but we had lectures on this stuff when me and Mand, well and the rest, were at the BC camp in Manchester. Yeah, physical fitness is like ninety percent of riding, but mental fitness and fueling are essential too and besides which, who doesn't like a coffee stop?

In the end it was decided that the seniors would only ride to the top of the pass rather than all the way, time was getting on and whilst dinner could be delayed, eating at like twenty one would be less than ideal. The junior team were all loaded up and not having to follow the others, we were back at the hotel in about forty five minutes which meant Petra had attended to all of the tired bodies before the seniors got back which meant quicker service for them. Oh yeah, Tina rode the pass, to be honest I think she would've ridden the whole way but George had insisted she rest.
 

I gave a little girly giggle, well I am a girl.

"Max?” Mand queried.
"Yeah,” I agreed turning my Handy so she could see the selfie he'd just sent.
"Ew, gross!” my room mate opined, "What is that?”
"Weisswürst and Sauerkraut.”
"It looks disgusting.”

The picture was in reply to my own culinary photography of dinner, which I hasten to add was very nice but the dressed octopus on the table was a little off putting, those eyes were watching me, I'm sure of it.

"Why is he eating whatever that is?” Mand asked popping her ear buds out.
"Some sort of Bavarian themed night at the restaurant.”
"You Germans eat some weird stuff.”
"Its only tripe.”
"I arrest my case, who on earth would want to eat offal?”

I sort of have to agree, well I suppose kidneys and liver are strictly speaking offal but tripe, no thank you.

"Its supposed to be a bit of a delicacy,” I offered.
"But not if you've got a delicate stomach.”
"Very droll.”
"I thought so,” she grinned, obviously pleased at her attempt at humour.
 

I was about to call it a night when my Handy beeped to announce another message.

'which u pref – Flamingo, pastel or coral? N'

Even for one of my friends that was slightly off the wall.

'for ? G'

"Hair 4 tour' came back almost before i'd finished.

Yeah, I know we talked about this before I came away, I hadn't given the actual colour of the Perückes any thought. My stage persona being Erdbeere, I guess a redder shade would be better, not too red, I don't want to look like Ronald! On the other hand, they're wigs so its only for the stage and the odd interview from what Stefan was saying.

'coral I think.'
'k fnd place on web, will go 2mro 4 lk'
'get rech. So can claim 4'
'k ?s Can?'
'hot!'
'xpect schnee 2mro here!'

Exactly why we are here.

'snd pic of hair'
'k ltr'
'xG'

I lay back on my bed, I guess Nena, or should I say Misty, is enthused by the whole tour thing which is good. Claudia was the sister with the adventurous streak, Nena has always been more sober, when Claudia passed we were all worried about her. There's nothing you could put a finger on but she's been quieter, the BlauHase tour seems to have given her a new zest for life.
 

"Anyone coming to Teide,” Dad announced as we sat chatting after breakfast, "Outside reception in ten.”

Well you didn't think it would be just me and Dad did you? Daz, Mum, Anita and Kat are coming too, the lure of shopping, sand and the waterpark proving too much for the others. Six is a good number, room to spread out a bit in the minibus, you can easily get a table in restaurants and you are less likely to lose anyone. For once I was organised, I headed to the facilities not needing to return to the room for anything.

It might be quite early but the minibus was still quite warm inside when we clambered aboard despite the air con working overtime. I think everyone, well the riders at least, was feeling the effects of yesterday a bit, it was after all a long, hot day and riding the Challenge course at full gas was bound to have some effect on us. Dad set us in motion, the air con changing note slightly as we descended from the hotels lofty heights to join the motorway.

Yesterday, on the bikes, it had taken nearly two and a half hours, it was a lot quicker in the bus but even so, the fifty or so kilometres took best part of an hour. It was already quite busy with trippers when we arrived just before ten but we got parked not too far from the cable car or as its properly called, the Teleférico del Teide's base station where we'd stopped for coffee yesterday morning.

"Okay,” Dad started once we'd walked up to the station, "Hang on here and I'll sort out some tickets.”
"We'll just be over by the shop,” Mum replied.

Well you have to look right? We didn't go inside, you could see it was the usual tourist tat just with a Mt.Teide twist. Its just as well really, Dad was back with us in under five minutes.

"I've got us an early discount but we have to get the next trip up.”
"Can't see that as a problem,” Anita allowed.

It wasn't quite a run, call it a fast walk, navigating through the building and up to the station proper, we did the ticket validation thing and were ushered straight on board.

"I've never been on one of these things,” Daz told us as the gondola slipped out of the station to start its ascent
"Really?” Kat queried.
"Nope,” he confirmed, "Well unless you count the thing at Matlock but that's nothing like this.”

Of course, he wasn't with us when we went skiing last year, hmm, that was quite a trip, I'm guessing we won't be finding Prince William at the top of this mountain. And that was what felt strange as we climbed up the side of Mount Teide, snow or the lack of to be more precise, not even any trees or grass. I know there is sometimes snow in Africa, but I reckon its a super rare thing in the Canaries, as ski resorts go, this place is a non starter, that's what seemed a bit odd in the station below, no sign of anything to do with winter, ie snow, sports.

I've been on a few of these things and what they don't usually do is go straight from top to bottom, there's either a turn or at least a change in gradient but the Teleférico del Teide just goes straight as an arrow up the mountainside. The one thing that you do get though is an ever expanding view, at first it was mostly the basin around the base of the cone but almost with every metre gained that view expanded to reveal more ocean and more of the island dropping down to the water. By the time we disembarked at the top station, still some way from the summit, the view extended right along the eastern coastline and easily seen despite the slight haze, Gran Canaria with its own volcanic cone and further again to Fuertaventura and Lanzarote.

"Phewee!” Daz allowed.
"Not bad,” Pater agreed as we headed along the path towards the restaurant.
"Wish i'd brought a jacket,” Kat mentioned , hugging herself against the decidedly cool air.

She wasn't the only one, my cami top, shorts and sandals were a little less than ideal too.

"So I guess we're not going up to the top?” Mum queried.
"Erm, cold enough here,” I pointed out, "How much higher is it anyway?”
"Only about a hundred and fifty metres,” we were advised.

Yeah, a hundred and fifty up and if I'm not mistaken, there is actually some white stuff up there, nope not happening.

"Come on,” Dad suggested, ” lets get some coffee eh?”

"So exactly how high is this mountain?” I asked.
Mum, being the fount of all things geological and geographical in the family, was straight there, "Just over thirty seven hundred metres, its the highest peak in Spain.”
"Not exactly 'in' Spain though is it?” Erika pointed out.
"Its almost like saying Gibraltar is the southernmost tip of Britain,” Dad opined.
"Or the Falklands Dad,” I suggested.
"If we are being silly, you could include the Antarctic Territory,” Mum observed.
Daz turned and addressed me, "Its a good job you aren't racing all the way up to here.”
"Too right!”
"I bet they would if there was a proper road,” Erika postulated.
"You can bet on it,” I added.

By now we were in the warmer confines of the restaurant place, Mum and Erika went to fetch beverages whilst the rest of us grabbed a table.
 

"Worth coming?” Dad enquired.
"Pretty impressive,” Darren allowed.
"I wasn't expecting snow,” I added.
"I think there's some here all year,” Kat told us, "All the pictures look like there's white on top.”

I checked out the images hanging from the walls, views from the top, I guess, aerial shots, clearly posed visitors hiking to the top and yep, whilst not in alpine quantities, there were splahes of white around the summit area in all of them. The coffee squad returned with not just beverages but a plate of those Churrio things.

"The cake looked a bit yesterday,” Mum advised, "They were doing these fresh.”
 

After our coffee break we returned to a slightly less frigid exterior and spent a few minutes doing the tourist thing, daft pictures and that. There was actually a mobile signal so I sent one cheesy shot to everyone in my phone book, well its a lot easier than a postcard to everyone – and cheaper. Our early bird tickets meant we had to return to the foot of the mountain no later than twelve, which to be honest, as we weren't going walking or really dressed to be up there, was fine.

It was much warmer – and busier back at the bottom, we made use of the facilities and headed back to the bus.

"Back to the hotel?” Dad posed.
"You had better be joking Dave Bond,” Mum shot back.
"Well I guess we'd best go find some lunch then.”

There was no dissention in the ranks so we quickly mounted up and set off down to that blasted TF-21.

"Coast okay, or we can just find somewhere along the road.”
"It'll be busy on the coast Dave,” Erika noted, "Somewhere a bit quieter maybe?”
"That okay with everyone else?”
"Fine,” Mum told him, "Just drive, its like an oven in here.”

I forgot to mention that, whilst we were freezing our extremeties near the top of Teide, the bus has been sat cooking at the bottom. There was no way the aircon could cope without a bit of help so we had all the windows open to help vent the hot air. Dad obviously had some sort of plan for the afternoon, instead of following the road down to Vilaflor, he turned off onto what looked to be a fairly new road which took us around the western flank of the mountain before taking some wide loops down towards the coast.

Its not as steep as the Challenge road up through Vilaflor but whoever built it clearly had a thing against corners, it must be a nightmare to ride a bike up it. Eventually there were a few corners and on the next long straight there was a restaurant with views down to the coast. There were only a couple of cars outside, Dad pulled the bus off the road to join them.

The Restaurante Boca Tauce turned out to be spot on, reasonably priced, a great view and an airy outside dining area with tented shade. Now then, where's the menu, I wonder if they do schnitzel?
 
Maddy Bell © 17.03.2021