Santa Cruz: A Day to Relax, Ride or Roast

23 April 2025

This morning, we all lounged around a little longer than usual, awakening to clear blue skies and warm sunlight streaming through the windows. Quinn and Emily made a delightful breakfast of ensalada de fritos con queso fresco — layers of creamy cheese drizzled with honey and topped with fresh, seasonal fruit — accompanied by flaky croissants from a nearby bakery.

Today was open with nothing on the agenda. Theresa and I hopped aboard the tram, winding our way up to San Cristóbal de La Laguna for a leisurely day of sightseeing, sunshine and shopping.

Kyle went wandering. Theresa and I crossed paths with him later in the afternoon at a grocery store. He was shopping for dinner ingredients.

The energetic Quinn and Emily rented bicycles and set their sights on conquering the nearby hills.

Barely larger than a phone booth, our building’s elevator made squeezing in two people and two bikes quite the feat.

The hills surrounding San Cristóbal de La Laguna form the lower slopes of Tenerife’s rugged Anaga highlands. Rising from the city’s roughly 500m elevation up to peaks of 800–1,000m these roads thread through deep ravines, laurel forests and dramatic volcanic outcrops.

All told, the San Cristóbal hills make for a rewarding ride — beautiful scenery, historical towns, and enough challenge to satisfy seasoned cyclists.

The Mighty Quinn attacked those hills with such ferocity that he actually snapped something on his rental bike. The ascent tested every ounce of his strength — and the descent was no easier on his battered bike frame.

A seasoned rider, Quinn has completed countless century rides (100 miles), conquered the DAMn (Day Across Minnesota) 240-mile challenge, and pedaled the Minneapolis–Duluth route (170 miles) on more than one occasion.

If you’re a fellow cycling enthusiast looking for your next big test … or you just enjoy biking, Quinn welcomes you to join him on the “Bike to Duluth” ride on June 28th — a free event. This grass-roots self supported bike ride covers about 170 miles from Minneapolis proper to the lift-bridge in Duluth. For more information, to register or donate door prizes or items for swag bags, contact Quinn at biketoduluth.com

As dusk settled, Kyle whipped up a hearty home-cooked feast: tender Spanish pork chops bathed in a traditional sauce, smoky Padrón peppers, crisp-edged croquetas, and a vibrant ensalada mixta. It was the perfect way to close out the day.