Lagoon - Savannah - Black Rock

Finding and following an old track across the savane (savannah) marked with black rocks either side was the highlight of this ride on the west side of Reunion Island in the Indian Ocean.

Riding a hired Wilier 503 hardtail bike from St. Gilles les Bains, I pedalled through the cool of the lagoon beach forest, Filaos trees (Casuarina, or Australian Oak) stabilising the coral sand; partly the track of a disused railway. The ground of varying consistency for the Ground Control Grid T7 tyres, soft and loose to compacted sand. Avoiding créole family groups setting up their beach parties. Then paths and small bridges crossing the ravines at the end of the lagoon but eventually forced out in to the heat of the sun to cross the hot savane on one of the old roads to the small town of St Leu, which has a famous market and a surf school.
Then, as if I wasn’t sweaty enough, a chicken cari (curry) baguette sandwich at an artisan boulangerie made very sure of it with a local piquant red sauce. Also a pain au chocolat with a tropical banana cooked in it. « Pain au choco banane ». Wonderfully luscious and calorific.
I’d not started early because of arranging the hire, so my return was in the full afternoon heat, showing 35.7°C and feeling it, UV Index 12. Found my limit then pushed it some.
Return of the bike; followed by sunset and dinner of swordfish steaks with a local rhum at a beach restaurant under the Filaos trees.