I had two days left and three trails left on my itinerary. So, I packed two trails in back to back. The day started dark and rainy but ended sunny and beautiful. It was my first time taking a bus back to my car after hiking. It was also my first time seeing a bus being put into reverse to make a tight turn on a steep, narrow mountain road.

The rainy weather continued today and thus the trail was wet and muddy. The path from the coast up the hillside was brutal, but I was rewarded with some glorious views at the top. The beach at the end of the trail was nice too.

I took a bit of a breather during my first few days in Taganana. The rain didn't help my lack of activity. I had to venture out to find food and found a nice little grocery on the other side of town. Taganana's streets are so steep that a walk to the grocery is a decent hike in itself. That hike includes some pretty awesome sights too. I took a walk that included a visit to the town's church and a stop near the coastline. Despite the cloudy weather, views up and down the coast were spectacular. Rain or no rain, more exploration of this beautiful area is a must.

My drive to northern Tenerife was treacherous. The roads were steeper and more narrow than any other road I had been on. I made the drive at night after my trip to La Gomera and navigating these difficult roads at night was somewhat terrifying. There were several points where the road was so steep that my rental car started losing grip on the road and I feared that I'd inadvertently start moving in the opposite direction. This adventure was capped off with a driveway that lead to my next Airbnb. The driveway was just as steep as the steepest roads I'd experienced so far. It had a turn so tight at the end that I had to get out of the car numerous times to check and make sure I wasn't going to hit anything. The next day I decided that a hike was in order. Unfortunately, it looked like rain was in the forecast. I grabbed my rain coat and started walking. The trail was called Las Vueltas de Taganana and it started just a stone's throw from the Airbnb I was staying at. Although the day started dark and stormy, the clouds opened up and the sun came out in short order. The trail climbed quickly out of the valley and town that the trail is named after, Taganana. It was a strenuous hike, but it gave the gift of spectacular views of the valley, coast and surrounding mountains. Northern Tenerife feels quite a bit different from its southern and western parts. The area is more forested with vegetation that seems more tropical in nature. It also feels even less flat than the rest of the island. This was an accomplishment considering the mountainous terrain I'd already experienced. The views on the hike were stunning. I stood on the mountainside with a view down to the valley and out to the coast with mountain ranges on either side, towering above me. Even though this view was expansive, it felt a lot more intimate than the vistas I'd seen in Teno Park. The view was a narrow one to the coast and the vegetation was darker, greener, and more overgrown. Unfortunately, due to my late start and slow progress, I did not complete the trail. I had to turn back before the lack of light made it impossible to see the path in front of me. I got back to Taganana, the small village glowing street-light orange, just as dusk was fading to night.

I decided to leave Tenerife behind for a day an travel to the island of La Gomera. I had seen La Gomera in the distance during my hikes through El Parque Rural de Teno. It had always looked like a good spot for a day trip. It was. My day started with a ferry ride. I had never been on a car ferry before and the experience was a bit harrowing. A lot of narrow passages and tight squeezes lead me to a comfortable ferry seat and a hour long journey to my next destination. La Gomera is much smaller than Tenerife. I was able to drive in a circle around the entire island in a little over an hour and a half. My first stop was the highest peak on the island, the mountain Garajonay. The hike was short and well worth the incredible 360-degree views of La Gomera. From the peak of Garajonay, the entire island is visible. Tenerife could be seen to the east, with El Teide prominently displayed as its highest peak. The islands of La Palma and El Heirro were also visible to the north-east and south-east. It was enjoyable to look into the distance and spot my next destination, the town of Vallehermoso. Vallehermoso was part of various must-see lists I had read about the island. A beautiful village built into the mountainside in the north-west part of La Gomera. I toured around the village a bit, had a bite to eat at one of the local restaurants, and soaked in the views of the incredible mountain surroundings. On my way back to the ferry I stopped in San Sebastián de la Gomera to watch a patronal festival with beautiful music and dancing before boarding the ferry and traveling to my next Airbnb in northern Tenerife.

The green hillsides of El Parque Rural de Teno was my favorite experience up until this point on the Grand Tour, so I decided to go back. I meet the same steep, narrow, and winding roads again, this time with a bit more confidence. I didn't venture as far into the park as before. This time I drove to the trailhead of the Cerro Carrizales. The trail mirrored the roads on my drive. It was narrow, winding, and steep at times, with rock-hewn stairways that were cut precariously close to the edge of vertical cliffs that lined the trail. The rock stairways were a welcome change from all the dirt paths I'd been on so far. It felt like I was venturing through an ancient path cut into the mountainside by a long dead civilization. The feeling struck home when I reached the end of he trail to find a ruined, rock-walled shack with an amazing view of the ocean. Maybe I should have moved-in and stayed for a good long while. After finishing the hike, I stopped at the mountain village of Masca. It was my second visit there. This time I stayed a while and walked some very steep streets to view the various wares of local street vendors. The views were incredible. Maybe this town would be a better fit for long-term relocation.

The Grand Tour's first incidence of poor weather was during my hike of the Circular Mirador de Sámara trail. The hike was a loop near the the mountain of Sámara. Sámara is more of a large hill than a mountain, but it is the highest point in the immediate vicinity. The trail was similar to the Chinyero Volcano trail, albeit with a few less moon rocks. The hike started out very wet and cold. It was the first time during the trip that I've broken out my rain jacket and down coat. The stark views were beautiful and I spent a long time watching the clouds spiral around jagged mountain cliffs and rocky hillsides. It was also the second time that I noticed the extreme weather gradients that seem to be common in these mountainous coastal environments. It can be beautiful, bright, and sunny in one direction and a dark, wet, and stormy in the other. Each location maintaining their differing characteristics throughout the day. The drive back was littered with incredible views of the mountain ranges that encircle El Teide and the mountainside roads that lead back to the coast.

The Callejón de Teno and Baracán Summit Trail was a change of scenery compared to my first two hikes. Where as my previous hikes highlighted the stark features of Tenerife's interior, this hike was full of lush, green landscapes. The road to El Parque Rural de Teno was an epic journey of narrow roads and steep cliffs. Several amazing views along the way as well as the most gut-wrenching driving I've ever experienced. The hike itself was a magnificent loop that included epic coastal views, a visit to a mountain village, and the summit of one of the tallest peaks in the area. It was a long hike that took the entire day, but it was worth it. The day ended with a visit to Masca, a tiny village built into the mountainside, to view the sun setting on the coastline flanked by massive, green mountains.

So, the day was supposed to be glorious. It was my first full Saturday on the Grand Tour to experience Tenerife outside of the short excursions I'd made during the workweek. It turns out that plan was not to be. On my way down the mountainside, I approached a line of cars stopped at a turn off. As I slowed my car toward the stopped line, I heard the screeching of tires right before a commercial van plowed into the rear of my rental. I was pushed forward and my car slammed into the line of cars in front of me. Luckily no one was hurt. The police arrived and retrieved statements from all involved before handing me a slip of paper with the insurance information of the van that hit me. My rental was still drivable, so I returned to the rental agency and they supplied me with a new car and sent me on my way. The day turned out to be memorable, it just wasn't memorable in the way I had imagined.

My second hike was an altogether different experience from my first, a hike around the rocky moonscape of Tenerife's Chinyero Volcano. The hike was a pretty one that reminded me of some hikes I've done through California, albeit one with a more desolate landscape. The weather was cool, but clear and the views were extraordinary. The areas that I saw surrounding the volcano I would best describe as gravel fields peppered with rough, pockmarked rocks. They were visuals that are reminiscent of Apollo moon landing pictures with some bright green foliage scattered throughout. The trail eventually ventured through what appeared to be an old, solidified lava flow that had the same rough, pockmarked appearance. Overall a pretty amazing hike given the area's unique characteristics.