Saturday, 31 July 2010
Friday, 30 July 2010
Blog?
After 11 hours on a bike?
You want me to tell you about the views over the mountains, the french customs, the bloke dropping his bike in Prades and the hour long roller coaster of the N260?
Maybe tomorrow, I'm shattered, goodnight!
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Thursday, 29 July 2010
Wednesday, 28 July 2010
Barcelona
We left for home through the nightmare traffic and off onto the motorway. The hills outside Barcelona were on fire, with smoke billowing across the motorway, a plane and a fleet of helicopters ferrying water from a nearby lake and dropping it on the flames. After miles of motorway we came past a beautiful green lake, I missed a spot to pull in which meant Jason missed a great photo opportunity. We carried on into a tunnel which must've been 5kms long, and icy cold. At the end I offered to pay the toll for both bikes to speed things up, I was a little surprised to be asked for €18 and thought I was being handed a fine for overtaking in the S0S lane, I wasn't, no wonder then there weren't may cars on the road, I dread to think what it would cost!
This road lead out onto the N260, which in this part although not as mad as the road to Sort the surface was new and there were some good sweeping bends.
Back at the hotel Jason informed me you shouldn't over take on solid white lines, I always thought they meant only bikes could overtake...
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Tuesday, 27 July 2010
N260
Back at the hotel we viewed footage of the camera mounted on the front of Jason's bike, which had some good footage, while mine, which I'd not had time to mount and had clipped to my pocket had 30 minutes of looking at my fuel tank and sat nav.
We ate in a bar a couple of doors along from the hotel, and all elected to have an early night. I think I'm going to need a couple of weeks on a beech somewhere to recover from this holiday!
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A glass of Coke and a bottle of water before we tackle the N260 from Adrall to Sort in Catalunya
Andorra or bust (Andorra and bust!)
Before we crossed we went to the viewing area, were as the youngest and fittest I walked up the hill from the car park to the viewing area and take pictures.
We rode across the viaduct and soon turned off onto some nice twistie roads with medieval hill top towns to view as we were riding.
Not long after leaving the viaduct the clouds came down around us, making much more than 35mph impossible and seriously hampering progress, and meaning another stop to fit clear visors. As soon as we were sorted and could see again the weather cleared up!
We stopped in a small town called mashhfder for lunch, as Rod was falling asleep again. Lunch was served by a very young girl, where Jason caused confusion by ordering breakfast tea (but not Earl Grey) which they'd never heard of anyway.
Once back on the road it was soon time to stop for photos of the scenery, followed by some really good twisties. I turned my heated grips on (south of France in July??) to dry my soaked summer gloves out and warm my girlie hands.
As we were running again and soon in need of fuel, the sat nav taking us down some very small narrow road to a closed petrol station, so we hit a main road and found another petrol station in the wrong direction. We were disoriented by this time and decided to head for Foix and from there to Andorra. We had a great ride from here, only to be out done by a local in a 20 year old 5 series BMW diesel, who must've been taking mind altering drugs, overtaking on blind hairpin bends, and frequently carving up other drivers as he tried to get out of the way of oncoming drivers. We kept up with his pace but without the death wish overtakes. The ride into Andorra was great with great views and twistie mountain roads.
Then we came Ertz... While waiting at a set of traffic lights Jason managed to drop his bike, nearly skittling Rod in the process. Being the Gent I am I got of my bike to help him, making a school boy error and forgetting to leave my bike in gear as it was facing down hill, meaning it rolled of it's side stand and mine to was lying on it's side on the road, luckily the luggage took the brunt of the fall, a broken left front indicator and minor scuff on the alternator cover the only other damage to the bike. I've also sustained damaged to my right knee, not sure if it was hit by the falling bike or if I stained it picking the bike up, but don't think I'll be running anywhere for a while!
We arrived at out hotel just before 9 O'clock. Spectacular view up to the mountains are in all directions, some still with snow on them.
We dined at the restaurant next to the hotel, Restaurant 360 degrees a three course meal and small beer for €11.50, and a free cocktail on payment of the bill, which we drank on the freezing cold patio next to the river.
Off to bed now, hoping I can still walk in the morning!
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Sunday, 25 July 2010
We woke just after 8am, and were soon on the road by just after 11...
We set off along some narrow county lanes at a fine pace, with harvested fields and fields of sunflowers. After an hour of this we decided that we were just using up time getting no where and headed for the old national roads, and do it with maps the old fashioned way. We entered Montlucon in the sat nav to get us there as we were in the middle of no where so we could pick up the old N144 to Clermont Ferrand and head to Millau on the old N9. We rode for a while until Rod started feeling tired and stopped to as we were low on fuel and needed to ask the sat nav where fuel was in a south easterly direction.
Recharged and refuled we found some great twisties on the old N144 where I got my boots on the floor on several occasions, just a practice for things to come in the next few days.
After this and thinking we were miles ahead of Jason who had got of the ferry at Caen at 7:00 we decided to stop for a MacDonald's to make him jealous. This was a bad move neither of us was really hungry and as soon as we started off again Rod started falling asleep, pulling out to pass cars and not accelerating. We pulled over for a break and once rested headed for the neared bar for coke/coffee and water. Now refreshed we headed out the A75 motorway, the best bit of motorway I've ever ridden, fast flowing bends that went on for miles.
Looking forward to having a few beers before Jason made it to the hotel we stopped for fuel about 20 miles from Millau, where Jason who had over taken us jumped out on us from behind the petrol pumps.
We finally made it to the hotel just before 20:00...
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Saturday, 24 July 2010
Things you would never hear said on a Eurotour:
We arrived at the Lion D'Or just after 21:00 having covered nearly 400 miles, some on unpaved roads gravel and cobbled. Sadly Christophe the drunken cowboy was not in bar for us , but we ordered a couple of Grand beers anyway.
Apparently we could've made our booked train if the check in machine hadn't swallowed Rod's card as punishment after he rammed it into the slot, which would've made us an hour or so earlier, instead we had to wait for a later train.
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When Rod said he picked small roads, I had no idea just how small!
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Late
Only an hour leaving, and as is tradition we've missed the train so are waiting for the next, Rod did come back from the states a day early to prepare for this trip
On a good note Rod's forks seem to be holding up, unless he forgot to put oil in them!
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Pre holiday beer
It's been a frustrating week in terms of technology, I bought a camera that took me hours to get working, but the maps that I spent hours copying from google earth on my laptop to mapsource on my desktop will not load to my sat nav without deleting each other! Arggggg! On top of that Rod has just rung to say I'd cocked one up anyway!
Unfortunately Gladys can no longer join us on the trip.
Anyway, I'm off to bed, all the best bike rides start with a hangover and Rod being late, check in for the train closes at 9:50 tomorrow, something tells me we'll be late!
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Monday, 5 July 2010
The Dream Team
Well that's me on the left. Hopefully I won't be needing my fisherman's jumper on this trip. It's going to be great to use my fluent French again.
Next to me and representing the townies is Glen, AKA Gladys. Very experienced Euro tourist, although mainly on motorways. Has been known to go around corners on his brake discs when taking to the twisties, becoming known as sparky for his troubles.
Next is Rod. If you want to go from A to B ask Rod. He always comes up with a good ride and something to see along the way. Could be a little tired as he is off to Shovel fest in the US of A tomorrow (12 July) and returns to Blighty about 20 hours before we're due on the train for France.
On the right is Jason. I'm slightly concerned as it seems every vehicle Jason has ever owned he has either written off or blown up.
Friday, 2 July 2010
Hopefully this will teach Grandad to stop pulling wheelies!
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