As I have some spare time on my hands thought I would get round to doing a write up of this years trip along with some video. Going to split it down into daily parts as way too much video for one hit and would miss some real nice roads. Every year I head into main land Europe on my blade, each time I film the whole trip on my trusty Drift with the intent of doing some sort of write up or a few YouTube vids, try to encourage others to take the plunge as you won’t regret it. This year I decided to start in Northern Spain and head south through the Pyrenees then France into Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Germany. It was the first year I also decided not to bother doing any camping so I could go with just a few things, not worry about tent and cooking gear. Booked the ferry from Portsmouth to Santander, ended up getting a four berth cabin just for me. The trip from Rochester down to Portsmouth was uneventful apart from the speed camera’s near Clacket’s seemed to be set as low as 40mph but no warning so everyone was getting pinged at 70, never received anything for it so all is well. As the sun came up I was heading down the A3, with time on my hands decided to stop in the Mc’d’s at Petersfield for a coffee, filled up the bike and headed off. Got to the ferry port easily, just had an issue with the guy directing people to their ferry lanes he sent me towards a check in booth that was completely the wrong side to the one I needed, still no harm done just a blast across nine lanes to get to my desk. First in my line to get on, result I thought not with my luck, first away and first to get pulled over by customs so then spent twenty mins emptying my Kriega bags and repacking them. Finally onto the ferry where I made sure they strapped the bike down before I headed to my cabin, not much to say about the crossing other then 28 hours to waste. Laptop with films on came in handy, and the bar. First day in Spain, bloody hot, plan was to head into the Picos area so after I got out of the port I picked up the motorway and headed west A-67 then A-8 to Unquera picking up the N-621 into The Picos de Europa National Park, stopped for fuel and drink plus a mars bar to keep me going. The road was new tarmac and real smooth just light traffic with sheer rock faces either side, then started to climb into the mountains with stunning views and a road that had widened enough to inspire more confidence into blind corners, not fun meeting a 4x4 on your side of the road mid corner. Stopped at the deer monument for a drink and a cool off, then hit the road to Riaño to pick up the N-625 heading north another great road with almost zero other traffic on. Turned onto AS-114 and headed for my first hotel, really nice family run hotel put my bike in the garage and wedged his car and his fathers car in front so no one could get to my bike. ROUTE for day 1 https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/4...c!2m2!1d-5.084277!2d43.344429!2m1!2b1!3e0!4e1 Link to vid Will try and get the rest done over next few weeks.
Fantastic, went on the ferry to Northern Spain with the Blade and my dad on his Cbr650. Picos mountains were spectacular! Great read, thanks
Beatufiful Spanish roads [emoji16] So close the bus in the Desfiladero de los Beyos road...[emoji28] Puerto de San Glorío road ( the one with the deer at the top) is nice now with the new tarmac, some years ago was.... Enviado desde mi iPad utilizando Tapatalk
DAY 2 When I plan my trips and have hotel stops, I do like to make sure they do breakfast, had a real nice cooked English with OJ and lashings of jam on toast. They even gave me some bottled water to take with me, back up to my room to get my gear on then its load the bike and off I go at 9:30am. Plan today is to head towards Pamplona on the back roads, AS114 to Siejo, day started off overcast and I thought I was in for a soaking, however sun soon came out and turned dam hot again. I won’t write down every road I used as putting a link to Google maps, petrol stop at same Repsol place as yesterday then hit the road. Spent the next few hours on flowing lefts and rights, stopped at a Lidl near Reinosa for a Baguette and drinks, onwards the roads were a good mix so had an enjoyable afternoon. As it was so hot I am glad I decided to call it a day when I reached Logrono, got to my hotel with secure parking (extra five euro’s) parked up and jumped into aircon heaven, shower quick 40 winks then out to find food and beer. Had to get to bed early as next day would be a long one. https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/H...2m2!1d-2.4650602!2d42.4588157!2m1!2b1!3e0!4e1
This is making me want to plan a trip to Spain myself - never ridden there, but I'm fed up with getting rained on in the Alps, so this is appealing. Like the idea of doing the long miles in a boat supping beer too...
Great pictures and videos too, thanks very much Pete for sharing . I've already started checking out ferry prices and times for next spring. I'm very tempted...
DAY 3 Up and out today, got the N-260 to look forward to. First though was to make up a few miles from yesterday so had to crunch some motorway miles or it would be a twelve hour plus day. Breakfast bar didn’t open till later so made a beeline for a Mc Donald’s for coffee n Mc muffin. I hate motorways, but if you are pressed for time they are the only way to go although, I draw the line at paying to use them. A-12 to Pamplona then picked up the A-21 which I followed to Yesa, as this was near the start of the N-240, stopped for fuel and a drink and pushed on. The 240 is a road in two half’s first bit was undulating with flowing left and rights, then turns into a rather straight road with the odd corner, N-260 isn’t much different at the start until you turn at Biescas then its one of the best biking roads in Europe. Mile after mile with near to nothing else on the road, filled with an assortment of left and rights that would please anyone. I could bang on for ages on how good this road is with the views and numerous excellent parts but you need to see for yourself how dam good it is. Didn’t get held up at the customs getting into Andorra and my hotel was in the first town, not a lot to see apart from it being very hilly but would have a ride round in the morning. Hotel was ok and they gave me a parking spot right outside my window so could keep an eye on the bike, walked into town for food then crashed out, wow what a day, sorry about the length of the video but it’s hard to shrink down all the good parts of that road. https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/H...!2m2!1d1.4886688!2d42.4621619!2m1!2b1!3e0!4e1 Although there were some awesome parts before the town of Biescas, I decided not to start the video till after just to keep the length down, sure people don’t wish to see eight hours of bendy tarmac. Sunburn..
Day 4 Sat at the hotel drinking my morning coffee, I noticed an advert for a place called Naturlandia, which had the longest toboggan run in the world at 5.3km. Seeing as it was only a few miles from where I was staying I decided to have a look, turns out there was a lot more to do there then just that, will have to put that place on my to go back to list. As it was a short day on the road I added a loop which jumped off the N-260 via b-402/C-16 and C-26, another day of near perfect roads and as I was still heading south it was even hotter. Crossed into France and found I was on the worst road to date, rutted and potholed hell but with a good view. The road soon changed though, and turned into a reasonable road that wound its way along the line of a river, my hotel was one of them turreted affairs, and my room was on the top floor but I could move the bike so as to be able to see it. There was even a river which you could swim in, although I just had a paddle. Sat there and had a few beers with a nice pizza that was delivered for me, then off to my room. https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/4...bd:0x4bd7c88c68c74682!1m0!1m0!2m1!2b1!3e0!4e1
Day 5 30000 miles and Millau Viaduct were on the checklist for today as well as getting to the med, as I have said before I don’t do motorways, however looking back on the first half of my day it would have been better. Almost three hours of traffic, and boring roads I endured with just the odd mile or two of fun or a brief glimpse of the sea. I knew what to expect as when I sat down to plan the route I didn’t want to spend more than two days crossing France, and with just minor roads it would have meant very long days on the bike. After I reached Aigues-Vives the road just got better and better which made up for the bad start, the D-907 and D32 are roads worth another visit I think. The old bike clicked over to 30000 miles or 48000 km’s in new money, not bad mileage for a blade. Millau Viaduct came into sight, which I stopped at for a photo, then decided to stop at a Mc Donald’s down the road for a bite and cool off, plus use the free Wi-Fi. Banged on then to the Hotel with just one more stop as the dam heat was getting to me. I picked the hotel as they said secure parking was available, well it was but nowhere near the hotel in fact it was outside the town. Parked the bike up in a square outside the hotel, only to be told that due to the market I would have to be out the centre of town by 6-6:30am or risk getting trapped for the day. I had a few beers and a bite to eat then an early night, glad I did as well. Woke up real early covered in flea bites and the buggers jumping everywhere, needless to say I was out of there soon as I was dressed, beat the market guys buy a full hour an half. https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/A...0b!2m2!1d3.708749!2d43.935045!2m1!2b1!3e0!4e1
Day-6 Having got out of the flea pit hotel before dawn, there was nowhere to get breakfast and hours till the shops were going to be open. Decided to head out for the day with the intension of stopping at the first coffee place or Mc’ds I came to. The only advantage of being up at that time was the lack of other traffic, however as the sun came up it was right in my eyes which put a dampener on the good bits of the roads. Long storey short, found four Mc’ds all shut, seems they don’t do breakfast in that part of France. Finally found one that opened at 9am, dam the French and their small coffees what’s so hard about doing a large coffee instead of the turbo charged spoonful of black acid. Still finally awake and getting some miles done, the roads are not much to speak of till you get into the Verdon Natural Region then the roads are exceptional. I come to this area of France every year to ride these roads as the weather is usually dam hot. I am doing these write ups in the hope that others will make the jump from riding round a mostly gridlocked UK to the delights of mainland Europe. Just think from Calais to Italy is 550 miles and seven hours, the same as London to Aberdeen however, that will take you nine hours on a good day. Had a few highlights today but kept the video short, I have footage of a Ducati that was trying to race me, till it decided to die on him. Did stop to see if he needed help, however not sure if he was embarrassed or not but he declined, and as I don’t think it’s at all funny when stuff goes wrong I will not show that part. I would say that anyone going down this way would not be disappointed with the Cote d’Azur area of France. My hotel was a real nice family run small affair, had a quick shower and 40 winks woke up to drumming and singing. Turns out most of the village come to the bar in the hotel every Friday in the summer for a get together, all friendly people, they even fed me and plied me with the odd drink. Tired as I was I enjoyed the evening and went to bed a lot happier then the previous night. https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/H...m2!1d6.642142!2d44.003419!2m2!1b1!2b1!3e0!4e1
Hell of a trip,,hoping to get to Spain this year again,, I have ridden over the Milau bridge a few times, awesome
Yes, it does bring back memories of my trips and makes you want to jump on the bike and go abroad right now, life didn't go as planned this year so def will do next year !! Great write up so far mate, thanks for your time doing it.
Day-7 Today would be my first day heading into the alps, and as the last nine out of ten trips there were wet, I decided to make sure my waterproofs were handy. Seemed a bit strange in thirty plus degrees heat with no cloud in sight, and me sitting outside with my morning coffee, that I may well get snowed upon later that day. The first road that day would be a narrow B type, with what turned out to be about 50km of turns high up with some large drops, loads of fun for those with a liking for danger. You pick up the D900 then onto D954 which are just right for the blade to come into its own, love these type of roads with the added great views as you head down to Lake Serre-Poncon. As I have done most of the D type roads in this area in the past, I decided a straight run up the N94 would get me to Briancon around lunch. Have stayed in Briancon in the past a knew there was a Mc Donalds there, Mc’ds are about the easiest place to get food when your in Europe as you don’t need to speak the local lingo. Most Mc’ds have the quick pay screens now so just push the uk flag and away you go. Heading out of Briancon the weather was turning and with black clouds ahead I knew I was in for a soaking, sure enough just got onto the D902 and down it came. Quick stop had my waterproofs on and away again, climbing up towards the pass I had snow hitting me and I was feeling the cold, with only a tee shirt my leathers and waterproofs to keep out the cold. Got up and over as fast as I thought safe and started to feel a bit warmer, there is a village as you get down into the valley which had some straw animal artwork which I stopped at to have a look and warm up a bit. After a few photo’s on I pushed up the D1006 which is mainly straight with the odd curve, boring really but it took me almost all the way to Albertville and my overnight stop. As it was one of these F1/cheap Ibis type hotels I thought I would stop at a supermarket and grab some rolls and stuff for dinner rather then head out for food as it was raining again. https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/G...2!1d6.3831074!2d45.659249!2m2!1b1!2b1!3e0!4e1
Fantastic write up, and great footage. Like others have said makes you want to book for this year already!!
looks great I am off to northern Spain this year for 10 days with a group of lads we have a base in the mountains going to stay put and petal out into southern France and across northern Spain, had plenty of trips round Germany and the Alps got fed up with the constant packing & unpacking not to mention its 50/50 at best you don't get piss wet through, will have a look at the Vids round Spain & France
