Trips
One year with Her
Last month it was the one year anniversary of when I picked up my new bike in the shop. My blue SV650S. I still remember the “fear” I had when I first speeded up, in the shop’s Street, fear to fall, fear not to be able to brake, not to be able to stop, or to speed up too fast.
The bike is very different from my first bike. First for the driving position, with the handlebar lower and more distant. I don’t get that well to the ground either.
Of course, the bike is much more powerful (for me at least), more nervous, brakes a lot (the other did not brake too well by the end, it did not speed that much either lol…), and most of all, it has a lot of engine braking. This bike really flips me out for the engine braking, I almost don’t have to use the brakes. It will save money on brake pads! 😉
That first day I was so scared that I just wanted to get the bike to the garage and that’s it, but my husband encouraged me to go for a small ride to get used to it. Good idea. I finally got the hang of it.
After the first “trial” week going to work with Her (all motorway, including traffic jams), we decided to go on our first small trip to check how it was being more time riding her, as what I like is travelling.
We left on a Saturday morning for Anzánigo, Huesca. About 300 kilometres by secondary roads. The last kilometres are a quite bad road (bumpy and with roadworks in process) to get to the camping (http://www.anzanigo.es/ ), and I realised that the suspension is quite hard, and that my arms and wrists are suffering from the driving position. It could have been worst though, and it was well worth it.
The next day we went to Riglos:
Embalse de la Peña
Riglos
And on Monday we went back through back roads… Indeed “back roads” as it took us 11 hours to come back home. To be blamed: many photographic stops, some stop to put on the raining suit, one to eat, and the last one in a filling station back on the main road (from which we were kicked out…) to take shelter from pouring rain.
At the end of May I took her for the first service @ 1000km.
The second trip was at the end of June to go to a bikers Rally, also in Huesca, but this time in Benasque Valley, a very beautiful area (though the Rally was not that good- a money making rally).
To go back we also went through very beautiful roads, through Castejón de Sos, El Pont de Suert, Camarasa, with beautiful views on the Pyrenees, and an unforgettable stop in a restaurant in Senterada (http://www.casaleonardo.net/ ), where we ate excellent “pan con tomate” toasted bread (with garlic, tomato and olive oil) with excellent Serrano ham.
Pantano de Camarasa
As I wasn’t sure yet if the bike was ok for travelling 😉 , at the end of July we went to another bikers Rally, this time close to Burgos, in Belorado, a very nice village. It was very warm but we had a great time. To get there we went through Huesca (as now we knew the way 😉 ). On the way back we went through the motorway as we stayed to watch the England MotoGP and we left late.
I then brought the bike for the 6000km service before going on holidays (the garage and then us).
The last trip of the year was quite the longer, for our holidays at the end of August-beginning of September.
I did the first part by myself, I went to visit some friends first in Marseille and then others in Lyon (France). To go to Marseille I mainly went through National roads, except at the end when I took the motorway, as I got fed up with the traffic jams at every single village entrance (it was a Saturday, people going back from holidays…).
When I arrived in Marseille, I asked my way to a biker who indicated quite well how to get to my friend’s home. It was a long one-way street with a strong down slope. When I thought I had reached the number, I parked on the footpath. I checked the address on my mobile phone, and I had stopped too early, I had 50 more numbers to go. First problem: take the bike back on the road without falling, and then, drag the bike back uphill to the road. I was able to get the bike down the footpath without falling, but I couldn’t put the sidestand, and I couldn’t drag the bike uphill (it’s already difficult sometimes when it’s flat… but there I had no more strength). I was luckily helped by a tourist who was passing by, who pushed the bike uphill so that I could get on it again on the right direction. I was very grateful to him, as without his help I think I would still be there 😉
Marseille
Between Marseille and Lyon I went through National road, as it was weekday it was quite quick and without traffic, but I had a very strong side wind blowing all the way (which is quite usual in the area).
Next Friday I left my friends to go to Toulouse where I would stop for the night before going on the next day to go to Asturias.
I started early to go with time through national roads through Saint-Etienne, Le Puy en Velay, Mende (nice place where I stopped for lunch). I wanted to take the afternoon to take a detour to famous Millau viaduct, but it started to rain, and I decided to go straight through Rodez, Albi (very nice place also, but I got some traffic jams and I preferred to go on and have some rest). I arrived in Toulouse at about 5.30pm.
On Saturday morning, while I was ready to go at about 8.00am, it started to rain. I got down to the hotel entrance where 2 bikers couples were waiting for the storm to stop. We were almost 2 hours waiting, and I finally went when it got less intense (no more lightning and thunder at least). I had planned to take the motorway, and it rained almost all the way to the border. I think I stopped every 2 filling station to dry up and warm up a bit, I got fed up with so much water. At about 2.00pm I arrived at the border. I was almost dry, and in Spain it started to rain again, but the tarmac was draining better than on the French side (it was quite a torture on the French side every time a car would pass me). At about 3.00pm I met with my husband close to Bilbao, and we had some lunch.
From there we went straight to Asturias where we spent the weekend (and had some rest!!!).
Next Monday we went to Ferrol through the coastal road (from Avilés N-632 + N-634) and then the LU-861 and AC-861, beautiful roads but few filling stations… Though as we were going quite “slow” we were able to do 230km without the fuel indicator popping up. And we finally arrived to a filling station.
That same week we went down to Sanxenxo where we enjoyed beautiful sunny days.
Sanxenxo
Portonovo
Isla de la Toja
Next Friday we went back to Asturias, this time through the interior via Lugo and N-640 to Ribadeo and back on the coast road.
Ribadeo
The week-end and the rest of the week was spent enjoying time with friends, enjoying the food, enjoying the cider… with some ride-out with the bikes… and more food, and more cider… Asturias! 🙂
The last Sunday we went back straight to Barcelona, through Leon and Burgos, as they had announced big storms on the cost. And for once they were right! And we arrived dry.
During this trip I ended up with quite a back ache because of the driving position. A really good massage session was not sufficient to get my back back, I would have needed at least 4 to take all the knots out… But I would do it again anyway!
On the way back I had to get the bike back to the mechanics for the 12000km service…
Then autumn arrived, and then winter, and for some months the bike was mainly used as my “tool” for commuting.
V’s
Trips
My first biking holidays
This was my first “long” trip on my bike and on my own, the more kilometres I had done was a return trip from Barcelona to Onteniente in 3 days, and by then I had been (well) accompanied.
I started on a Saturday morning from Barcelona to the first (short) stop: Perpignan, where I spent the week-end with my family. By motorway, nothing original except some traffic jam at the tolls… a little boring to be honest.
Next Monday I left after lunch to the second stop of the trip, Bordeaux, also by motorway, also boring. The only detail of the trip was when I stopped at the first service station, there were 3 Goldwings with trailer, with Irish plates. And then another one arrived (without trailer), with a Belgian couple with whom I had a small chat while we were resting… They had been in Barcelona for the HD centenary, then they had gone across the Riviera, and they were then aiming to Lourdes before going back to Belgium (and some will say that I do a lot of kilometres… 😉 ).
The next day I left early to Le Mans, the first half by motorway and the second by quite straight national roads, but less boring than the motorway. The weather was lovely, sunny but not too warm.
The small detail of the trip was my 3-year-old niece’s surprised face when she saw a bike coming into her garden, and it was her godmother who got down and took off her helmet… It looks like she likes bikes already 😉 (sorry for her dad :/ ).
After a week with the family, I got on the road again on Saturday, to Niort, about 200km, 150 of which under pouring rain… I arrived completely soaked and I needed all weekend to dry (a little exaggerated but not so much!).
Next Monday I left Niort to Bilbao, all the trip through motorway (with tolls or free), a little boring but I was very happy to go to Bilbao. I stopped at the border to have lunch with a forum friend, Lorenzo, and then I proceeded to Bilbao where I was warmly welcomed by Cris, another forum friend. I was very happy to see her again and to spend some time with her and her friends.
The next day she came with me for a while on her bike, to San Vicente de la Barquera, showing me very nice places, some of which I will have to come back without luggage, like Santillana del Mar and some others…
In San Vicente de la Barquera, she went back while I went on to Oviedo (I was supposed to go to Gijón but never found the way out). There I met with another forum friend, Julio, while we were trying to talk to Rafa on the phone but he wouldn’t answer… 😉 and after a while Julio saw that one of the bikes parked next to ours was the one of another forum guy, Juan, who was close by having a drink and who joined us. Rafa then joined us and we had a drink, and then we all went to a small village for (very nice) dinner… and that was it for the first day in Asturias, in good company…
Every one of the 3 days there we went for ride outs on large twisty roads (so many of them there!), and discovered beautiful places inland and on the coast: a fishermen village, a cape where we couldn’t find the walking path to the point, and a small part of the “Picos de Europa”, where we were over the clouds, beautiful landscapes under an incredible sun 🙂 .
Cabo Peñas
Cudillero
Cangas de Onis
Covadonga Lakes – Lago Ercina
Covadonga Lakes – Lago Enol
And all that accompanied by first class guides (but one, who got lost in every single roundabout 😀 )…
And I have to highlight the incredible weather we could enjoy all the week, not a raindrop! Who said that in Asturias it’s raining all the time?
One detail of the ride outs… in a village on our way to the Picos de Europa, an elderly man (about 80 years old I’d say) watched us go through the village and greeted the 4 of us with a “V” sign. There is no age for passion… 😉
On Friday night there was a “goodbye party” (although completely unplanned), with a lot (too many for some… I won’t name anybody 😉 ) of cider, until “a little” late.
And on Saturday morning I had to head back home 🙁 . I was still (well) accompanied though by 3 nice Asturians, until some place close to Santander I think, by a river under the trees, where we had some sandwiches and I had a little nap also, really needed it!
At about 4.30pm we kicked off, 2 Asturians went back to their homeland and another one accompanied me a little more, to Bilbao.
Then I went on on my own by the National road, very nice and pleasant, with nice views, and the last part by motorway quite boring, with a lot of heat, and annoying side wind. I spent the night in Pamplona and had a very good sleep 😉 .
I left in the morning for the last part of the trip Pamplona-Jaca-Huesca-Barbastro-Lleida-Barcelona. The first part to Huesca by a road with very nice landscapes (typical nice villages, Yesa reservoir, incredible views on the Pyrenees).
Yesa Reservoir
From Barbastro it was a little bit more boring, with straight roads and motorway, and still that unbearable heat.
I arrived home at 3.30pm, end of the trip. I get down of the bike, take off my gloves, my helmet, my jacket… the road trip is over (my butt, my right fist, my neck and my back are thankful for that 😉 ). Holidays have come to their end.
I still have a lot to see about Asturias, I will have to come back… on my way to Galicia? I already have an idea for my next holidays… Still have to see with which bike it will be…
I won’t end without saying a big thank you to all those who accompanied me and warmly welcomed me, and for all I learn in such a short time. Between others: hospitality and friendship.
V’s
Ride outs
After the rain…
After 50km riding under pouring rain on the National road stuck behind a truck, without seeing anything of landscape, and having left behind beautiful views of poppy fields, I finally left the National road to take a small twisty road…
And it stopped raining…
I left a very dark sky to go towards the sunset that showed up from behind the clouds in the horizon…
I looked back on my mirrors and I stopped…
And saw this…
The previous unpleasant 50 kms were worth the effort just for enjoying this sight.
Never better said “Après la pluie le beau temps”…
(Pics taken with disposable camera, on my way to Rodellar, Huesca, Spain, where I was going to spend a week-end doing canyoning.)
Two weeks later, going through the same place but with much better climatic conditions, for another canyoning week-end:
V’s
Ride outs
My first bike, my first kilometres
I got my bike license on 2nd of January 2002, at the second try. At the end of that month, I met with the owner of my first bike, a Kawasaki ZZR250, to confirm the purchase. I will always remember my first day with her… Take her through Barcelona without having ever driven in a city, take her to my work, find an insurance (the previous owner had given his to me, though I was told years later that it would have been useless in case of accident or of a Police control, as it is individual), and then at night go back home on the motorway with an incorporation from the left-hand-side (in Spain we drive on the right! Most incorporations are though from the right)… I was so scared…
The first months I only used her as a mere “transportation mean” to commute, I didn’t dare too much to go on a ride on my own. I only did some up and down Tibidabo’s hills by the Arrabassada road, at snail’s pace, to learn somehow.
Then summer came and I went for the first spin by myself, from Tossa de Mar to Sant Feliu de Guixols, the so-called the “365 corners Road”… (not recommended in Summer actually, the road is quite narrow, and you can often come across touristic buses…)
I also visited some nice Catalan village in the area, Vullpellac and Peratallada. It was August, very warm, and I was wearing my textile suit, I got a little too warm… This first ride out I arrived back home around 9.30pm, very tired but so happy.
“The Road of the 365 corners”
Peratallada
My first long trip was in October of that year, with a forum friend and his wife, to go down to Onteniente for the week-end for the Anniversary Meet of the forum. A tough experience for the strong side wind that was blowing in Tarragona area, and it kept taking me from one side to the other of the motorway. It was also tough for my friend because I was going so slow ALL the way down… The way back I went with another forum friend who was also driving a 250cc, and he didn’t suffer that much.
Onteniente 2002
From then, I started going on group rideouts, always at the back of the group, for being so slow. Though I didn’t care, before learning to run you have to learn to walk, and even now, I don’t like speeding. I prefer to go at my own pace, feeling secure and most of all, enjoying the road and the views. They will wait for me at the crossroads…
“The Road of the 365 corners”
Montserrat – January 2003
I also went on with some rides by myself, at my own pace, without bothering anybody, and being able to stop when I felt like it to enjoy my second passion: photography.
Begur
Pals
V’s
