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