Ride outs, Trips
150.000 km
In January 2010, my SV and myself celebrated 100.000km together, we had covered them in less tan 5 years.
Life is like a twisty and bumpy road, and the following year, we were leaving Barcelona to go (together) to live in Paris. Although Paris is “glamour” for most people, it’s not the best place to enjoy motorbikes as it’s ALL FLAT, you have to ride for 400km before you find some twisties. So that while living there, the yearly kilometres average went down quite a bit.
In spite of not using it every day, it was when living in Paris that we went furthest away with our bikes until now:
Ireland for our Honeymoon trip –which would change our lives- (click on the pics to access to the corresponding posts)
and the following year to Czech Republic,
and Austria..
We also had some opportunities to discover a little bit of France, mainly the East part:
Reims
and Les Vosges:
area that I didn’t know at all.
In 2015 we moved again, this time to Ireland. During the first year or so, we had good opportunities to keep knowing this beautiful country, with areas we didn’t know yet, including the one where we now live:
East Cork,
West Cork,
Gougane Barra,
Beara,
The Vee,
North Cork,
And also some longer holidays to visit co. Antrim
and Donegal.
From mid-2016, the kilometres then became almost nothing, with the birth of our daughter Emma. In 2015-2016 we did about 5000km, and since then, I’d say about 500 lol .
Anyway, what’s important is not quantity but quality, and even if we didn’t take the bike as much since the 100.000km, we have discovered more distant places with very different people.
So finally, on the first Saturday of September, coming back from having breakfast in Ballyhoura Mountains,
my SV and myself celebrated our 150.000km together.
Since 2010, apart from usual servicing and tyres changing, this is what we did:
-Before leaving Barcelona, we changed the clutch. It was not giving any problem, but it was “just in case” as we didn’t know when we would find a trustful mechanic again.
-On our way to Paris, I changed for the first time the battery. We changed it again in 2017, for lack of use of the bike and probably excess of humidity around.
-For our honeymoon trip we bought a Givi topbox and Givi rigid saddle bags with SV-MOTECH frame, very handy for long trips.
-I changed the rider seat as the padding had been damaged during the ferry trip. I also changed the screen as it had been scratched in 2005, during my stay in sweet Marseille…
-When we arrived in Ireland, I had to change the exhaust seal, as it had completely fallen apart.
-The only recurrent problem I had with the bike in 150.000km was that when it rained A LOT and for a long time, some water would get into the front cylinder sparkplug cavity, and after a while the bike would run on one cylinder and stop. When we arrived in Ireland we changed the sparkplug cap. In the following long trip we did to the North, we had some rain on the way back and I had no problem. Last month on our way back from the Munster 100, Juan rode my bike for 40km under heavy rain and the bike showed no issue.
So given that I don’t use the bike too often, and that when I use it I now try to avoid rainy days, I guess we won’t have the problems for many years now. Lol
-During our Holidays 2016, the bike was refusing to start every now and then. In Ballymoney they diagnosed a fault of the starter motor and told us how to start the bike when that happened as they didn’t have the spares for repairing. When we came back Juan bought the little parts inside the starter motor and repaired it. Working perfect since.
-We removed the heating grips that stopped working a while back, and we put back the original grips. If I’m going to use the bike to do max 500km per year, I don’t think I’ll take her out when it’s too cold outside anyway LOL.
After 150.000km I’ve still no intention of letting her go, I’m still very happy with her and no recent motorbike really attracts me. So even if I only use her for 500km per year, when I do go for a spin I really enjoy every single kilometre.
So now I suppose it will take us a few year to get to celebrate 200.000km, but the objective is just enjoying with her every single kilometre, on nice twisty roads, surrounded by beautiful landscapes and with the best company!
V’s
MariCel with no bike
Holidays with no bike – Christmas 2017
It’s that time of the year when the Cribs are set,
the streets are enlightened with Christmas decorations and we can feel that festive atmosphere in the cold air of the streets, and here we go, the 3 of us, for the first time on a long trip.
Well, we had already taken a plane the 3 of us in September…
But this time, as we can’t get the side-car yet (Emma is too small), it is by car that we start our 2 weeks long road trip (first time are always big adventures!).
We start with a few hours by car up to Dublin, where we take a ferry. In the ferry Emma seems to enjoy the scenery, and then crawls around between the tables (mostly empty) of the ferry lounge (well then, the carpets were not very clean though… lol).
We disembark in Holyhead, it looks like we are in Wales, as the names seem absolutely impossible to pronounce… And here we start our crossing of the UK. We stop for the night in Stafford, a hotel we booked from the ferry, very nice and comfy and very cheap.
The next day we go on, to get to the Eurotunnel. We arrive there 2 hours before the booking time, so we have to pay a supplement if we want to take a train before the one we booked. As there is a delay in all trains, the sooner we get in the queue, the sooner we’ll be on the other side. So here we are in those giant wagons below the English Channel. If we think about it, it IS really a masterpiece of engineering. But Emma wasn’t too bothered about it lol .
Once in France, and as we lost one hour under the Channel, we try to go as far as possible, and we stop for the night in Reims, with nothing to declare.
The following day we have a very long road at sight, and it becomes even longer with a huge traffic jam close to Valence. We are stuck in traffic for 2h30 (1 hour announced on the signage).
We finally get to our destination around 10pm, where we will spend one week of rest and family time.
On the way back we make a few stops for friends and family.
We spend the New Year’s Eve in Beaune, town we chose randomly on airbnb, and that happens to be a lovely town where it would be worth spending some more days for tourism.
After 2 other stops to visit family and friends, here we are again in the Eurotunnel (on time), just after a big storm that went across France, UK and Ireland. We go through England and Wales at once. Traffic is quite heavy but funnily people drive quite well and there is hardly any traffic jam. We arrive to Holyhead around 9pm.
The day after we take the ferry, which rocks Emma to sleep, and makes me half seasick (only “half” thanks to the pills). We get to Dublin and after a few hours drive here we are back in our Home Sweet Home. And under the Sun, it’s important to say it! We were very lucky as the day before all ferries had been cancelled because of the storm!
Noteworthy:
*English people “stealing” our old carts 😉
*the Customs agents who congratulate Juan for the car boot being so well organised lol
*the restaurants and shopping centres in France absolutely unprepared to go with babies (no changing facilities, no highchairs). Which is quite strange as France is the European country with the highest birth rate…
*we now know by heart all the nursery rhymes in French and Spanish lol
*Emma has been through the 4200km in 2 weeks without any problem. Yeah !
Ride outs
Twisties in “Les Vosges”
The worst things about Paris area for bikers is that there are no corners. It is all flat and straight, with only beetroots fields (with their strange signals)
and small groves hiding gendarmes with fining binoculars…
To escape from the “non corner” zone, we took advantage of a 3-days week-end to go on a treasure hunt: twisties.
We left on a Friday after lunch, with no rush, to cover about 400km of straight line, to the East. Our destination “Les Vosges”, small mountain area (Natural Park) very close to the border with Germany. Alsace area was German between 1870 and 1914/1918.
Who says mountains says twisties 🙂 .
We arrived quite tired after so many kilometres on boring straight lines in the middle of the fields.
After a “light” meal with “Munster” cheese (nothing to do with Irish area 😉 ), we went to bed early to have some rest for the next day.
I had planned an itinerary, but we got lost several times, though it did not really matter as the idea wasn’t to go to any particular place, just to enjoy the road, the corners and the landscapes. So this is finally the itinerary we covered:
We found unknown places on our way:
“Le Linge” Memorial– First World War Battle where French and German troops confronted each other from 20th of July to 15th of October 1915: 17000 dead.
The Spring colours were very nice, with different shades of green, though the light was very difficult as it was quite cloudy though the sun was not far away behind, and my lense did not allow very good pics.
A resident:
Views from the road between “Grand Ballon”, the highest mountain of Les Vosges (1424m), and Cernay:
On our way back to the hotel…
We covered about 200km, to recharge the batteries before going back the next day… 400km of straight line in the middle of the fields, and now accompanied by all the Parisian people going back home after a long week-end…
It was well worth it though 😉
Trips
Champagne
The last week-end of October, with a 3-days week-end, we decided to go for a ride-out with the bikes, the way I like it, with plenty of time to stop for taking pics.
At the beginning we had planned to go with the 2 bikes, but a coolant leak problem with the SP2 didn’t let us, and we finally went the 2 of us on my bike.
The destination was the city of Reims, in the French region of Champagne.
The bad thing of Paris and surroundings for bikers is that it is all flat, with no twisties, all straight. So that the road to the twisty places is not quite “interesting” for bikers. Even though, we kept the good habits to avoid the motorways.
We left on Friday with no rush after lunch. The day was very cloudy, with those kind of low clouds that makes feel you like it’s sunset all day long. But at least it did not rain.
We had to cover about 180km; the last part surrounded with colourful vineyards, and even with some twisties (since we live in Paris, we are now counting the bends… 😉 ).
We were staying in a kind of bed & breakfast (“chambres d’hôtes”) at about 20km from the city of Reims, with very welcoming people- and bikers also. A very nice place to stay to visit Reims and enjoy the surroundings
We arrived with enough time to get some directions to a nice place to have dinner a few kilometres away. We had a nice dinner.
On Saturday the day started with a beautiful sun, but it was chilly. We took the bike to Reims, where we visited the Cathedral.
Outside the wind was freezing cold. Juan was freezing (I wore myself more layers than an onion). After a “technical” tea/hot chocolate break to warm up a little, we went for a walk in the surroundings of the Cathedral.
And we went for lunch.
In the afternoon we went to visit a small Car Museum, founded many years ago by a Renault designer (Charbonneaux) with his private collection, which later was completed with new acquisitions by the museum and other cars lent by private people. It is not very big but it has some interesting pieces. Very few motorbikes though, some of them needing restoring.
1st steam vehicle:
Citroen Maseratti
A tandem with engine and sidecar…
After the Museum we went to the village of Epernay, where are based most of the most famous Champaign brands. We arrived too late for visiting the caves. So we went for dinner and on our way back we got lost- it was night already- into the “mountains” around Reims (which are more like hills than mountains). But we finally made it back to our accommodation, completely frozen though.
The next day we had to go back home. But with no rush. In the morning we went looking for a nice Mill we had seen in a picture and a painting in our accommodation. Thanks to the owners’ indications we found it and stopped for a while to take pictures in the middle of the colourful vineyards.
Then we went on through “la Route du Champagne“, which goes through the hills along many Champaign caves (though it’s better not to stop for tasting in each of them if you drive/ride 😉 ).
Then we stopped in the village of Gueux.
There, they used to run motor races for many years: The first time was the “Grand Prix de la Marne” in 1926, 1st “Grand Prix de France”in 1938, first official Formula One race in 1950 – and last Formula one race in 1966, and last race of the French Motorcycle Championships in 1972.
A local association restored the boxes area and the grandstand.
After quite a few more pics (most of the pics of the trip did not show quite great, as always I had my analogue camera, and it stopped working properly, making the colours quite inappropriate. The best pics were taken with my mobile phone…), we had to finally decide to start the way back home…
As a conclusion: a very nice area, to go for a ride-out and enjoy the vineyard scenery and take pics. We will come back, though we will when it gets warmer…
V’s
Ride outs, Trips
100.000km
This post is a translation of an article which was published in the Spanish magazine “La Moto” in May 2010. It’s a “summary” of the first 100.000km with my SV. Some pics might also be published in other posts.
I started getting interested in bikes when I was 14, but it wouldn’t be until 10 years later that I decided to take the riding test and buy my first bike, a Kawasaki ZZR, with the excuse to get quicker to work and back home.
I bought it second hand with 20000km and sold it 3 years later with 80000km.
In May 2005 I bought my second and current bike, a Suzuki SV650S, I chose her for her look (aesthetically I love RR bikes, but I’m too slow for them 😉 ) and for her V-twin personality.
Apart from using her to commute daily, I also love to go for ride-outs on Sundays, but when I most enjoy my bike is traveling.
The truth is that this bike is not the most adequate for traveling, its riding position isn’t the most comfortable, and less for my 1.60m tall. But anyway, I just get used to her, and to be honest, it is a really fun bike to ride, and I can only speak positive about her reliability.
So in May 2005 we decided to try her on going for a week-end in the Biker Camping of Anzanigo. The trip was very tough on my husband who was following me on his 1000cc RR bike, at a maximum speed of 108km/h as my bike was still running-in.
Mallos de Riglos 2005
On the way back it was even worse, as it took us 11 hours to cover the 350km… Not because of the maximum speed, but because of the average speed, as I was stopping every now and then to practice my second hobby: taking pictures… We must admit that this area of the Pre-Pyrenees (Aragon and Catalonia) is really photogenic.
That same year, in order to be sure to try her on well, and as summer arrived, we went to my first bikes rally, also in the Aragon Pyrenees. And then I had a holiday of “a few” kilometres, first by myself to visit friends in Marseille and Lyon, and then again with my husband, down to Asturias and Galicia (Ferrol and Sanxenxo).
Isla de la Toja 2005
In the following years we went for a few more trips, mainly in Spain (in no particular order and some places several times: Cazorla, Almeria, Madrid, Valencia for SBK race, Teruel…), and of course Asturias and Galicia where we go every summer, always through the same roads in the Pre-Pyrenees. Sometimes we stopped in that area, on the Spanish side (Biescas)
On our way to Bielsa 2008
or French side (this year Cauterets, going through many passes of the “Tour de France”).
on our way to the Col d’Aspin – 2008
Mirador del Fito – Asturias 2009
Mirador de San Andrés de Teixido – Galicia 2009
We also had some trip to the neighbouring country, around Lyon, with a compulsory stop in the lovely area of Millau and the “Gorges du Tarn”, as my chain had given up (should have been changed before the trip!).
Viaduct of Millau – 2007
For traveling we bought saddlebags and when going both on my bike, we also have a tank bag (I can’t use it when riding my bike as the tank is high and large, and I don’t get well to the handlebars then).
Most of the trips were between May and September, for long week-ends or holidays. When traveling we always try to get through secondary twisty roads, taking our time, enjoying the road, the landscapes and stopping every time we can (and my husband lets me) to take pictures. Although on the way back from holidays, we usually take less time through boring motorways.
Most of the trips I rode my bike myself, but I also tried the back seat sometimes on long trips, as for traveling together my husband’s bike back seat is absolutely a no go! The position on the back seat of the SV is quite straight and comfortable, but on long trips it can start being a little uncomfortable after a few hours.
During those 4 years, I also went for a few ride-outs at the week-end, around Catalonia, South around Tarragona, North around Gerona, in groups, with my husband or by myself, riding or on the back seat. The important thing being enjoying the road, the scenery, and the company (always tailing when in group…).
la Llosa del Cavall, Catalonia – 2009
On our way to la Bonaigua – 2009
During those 100000km, I had no mechanical issue with the bike, I had one electrical issue (the main fuse blew, due to a shortcircuit caused by the antitheft chain rubbing against a cable under the back seat…), and apart from the usual servicing, I changed the rear shock absorber for a better one, and the front fork springs. Until now I’ve never changed a single bulb. And the battery is still the original one.
The only “plus” I put are the heated grip, which are really useful for winter trips.
30/01/2010 100.000km
To conclude, in 100000km covered with her, with sun, heat, rain or cold, I can’t complain at all about her behaviour. It is a very fun bike to ride, maybe better for using on short spins at the week-end, but she never gave any problem on long trips. The only down point for my small stature is the riding position that is not the most comfortable for the back.
I have no thought of changing her for another one on short or medium term, so I hope she will accompany me for another 100000km at least, and with many more pics!
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
