A week in the Pyrenees.

[Deleted account 220319001]

I've been want to do the Pyrenees for years but the logistics for me have always proved to be a nightmare. Living in Dundee, Scotland it would be at least a two day trip to get anywhere near there by bike from where I stay. So what were my options.....fly and bike hire.

A flight to Barcelona cost me £120 return from Edinburgh and bike hire (a Tiger 800) worked out around just under £600 for a 7 day hire with unlimited mileage, so for about £700 I can do the Pyrenees, sounds like a decent deal when I consider ferry to Spain...circa £250, rear tyre...circa £150, fuel...circa £150, accom..on route, circa £100, this was turning out to be a no brainer for me.

Viva Barca.

It came as no surprise that I never slept a wink on my first night. I had to get to Reus train station to catch either the 6.30 or 7.30 train in to Barcelona, nae point in hanging about til 7.30 was there....of course I choose to ignore two separate hotel receptionists who gave me directions and followed my phone, which turned a 15 minute walk into a 30 minute panicked stomp....eventually finding myself on the 6.43 to Barcelona but tbh it could've been any train, I just followed two big chicks on to platform 3 and got on the same train as them...... sweating like a sumo wrestlers jockstrap.

Once at the station I know the bike hire place is only a couple of streets away...but it's only the back of 8 on a Sunday morning....he's not open...I call, he answers....is that Stoooart....aye that'll do....see you at 9am, I have a coffee then there at 5 to. A couple of chinkys are getting served...WTF...their getting a GS....is mean who the fuck rides that shite....my 800 tiger is getting polished by some broad.I...is fecking itching to get going. He's done with the others and to me, topbox only chief....are you sure he says...aye..nae bather..then he opens the box....ffs.....ism had to jettison half my gear, well leave it there for my return...Johnny Rotten book included...ah well I'm good to go

With sat nav programmed the go up the coast taking in some recommended roads I'm away....what you forget is how big these cities are....and traffic lights....not that it was an issue to me I jumped at least 20, went 300 yards down a one way Street, was up and onto paths, holy shit this was jail sentence stuff

The bike is a tiger 800xc, first impressions are it's seat is very cumfy and the engine is as smooth as silk but out on the open road it's a bit gutless, don't get me wrong it cruises easily at 100mph but there is nae get up and go, it doesn't so much lift it's skirt and fly more a wee flash of the knee but that's all yer getting.

I eventually get on to the coast and start taking it in...sun sea and sand and me on a bike....then I turn up hill, and that's when you remember about first gear hairpins when your in third....you have to calibrate the brain to tourist mode, it's no Glenshee where you know every curve, this is hairpin city but it really is tourist travel or your in the ditch but not only that, it's getting used to cars coming at you on left hand bends that freaks you out til you get used to it again......then eventually back down to the coast....

I stop to take a pic then spot a better place for one, freewheel down a 100 yards or so, take a pic then go to ride off....nae helmet...it's a hunner Oscar so yards back up the hill...

I hope, and it's starting to get warm...ffs...but it's there

I continue alone the coast taking in the popular tourist resorts of Callela, Lloret and then in to Tossa de Mar....beyond that was the road I was recommended however......I missed the turn on the Twatt nav and went in to town, then it all went pear shaped. For some reason the nav had me heading back the twisty road to Lloret so I pulled over. I take a bit of time with the nav and get it pointing in the right direction.....cool....back on the bike, back on the road....without a seconds thought I pull on to the road get up to speed, bearing in mind this is a right twisty road...go round the corner and.....WHAT THE FUCK ! no really WHAT THE FUCKING FUCK....a car heading straight towards me in my land....hammered the anchors on, managed to get over the road and I was safe....I absolutely fucking shit it...then Iv realised, he wasn't in my Lane, I WAS IN HIS !!! Without a thought I pulled on to the road and stayed on the left. I was seriously shaken up by this, more than any near incident I've had in years and years tens of thousands of miles, that's how shaken I was.

Having decided to fast track to my digs I find myself on I guess a motorway type road, 3 lanes but the difference is this thing curves, all the way. I'm doing a steady 135/140 kph and the surface is billiard table stuff, pretty much like all the open roads so far. I head for a town called Ripoll, some 40ish miles away and I'm there in a flash, drop in to a filling station to fill up as I know my digs aren't far so I'm full fora mora

I ask the geezer how for to my digs town....20k he says....cool what I didn't know was just out of this town is the much talked about N260. I didn't realise I was on it, just bend after bend after bend, but not fast stuff, 2nd gear 3rd if you were lucky, really quite challenging particularly on a bike with a 21inch front....I arrive at my digs but fuck me, it's ghost town city

I always thought the Spanish siesta was folklore, it's not, not a soul about, every house had shutters down. When I say I arrived at the digs, I arrived in the dirt track of a street, nae numbers or feck all, 4 times I rode round dial and round til I seen some old geezer and asked him, fuck me, naebody speaks the lingo....so I piss off for a wander up so track....

As per, pics so nothing for what you see yourself....

I headed back doon, shitting mysell I dinny drop the bike, I don't but to the street/track my digs are on and another geezer appears, shows me the place and I'm in...day one done.

 

[Deleted account 220319001]

I was asked if I wished to join my hosts for dinner....it would be rude not to I thought. So bang on 9 myself, my hosts another Spanish guest and a French couple sat down. It was then I wished I'd politely refused...they eat different shit over here...and not to my liking...they all scoffed it down, I picked over it like a 5 year old child, I was embarrassed however it was a lovely time spent chatting and getting to know other people and their lives.

In the morning it was breakfast at 9, thankfully it was toast and jam and coffee...oh and other shit that I didn't touch but toast and jam and coffee did me. My plan for the day was set in the nav but I was tipped off about Brega I thought I'd go for that. My host asked me where I was going and got the map out and directed me away from the route I was looking at for Brega and pointed out a back road, he says it'll be quieter and more scenic...holy fucking bejeezus he wasn't kidding.

As you an see its heaving with tourists

It was fantabulous....the 4012 I think...40km worth...that then lead the the C16, which I thought, ah well that's the end of the fun as this lead to Berga, a bigger screen town so expect more traffic and the likes.....nope...if was just a faster more open flowing road for the next 20km, I only overtook one car on route to Berga.

It's an amazing road and empty, totally empty. I do the stretch he says and keep going, still not a soul, I carry on for miles, something is up....something must be up, I haven't encountered a single car anywhere, it's quite bizarre. I'm now on the C 462, like the previous road, it's fantastic right up and over the mountains...

I've been riding for over four hours and hardly seen a human being, have however, came across a crazy dug, I spotted it in the distance running...I catch up and it's still running, up a fucking mountain ffs...it must be training for some doggy marathon or something cause this mad fucker is still running, with a heavy coat on in this weather to.

The 462 starts to descend and for the first time, the surface is gash, it's hard work all the way down, fortunately iirc see what looks like a larger town than the one horse deserted villages I've been through, time for a break, time for a coffee and a muffin. 1 euro for a coffee and 56 cents for a muffin, been here 3 days and I've hardly spent a bean and nae smart arse suggesting I pay for some other fuckers room, bliss.

One thing that is very clear up here is, you're not in Spain, your in Catalonia, they don't speak English and they don't speak Spanish, they speak Catalans, their flag is everywhere.

 

[Deleted account 220319001]

Andorra is a beautiful place, seems very posh with lots of top class shops and what looks like a better quality gadgee walking about...And some desirable bikes..

But it is very nice...

What is incredibly bizarre though is the amount of filling stations there is, within 5 or 6 kilometres there is easily 20+ on one stretch there is 5 within 50 yards of each other...WTF !

On the way in I spotted some major squiggles on the sat nav heading up into the hills so I thought I'll head up them coming out however I spotted a Yamaha shop and dropped in for a nosey.

Then it was back up in to the mountains...

Which went for miles and with an eye on the clock I punch in my digs, rode for seemed like forever for it to take me down to where I went up the hills

Then it was out of Andorra with a quick piccy the the border...

Then it was the N260 back, this time it was a really good stretch so good progress was made and again, deserted until my Twatt nav had a wobbler and sent me up here...

turned back and went another road but no it was sending me back up that track so I thought fuck it, go for it... I got a hunner yards and was met with a lecce fence so twatty was ignored til I got back on the 260. As good as the 260 is its fecking hard work at the end of a 360km day in the mountains and it was pitch dark by the time I got back but absolute top day in the saddle, up there with any day I've had....and tomorrow....I have the 260 again all the way to Jaca....bring it on.

 

[Deleted account 220319001]

I head east to the to the town of Jaca taking in 220 miles of the N260.

I have to set off earlier today as my hosts have to go out and my second night with them was only sorted on my arrival. This is my first experience of airbnb and at 26€ a night it's a steal. I say goodbye with a shake of the hand to the bloke and classic kiss on each cheek to his missus and I'm away.

I have route in my nav for today but having looked at the map I see a yellow squiggly road south of where I am so I set sail for this before I get back on to the curve fest that is the N260. It's the 401/402....fuck me, 40km of no more than 30 yards of straight road, superb.

I set off at 8.30, it's cloudy and much cooler, in fact I have to stop to change gloves from textile to leather...I ride another 10k and stop again, this time to put on a base layer. The 260 seems busier, I'm guessing cause I'm at lower lever and there is more towns about, not that it being busier is an issue as with blatant disregard to traffic laws and signs I pass everything. Starting to climb and with that the roads empty, here a tunnel and tjose who have done the Alps will tell you, the tunnels are awways mobbed..

now back to hairpins again and I'm greeted by a chap two up on an RT scraping his pannier, my cap is truly doff education as he takes his hand off the bar to wave.....RESPECT.

Spotting what looks like a viewing point there is a camper van parked up, I'll pull in for a piccy, no sooner have a done this when a lady appears and says, would you like a coffee...oh yes please. They were David and Isabelle from Bristol.

I've clearly got a white jock about me cause that's been two filling stations have spoke in English to me before I've uttered a word , at the second one it's now 1pm do I decide to stop for lunch.

The nav has me going off the 260 to the 1604? It's delightful...

pace turned down as I take it in, it was that enjoyable I decided to ignore the nav that had me turning off a few miles further down and carried on it, and surprise surprise, like everywhere else, it's empty.

I eventually find myself back on the 260 and it's a fast section, so with bike set to warp factor in fire on...40 km to my hotel and I'm there, secure underground parking and sorted, 240 mile day, doesn't sound a lot but it's another big day in the mountains as anyone who has done the Pyrenees or the Alps will tell you.

Some other randoms...

 

[Deleted account 220319001]

Note to self: Updates maps on Sat save before foreign trips. With that in mind I check the map, plan is to head to San Sebastian by back roads. I see a yellow road 137 and to there is go, and inspired* choice as like everywhere else it's empty and billiard table smooth.

The plan was to then take the 140 staying in Spain but this road is to good I continue on for my first sorte in to France. It climbs high up and I stop at a hairpin with a view.

As I'm standing I can hear bikes approach and then a GS and another tiger 800....exactly the same as mine, turns out they are on a guided tour, guy on the GS guiding the fella on the tiger, which is hired from the same company as mine. We chat for a bit and the guide asks if I wish to join them, and the next 4 hours is spent in the company of Mattias the guide and Steve.

We were now on the French side and things had gone a bit pear shaped....

I'd told them I was heading to San Sebastian later and we said our goodbyes and I headed north fora futba game in the Basque county between* Real Sociadad and Las Palmas.

In hindsight it wasn't the best of ideas but it was a change i guess but could've done without getting back 120 miles later at 2 in the morning.

 

[Reggie P]

Nicely crafted words; for example ( Tiger engine grunt..lack of ......) "flash of the knee, that's all you're getting ! "...... loved this post.

 

[steveC]

Thanks for a really interesting post, good narrative. It brightened my day up no end

 

[Rusty]

Well done and thanks for posting that .. it was a decent read !

 

[Ash]

Well done and thanks for posting that .. it was a decent read !

+1
Most enjoyable....

 

[Tinytim]

Cabby. Like ya style.

 

[Davel]

 

[Deleted account 220319001]

I've wanted to do famous tour de France climbs for years, not on a push bike you understand, fuck that, so today I set sail for the Col de Tourmalet. I've got all day to get to my digs which for the first time on this trip was France,I take it easy and take it* the scenery...

As im heading down a pass i drop down and pull over and see a British plate car with a couple taking pics, I offer to take a pic of them and we chat for a while.

Wes and Rose from Wales, Wes knows his moto gp and all the British riders like Danny Kent and Chas Davies etc. I wish them well and go on my way..

Had a lovely long chat with them and went on my way again.

Next it's towards the Col de Tourmelet and it's much busier here, nowt like the alps in summer but more cars about.... no sure if the Col De* Aubisque is before theTourmalet or not as my brain is now fried but here are more pics....

Heading down from there I come round the corner to these geezers....

Absolutely zero fucks given.

It's a pity you can't see there expressions in the pics was it was classic.....ye..what..what is it mister motorcycle man, you expect us to move....I don't fucking think so....look about them

From here it must've been to the Col de Tourmalet....

Why anyone would choose to cycle up these mountains I have no idea but they have my utmost respect for doing so...

By this time I'm absolutely out on my feet but not far to digs, but canny find them and my directions are in French not to worry I have a pic of the digs and stop a couple, show them the pic and I suss out that the guy is away to get his car....result. They didnt speak a word of English and I speak fuck all French but I knew what he meant, so followed him for a couple of miles and there is was, at my airbnb for the night...knackered but happy chappy.

 

[Popell]

Did a fair bit of the 260 last year, using this thread as a teaser to entice a few other riding buddies to join us next year - mind you, if I could fit a cheeky ride in this year......

 

[mcinlb]

Stunning photos, thinking of going to that area next year, looks great.

 

[Bungy]

Inspirational photos that are sparking my interest. Thank you for taking the time to photo and write up really liking this thread.

 

[Arsey]

Nice pics. Shame the food was shite! When I was in the same area last month the food was the highlight!

Sent from this Android pile of shite using Bolloxchat

 

[Deleted account 220319001]

Fridays forecast had been pants all week and I'd been awake most of the night with a migrane so wasn't looking forward to it and had sat nav set for fastest straight route, however it was bright and sunny again so it was a re look at the may to see the yellow route of the C28 was preferred and yet again, another inspired* choice.This was my last days riding and as with everywhere else I've been in Spain it's deserted so I thought I'd make the most of it.

The C28 ended at Sort and then became the majestic N260 but a stretch I hadn't earlier then lead on to the 401 towards Berga which was a bonus cause that becomes the 4241 that I had done earlier but this time in the opposite direction but the biggest bonus so far was there was no sign of the forecasted thunder storms.


The 401 like everything else here is superb. As I come round a bend I see two bikes with UK plates so I pulled over and have a chat. One fella from weegieland who works in Gibraltar, Alistair* and his mate from Cheltenham Phil.

4241? But it splits, check the map and I take the south route, again another belter of a road. From here it's 60 miles to Barcelona so I fire on, the approach to Barcelona takes forever but I'm firing past everything unbeknown to me is all the tolls, 3 of the fuckers on route to the Nou Camp tour.

I've done the Camp Nuo years ago but couldn't remember much of it, this time round I thought it was ace, 23€ entry and it's well worth it.

And that was pretty much that. A fantastic weekend riding totally empty roads in great weather alone, I probably couldn't have had a better weeks riding. Only thing I would change was not to come back down to Barcelona a day early, shoulda stayed up north another day, other than that it was superb.

Thanks to those who have taken the time to read this.

 

[Bloomers100]

Nice report. Interesting evaluation of cost of flying hiring versus riding your own bike down there. Food for thought.

 

[cherokee]

Thanks for taking time to post..enjoyed that...

 

[Reggie P]

Nice report. Interesting evaluation of cost of flying hiring versus riding your own bike down there. Food for thought.

Bloomers, don't forget the other option.... ( seems the best for me !)

Use a transport service to transport your own bike/kit there , then fly to AVS or similar and enjoy the ride!

I love Brittany ferries (when I'm with my children) it's fun and like a mini-cruise.

BUT, I didn't find the same playful experience with my biker mates ! A rough sea didn't help !
We all agreed that the ride ( lashing rain ) to / from Portsmouth and the (bloody rough)October ferry was a pain .

Next year we'll be flying to AVS and using a third party service or driver to send the bikes out !