Boom Boom...... Shake Shake The Katoom

[Von Stolberg]

I recall ski-ing at Andorra years and years ago, and it was small, cheap, and kinda fun.
Modern Day Andorra, especially the main city Andorra la Vella is significantly overcrowded and not to be recommended.
We opted for a scoot out to a charming village style spot at Ordino. Thoroughly enjoyed walking the steeply streets, thinly populated,
and leisurely supping coffee and letting the day pass.

 

[Von Stolberg]

Do you hang around council flat estates in London at night being menacing ??

Not unless they are having difficulties with sheep's hooves

 

[Von Stolberg]

Mr Google reveals unto us that there is an Adventure gear shop in Andorra la Vella, and although currently closed for siesta, will be open later this afternoon. Yet another round of coffees is consumed, before we head back into the 'city' once more, me with a head full of imagined Klim and Kriega bargains!!

Shop is open when we get there, and does indeed stock a fair range of Klim, Rev'it, and Kriega, but not at the sort of tax-free prices I'd hoped for, and probably no keener that can be found in the UK. Pity, I'd had my wallet 'nearly open' especially for the occasion..

So it's back along the N-260 to hotel in Sort, only now its late afternoon and the rain has blown in off the mountains. As we'd started out on what was a sunny day out, I'm wearing a Rev'it Mesh Jacket, and Oxford Original denim jeans, neither garments being considered ideal for wet weather riding. I am pleasantly suprised at the Revit Mesh as it keeps out any rain that gets past the KTM's screen. The Oxford jeans even keep what water that hits knees etc well off of me (there's a few layers in them admittedly) and its a 'fast but smooth' ride in the wet back towards Sort.

By the time we get back, special actions are called for once more, and the 'combat laundry' goes in to action..

 

[Von Stolberg]

So our two days at Sort are concluded, and we are heading west again through fantastic roads, AND THE SUN CAME OUT!

I think where the Picos really score over, say, The Dolomites, is that the Picos roads are virtually empty, BUT , really well looked after.
Back home i never push absolutely, the road surfaces just arent that good, and of late theyve become a minefield of potholes.
The further West we went the better the roads got, in terms of views, curves, grip, and temperature.
Here we find ourselves held up for 15 minutes as concrete is poured, fixing a bridge damaged by winter floods.

GG Catching some rays!




with some time to kill I give the bike a once over. Now I'm not usually one for BIG lean angles, I'm more Christian Sarron than Francesco Bagnaia, but..
i was suprised when i looked at how far the Michelin 6's were on the chicken-strip-ometer... ALL the way!
This set of tyres was only put on a month ago, and hadnt been pushed at all in the UK, the whole Picos experience was bringing much pleasure!!

 

[Von Stolberg]

So, Spanish Toilets.... Obviously they dont say Ladies, or Gents, on the doors

more usually
CABALLEROS (gentlemen) vs SEÑORAS (ladies)

HOMBRES (men) vs MUJERES (women)

I was amused at this bar's take on how to differentiate

 

[Guru Gora]

Resurrection.

Apologies for the break but a few medical issues, thankfully now sorted out............ onwards...........

Day 7

Sort Andorra Sort

100 Miles ish

So we are forced back along the same road and into Andorra. Dry and bright this time so we are able to give it some berries.

I always wanted to visit the pretty town of Ordino but never managed, so we head straight for there.

Its quaint indeed but very small, a coffee stop and bimble type place rather than a destination as such I'd suggest.

Von S fires up his on board, highly tuned Tat Radar and sniffs out some shops selling fridge magnets on one wall, and outboard motors on the other, top destination shopping.

We have a good walk round after parking in an underground place where the office chap lets me leave my helmet and kit so I can change into shorts for the walk.

Tatted up we have lunch in the sun then a very long coffee break where we hatch a cunning plan to stock up on dirt cheap Klim kit before we leave Andorra...... we gonna make out like bandits.......

Bit of map study and we leave on the back road going north east, its a hidden gem, then turn right, into La Vella armed with credit cards.....................and the shop is shut

When it opens its well stocked, but no bargains to be had I'm afraid.

There are darker clouds to the South so we mount up and run for home.

About half way it starts to rain we we adopt he Not Above 5 deg AOB wobble along method of recovery to Sort.

Another bimble around this lovely town, food and pack.

We start heading pretty much due west tomorrow.

Its been a good 2 night stay............. bring on Spain

 

[Guru Gora]

Hatching a Klim raid….. fail

 

[Guru Gora]

Ordina is a pretty place, but I think it’s a stop over rather than a destination.

 

[Guru Gora]

Rat a tat

Tat…..

Yay….

 

[Von Stolberg]

Its been a good 2 night stay............. bring on Spain

Indeedy.

So far we’ve zipped across the Low Countries, cruised the ‘Route de Bitche’ , run south down the B500, and kept going, past Switzerland, and hung a right, to come West again at Andorra.

Mentally I’m thinking we’re on the Homeward leg now, and it’s all downhill from here….
HOW WRONG I WAS !!

The Pyrenees, and The Picos Mountains await us, and wonderful they proved to be!

Read on Dear Reader, and the tale gets better !

 

[Guru Gora]

A visit to the church in Sort provides the chance to light a candle and wish for safe onward travel

Following which, to make it ying and yang tastic …..

Von S ruins my cultural moment by insisting we eat here………. Forever ……

 

[Guru Gora]

Von S earning his “outdoor pursuits “ scout badge by getting pissed wet through.


Just like being on a scout trip in your teens again, minus creepy scoutmaster type trying to bum you

Onwards............

Spain tomorrow, the boring run home starts, but it ain’t boring honestly.

 

[Von Stolberg]

The Rain in Spain was Falling Mainly on Me!

Oxford’s finest AA jeans held the water out for twenty minutes or so….
And then the deluge finally got through to M&S’s finest!

 

[Guru Gora]

I used my superior knowledge of the meteorological situation, and detailed analysis of the synoptic charts to dress accordingly............

That and the fact that I only had one suit

 

[Von Stolberg]

NATO std issue 100mm Haartrockner Flammenwerfer deployed.

Oxford Originals soon back n ready for action

 

[Guru Gora]

Stolen off my Istanbul trip report.

God damn copyrichtenoberfuhrer

Find your own combat laundry technique

 

[Von Stolberg]

NATO std issue 100mm Haartrockner Flammenwerfer deployed.

Oxford Originals soon back n ready for action

Minnie Appo-logies..

seems I'd already posted that piccy in this thread earlier! Doh!

 

[Von Stolberg]

So it's westwards we run, the sun comes out, and we head West towards Pamplona





V Some local Rental bikes V

V Sign advises correct spacing to outwit Rocket-launchers or Dynamite blowers V

 

[Guru Gora]

Nice to see you sat on a bike from this century Von S

 

[Von Stolberg]

Nice to see you sat on a bike from this century Von S

You shoulda seen the 890SMT I had on Saturday!