Can this be done?

restandplay

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Hi

We arrive in Santander at 12.15am and want to ride to Algeciras port, which seems about 630 miles nearly all motorway, to arrive the same day. Is this madness or do you think it is possible. We have a r1200gs and a F800gs?

Derek
 
As long as you've got the time right when you say 12:15am and you've had a sleep on the boat until just before you dock then I don't see why not. If you mean 12:15pm and you'll have been up all morning then set off at the hottest part of the day then sooner you than me.
 
Hi Andy

Sorry I meant just after midday. We have booked the ferry which leaves Plymouth on the 30th April and arrives on the 1st May. We have a hotel booked in Algeciras for the night of the 1st ready to catch the ferry to Morocco at 10.00am on the 2nd May.

Derek
 
Hi Andy

Sorry I meant just after midday. We have booked the ferry which leaves Plymouth on the 30th April and arrives on the 1st May. We have a hotel booked in Algeciras for the night of the 1st ready to catch the ferry to Morocco at 10.00am on the 2nd May.

Derek

I couldn't be bothered checking the arrival time but I did think that arriving in the middle of the night was a bit unlikely. I usually work on averaging 50mph to allow for plenty of breaks and shit traffic at some point so I think you're pushing it to try and get to the hotel in Algeciras anything before midnight. To be honest I'd sooner stop 200 miles short and get up in the morning and crack those last miles at a much higher speed than you'd manage when you're tired and it's dark.

Have fun whatever you decide to do.
 
Hi Andy

Sorry I meant just after midday. We have booked the ferry which leaves Plymouth on the 30th April and arrives on the 1st May. We have a hotel booked in Algeciras for the night of the 1st ready to catch the ferry to Morocco at 10.00am on the 2nd May.

Derek

I would cancel the Hotel and book a stop somewhere, its a long boring drag down and your arse would never forgive you, I did it on a 800 and got to Cadiz
 
I have on several occasions arrived at Santander port and set off for a 150 or so mile leg for the first night's accommodation. Sometimes we clear the port by 1300, sometimes as late as 1400. Your proposed journey is obviously achievable but with fuel and rest stops you would be pushed to average 50 - 60 mph. Expect to arrive at your destination in the wee small hours and very tired. Not much fun in my opinion: much better to split the journey and see something of the country.
Alan R
 
Am I correct in thinking you arrival time is 12:15 and not 00:15?

If this is the case then to cover the 630 miles (I normally clock nearer 680) and arrive at your hotel by 22:15 will mean you need to average 63mph. I would say it would be pretty much impossible to average 63mph for 10 hours.

Disembarking will take at least 30 minutes, fuel stops in total will be the best part of an hour, so in real terms you have got to average 75mph for the 630 miles....

So unless you're planning on keeping to 85/90 most of the time you're moving, not a f'kin chance.
 
635 miles ....algeciras to Santander..... left at 09.00......arrived at 18.00....... couple of stops......not hanging around..!!!
 
The temps wont be to high. But having said that, I would have a stop over, perhaps Sevilla which is 2 hours from the port, and a beautiful city, or Jerez about 1 hour to the port, or Cadiz just under 2 hours, both worth a visit.
 
Is this madness or do you think it is possible.

Yes, yes.

I did it in two days and enjoyed the ride. Doing it in 1 day would be hard work.
If your going that way, watch out for Seville. The traffic can get pretty bad at the wrong time of day.
 
On the first two Dashes to Morocco, we left Biarritz and arrived pretty damned close to Algeciras in time for early evening snifters and tucker the same day.

But we is well 'ard.
 
Hi

Thanks for your replies. I think we might have been a bit over optimistic but because I have already booked and paid for the hotel in Algeciras (which I think was a mistake) we will ride as far as we can and if we get too tried just stop and find another hotel and resume the ride to the port a bit early the following day.

Derek
 
You won't clear the port until 1330 or 1400. Sunset at that time of year and that latitude is about 2115 with full dark 30 minutes later. So two or three hours of your journey will be in full darkness.

I've done some very long one-day journeys including Eastern Poland to the UK in one day, and from Marrakech to two hours the other side of Granada in one day (both examples included ferries and night riding). You have to be really in the groove to undertake these long journeys. I've done mine solo which I think is easier. If one of you is feeling really good and the other is tired and can't concentrate, this becomes dangerous.

I've also done the journey between our cave in Spain and Santander more than a dozen times which is slightly less distance than Algeciras but not motorway all the way, so the same elapsed time. In our Discovery this takes ten hours travelling in comfort at 110 kph with only one fuel stop necessary. The speed limit on motorways is mainly 120 kph but there will be stretches of 100 kph. Spanish drivers tend to keep within the limits.

Stop every 150-200km for refuelling, an espresso coffee and a good stretch. Exceeding 130 kph for long stretches becomes a false time saving as it means you need to refuel more often. Be prepared for a sore bum and sore neck due to hours of wind buffeting.
 


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