First continental trip

[Capsize]

I have weeks leave to take early September and Jane has suggested we take the bike to ....Barcelona.

I would appreciate any - and I mean any- advice you can give on making this trip.

For instance>

- best channel crossing
- route through France
- campsites
- luggage
- required items to carry
- what not to carry (speak to Jane)
- what I need to order now to ensure delivery

I know that part of the fun should be working it out but work is hectic and I can feel a last minute panic coming on already.

BTW - bike is a 1200 gs which is why I am asking here first.

Thanks

Caps.....

 

[birdseye]

Personally I wouldnt ride through France, particularly on a GS, since the distance means that long hours on boring dual carriageways will be involved. Instead I would take the Portsmouth / Bilbao or Plymouth /Santander ferries and do my mileage on much more interesting back roads in Spain.

Nor would I camp. I would use cheap hotels and b&b - less luggage, more comfort.

Clothing will be an issue in Spain in earl;y September - it can still be as hot as hell. Wouldnt fancy black leathers!

Lastly, I cant remember the list of safety kit you have to carry (spare light bulbs, triangle etc) but if you decide to do so, buy it before the ferry terminal where you will be stuffed royally.

 

[Paul Narramore]

During the Summer of 2004, my wife and I decided on the same trip however she didn't fancy the long ride down through France. As we live in Kent, it seemed logically to use the Dover-Calais ferry crossing. We got around that by booking her a cheap EasyJet flight to Barcelona, and I took a couple of days to get down there. The first night, after staying on the minor roads which are naturally slower than the autoroutes but far more enjoyable, I stopped at Saumur in the Loire Valley. Just stopped at the first pension (small hotel) and booked a room. Next day I rode down to Flourence near Toulouse and stayed at the holiday home of a neighbour. The next day it was a quick ride down to Perpignan and the autoroute into Barcelona. The city was frightenly hot and very confusing so I eventually gave up, stopped and went into a shop to ask for directions. By chance I was 1/4 mile from the main square in the city. In the square was a Tourist Information Office and the staff found a budget hotel for me a few hundred yards away. Booked in, locked the bike up outside, got a bus to the airport about 10 miles west of the city, and met my wife with minutes to spare.

After a couple of days in the city - yes, it is a fascinating place, we rode up to Manresa, do see the monestery at Monserrat on the way, and up the Pyrenees to Andorra. Andorra was a nightmare and a constant traffic jam with one road in and one out. Because of smuggling - white goods are cheaper - every car seemed to get stopped and checked. First night stop at Sort. Next day up to various cols reaching the stunning Col du Tourmalet (2114m) and often one of the stages of the Tour de France. Stayed the night at a B&B at Argeles-Gazost.

Next day rode to Lourdes and took the A64 autoroute west to Biarritz and the north Spanish coast. We passed San Sebastian and stopped at a very strange hotel on the village of Ondarroa, a bit like a white-washed army barracks with almost no staff and on the cliffs overlooking the sea. It was far to hot to comfortably tour so we stayed there for a couple of chill-out days before riding into the inferno of Bilbao to catch the return ferry home to Portsmouth.

What to take? All the stuff you might take on a UK holiday, passport, E111, bike docs, mobile phone.

Advice? Don't go in July/August. It's far too hot to enjoy yourselves. This was impressed on us a few weeks ago with our trip to the Ardeche. If struggling to stay cool and looking out for melting tar on the roads is your thing then so be it, but we shall be giving hot countries a miss at this time of the year. We peaked htis year at 37C (99F) on the autoroute between the Ardeche and Paris, and that was at 4 in the afternoon!

 

[VAL. H.]

Spain

I love being in Spain. Though I haven't been on the bike yet If you get the chance go to Calpe, half an hour's drive north of Benidorm. And take a walk up the 'penion de fac' (I've probably spelt it wrong) the foot path starts at the nature reserve/ visitor centre. It's 240mtr's high and you can see for miles. You can even see the curveture of the earth out ovre the Med. If your in to climbing there's a couple of other ways to the top too
The best preperation you can make for a trip to Spain is invest in an Air Flow jacket and a pair of Draggin jeans. And you'll still be too hot. Have fun

 

[Harleyquin]

Look here

Have a look at the BMF site - it has lots of helpful advice. You could also have a look at Motorcycle Touring for Beginners though it is US-based.

P

 

[Lord Snooty]

Me and wifey toured Spain and Portugal last year for 17 days. We crossed to Cherbourg and rode through France - the trip doesn't have to be on boring autoroutes, we mixed it up and used A, N and D routes. unfortunately I've lost my mapsource routes so I can't give you the exact roads. We stopped in the Charente-Maritime area for the first night and the second night we were in the foothills of the Pyrenees. We crossed through Andorra which was fantastic but we also found the city of Andorra Le Vel a traffic pain, mainly due to roadworks. Once we were out of the city the rest of the day was glorious. We made our way to Sitges, just west of Barcelona, over the mountains and went past Manresa and the monastery. After Sitges we gradually worked our way down the coastline crossing the Sierra Nevada mountains and eventually found ourselves in Ronda which is highly recommended. Also visit La Alberca a wonderful quaint very traditional Spanish village. We bumped into Tim Ewart the ITV news reporter here, he was with his son and they were both on Hondas on their way to cover Euro 2004 in Portugal. We headed north, stayed at Cuidad Rodrigo which is a fortified city that featured in the Peninsula War, stayed in the Hotel Rodirigo in the main square next to the cathedral. Three star air conned luxury for about 45 euros We then headed for Elvas in Portugal which is another very old fortified town with Roman and Moorish origins. After that we made for Potes in the Picos for a couple of days before catching the ferry from Bilbao.

We left the UK in the last week of May and I would recommend giving July and August a miss. Even in early June we had temps of over 35 degrees, particularly inland.

 

[Richard Fuell]

Trip

I've done upwards of 30,000 miles in France and Spain on various bikes and which shows you how I feel about this.

If you are off to Barcelona I would go Portsmouth - Bilbao then turn left and cross the Pyrenees. You should stop in Torla and get a look at the Ordessa National park - my fav place in Europe so far. When you get to Barcelona you could always ride back up through France if you are enjoying it.

However if you want to go Plymouth - Santander and turn right - the Picos de Europa are fabulous as well.

Both ways have great roads and scenery, the drivers are generally very polite and move aside for bikes etc.

Whilst I like camping and in fact after camping many times I would go with the stay at cheap B&B option.

On a trip last month to the Picos we stayed in a little 2* Hotel in Poo - yup Poo - on the North coast of Spain near Santander. Clean, simple and cheap. (Which sort of describes me actually)

Good luck with the trip - once youve done it you'll be over there all the time.

 

[JayGee]

I've been around that area a few times and have always avoided the long Bilbao or Santandar crossing as I don't fancy wasting a day or so of holiday being bored on a boat (or even sea sick as this crossing can be really rough). I've just come back from near Andora and came back in two days using the N20/A20 which is a quite enjoyable major road/autoroute up towards Limoge and then some less main raods for the rest of the trip. Make the journey part of the holiday and then it's all enjoyable. I usually don't do more than 350 miles in a day that way the riding stays good fun. One year I stayed in Collieaure, a really nice place on the coast near the Spanish border, this year I stayed near Narbonne which is not so pleasant and I wouldn't do it again, in fact we moved on after a day or so. The ride to Andora is great but best avoided at weekends when all the locals go there for duty free goods, I know this cos I filtered past about 5 miles of cars on the way down the mountain. Also Andora is in the mountains where it rains an awful lot and Andora is not very picturesque, it's only worth going for the roads.

 

[JayGee]

...We made our way to Sitges, just west of Barcelona....

Sitges is I can confirm a really nice seaside resort, it is also the gay capital of Europe but don't let that put you off. It's a traditional resort with promenade etc but done very well.

 

[Mr K]

Fear not!
You need paperwork: Passports, bike V5 and docs, e111, travel insurance if you like and money or a source of money.
Anything you forget can be purchased from the French or Spanish equivalent of a shop.
They have cash machines and everything in any reasonable sized place....just like the UK ........only foreign and exciting.



I don't mean to be sarky: It's taken me doG knows how long to figure this out meself.
Trying to speak the lingo, even if you make a total a**e of yourself helps, both to break the ice and to show good intent.

Go! Enjoy!

 

[Taff]

I would appreciate any - and I mean any- advice you can give on making this trip. For instance> - luggage
- required items to carry

I know that part of the fun should be working it out but work is hectic and I can feel a last minute panic coming on already.

You definately need a LIST as there is no way you will remember everything, and DON'T leave things to the last minute -as that is just asking for trouble.

 

[Deleted account 211025001]

Leave EVERYTRHING to the last minute All my best experiences have come from that ethos - really

Oh, and any road with a green border on a Michelen map is worth following. Don't get hung up on the miles - just enjoy

Andres

 

[The Machine Cat]

Everything is there...

http://www.micapeak.com/checklists/

 

[Deleted account 211025001]

Everything is there...

http://www.micapeak.com/checklists/

Fantastisc rsourse, thanks

Andres

 

[oblertone]

Every morning !

Take a big bit of paper wth the words "Ride on the Right" and stick it on your bedroom door. That first morning manouver can be a killer, literally !

Other than that, go and have your own adventure !

 

[chasr]

Make sure your bike insurance gives you full cover for Spain, and not just 3rd party.

 

[David T]

Barcelona

Hi Capsize
I've drunk a lota wine so may be confused. Didn't quite go to barcelona, though Freddie M sang about it.
Fairly seriously we rode to (in 2002) Plymouth, stayed in a B&B overnight in Yealmpton called Beckdale, highly recommended. Then went Brittany 7.30am.ish ferries to Santander (hate long crossings but liked this one). Stayed 2 nights in their Mirador hotel at la Franca 'bout 40 miles west of Santander and rode to Picos de whatsit and Fuente De (fabulous roads to ride and good hotel). two days later rode from there via Unquera along Saja valley to Reinosa (terrific but scary on partially made road!) then down the Ebro valley (eagles and vultures circling) to Pamplona where we got absolutely lost and years later escaped to Broto and Jaca from where you can cut down to Barcelona. If you stray into France stay in Foix a place that fizzes in summer then go south. Hotels/ B/B reasonable usually. Just do it and enjoy the experience it'll be great. For us it was a trip worth remembering; hope that's what you get. Better to travel than to arrive!!!
DT

 

[Greg Masters]

Re: Spain

IIf you get the chance go to Calpe, half an hour's drive north of Benidorm. And take a walk up the 'penion de fac' (I've probably spelt it wrong) the foot path starts at the nature reserve/ visitor centre. It's 240mtr's high and you can see for miles. You can even see the curveture of the earth out ovre the Med.

Don't do this without a set of walking boots and a decent supply of water. It's a fecking hard climb in the heat of the day (but as Val says, there are some spectacular views!).

Greg

 

[VAL. H.]

Penion de fac

I did it in a pair of caterpiller sandles. The first part is esey and could be done in flipflops. Then the rocky path makes the going a bit harder, and the tunnel is slippery as hell but theres a good rope to help you through. after that it's a winding dirt path, cat's and sea guls althe way to the top. The year befor I didn't get to climbe it, then a month befor this trip I had a fall and couldn't climbe anything but I was determined to get to the top, so as my mates climbed I walked. It took about 2 1/2 hrs. and I started at abuot 6am to avoid the heat, in late october. I went back again the following march and led the hole climbe. Satisfide at last.

That list has to much on it: Loose the tools 'when did you ever need thoughs' Take your nessaseries-passport, tooth brush, travel incurance, E111 Ect Ect and an AA/RAC Europe card or equivelent, 'theres plenty of BMW dealers in Spain' They will fly you back if thing get that bad.
Like the others say Take it easy and have fun.