French/Spanish dilemma ???
Hi guys,
Need to throw my 2p's worth into the mix. We did a bit of touring last year (2500 miles+), down around the Pyrenees.
We found the N260 by accident really, right out on the Med coast, riding it in from there was awesome. But the real highlight was when we had decided to an overnight stop in 'Ribes de Freser', we arrived around late morning, plenty early really but had lunch, found a fantastic hotel, unloaded the bikes and decided to go for a quiet ride out.
There lies the story, we went out along the N260 finding bend after bend after bend, all taken at a sensible speed. We arrived at a town called Puigcerda, re-fueled, 'dropped' one of the bikes, not mine, by one chap's SV650, then set out back. Everything was ok until we were roughly 2 miles into the route back, we were passed by a couple of bikes, one was a 'Transalp' I think, the other was a z1000. Like a red rag to a bull, we gave chase - yes stupid I know.
The Transalp we never really seen again till we got to the other end, he was gone, that man could ride !! The z1000 pilot was slightly slower, on purpose I think, leading us and showing us the lines, what a ride, 35 miles of just 2/3 gear roads, and I mean 2/3 gear, what a blast. We past everything, BMW M5's included. At the end I was glad to get off - not many riders will admit that, adrenalin levels were very, very high, the ride of a lifetime, (well so far anyway), all I wanted was some straight road to just mindlessly just ride down.
You need to do the N260, we did, all in all, about 250 miles on it, it's that good, believe me, we're going back this year, not sure when yet, but we will. Santander both ways, forget Calais, Roscoff etc, by the time you've gone through France, you've lost 1400 miles off the back tyre, paid for hotels, one night each way and petrol etc, Santander is better, trust me. Four people is the best number for a cabin anyway, making the ferry it's most cheapest.
My bike - well it's a HP2 Megamoto, a friend on his SP1 was held up by me a little but not much, but I doubt he could have caught that damn Transalp !!
Have a good trip.