Santander ferry Sep 3rd

[theop]

Planning a 6 day trip from Santander to the UK with 4 o/n stops starting with the Ferry trip from Portmouth to Santander on Friday 3rd Sep.

Here is my map draft, the rough route and possibilities for hotels/b&bs.


http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF&msa=0&msid=
113903813625536507271.000488955cc97001a1ba5

It was originally planned for this week and we were going to be 5 guys on 5 mainly BM bikes (part of the annual boys only holidays), but due to various job factors we had to postpone till Sep and we are now 2 on 2 bikes (a BMW 1200R and my VFR). The pace is 6/10s - touring style as the daily mileage is quite a lot. The daily plan is ride, coffee, ride, lunch, ride coffee, ride, arrive in decent hotels/relais for good food & decent wines etc. I.e not on the cheap. If any of you boys (or girls) are on similar schedules/routes, we would love to meet you.

Theo

ps: advice on the above route/hotel recommendations etc always welcome.

 

[Timolgra]

My partner and I will be on the next ferry.
No plan, just 2 bikes and a tent...our paths may cross

 

[Deleted account Cooperman]

Link not working

 

[theop]

Link not working

try now:

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF&msa=0&msid=113903813625536507271.000488955cc97001a1ba5

 

[muppix]

I was down that way about 2 weeks ago and also criss-crossed into and out of France on the smaller stuff. Your route looks interesting (though a bit too much motorway IMHO) and I'd offer the following advice:

- If you can, drop down a bit further and ride through the green flecked bit that starts about 30 miles due east of Burgos. That's the Sierra de la Demanda, and it's beautiful and quiet. There's loads of easy off-road tracks to explore too, perfect for a GS.

- The N240 running alongside the Embalse de Yesa looks nice on the map, but in reality its very busy and there's major roadworks there now, so be prepared for the occasional queue and bad surface (including freshly sprayed tar!)

- Stay away from Lourdes. Maybe its because of the many people doing the Camino de Santiago right now, or maybe the place just attracts the type of people I always find myself stuck behind, so just don't do it.

- The N260 is pretty good just about everywhere. Some sections have shiny, slippery tarmac courtesy of the many lorries, and some are quite busy, but it's mostly good.

- The C1311 between Puente de Montanana and Tremp is the best road I've had the good fortune to ride, ever. Layout, surface, scenery - it has it all. If only it were longer!

There's a few of my better pictures right here.

M.

 

[theop]

I was down that way about 2 weeks ago and also criss-crossed into and out of France on the smaller stuff. Your route looks interesting (though a bit too much motorway IMHO) and I'd offer the following advice:

- If you can, drop down a bit further and ride through the green flecked bit that starts about 30 miles due east of Burgos. That's the Sierra de la Demanda, and it's beautiful and quiet. There's loads of easy off-road tracks to explore too, perfect for a GS.

- The N240 running alongside the Embalse de Yesa looks nice on the map, but in reality its very busy and there's major roadworks there now, so be prepared for the occasional queue and bad surface (including freshly sprayed tar!)

- Stay away from Lourdes. Maybe its because of the many people doing the Camino de Santiago right now, or maybe the place just attracts the type of people I always find myself stuck behind, so just don't do it.

- The N260 is pretty good just about everywhere. Some sections have shiny, slippery tarmac courtesy of the many lorries, and some are quite busy, but it's mostly good.

- The C1311 between Puente de Montanana and Tremp is the best road I've had the good fortune to ride, ever. Layout, surface, scenery - it has it all. If only it were longer!

There's a few of my better pictures right here.

M.

many thanks Mark.

- Sierra e la Demanda I will try to incorporate..
- N240 is now out..
-C1311 is in.. I ve decided we ll ride our second day primarily on the Spanish side and then over to Carcassone for o/n...

 

[muppix]

No probs - shout if you want my original Mapsource files. For some reason my Zumo isn't working right and I don't have a track log, but the routes are there and I did stick to them, albeit loosely.

Let us know how you get on!

M.

 

[team duvet]

12th ferry

5 of us going out on the Sunday 12th ferry to Santander.....anybody else?

3 x GS's
1 x GT 13
1 X R1

TD

 

[theop]

speaking of Mapsource.. What a bl**dy pain in the neck that program is..... Have these people not heard of Gmaps? Just spent 4hrs last night manually copying my Gmaps into theirs... There s got to be a way to instantly upload from Gmap into Garmin Zumo... Google are you listening? Can you make your excellent maping compatible with every satnav in the world?

 

[Greasy Biker]

5 of us going out on the Sunday 12th ferry to Santander.....anybody else?

3 x GS's
1 x GT 13
1 X R1

TD

Just booked my place on the same boat, 16:30 from Plymouth - just me and my '07 GSA.

See you when we're boarding, or the usual ??