Seven weeks in Spain and Portugal

[Wrigsby1]

I loved the Picos on a trip many years ago and was due there with the Moto Pistons rally a few weeks ago but had to pull out after my wife had a bad injury in August... Getting sorted now but after years in Shetland and then 3 years of work ( it seems!) on the Mainland I'm very short of decent trips... Glad yr having such a great time...

 

[Emm]

That town Llanes in your last picture with the harbour and marina running through it is a nice stop, lovely beaches there and a nice wall walk along the cliff right in the town

 

[ThreeDawg]

That town Llanes in your last picture with the harbour and marina running through it is a nice stop, lovely beaches there and a nice wall walk along the cliff right in the town

Very similar, but it's actually Bermeo, slightly west of San Sebastian where the ACT Pyrenees officially finishes. Much cheaper place to stay, but not a huge amount to see.

 

[ThreeDawg]

I loved the Picos on a trip many years ago and was due there with the Moto Pistons rally a few weeks ago but had to pull out after my wife had a bad injury in August... Getting sorted now but after years in Shetland and then 3 years of work ( it seems!) on the Mainland I'm very short of decent trips... Glad yr having such a great time...

Hope your missus recovers well. Just goes to show that you can't take anything for granted, especially good health.

This is my fourth visit to Potes - Mrs 3D has found a couple of interesting routes to do before we continue west towards Santiago.

 

[Wapping]

This is my fourth visit to Potes….

Some here don’t like Potes, others do.

 

[grantmac]

Hope your missus recovers well. Just goes to show that you can't take anything for granted, especially good health.

This is my fourth visit to Potes - Mrs 3D has found a couple of interesting routes to do before we continue west towards Santiago.

Any chance of posting them up here? Would help in the planning of next years trip.
The Picos tour on our trip this year I “half inched” from @Arsey and was great

 

[ThreeDawg]

Any chance of posting them up here? Would help in the planning of next years trip.
The Picos tour on our trip this year I “half inched” from @Arsey and was great

I'll post up what we ride, doubt we will do any off road though.

 

[grantmac]

I'll post up what we ride, doubt we will do any off road though.

Sure, not interested in off road anyway

 

[ThreeDawg]

Some here don’t like Potes, others do.

I first came here about 30 years ago on my old Z650. I suppose it's pretty touristy and the road in, despite being much improved is still slow. We are just taking a few days out to relax before the push south, seemed as good a place as any, and the Apartment we are in is brilliant (Villa de Potes)

I do remember getting pulled by the cops here, and them not being impressed that I'd left my 'documentos' in my tent.

 

[Wapping]

Potes, is perhaps an example of somewhere that became popular - at least for motorcyclists - simply because it started appearing in every ‘Biker friendly, must do’ article and route suggestion. That the town also gets listed in umpteen ‘Nice places to visit’ travel guides, means that it’s on just about every local itinerary….. a bit like Burton-on-the-Water.

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

Some here don’t like Potes, others do.

I do
First went in 1994 on our enduro bikes
We entertained the locals one evening by riding our enduro bikes up the river from the main square & under the main bridge towards the church
Bit of a fiesta night and even the Guardia Civil didn’t mind and gave us a clap
Times have changed now & in the 1990’s you didn’t see many tourists and bikers

 

[ThreeDawg]

Potes, is perhaps an example of somewhere that became popular - at least for motorcyclists - simply because it started appearing in every ‘Biker friendly, must do’ article and route suggestion. That the town also gets listed in umpteen ‘Nice places to visit’ travel guides, means that it’s on just about every local itinerary….. a bit like Burton-on-the-Water.

Yeah, it can get a bit silly. Queenstown in New Zealand is a nightmare to get across these days, and when we went to Noosa in Australia (borrowed a car for the day) we literally couldn't park, so had to leave. Cappadocia was hoachin' in October last year (Chinese), Glen Coe (Indians)? Etc etc. Don't even mention Skye! Controlling the numbers is a hot topic in the industry. Probably best to go to Namibia, there's still plenty of room there.

 

[Wapping]

I first came here about 30 years ago on my old Z650. I suppose it's pretty touristy and the road in, despite being much improved is still slow. We are just taking a few days out to relax before the push south, seemed as good a place as any, and the Apartment we are in is brilliant (Villa de Potes)

Sounds like you are enjoying the place, which is all that really matters. Thanks for accepting the request to share your extended holiday with the forum. Appreciated.

 

[Wrigsby1]

Potes, is perhaps an example of somewhere that became popular - at least for motorcyclists - simply because it started appearing in every ‘Biker friendly, must do’ article and route suggestion. That the town also gets listed in umpteen ‘Nice places to visit’ travel guides, means that it’s on just about every local itinerary….. a bit like Burton-on-the-Water.

The town was ok enough but the roads in almost any direction were a complete laugh... One evening we went 30ish miles into the mountains, turned around the did it again for fun .. depends on whether the visiting or the riding comes first I expect and we hit the Easter weekend so it was very busy... We just used it as a base...

 

[ThreeDawg]

Sounds like you are enjoying the place, which is all that really matters. Thanks for accepting the request to share your extended holiday with the forum. Appreciated.

Well I hope people enjoy the pics, and I reckon it's good to show that the old 1100s can still be viable long distance adventure tourers.

 

[Wapping]

I was thinking much the same about the very analogue 1100.

In theory, amongst the ‘greenest’ ways to travel on a motorcycle. Its build carbon footprint went years ago.

 

[Emm]

Well I hope people enjoy the pics, and I reckon it's good to show that the old 1100s can still be viable long distance adventure tourers.

It’s a well sorted 1100 with ungraded suspension etc and an owner who knows his bike very well inside an out through many long distance adventures, what’s on the clock now something around 103.000 miles, as they say, sure only just about broken in now
Do you ride with the spots on during the day ?
Would be interested to see if you get any hassle from the Spanish Police over the trip. I have always ridden with spots on in Spain and Portugal and never had any hassle but recently heard of more people being pulled and fined over having them on when no fog about. Could be the usual internet crap but always good to hear it from personal experience.

 

[ThreeDawg]

Indeed, although I suspect the Euro regs will get it eventually - when we were passing through Barcelona last year I had to buy an exemption, and I am not sure if the whole of Provence/Cote d'Azure is off limits now.

 

[ThreeDawg]

The bike is showing 103K +, although it actually has about 4500 more on it - speedo cable went in New Zealand but I didn't replace it until it came home.

No issues with the Denalis thus far, and we've seen a few cops on the road. I did read you could be fined, but I think I will hope they leave me alone as the extra visibility is worth the risk. I can switch them off if needs be...

 

[Wapping]

I do…. Like Potes.

I do, too.

There are certainly worse places and it’s not like you are obliged to live there permanently.