The VINCE 2014

[WindyChuffer]

So is anyone riding down other than me? Will be gong London - Calais - Toulouse - Andorra with an overnight stop somewhere en-route. Reckon will leave London sometime in afternoon of Sat 19th July and aim for Paris.

BTW - Cracking route between Andorra & Llavorsi - an old smugglers trail:

From Andorra, head to La Massana up the CG-3, then take the CG-4 all the way to the top via Erts, then the tarmac ends and the fun begins once you cross the border into Spain. Cracking descent via Tors, Alines, Tirvia & then Llavorsi. Scenic as opposed to challenging. Can be done fully loaded easily in either direction. Nice mountain restaurant at Tors - cheap, relaxed, good traditional Spanish nosebag.

 

[Deleted account 211025001]

We're on tomorrow's (Friday) ferry to Santander, so not long now

Padowan, WindyChuffer - Have a safe trip there and the first coooooold beers are on me

Andres

 

[Melch]

We're on tomorrow's (Friday) ferry to Santander, so not long now

Padowan, WindyChuffer - Have a safe trip there and the first coooooold beers are on me

Andres

Have a good trip. I quite fancy doing this sometime.

 

[WindyChuffer]

We're on tomorrow's (Friday) ferry to Santander, so not long now

Padowan, WindyChuffer - Have a safe trip there and the first coooooold beers are on me

Andres

I'm on Dover - Calais ferry tomorrow (Friday) night. Will be at Llavorsi campsite late Sat night or early Sun morning. Was going to ride down, but going in Motorhome instead with the Tesco Special on trailer behind.

Happy dayz...looking forward to those trails and cold beeeeeeeeeeeeeer !

 

[Elle]

I've often fancied this event but never found anyone else to go with me - most of my pals don't ride off tarmac.

Then I discovered the HISS - created by Spanish Biker (Simon)
http://thespanishbiker.wordpress.com/tours-and-events/hiss-rallies-2013/

Although his web site doesn't say, this year he's organized 2 events - the one in Aragon and another in the Pyrenees.
Whilst there is no completion element, for a small fee, Simon provides the maps with marked trails and there's no pressure to all or any of them.
Not taking anything away from Austin's event, but if that's not your thing, then may be the HISS is

 

[Deleted account 211025001]

Have a good trip. I quite fancy doing this sometime.

I've often fancied this event but never found anyone else to go with me - most of my pals don't ride off tarmac.

..............

A match made in heaven

Andres

 

[Deleted account 211025001]

Half way through day one and it's fecking stunning!







Andres

 

[MilkMaid]

Next year fella!

 

[Deleted account 211025001]

Here's a little clip of us having fun in between sections.......
Ta to Windychuffer for helping with the directions at this point (we were horribly lost) and total respect to him and how he handled his WC on the trails - it's good to see one being used properly and not just polished

http://youtu.be/tX5lIU_aA-4



Have fun out there boys'n'girls!

Andres

 

[WindyChuffer]

Why thank you Andres! Was a craic to meetup with you again. Piccies to follow in a minute.

 

[WindyChuffer]

Just back from The VINCE 2014. Tested out my GSA WC good and proper - came 5th out of 23 teams. Good turn out this year. What a craic! Total of 6 days trail riding. Unusually for me, didn't drop the bike once.

Here's some piccies:

@ 2,500m above old Ski Resort of Llessui:

 

[WindyChuffer]

Check out the engine temperature of 101 deg C after caning it up a steep off road climb from 1,000m to 2,000m. Lumpy and twisty. Bike didn't complain. Engine temperature amused me.

 

[WindyChuffer]

Some Scenery piccies. Simply stunning.

 

[WindyChuffer]

A salutory reminder of how changeable the weather is in the mountains. Thurs last week, heading for 2,500m above Llessui with the intention of doing some filming. Got caught in a hailstorm of biblical proportions:

 

[WindyChuffer]

Teammate Jon on his DRZ. Again, cracking scenery.

 

[Garry H]

Just back from The VINCE 2014. Tested out my GSA WC good and proper - came 5th out of 23 teams. Good turn out this year. What a craic! Total of 6 days trail riding. Unusually for me, didn't drop the bike once.

Here's some piccies:

@ 2,500m above old Ski Resort of Llessui:

Did you carry on up over the top along the little track in you picture past the old Ski resort at Liessui
Cracking track and not too easy either

 

[WindyChuffer]

Did you carry on up over the top along the little track in you picture past the old Ski resort at Liessui
Cracking track and not too easy either

Yes, past Llessui, past the top of the lift (Fita Alta @ 1,978m) to the top of Lo Tossal (2,500m). The deviation off the piste onto black single track was interesting on the 1200! Back down and then round to the top of Tossal de Panano, all the way down (west) to Espui. Also from Tossal de Panano heading North to Espot. Cracking trails all round, over 20 miles without any roadwork! Doable on any bike so long as you have a head for heights and exposure. Smiles all round.

 

[Simon_100]

I've often fancied this event but never found anyone else to go with me - most of my pals don't ride off tarmac.

Then I discovered the HISS - created by Spanish Biker (Simon)
http://thespanishbiker.wordpress.com/tours-and-events/hiss-rallies-2013/

Although his web site doesn't say, this year he's organized 2 events - the one in Aragon and another in the Pyrenees.
Whilst there is no completion element, for a small fee, Simon provides the maps with marked trails and there's no pressure to all or any of them.
Not taking anything away from Austin's event, but if that's not your thing, then may be the HISS is

Hi Elle,

Thanks for the heads up about my HISS events. As you say there are now two sites that have been running for three years now.

Most folks know the Pyrenees but the mountains of southern Aragon are something else, Spain's most remote and least populous region.

As you say the HISS is 100% non-competitive, there aren't even any teams as riders form groups that can change every day as the fancy takes them.

The maps and guides are now getting 'professional' and in fact I've just set up a business in the UK, The Spanish Biker LLP, that, amongst other things, offers HISS locations and information 'bespoke' to private groups or clubs, plus - maybe - press releases, promotional events etc.

But the HISS carries on apace: open to all up to a limit of around 36 with a generous 'Veterans and Virgins' scheme, i.e. Vets get 50% discount for life

The idea now with the HISS is to use the money from them, and to an extent the events themselves, to explore new venues. This year Mrs S and I will be exploring and mapping further west along the Pyrenees and an area of virtual desert to the south with a view to holding a HISS there in 2016.

Cheers

Simon

 

[BAKERMAN]

I did it a few years ago with the wife, its a grand event, you will enjoy, muchly.