Spain & Portugal - Some of my favourite roads for your review and consideration.

Looks like a fantastic trip . Thanks for sharing . I’d like to go back to Portugal , it was a 50th birthday trip a couple of years ago in March but the country was battered by storms so we didn’t get the sunshine and dry roads we were hoping for .

Ignore Tarka’s comments the detailed advance planning can be useful and can ramp up the anticipation ahead of the journey , we are all different and one mans planning is another mans chore.

I definitely make sure the bike is ready for the trip and I’ve got all crucial docs plus a credit card. I like to think that after that anything else I might have forgotten after that can easily be bought no matter where you are in the world and am usually to be found packing my bike after work the night before departure. If travelling with a group I think more planning & prep is fair to prevent holding anyone else up because of your PPP.

:thumb
 
Could you share you’re spreadsheet in Excel, please?
I do something similar but your speed sheet looks better!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Here's a Dropbox link for the tour itinerary spreadsheet. :)

https://www.dropbox.com/s/jgch4ee8v3nkc49/Euro%20Tour%202020.08%3B%20Spain%20%26%20Portugal%20Itineary.xlsx?dl=0

To download and save the file, click the small downward facing arrow (immediately above the large black upward facing arrow which I've drawn on the right of the photograph).

:thumb2
 

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Four sheets of itinerary to follow and a cash float system.

Sounds a right bag of laughs and a total escape from being at work.

Unfortunately it is negative comments like this that put some people off posting.

We all plan...

Some plan to wing it.
Some plan with just destinations/hotels etc
Some plan with particular roads in mind - gpx files and or paper maps.

Just booking time off work and checking the bike over prior to departure is planning.

We are all different. We should do everything to encourage people to share their trips.
 
Unfortunately it is negative comments like this that put some people off posting.


We are all different. We should do everything to encourage people to share their trips.

Indeed we are all different, and too many of you think anyone with an opposing view is being negative.
You only want things said the way you like things to be said.
If someone is so oversensitive as to be "put off posting", then there's something seriously amiss with them, and they should get themselves checked out.

Anyway, if you and others think it's good and fulsome to schedule every wheel revolution, every piss stop, and everything else like in that example above, carry on, and you can compare notes next time you're on a Wallace Arnold trip together. :D
 
Because a bike trip's a holiday, not a mission.

There's not a great deal to have to remember if you're not an automaton that needs every wheel turn and piss stop to be pre planned.

No, I didn't read it all...I lost the will to live early on in it...in fact, I'd rather be in work than on that trip. :D

A bike trip is what ever you want it to be. As said, we are all different. You lost the will to read it, I wish you had lost the will to comment.
 
Indeed we are all different, and too many of you think anyone with an opposing view is being negative.
You only want things said the way you like things to be said.
If someone is so oversensitive as to be "put off posting", then there's something seriously amiss with them, and they should get themselves checked out.

Anyway, if you and others think it's good and fulsome to schedule every wheel revolution, every piss stop, and everything else like in that example above, carry on, and you can compare notes next time you're on a Wallace Arnold trip together. :D

:troll3
 
Cracking way to share your trip Oddjob. On my list of areas to explore in the next couple of years.
 
@Oddjob,

this part of your trip puzzled me:
Screenshot_2021-02-10_at_10.51.45.png

I'm assuming the 'Tuesday Visit: a) Tesco Extra Lee Mill for fuel and breakfast' is meant for the Wednesday?

Either way, I'd be happy to meet up with you at Cap'n Jaspers on Tuesday afternoon, hear how your trip went and buy you your fish & chips. :thumb

R
 
Hi Ralphy,
Thank you so very much for your extremely kind offer to meet up for fish & chips and a natter. :beerjug:

Unfortunately Wales continues to be in lock-down, consequently it'll be quite some time before I'll return to Plymouth. :(

FYI: here's another screen-shot which details exactly the same comments, however for greater clarity I've widened column E. :)
 

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I reckon things will be back to normal(ish) by your planned date of October, I'm keen to get back to Northern Spain on two wheels (had a trip booked for March last year).

R
 
Watching the news on Portuguese TV last night (channel RTP3)
The Portuguese prime minister announced that the current State of Emergency will be extended from 15th February to the end of March.
I anticipate that it will be extended again beyond Easter, possibly into the summer
 
Have you actually read this entire thread? :confused:

If so, please accept my sincere apologies if I've inadvertently caused you any offence.

Euro Tour 2020 - Spain & Portugal - The Grand Tour

Itineary - 54 Days - Saturday 22nd August to Wednesday 14th October.

Route - 35 Gamin .gpx files.

To ensure your laughs as a supreme being of infinite knowledge and experience, would you please elucidate why you consider tour planning is unnecessary?

Can you really instantly remember all relevant details when venturing a smidgen further than your local Tesco? :bow:rolleyes:

PS; what is this "total escape from being at work" you speak of? :p

Loving the story. I’ve never managed such a long tour, but my meagre annual trips across the North Sea begin with a spreadsheet extremely similar to the one above.

Is there another way?

Days, dates, where, miles, fuel. I’m a hotel type so obviously I include hotels, addresses, phone numbers.

And travel a little lighter than your transit sized load.

And my GPS carries every last destail of my pre-planned destinations and many daily “rides” and attractions.

Love it :thumb
 
The Iberian Peninsula covers an absolutely huge area and is a fantastic place to visit! :thumb2

The appreciation of what you've seen (and potentially missed) instils an addictive compunction to revisit, time and time again! :)

Yes, the more occasions you'll visit, instils an indelible mindset of hasta la vista. ;)

BTW; the term "Hasta la vista" is a Spanish farewell that can be literally translated as "Until the (next) sighting" and means "See you later" and "Goodbye".

Whatever your subsequent plans, I truly appreciate the dilemma of what to potentially include and (unfortunately) exclude during the course of a two week tour.

As with the veritable culinary delights of Tapas and smorgasbord (please forgive the food metaphors), places to visit (hopefully with memorable enjoyment) is ultimately down to individual personal tastes and preferences.

The tour itinerary spreadsheet details many potential interesting places to visit.
Here's a Dropbox link FYI. https://www.dropbox.com/s/jgch4ee8v3nkc49/Euro%20Tour%202020.08%3B%20Spain%20%26%20Portugal%20Itineary.xlsx?dl=0

Moreover, it's often said "a picture paints a thousand words"; so here's a link for further additional dated photos:
https://flic.kr/s/aHsmUJ6cgS

02.09.2020 to 04.09.2020; I visited Albarracín & surrounding areas (my fifth occasion).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albarrac%C3%ADn

11.09.2020 to 13.09.2020; I visited the Granada & surrounding areas (my fifth occasion).
Historically, I've previously avoided visiting the Alhambra because of the huge number of visitors.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alhambra
However, resultant from the 2020 global pandemic in 2020, there weren't many visitors! Consequently, I didn't need to pre-book and merely required to present my passport as ID.
IIRC the admission fee was 18 euros and a further additional 16 euros for parking.
Yes, I could have utilised nearby street parking, however the Spanish often prefer a tactile approach to ameliorate any perceived parking dilemmas. :rolleyes:
Consequently, discretion is the better part of valour, especially where vehicles are regularly (intentionally) driven into other vehicles to lay claim to any coveted (already occupied) parking space! :eek:

15.09.2020 to 17.09.2020; I visited Ronda & surrounding areas (my fifth occasion).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ronda
IIRC, to the contrary of the "intimated" secure maned parking charge, it actually cost me 18 euros the for 12 hours. A small price to pay for peace of mind and the convenience of town centre parking.

28.09.2020 to 30.09.2020; I visited Ciudad Rodrigo.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ciudad_Rodrigo

Especially interesting for anyone with even a marginal interest in history and the Peninsular War.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peninsular_War

Have you read any of the historical novels by Bernard Cornwel? If so, you'll recall many were subsequently dramatised in the "Sharpe" TV Series?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sharpe_(TV_series)


I hope my recollections of recent Euro Tour ramblings may be of some assistance with your dilemmas. :thumb2

Best wishes and kindest regards,
Jan

PS; I'd strongly suggest you refrain from sending any personal messages to Wapping (AKA Richard) to request assistance with the subject matter. :trippy
PPS; However, if you do decide to request Richard's learned counsel, a shocking diatribe may possibly be forthcoming. :augie
PPPS; Will definitely be forthcoming. :D
PPPPS; Moreover, because Richard seemingly loves Wales more than Spain, you'll probably be directed to visit Rhondda, rather than Ronda (Spain). :eek:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhondda

:jes
 
If any of you chaps are in this area

Let me know and I’ll happily give you some local knowledge recommendations :thumb
My place is just outside Velez Malaga and I’m leaving on Saturday for a few weeks.
 

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What a great trip report. I’ve travelled many of the roads that you rode and agree wholeheartedly with you about the joys of rural Portugal.
It’s nice to leave this tread with good feelings: unfortunately not something that can be said about some other treads on here recently.
Pete
 
What a great trip report. I’ve travelled many of the roads that you rode and agree wholeheartedly with you about the joys of rural Portugal.
It’s nice to leave this tread with good feelings: unfortunately not something that can be said about some other treads on here recently.
Pete

or even threads:D
 


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