Adventure Bike Rider

I'm on the road in a few minutes time - at last!

Here are the details, and unlike last year's Tour I should be organized enough to blog more regularly!

Brummm brummm . . .

Simon

Look forward to the pics Simon

Ride safe

have a good one Si and don't forget the dirty bits
Phil

ps foot feels nearly normal except for a grut bump on the side !!!! see you in Aug some time

Have fun Simon, wish I could come with you. Ride safe mate.

Thanks mates,

I've had a fantastic ride today but I'm totally done in! I've started a google map but it's playing silly buggers so that'll have to wait.

Meanwhile I'm at a lovely camoing at Ochagavia in Navarre, a nice place I've always meant to stay at and a good base to potter around the western Pyrenees and the Basque Country.

Phil - I won't forget the dirty bits! My Spanish chiums are promising a 'bimble' next weekend as part of the San Juan festivities - not sure if their definition of 'simple' is the same as mine

More tomorrow after a rest!

Simon

And I've packed the camera away for the night - oh well, what the heck!

Meanwhile: I've thought about puttinga vid up each day rather tham some boring philosophy stuff. This doesn't really reflect my dat today, but what the heck, keep on trukin':

Paul-S wrote:


Hi Paul, et al,

Ok, too busy to write up a proper report - I'm grounded by torrential rain forecast for tomorrow so I'll catch up the - but meanwhile some pix:


OK, the idiot abroad - setting off with far too much stuff as usual!


Despite the crisis too many lovely old routes are being modernized - Phil, you'll love this, I had to trail through about 1 km of totally destroyed road thanks to the heavy machinery used to build the new one - it was like the Somme without the mud. Thankfully, the fully laden bike was superb through the nadgery!


A little known route around the edge of the Ordessa National Park was a delight!


I was 'Lost in France' . . . (see below!)


Ah, back in Spain at last!

OK, now we have today's magic tune - enjoy all you old softies!

Regs

Simon

OK, that was yesterday, Sunday the 17th, now for today!


My plan to nidge-nadge up and down all the passes was totally thwarted by impenetrable fog - literally couldn't see more than five metres on the other side of the mountain. Thos was truly horrible as the Franch road there didn't have central markings let alone barriers, I could only guess at the drop - better not even think about it! As I got lower the fog turned to drizzle and I guessed that this was what it was in France, so I gave up the plan, but I still I had to ride about ten kilometres, difficult to tell in those conditions, before I could even turn around safely!


While I was doing that I 'found' this guy who was totally lost in the fog and had a bike full of blown bulbs - I know the feeling, I used to have a T150!. He was due to meet his mates in France and didn't know he was in Spain - I said it was foggy! Amazing story though, he had the bike from new. Today I led him off the mountain and when we stopped to dry out/warm up in the sun all his mates turned up coming up from Bilbao/Pamplona!!!


After another failed attempt further west, where the mouhtains aren't very high, I headed south away from the weather - brilliant riding the the gorges and ravines in the Pre-Pyrenees - as always!


The English gentleman as home!

Regs

Simon

Nice one Simon

Have a crack at those twisties and hairpins I posted from when we were up there a few weeks ago

Remind me to tag along next time mate, looks great Si, keep em coming and have a good one
Phil

Paul-S wrote:


Hi Paul, sure will if it stops p*****g down! Can you post the link to your trip, can't seem to find it.

Regs

Simon

Have fun on the tour Simon - hope the weather clears up soon
Don't forget to make a note of any suitable locations for future HISS events!

Elle wrote:


Hi,

Thanks for the kind words Elle, I'm grounded at least for today with nothing kuch else to do than dream of next year!

Regs

Simon

Don't forget to keep up to date with the footie. Your boys might win!

nigel tailyour wrote:


Ha ha, watched the winning goal live last night in the camp site bar - accompanied by a class of fourteen year old Spanish kids - wild isn't the word! ¡¡¡Goooooooooooool!!!

Meanwhile, thanks for keeping up with me Nigel, I've caught up with some of the details on my blog - an amazing effort despite the fact that imagess aren't loading right now!

Regs

Simon

The Spanish Biker wrote:


Here you go Simon

www.adventurebikerider.com/forum/25-ride...on-navarra-2012.html

Twisties on last post


Route de Twisties:

From OLITE NA5300 to San Martin de Unx
NA132 to turn off NA5320 to Gallipienzo and Nuevo
NA 5321 to Caseda
Unclassified track to Campo Real
A127 to Sos del Rey Catolico
A1601 down to Embalse de Yesa
N240 west for 300mtrs
N137 to Burgui
N214 to Narascues
NA178 to Guesa, Esparza, Escara, Ochagavia
NA140 to Potillo de Larrau

cross the border at the col

D26 down to Larrau
D19 past Iraty
D18 to St Jean Pied de Port

D933 to Arneguy

cross border

NA135 to Agorreta

end of twisties