ABR readers get in touch to tell us all about their two-wheeled adventures…
Great Memories of the ABR Festival
I really enjoyed the 2021 ABR Festival. For me it was a wee 368-mile adventure from Scotland to Ragley Hall on my KTM 500 EXC, fully loaded with camping gear. I enjoyed a couple of laps around the off-road course, a look at all the great stalls, test rides, and listening to the guest speakers. Plus, the beer and food were great. Overall, I had an excellent weekend, and by the time I got home, I’d covered almost 800 miles.
Duncan
Ed: We’re glad you had such a good time Duncan and we’re looking forward to seeing you again at the 2022 ABR Festival. If you haven’t got tickets yet, you can buy yours at www.abrfestival.com.
You’re never alone on a bike
Having gotten back into riding just under three years ago, I wanted to get on with some adventures to break up the monotony of day-to-day life.
I did the NC500 solo in my first year back and it was absolutely brilliant. Even though I had never done a solo trip before, the scenery, the roads, and meeting fellow bikers meant I never felt alone.
So, I decided to go to Europe and put together a trip to Spain and France for the end of September and the first week of October.
It was the first time I had taken my GSA abroad and all the preparation at first seemed a bit daunting, with paperwork, tests, and 24 hours alone on the ferry to contend with. I needn’t have worried.
Whilst waiting in the queue with the other bikers, they all started to chat, and the time just flew by. It was the same onboard, with us all trading tales from past trips and advice. Once I was off the ferry at Bilbao, all that had been on my mind completely vanished as I was engrossed in the riding and scenery from the off.
The Picos de Europa were stunning, and the sunny weather continued when I got to the Pyrenees for a further three days, where I rode up the Col D’Aubisque, Col du Tourmalet, and the Col D’Aspin. The valleys were misty and wet at the bottom but the sunshine and views at the top were breathtaking, and I thought it surpassed Scotland for scenery.
My advice to anyone contemplating a solo trip is to just do it. Once you start, all your apprehensions vanish, you switch off from daily life, and you are in a whole different world. I wish I could ride every month to somewhere new. Remember, you are only here once.
Keep up the good work ABR.
Steve
Ed: You can read all about Steve’s first solo bike trip to Europe on page 98.
One of the best rides of my life
I did the ABR Welsh Super 10 a few months ago from issue 59. I also had the Trans Euro Trail loaded up on my Garmin too to run in the background and I spent two whole days travelling while turning off the route to go for an explore along the way. It was one of the best rides of my life, culminating in a wild camp up a mountain near Bala.
Thanks for creating the route ABR.
Matthew