HISS Big Tread - the 'Official' Trip Report!

[Monster]

I really wish that I had not looked at these photos

I had a plan to do this one this year ... but in the end I had to decide between this and 2 weeks around the west coast of Scotland in August

Scotland won out as there is a group of 4 doing that trip

Wish I could do both - but sadly I cannot

I must give up work ... it keeps spoiling all my fun

PS - ferry bookings were rather hard to come by for the dates that I wanted. Especially going out. I would have gone to St Malo and ridden from there

Enjoy all

[Simon_100]

I really wish that I had not looked at these photos

I had a plan to do this one this year ... but in the end I had to decide between this and 2 weeks around the west coast of Scotland in August

Scotland won out as there is a group of 4 doing that trip

Wish I could do both - but sadly I cannot

I must give up work ... it keeps spoiling all my fun

PS - ferry bookings were rather hard to come by for the dates that I wanted. Especially going out. I would have gone to St Malo and ridden from there

Enjoy all

That's a shame but thanks for the heads up anyway.

There seems to have been a lot of issues around the ferries, I don't know why as I'm sure there aren't any other big bike things going on then and the problems for 2017 seem to have started last year - someone suggested that the companies deliberately limit advance booking number so as to increase ¡more expensive 'last minute' reservations and that seems highly likely to me: We let our holiday cottage via toking.com and they more or less push you in this direction so that's an 'industry standard' perhaps?

Meanwhile, now that I've done so much work on the Aragon trails it would be silly just to drop it after just one year, so 2019 is certain - and maybe 2018 too if there are even more hassles with getting planning permission that we're suffering now :whistle: - and Ive 'future proofed' the trails so that we can revert to just the one HISS as the 'easy' trails have way marks where they intersect with the Challenge trails ...

Meanwhile, a timely reminder that fly-rent is a possibility with my contact Anton at Rent-a-Tiger in Barcelona. As the name suggest they have Tigers that can be fitted with Mitas M07 tyres, idea for the condition in Aragon, come fully equipped with hard pannier and either hard top box or sift duffel - or neither if you bring your own for tent, etc..

There are scores of flights into BCN and Anton's base is two minutes from the main train station, Sants, which has half hourly links direct to the airport. He even has deals with hotels in the same location and will deliver you bike to these - it's a good day's ride to the Aragon location - a very, very good ride if you take al day to do it by the back roads so in many ways it's better to rent less and stay more - after all, a night or two in Barna is an end in itself! (thumbs)

Anton speaks and writes perfect English. I don't have a discount 'deal' with him bu if you do get in touch mention my name ... :whistle:

Regs

Simon

[Simon_100]

A sort of postscript: Rent-a-Tiger has some bikes fitted with lowering kits for the vertically challenged - or simple those of us who suffer vertigo!

And a genuine STOP PRESS: I have found a possibility - and I stress the term possibility - of renting smaller 'enduro' bikes: yamaha wrf 250-290 or 450 electric starter models including a few of the 250s with lowering kits.

Ho hum, maybe a trip to Barcelona next week, in between a minor operation, a dentist's check up, a financial review with our accountant, finalising the tex return, ... Oh it all makes work for the working man to do! (thumbs)

Regs

Simon

[Simon_100]

Yup, the bikes are available for all of the HISS events. I'm waiting for the prices - the company normal only does guided tours - and need to think about transport these small bikes from Barna all the way to Teruel. Hmm ...

Regs

Simon

[Simon_100]

Now that I've finished mapping the trails for the 'New Look' Aragon HISS events it's occurred to me that since the change of venue the 'Big Tread' is just as suitable for you guys with little bikes, making in effect both HISS events 'generic'!

The way it works is that the 'Big Tread' trails are like a network of 'A' roads which are intern connected to the 'Challenge' level trails running in between them like 'B' roads - this is becoming clear to me as I'm going through the laborious process of renumbering the trails from my draft system, which uses the parishes where they run through so that i can easily identify them, to a HISS ready system a that folks can use without needing to know the geography or even pronounce the place names - hence a typical are-piste conversation in the bar, "Have you tried D7 yet?" "Nope, but C14 is a real cracker!" "The is we set of tomorrow o A5, the A8, then cross over to D7 and come back via c14 - doing it backwards this time down that bloody great slope ... " And on and on and on ... (thumbs)



Needless to say I've deliberately left a lot of detail out of the map!!! :whistle: But the red trails are 'Big Tread' class and the green one are the little darlin' 'Challenge' class. What you don't see are the asphalt roads where the BIG Tread trails start and finish, most of which are fantastic 'B' roads, i.e. 7 to 9 metre wide asphalt.

We're all getting feedback that some folks can't make the June dates but would be OK for September, so apart form checking with the owners of Camping Collegats I don't see any reason why we can't to a back-to-back in September either, bearing in mind the idea of that was for folks coming down with vans get more bang for the bucks they've spent on ferries, fuel, etc.

We'll be at Collegats net week so watch this space for confirmation on that score!

Regs

Simon

[Simon_100]

New update. Well have a 'v1' HISS at Camping Collegats during the week before the Big Tread, i.e. the week September 4th - 8th. (thumbs)

PLUS - the map on the post above this one is of the HISS Challenge territory, The Big Tread is four times as large as this!

Regs

Simon

[micksea]

ive dug this thread out of the back of the closet,even though the title/format has changed slightly this is where everyone should be posting to build the excitement and entertain those of us that are missing out.im sure it will be a good week for all involved,so don"t forget to share

[WillS]

Snowing today in the Pyrenees at around 2400m, a sign that winter is on its way!!!
Hope all is ok crossing over the Col du Pourtalet tomorrow morning !!
Then it's sunshine all the way to the Aragon HISS Teruel
And looks like Sunshine all week for the HISS'ers

[Simon_100]

ive dug this thread out of the back of the closet,even though the title/format has changed slightly this is where everyone should be posting to build the excitement and entertain those of us that are missing out.im sure it will be a good week for all involved,so don"t forget to share

Thanks Mick, yes, it has been at the back of the closet hasn't it!

Snowing today in the Pyrenees at around 2400m, a sign that winter is on its way!!!
Hope all is ok crossing over the Col du Pourtalet tomorrow morning !!
Then it's sunshine all the way to the Aragon HISS Teruel
And looks like Sunshine all week for the HISS'ers

Good report Will, but you're not out of the woods yet! They're forecasting a Cierzo wind down the Ebro valley tomorrow, so you guys in your vans might bet blown around a bit o the A-23 - I've mailed that bikers and suggested they stick to the old nacional road that runs along the lie of the land and isn't so exposed to crosswinds - truly horrible I can assure you!

Regs

Simon

[WillS]

Have ridden on the A-23 in those winds, it's an absolutely awful experience, you have to stop at nearly every other service as your knackered just holding on!!!
Trying to keep it upright is another matter.
Should be ok with cars and trailers, but we shall see how we progress.
It's an absolutely awful day in the Pyrenees not stop rain, wind and it's bloody freezing!!
Looking forward to the sunshine in Spain tomorrow