Spain Trans-Pyrenees Sept 2017 - Trip Planning and Ride Report

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halfpint
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Re: Spain Trans-Pyrenees Sept 2017 - Trip Planning and Ride Report

Post by halfpint »

with that bike you could take loads of stuff you dont need , why a bivi and a tent ?weight saving you dont need to it will make sod all difference 3kg either way wont notice just put less fuel in simple . you will never be more than 50klm from the fuel station or shop . try to think simple is best any roll bag will do on the back
djskinner
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Re: Spain Trans-Pyrenees Sept 2017 - Trip Planning and Ride Report

Post by djskinner »

Yeah, I guess I'm not so concerned about weight savings when riding around on an elephant, more about space.

I was thinking bivvy for wild camping and tent for camp sites. Could probably sack the bivvy off though.
JonnyBravo
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Re: Spain Trans-Pyrenees Sept 2017 - Trip Planning and Ride Report

Post by JonnyBravo »

You have a lot of the things packed that I also take - I am taking next week to Spain on my 12GSA !

I have a spare pair of pattern levers stashed - cheaper than bark busters.
From experience I also have an M6 nut/bolt that can act as a spare toe gear shift and I replaced the awkward external star drive bolt that holds the whole gear shift lever on with a regular Allen head.

Also from experience - I have a little 12v pump as the gas cartridges were fuck all use when I had only 3 of em.
When nothing is going right - go left
djskinner
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Re: Spain Trans-Pyrenees Sept 2017 - Trip Planning and Ride Report

Post by djskinner »

JonnyBravo wrote: Thu Aug 31, 2017 9:49 pm From experience I also have an M6 nut/bolt that can act as a spare toe gear shift and I replaced the awkward external star drive bolt that holds the whole gear shift lever on with a regular Allen head.
That's a very good point. I snapped a lever at BMW Off Road Skills and we did exactly that to repair it.
JonnyBravo wrote: Thu Aug 31, 2017 9:49 pm Also from experience - I have a little 12v pump as the gas cartridges were fuck all use when I had only 3 of em.
Starting to think compressor is the way to go with all this feedback about the CO2 bulbs.
micksea
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Re: Spain Trans-Pyrenees Sept 2017 - Trip Planning and Ride Report

Post by micksea »

With the last couple of tips you seem to be as ready as you can be/need to be.just relax and enjoy the ride.
Simon_100
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Re: Spain Trans-Pyrenees Sept 2017 - Trip Planning and Ride Report

Post by Simon_100 »

djskinner wrote: Thu Aug 31, 2017 8:40 pm Luggage / Camping

The plan is to mostly camp, booking campsites as I go. I’m sure I won’t say no to cheap hotels/hostals/albergues after a long day of riding either. Wild camping is an option particularly if I can’t find a campsite. Wild camping seems fairly illegal/discouraged in Spain (as it is in England but I know the lay of the land in my own country whereas in a foreign country I’d be a bit more cautious). Besides I wouldn’t get to practice any Spanish whatsoever if I wild camped it all the way!

Image
You're right about wild camping. It is frowned upon although not actually illegal as long as you are genuinely in need, i.e. too far from a conventional alternative.

The key word is vivaquear rather than acampar but that doesn't mean you need that divvy bag. Some areas, e-g- various nature reserves spell out their rules and that's where I got these guidelines on top of the above point about not being too close to a conventional camp site or hotel:

use the word vivaquear or hacer vivac if you are questioned by anyone in uniform

pitch after 20.00 and be gone before 08.00

you tent should be under 1.2 metres high

whatever you do don't light a fire - even if it's raining!

Which brings me onto your Jet Boil. What fuel are you going to use - you will have a lot of pain trying to find specialist fuels anywhere out of the National Parks, which is well north of the RB 5 routes. I use meths, alcohol de quemar or alcohol azul which you can get in any hardware store or drogueria (cleaning stuff) and that takes you done the path to a Trangia - so now the thread will go way off topic once the 'which camping stove' geeks get stuck in! :D

Regs

Simon
PS it's all on my web site, once I fining rebuilding it instead of wasting my life away on internet forums ...
Be sure to visit www.thespanishbiker.com the invaluable guide to motorcycling in Spain - plus guided rides, HISS Events* and off road touring support service



*Highly Informal Sojourns in Spain
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Fatman
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Re: Spain Trans-Pyrenees Sept 2017 - Trip Planning and Ride Report

Post by Fatman »

Tool kit is looking great but do you definitely want to camp?

You could ditch so much stuff if you stayed in AirBnB's, pensions, hostels, etc... there's always somewhere to stay the night.

Even if its an absolute shit-hole you're sure to meet some characters and probably have more tales to tell than being sat in a tent by yourself without even a fire to sit by.
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WIBO
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Re: Spain Trans-Pyrenees Sept 2017 - Trip Planning and Ride Report

Post by WIBO »

I scoot over into Spain often with my buddies to ride that whole mix of the free trails that are there for everybody to enjoy.

We usually wild camp and have a great time. Once we see what time the sun goes down according to the GPS we look for a clearing off the beaten trails. A lot of the more open wide trails out of the national parks are farm trails connecting farmers fields so there's never not a place to find to camp. These are usually wide enough to accommodate combine harvester and are easy trails to ride on a GS.

Up early, tidy up and take rubbish away. It's handy to think of having a space just for that...a plastic bag with your rubbish tied on to the moto will fall off.

Whittle down what you don't need and have a good ride!!! C02 cartridges are not good in my experience. Motopump dot com or MTB pump/

I'm not far over the border and if you find yourself in goofy trouble by all means post and I'll try to assist as best I can. I have a moto trailer and there's a BMW dealer about 25mins from me.

:D
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djskinner
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Re: Spain Trans-Pyrenees Sept 2017 - Trip Planning and Ride Report

Post by djskinner »

WIBO wrote: Fri Sep 01, 2017 8:21 pm I'm not far over the border and if you find yourself in goofy trouble by all means post and I'll try to assist as best I can. I have a moto trailer and there's a BMW dealer about 25mins from me.
Thank you very much, I really appreciate that generous offer. Gladly I managed to find mine and the bike's solo limit out on the TET Yorkshire Dales on Friday (more on that later) which should give me a good idea of what's doable and therefore know when to turn round and find another way.


Fatman wrote: Fri Sep 01, 2017 3:03 pm Tool kit is looking great but do you definitely want to camp?

You could ditch so much stuff if you stayed in AirBnB's, pensions, hostels, etc... there's always somewhere to stay the night.

Even if its an absolute shit-hole you're sure to meet some characters and probably have more tales to tell than being sat in a tent by yourself without even a fire to sit by.
I'm definitely starting to come round to that viewpoint. I really enjoy camping but it's a good fire in the company of mates that makes it so great. Plus, after a day out on the TET on Friday there was nothing better than a hot shower and a good night's rest.


The Spanish Biker wrote: Fri Sep 01, 2017 9:56 am You're right about wild camping. It is frowned upon although not actually illegal as long as you are genuinely in need, i.e. too far from a conventional alternative.

The key word is vivaquear rather than acampar but that doesn't mean you need that divvy bag. Some areas, e-g- various nature reserves spell out their rules and that's where I got these guidelines on top of the above point about not being too close to a conventional camp site or hotel:

use the word vivaquear or hacer vivac if you are questioned by anyone in uniform
Thanks for this Simon. The vast majority of my research into motorcycling in Spain has come from your material. My next post is all credit to you (unless I got something wrong in which case I'll take the blame :lol:).

The Spanish Biker wrote: Fri Sep 01, 2017 9:56 am Which brings me onto your Jet Boil. What fuel are you going to use ...
That is something I hadn't considered at all. I guess I was only going to use it to make a morning coffee as there's no way I'll be foregoing the opportunity to enjoy Spanish food and produce. That extends to a cortado too so perhaps I will also leave the boiler behind.
djskinner
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Re: Spain Trans-Pyrenees Sept 2017 - Trip Planning and Ride Report

Post by djskinner »

Riding in Spain

A short summary of the things I thought were most important to remember:
  • High vis probably required if you break down on the Autovia/Autopista.
  • Never cross the solid white line and always leave a 1.5m gap when passing cars. Seems like the local Guardia are corrupt enough to work with purposefully slow driving local car drivers to trap and fine unwitting entranjeros.
  • Filtering is not allowed
  • Standing on the pegs is probably not allowed! (Will have to be flexible with this one!)
  • In the higher altitudes its reasonably common to find wires across the trail a foot or so off the ground. They are mostly there to keep livestock in and generally will have some plastic bag or other to let you know they’re there. 
  • However, I’ve heard on more than one occasion that more sinister and malicious neck-height wires with no such signage have been found by riders. I hope this is extremely uncommon.
  • No earphones whilst riding (as well as obvious stuff like no flip flops, mobile phones, drinking or eating).
Resources:
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