My little jaunt

[coman37]

Hi guys,

   So my first big trip with the GTR heading for Portimao for the World Superbike race w/end (its what it was bought for)

Leave Colchester at 4.15 am !!! for the 6.20 Eurotunnel, uneventful emergence into France (+1hr), rough plan to get as far as Tours, first Peage, Eu3.70, not too bad and making good time, threatens to rain near Boulogne but just mizzle, next Peage Eu9.30, that starting to grate and the M-ways are boring, so pull off and folow the RN south, outside the villages the roads are so good and so empty they are just as fast.

   Anyway, gets to Tours, still early still light so push on to Bordeaux, still early still light so push on to? we'll see ?

    Think I might make it all the way to the border, bot starts to get dark, I'm tiring and its time to find a room, Found a cheapish room just outside Biarritz, 28c at 8 pm, covered 782 miles in reasonable comfort, my highest one day total, Shower, meal and then bed.

     Up at 8am uk 9am Euro (cant be bothered to reset my watch/bike clock) I want to see the sea so head to the front. Lots of people sitting on surfboards waiting for the waves to pick up, I watch for a few mins but nothing much happens so head South.

   Didn't realise how close I was to the border which you cross with no hassle/fanfare, you dont actually see a point where it changes, no checkpoint Charlie, no sense of ticking that Country off as done! Anyway must carry on S to Burgos and beyond. The miles fly past, me absorbing the sights and smells (cant hear sounds as wearing earplugs to lessen the roar from the inadequate screen).
I see a proper Eagle soaring over the arid plains (not a poxy Kestrel or Buzzard which I do enjoy seeing in the UK, but this is "proper") I see them gathering the harvest, now i live in East Anglia so I am used to farms and fields of crops, but these things are vast some of these fields stretch as far as the eye can see ( I also did not realise how "flat" and high that central Spain is ? The Satnav was recording 12-1400M, this wasn't up and down heights the whole plain was at that level, just a gradual gradient upwards. Made it to Elvas just into Portugal, found a beautiful roadside hotel with rooms at Eu30  a great restaurant and a big swimming pool out the back, shame i got tere too late to use it and would leave too early for a dip in the am. Made full use of the restaurant though, "only" 483 miles that day as a later start and watching the surfers and using "smaller"(slower) roads. Although notionally smaller there were times when they opened up and I would make "good" progress.

I kept seeing these electric pylons with what looked like haybales on top ???? Looked closer and they are Giant Cranes nests,  all while navigating and riding (on the wrong side). Anyway,backroad to Lisboa and I approach this (modern)Church with a very tall brick-built tower and at the top anther hay bale??? Giant Stork peers over the side, I think must stop and take photos but seldom do, carried on a bit further and came across Don Quixote on horseback on the main road ! Bit further, man selling tomatoes, bit further, Girl sitting under an umbrella, couldn't see what she was selling as i guess she was sitting on it ?? The satnav was taking me too far west and no direct route soth so I had to double back. Well the girl thought I had come back for her but I just kept going(if I go back as far as the Church I'M DEFO stopping. Pass Don Q again and off to the right is these funny shaped trees, very thin trunk, very dark lush foliage and some had a single bough at an odd angle ? not vines ! then they moved !!! It was an Ostrich farm, dont forget this is all happening at 50-70 mph and I'm sposed to be watching the roads as well. Theres the Church, cant see the xxxx Crane tho'. So I stop, get off, get camera ready and try to attract the attn of a Giant Crane 100ft up, I cant whistle, he/she ignores the bike horn(plus its right outside the Church) I dont know if the XXXXXs flown off. Anyway I finally get some shots, dont know if there any good tho. Carry on South, and on and on, still want to be further W so take a chance on another road. Great choice, fast and open with lots of sweeping bends, I even see a sign that confirms its in the right direction, anyway blah blah. Finally arrive in Lagos 2 nights ahead of schedule. (only a lazy 254 miles today, total of 1565mls since leaving).  For those that are interested avg 52.6 mpg (no eco on the 09)

   So I speaks to the 25yr old Rrrrriita to see if she can find me a room for 2 extra nights or do I have to find an hotel? Sit, have a beer,(or 2) Some calls were made some cash changed hands and I got my room(for 1 night only, then i can move into my apartment 1 day earlier than planned) Apartment has very weak web access so catching up on stuff when I can.
Went to the track today to pick up my ticket and find out where and how far. Forgot to pack my Iphone charger(brought the piggyback but forgot the lead for that as well)
so phone is now flat as a pancake, I asked my neighbours if they had an Iphone and could I borrow their charger(yes) where you from? Argentina, Holiday? No I'm a motorbike racer competing on Sunday!!!!! I'm gonna try to blag some paddock access if I dont mention the Malvinas
     Spent the day relaxing by the pool, pop to the supermarket to get water and grapes (gotta keep hydrated)

So I go to the track on Friday to check out where I'm going to watch from. Fantastic new facility, main grandstand holds 10,000 plus all the other stands and the general areas, blagged my way into the Paddock to nose around, couldn't see my "neighbour" and he wasn't listed in the programme!!!

   Checked the position of the "big screens" I usually get myself on a good overtaking point within view of a screen so that i can follow the progress of the race beyond what i can see. Turns out there are only 2 screens at either end of the Start/finish straight. There is no PA system, no FM radio commentary, I convince myself that they will put up further screens overnight ready for timed practice on Saturday.

     Well Saturday dawns and no new screens at the circuit, still no PA !!  manage to sneak into the paddock again! Get to see all the "stars" up close, you could get to chat with them if so inclined, very accessible. I resign myself to watching qualifying and the race from the main grandstand as that is the only way I can follow what is happening, need to try and keep out of the sun as its 35c, found my "neighbour" he's a replacement rider in one of the top 1000cc Superstock teams.

      Well Sunday dawns, grey skies looking very ominous. I get to the circuit and position myself at the Start line (finish line is at the other end!) A few rows back in the virtually EMPTY grandstands the roof should have provided me shade from the burning sun but is now providing me shelter from the impending rain. It starts to really rain yet they let all the guys go out for their "warm up" sessions. It soon becomes apparent that the racing will be delayed. I shant give you chapter and verse, as if you are interested you would have watched the Eurosport coverage.
   The only comment I will make is that they will not attract more fans unless they provide better coverage eg PA, TV screens, FM radio commentary, I am conscious that until they attract more fans that they cannot afford it, its the old what came first the chicken or the egg?  I will not go again and I could/would not recommend to anyone else. It was a major undertaking to get there(and back) and I would have been better off standing in Dixons watching the TV's with the sound turned down. Still a great adventure
 
So Monday and heading to Eastern Spain to look at buying a holiday property (trying to help solve the Euro crisis by helping the Banks unload their "toxic"debts by buying their property stock at 1/2 price!!!)

     The route, Faro, Seville, Granada to Mojacar, fairly uneventful trip, met young couple at a fill up on a new GS1200, turns out they were just married and they were heading to Barcelona to get a ferry to Sicily for their honeymoon. It was her first trip away on a bike, I wished them well and hoped it wouldn't end in divorce !!!

   Any way arrives in Mojacar as recommended by friends, Its like Frinton (Essex people will understand) very clean, sterile, quiet. If I was building a care/retirement home I doubt there is anywhere more peaceful, but not for me. Headed a bit further N and got a room In Garrucha.

Spent the next day recce'ing the areas, popped down the local realtors, the Engish speaking one is out for "an hour" I say I'll come back, might be more than an hour. So I head N again just getting a feel for places, Vera, Palomares, just like Mojacar, got to Aguilas, I liked it there, carried on to Mazzaron, peage? I think not, I'll take the N322, Damn!!! I hadn't intended going far so did not mount the camera, and this road needs recording, i've not got my luggage on and can really throw the bike around, ups and downs, hairpins, all the really great things you want from a road, being quite conservative as I am in combats and shirtsleeves ( I never plan to crash but am even more circumspect when 1000 miles from home and lightly dressed!!) Mazzaron? nice but no, Cartagena next, turns out they are having a Roman festival, lots of locals dressed as Centurions etc very surreal. Headed back to the hotel, checked out the next day to explore further N, anywhere from Torrevieja to Benidorm, jumped on the Interweb and found a well recommended hotel for 3 days, in Torre' Got booked in, shorts on and in the pool, emailed several agents about properties on the net, made a few appts to meet with them, got a call from one of them to discuss my requirements ( I had already emailed them about several identical spec properties all in a narrow price band). This cheeky xxxx all he wanted to do was find out how much over my budget I could go and did I have the cash there and then cos if i didn't then  I shouldn't waste his time. At this point I still had not viewed a single property, got quite demoralised and assumed that all agents would be the same(shysters!!)

  ps I was supposed to go to the MotoGP at Alcaniz on Sunday(its Weds now) I check the ticket availability and prices, turns out they only do 3 day passes not a race day only.  Eu 98 !!!!!! you got to be xxxing joking, allocated seating so you could end up anywhere and with the previous weekends disappointment I thought xxxx it. I'll get home earlier saves on hotel rooms and I can get the Mutt out of the kennels saving even more money (and then spend 8hrs watching the racing that i didn't see on the Sky+)

   Anyway gets another call from another agent says he'll pick me up the next day and go view some properties, no hard sell, no talk about money. So I meet him for coffee, spend all day looking at flats In Murcia, Vera, Cartagena etc  wont bore you with the details but a good guy.

       Was going to spend the next day on my own on the net and riding around, but weather has turned, very overcast then it starts raining (at least it will wash all the birdshit off the bike, I parked under the tree to keep it and me in the shade, didn,t think about the 10000 sparrows with tummy troubles hiding in the tree, little xxxxers) then it really really starts raining and thunder and lightning, wifi keeps dropping out, lights flicker, maybe i wont go out.

  Planned to leave Sat am, not going to the GP but still ging to ride through Andorra as the roads are so good (N260 Sort- Ripoll etc)

I left Torrevieja in bright warm sunshine intending to take 2-3 days travelling home via Andorra. I got as far as Castellon and it started to spit so put my jacket back on for the first time in 12 days, then it started to rain properly, and rained , and rained, and rained. Decided to head straight for home as carving Alpine passes in the rain/damp does not appeal(part of the experience is the view and with low cloud there aint one). Anyway I got as far as the Spain/France border and got a room, everything wet through. Up the next day to dryish roads and patchy clouds.

Trip mileometer on 3055 and 51.6 mpg
Set the sat-nav for Calais (sat-nav2 as Sat-nav 1 expired in the rain) Clothing blowing dry by the 90-95 mph windblast, if only those clouds would lift!!! Started to spit again, then it started to rain properly, and rained , and rained, and rained all the way to Toulouse. Then it started to dry out and even the sun came out so I got off the Peage and bimbled (50-90) through the French countryside, was starting to get late so knew I was gonna have to get back on the Mway if i wanted to make the ferry. Interesting trip round the Peripherique, a cross between Ghost-rider and The Bourne Ultimatum !!!! all with hard sticky out panniers in Paris Sunday rush hour, finally got home via the Dover Ferry at 1am  917 miles in one hit the most I have ever done in one day,

And hey!  I didn't crash and my skin didn't leak, but I cant say I enjoyed it

Coman

as a ps if any of you single guys go to the Costa Brava, Take the N322 North of Denia, the ladies selling (fruit?) at the side of the road are stunning

pps due to the "spirited " riding (90-100) the mpg dropped from the 51.6 over the previous 3000 miles to 51.0 after 3972, new PR3's nicely scrubbed in, no signs of wear

Sorry its so long but didn't want to leave anything out

[Mogster]

Nice write up mate  .... ref taking photos... thas why when i do my trips i have a time lapse cam on me head... takes a pic of what ever i'm looking at.... saves that nagging 'I should have stopped and taken a pic' feeling.

[coman37]

Hi Mogs,

   Got a few photos/vids which i wil upload later, still suffering from GTR lag

Coman

[Ros]

Brilliant and entertaining write up - thanks 

Looking forward to seeing some piccies 

[Rusty]

That sounds more than just a little jaunt ! Great stuff mate !

[O.C.]

well done Coman, and a great write up...like the rest I'm looking forward to seeing some pictures once you've recovered from the GTR lag

[Martin#30]

Lovely write up, thanks for sharing. I have ridden the Portimao track, and can only imagine what the WSB bikes would be like to watch down the start/finish straight. My stock road bike was showing 186mph by the time I had to brake for the first corner, loads more talent and an extra 50bhp must be awesome to watch.

I am very jealous of the trip, though maybe not the soaking wet bits. Sounds heavenly to have such a tour, watch some racing, scout some holiday properties. Really enjoyed reading this.

Martin.