Bilbao to Leatherhead....via lots of lovely roads

[Cartman]

So on the 17th my intrepid companion, and his father as pillion, and I set off for Portsmouth to catch the ferry to Bilbao. It rained..........a lot! but once we were on the ferry beer in hand things improved!!

24 hours on a ferry is a looonnngg time, and at 4am I was convinced we had had a Titanic moment but it was just very bumpy.

We disembarked and headed for Pamplona to prepare for our assault on the Pyrenees, essentially a horeshoe made up of all of the passes, routes etc cobbled together from magazines, friends and forums, and what a route.

First we headed for Boltana along a winding strech of perfect bends next to a lake, popular with local bikers and I can see why, great fun and the sun was shining too. Then we ducked in and out of France, covering the Col De Tourmalet where French bikers proved they have a death wish, overtaking coaches in to blind hairpins on the descent! :o

We whizzed up Cols and Passes all day making great progress and taking in some stunning views en-route (see below) before stopping at a small town at the foot of the mountains for a well earned beer or three and some food. Tucked up fast asleep before 10pm, unheard of for me, but we had been busy.

The following day we set off for Andorra, probably the best days riding of my life thus far, the French Pyrenees provided tight technical climbs, then we went through a tunnel in the mountain in to Spain, where the roads were simply awesome and although not as pretty as the French side we were having too much fun to care. I have never abused a rear tyre as badly on any bike as I did that day.

Andorra itself was busy and generally awful, but the climb to Pas De La Casa was great and the reception at the Aussie run hotel we stumbled upon fantastic. Picture 4 is the sun rising from my room in Andorra.

Leaving Andorra we headed out toward the Massif Centrale and the Milleau Bridge, temperatures getting up into the high 30's C, but the sweeping roads and epic views more than made up for it. I've been to the bridge a couple of times before, but my companions hadn't and nothing prepares you for seeing the thing for real ;D and the Gorge Du Verdon is always a blast

Onward to Le Mans, but we couldn't find a room so went a bit further, 400 miles or thereabouts in the day but a great day and no aches and pains. Then we headed for Bayueax via a few of the D-day beaches, Omaha, Gold and Juno, and the British and Commonwealth cemetary. I've visited a lot of battlefields and military installations but they are dwarved by the enormity of what was achieved during Operation Overlord, reathtaking on every level.

Sadly my friends daughter was not well so we had to head home a day early, but it's always nice to have something to go back for...

The Pyrenees are great, different to the Alps but just as rewarding, and I cannot wait to see more of Spain by bike too.

If anyone is interested I have the Pyrenees route as a Garmin file.

[Lonewolf]

Cartman, many thanks for posting your tales.  ;D

Excellent photos, the first one of the bikes by the building just oozes character, looks like a typical French/Spanish farm house.   

[Cartman]

Cheers, that was the Spanish version of a bikers cafe, very good it was too.

[Kwikasfuki]

Nice pics Cartman. The GTR defo looks better than the BMW

[jenros]

cracking photos,fair play! ;D

[Rusty]

Well done Cartman ..looks like you had a great time, and the pictures ... you can just "feel" that sunshine coming through ! I love watching the TDF every year and so to read that you have been up + down the Col De Tormalet is fantastic ... they are mad going up it ,let alone down it at GTR speeds ! Where to next year ?