The end of the ride was completed in London with a wave of a chequered tea towel courtesy of Nicci. And even better, the end of the ride was the beautiful sight of Nicci waiting for me.
4096 miles
44 days
4 countries (UK, Spain, Morocco, Portugal)
Tuesday, 9 September 2008
The end of the trip
The final ride was completed. Portsmouth to London, via a detour to my old work in Windsor. The ride was glorious, green and pretty. This is why Britain is a great place to ride. The smell of greenery and fresh rain showers is a wonder to move through.
The end of the ride was completed in London with a wave of a chequered tea towel courtesy of Nicci. And even better, the end of the ride was the beautiful sight of Nicci waiting for me.
4096 miles
44 days
4 countries (UK, Spain, Morocco, Portugal)
The end of the ride was completed in London with a wave of a chequered tea towel courtesy of Nicci. And even better, the end of the ride was the beautiful sight of Nicci waiting for me.
4096 miles
44 days
4 countries (UK, Spain, Morocco, Portugal)
The UK welcomes me
Took the ferry back home. As we start coming into portsmouth I can see black clouds. Welcome back to the UK! I haven't seen rain for six weeks, and the UK puts on a wee display for me so I can remember what it was like.
I decide to stay in Portsmouth rather than ride in the dark, on the left and in the rain back to London. I stay in a premier inn, which is a rubbish motorway hotel chain. This turns out to be the most expensive hotel stay in the whole trip. The UK is welcoming me again I see.
Less than 24 hours until Nicci time. Yay.
I decide to stay in Portsmouth rather than ride in the dark, on the left and in the rain back to London. I stay in a premier inn, which is a rubbish motorway hotel chain. This turns out to be the most expensive hotel stay in the whole trip. The UK is welcoming me again I see.
Less than 24 hours until Nicci time. Yay.
Friday, 5 September 2008
The final ride to Bilbao
This is the last ride before the ferry home. The weather goes a bit mental with really high winds for the ride. I have to dodge branches on the road, firemen are securing broken roofs and I pass a tree blocking a side road.
The bike automatically canters against wind with some physics that I don´t understand. All I know is that a massive blast comes from the side and my bike feels as if the wheels slide sidways and I am leaning into it. It is ridiculous and I pass a couple of other motorcycles doing the same thing, wobbling all over the road.
As I make it to the hotel next to the ferry port, the bike rolls over on the trip meter again. 4000 miles on the trip so far. O for awesome.
The bike automatically canters against wind with some physics that I don´t understand. All I know is that a massive blast comes from the side and my bike feels as if the wheels slide sidways and I am leaning into it. It is ridiculous and I pass a couple of other motorcycles doing the same thing, wobbling all over the road.
As I make it to the hotel next to the ferry port, the bike rolls over on the trip meter again. 4000 miles on the trip so far. O for awesome.
Picos de Europa
I went North through the national park, "Picos de Europa" or "the peaks of Europe". Because the distances are a little worrying I purchase a jerry can and strap it to the back of the bike. I now have petrol between my legs and strapped to my arse; if anything goes wrong, there aren´t going to be many children and I can kiss my arse goodbye.
The day before yesterday a guy did a dangerous manouvre and had to swing back into my lane before realising I was there. He missed my handle bars by a couple of inches. I didn´t see my life before my eyes, but I did see the wheels of a pajero about to turn me into jam.
The ride through the park was wonderful. twists and turns everywhere.
The day before yesterday a guy did a dangerous manouvre and had to swing back into my lane before realising I was there. He missed my handle bars by a couple of inches. I didn´t see my life before my eyes, but I did see the wheels of a pajero about to turn me into jam.
The ride through the park was wonderful. twists and turns everywhere.
Random Monestary
Stopped at this monestary randomly to get my bearings...
San Miguel de escalada (which I think means Saint Michael of the stairs or Saint Michael of the elevator both of which show my poor Spanish or a rather weird saint)
San Miguel de escalada (which I think means Saint Michael of the stairs or Saint Michael of the elevator both of which show my poor Spanish or a rather weird saint)
Cold riding
It has got cold! As I rode north east past leon the temperature dropped and I was shivering on the bike. Only 22 degrees celcius! I´ve been roasting in up to 44 degree heat and this feels like I´m riding through the arctic. I have to zip up all the leathers to keep warm. What will the UK be like?
On the way up I stop in "Puebla de Sanubria" with everything made of stone. Very pretty...
On the way up I stop in "Puebla de Sanubria" with everything made of stone. Very pretty...
Goodbye again
I have to head off to make the long distance to Bilbao in three days. Rob stays in Porto to get his flight back to the UK. With a man hug I´m off on my own again.
I ride long and hard for the day to get back into Spain. Yay! No more Portuguese language. I can understand things again...
I ride long and hard for the day to get back into Spain. Yay! No more Portuguese language. I can understand things again...
Porto
Rob and I make a last run up to Porto. Port turns out to be quite a treat. The city is really lovely with a lived-in feel and pretty buildings.
Fatima and Fozzie Bear
Rob and I continue north.
We stop for lunch at Fatima.
Rob objects to loitering in a town with all the god botherers, but I think it might be fun for a laugh to see them en mass (so to speak).
We get there with all the shops seeing glow in the dark jesuses (what do you call more than one jesus?) and neon Marys.
While there we buy some Jesus juice for my Grandma because she is lovely and digs the catholic God. It looks suspiciously like tap water, but we are assured that it is official Fatima water. We try to point it at things and zap them with it, but god doesn´t want to work in that particular mysterious way.
Religion - done. Northward to a place call Figuera da Foz, which we nickname fozzie bear because it is easier to say. Waka waka waka as fozzie would say.
We stop for lunch at Fatima.
Rob objects to loitering in a town with all the god botherers, but I think it might be fun for a laugh to see them en mass (so to speak).
We get there with all the shops seeing glow in the dark jesuses (what do you call more than one jesus?) and neon Marys.
While there we buy some Jesus juice for my Grandma because she is lovely and digs the catholic God. It looks suspiciously like tap water, but we are assured that it is official Fatima water. We try to point it at things and zap them with it, but god doesn´t want to work in that particular mysterious way.
Religion - done. Northward to a place call Figuera da Foz, which we nickname fozzie bear because it is easier to say. Waka waka waka as fozzie would say.
The town with no name
Rob and I stayed in a town where we didn´t know the name. No one spoke English or Spanish, so we were reduced to miming most thing. Rob mimed a kangaroo to show he was a Australian to much applause by the B&B owners. The place was lovely.
We also find out the answer to the age of question of "what would romeo and juliet be like if they were chickens?"
We also find out the answer to the age of question of "what would romeo and juliet be like if they were chickens?"
Lagos
We spend a night in the party town of lagos. It is quite cool for me since I haven´t seen a proper tourist town for weeks and it was fun to watch drummers and jugglers entertain.
Lagos was fun.
Lagos was fun.
Tiger or Bear?
Here is a question: Would you rather fight a tiger or a bear?
I would rather fight a bear. Rob would rather fight a tiger. Both of us think the other is a numpty for their choice.
I figure you could just keep behind a tree with a bear and he would just get bored and go away. Rob thinks that he could take a tiger in a fight. Both of us are probably idiots.
I would rather fight a bear. Rob would rather fight a tiger. Both of us think the other is a numpty for their choice.
I figure you could just keep behind a tree with a bear and he would just get bored and go away. Rob thinks that he could take a tiger in a fight. Both of us are probably idiots.
Rob is back
Rob is back, and we are ready for more punishment on the trip. We meet in Seville, have many beers and then head to Faro to pick up the car. Rob buses to Faro and I meet him there on the bike.
Seville is a wonderful city.
Faro is a marsh with no beaches. Rather unexpected. But it did have the best paella that Rob and I had ever had in our lives.
During our days together, Rob introduces me to the science of keeping beer cold. He insists it isn´t because he is Australian, merely that he enjoys beer the way it is supposed to be. It looks to me to be an Aussie obsession, but since the results are superb, I can´t argue.
We purchase a bucket, nickname it Bruce Lee and fill it with ice and beer each morning, ready for drinking when we arrive in the afternoon. Rob carefully spaces each beer for maximum ice contact. An impressive dedication to beer...
The bike clocks over 3000 miles on the trip as we start the Portugal leg. Happy days.
Seville is a wonderful city.
Faro is a marsh with no beaches. Rather unexpected. But it did have the best paella that Rob and I had ever had in our lives.
During our days together, Rob introduces me to the science of keeping beer cold. He insists it isn´t because he is Australian, merely that he enjoys beer the way it is supposed to be. It looks to me to be an Aussie obsession, but since the results are superb, I can´t argue.
We purchase a bucket, nickname it Bruce Lee and fill it with ice and beer each morning, ready for drinking when we arrive in the afternoon. Rob carefully spaces each beer for maximum ice contact. An impressive dedication to beer...
The bike clocks over 3000 miles on the trip as we start the Portugal leg. Happy days.
Ronda
Went to Ronda as an accidental detour. The town is lovely.
The special attraction is the bull ring which was very cool. You can stand in the middle and pretend to be a matador.
I continue on along the moutain range, passing mountains with names like "silla de los huesos" - The seat of bones.
The special attraction is the bull ring which was very cool. You can stand in the middle and pretend to be a matador.
I continue on along the moutain range, passing mountains with names like "silla de los huesos" - The seat of bones.
Back on Spanish roads
It is fabulous to be back on the Spanish B-roads again. I went on a road north called the A405. It twisted and turned all through the mountains right up to the top. Perfect for motorbikes.
I stopped to take a couple of photos and had three guys practising racing turns on the road pass by. The were doing all the Moto GP stuff with moving their bodies on the bikes etc. Not sure I could ever get fast enough on my bike to do that...
This was the view from my room in the hotel at the top. Lovely...
While at the bar in the little hotel I sat listening to the locals. They all knew each other here. I watched as two policemen sat, still in uniform with pistols and truncheons, drinking cognacs. You have just got to love this country.
I stopped to take a couple of photos and had three guys practising racing turns on the road pass by. The were doing all the Moto GP stuff with moving their bodies on the bikes etc. Not sure I could ever get fast enough on my bike to do that...
This was the view from my room in the hotel at the top. Lovely...
While at the bar in the little hotel I sat listening to the locals. They all knew each other here. I watched as two policemen sat, still in uniform with pistols and truncheons, drinking cognacs. You have just got to love this country.
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