Trailbiking in Spain

[Messie]

Last week LaMon and I went off road trail riding in Spain.

It was hot, dry and sunny,
exciting, thrilling and scary
beautiful, scented and rocky
and lots more...

here are some pics to give you a flavour of what it was like.

We mostly rode KTM's (this one is the 530)

http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s148/messiemille/IMG_1169.jpg

Me looking happy on it

http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s148/messiemille/IMG_1163.jpg

Three of them under the olive trees

http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s148/messiemille/IMG_1164.jpg

[Messie]

On the second day we rode up a mountain. I'd ridden down this mountain last time I was there and it nearly made me cry cos it was so scary. Total drop offs over hairpin bends with very steep climbs. It wasn't much better going up! Someone else had to take these because it was too much for me to get that close to the edge.

We started way down at the bottom of this valley

http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s148/messiemille/IMG_1165.jpg

Some of the bends and the drops

http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s148/messiemille/IMG_1168.jpghttp://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s148/messiemille/IMG_1166.jpg

[Sosha]

Nice dint in the headers...

Not good with large drops myself....

Sunshine!!

[Messie]

In the Terra Alta area of Spain they seem very keen on generating energy. There are mountain ranges covered in windfarms. Now I know this is an excellent renewable source of energy - so why on earth do they also have a nuclear power station in the same valley?

Windmills

http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s148/messiemille/IMG_1174.jpghttp://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s148/messiemille/IMG_1176.jpg

A VERY big windmill

http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s148/messiemille/IMG_1172.jpg

[Messie]

I also rode one of the DRZ's available. Not as new or as powerful as the KTM's but still good fun, and the sidestands certainly work much better

http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s148/messiemille/IMG_1157.jpg

This is a ferry crossing the Elbe (I think) that's powered soley by the current, both ways.

http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s148/messiemille/IMG_1159.jpg

Mon took even more photos, so maybe she'll be along shortly with even more.

[pencil shavings]

Very nice, looks great fun! :)

[zunkus]

Makes me want to go and try! Is it a lot expensive?

[Messie]

The whole lot, 5 day holiday, 3 days riding, bikes and kit, 4 star hotel, food, flights, transfers, but not the bar bill, came to around £830. To me that's very good value. Have a look at Trailbiketours.com. It compares well with the £200 for one day in Kent!

[zunkus]

Reasonable. I'd have to double that as my other half would wanna come too, that's what makes me think twice to be honest when it comes to holidays. Everything x2. Well, its the price us married folk have to pay :)

Looks like you had a blast though, those KTM's look wicked. I'm starting to love trail bikes more and more but still can't ride that good in the slippy stuff. Hope I don't look the **** and fall all the time!

[Demonz]

Oh thats what I feel like doing right now - Freeeeedom...

What area were you riding around Messie? I have a couple of weeks in September somewhere in Spain - wanted to combine the family hols with some days on the trails...

[Messie]

It's out of a small village called L'Ampolla which is in Tarragona. This is about 150KM down the coast from Barcelona, so it's still pretty much on the east coast of Spain.

A family was there for some of the time with us as well, with only the dad riding. Mum and 3 kids also had a great time using all the hotel's facilities and pools. Costs a lot less for non-riders of course!