Le Trip - France, Andorra and Spain - A long read and photos

[fizzwheel]

A tour to Spain, taking in France, Andorra and back again.

The trip started probably a year ago. Viper has been planning and planning this for a year or so. We've spent many evenings sat over the laptop and autoroute, talking and talking about where we wanted to go. He planned it all meticulously.

The plan was to get on the Chunnel ride through france to Geneva, then down through france again into Andora and into Spain. Staying at IIAEDA with Vipers Auntie and then riding across Northern spain and back up the west coast of france and home again.

I knew it would be days of big milleage, but the more we talked about it, the more and more I liked the idea and that if we could do it, it would be a journey to remember.

The whole trip started at the AR for me. Alot of you no doubt will have noticed the luggage rack and the little tent I took with me. I wanted a dry run before the trip with the bike loaded to see if iH ad everything I needed and that the little tent I had would be OK.

I need to get another rear tyre, I dont think the Pilot Power 2CT on the rear will last having done 1500 miles already on it. I scrap my usual plan of going to Micheldever to get a tyre and ring a local company just along the road, who come out to my work place on the Thursday before I go and fit a Pilot Road 2 for me. Job done.

Its only a couple of days to go and we get some great news, Quiff has decided to join us on our mamoth road trip. He's been thinkng about it for ages. We've finally managed to convince him to come and Rick and I are both really glad he'll be joining us.

D Day - 1

Packing ! Urgh...

Pick out what I want and fold it, re fold it, get it out the tailpack again and then refold it, roll it, and finally I'm happy with it all.

D Day - Sunday 15th August. Yeovil - Folkestone

I discovered after kipping in it at the AR that the small 1 man tent I bought, is to be frank to small. Also it leaks if it rains. Those of you that know me will know I really hate camping. However to keep the cost down and add some flexability the plan is to camp as much as possible so it is a necessary evil. So the two man Euro hike tent it is !

it fits fine on the Rentec rack that I bought for the GSXR. My other stuff, sleeping back etc, all goes in my US20 Kreiga so I know it'll stay dry and then my clothers and other bits and pieces go into my Oxford tailpack, all bagged up so it stays dry if it rains.

Under the seat is my toolkit, a multitool and a bottle of scottoil. I've got a fixer peg and a puncture repair kit, if its worse than that its RAC Euro Breakdown cover time.

I like to start any trip like this with a clean bike, dont ask me why I just do. So its was the bike with SDOC100 following recommendations off the forum and then load the luggage on.



Day seems dry and warm forecast for france looks OK so I finally decide on leathers with my waterproof stuff just in case. I remember this time to not put my waterproofs under the pillion seat so I can get at them quickly if I need them.

Fiddle about a bit more at home. Liz's parents arrive as they are staying for a few days whilst I am away to look after Jake & Tess whilst Liz is at work.

The original plan was to ride to Folkestone on Monday morning, Quiff quite correctly declares this madness so he sorts out a B & B for us to stay in on Sunday night and we arrange to meet there.

Finally at 2:30 I'm about ready to go. Liz says I should stop in at my parents on the way to meet Viper, which I do. Dad is out on his Fazer enjoying the Sunday afternoon weather, so I have a natter with mum and then I take the little back roads to Wincanton to Scrub the new rear tyre in a little more and get to Vipers house.

Vipers loading up when I arrive, I get mocked by his kids for having "to much stuff" on my bike. Its a running joke between us to see how little we can get away with taking on a trip like this. Viper has gone for leathers to, with just a tailpack, so is travelling uber light.



Then we are off, pretty Uneventful ride to Folkestone, although its got hotter on the way down. I'm riding along going over a mental check list of what I've packed. When I realise that camping at night in the dark with no torch is going to be a little tricky. Luckily I manage to find a cheap torch in one of the services we stop in for fuel. So thats me sorted result.

we find the B & B easily enough and book in. About 45 minutes after we arrive Quiff does and then its unload, quick change and then off into town to find somewhere to eat. After a bit of a wander about caused by my fat fingers and not reading the map on my phone properly. We find the Wetherspoons and get some food inside us and a few beers. We're all a little bit hyper and excited, but I'm getting nervous. Its just pre trip nerves, but I always get like this before I leave.

D Day - Monday 16th August. Folkestone - Orleans

Get up, grab breakfast and load the bikes up. Get to the tunnel terminal in plenty of time and chew the fat and the banter starts. Onto the train and into france.

And then it rains...

Meh this wasnt what I was expecting, for some reason I had france down as a hot country. Today its not. We stop at the first fuel station fill up and I put my waterproof on and change my dark visor to a clear one. Quiff gets into his baby grow and Rick looks a little apprehensive as he hasnt got any waterproofs at all.

We get out onto the motorway and its really chucking it down. The spray is mental, its cold and my waterproof is starting to leak. I feel for Rick with no waterproofs at all, he must be freezing. Its hour after hour of churning through this weather its not clearing at all in fact I think its getting worse. Spray, cold and not knowing where we are going is making it hard going. But we keep plugging away.

At about 3pm is, we stop for fuel, I'm shivering and Viper is to. We're all completely soaked and drained. I'm taking my mind off it by making up little stories and singing songs to myself, but theres no getting away from the fact that its cold and wet.

I'm hungry I suggest we go into the cafe and get something hot inside us which we do. Its not the best food, but its good to get something to eat. We've flooded the cafe all the water is running off out clothes and out of our gloves onto the floor !

Gear up and head out again. The Weathers not getting better. We go round in circles a few times we trying to pick up the route we want. We stop in a hotel carpark. Its freezing cold, raining hard, and I think I can speak for all off us and say we are f*cked off. Viper says that the rain is hitting the sat nav and re programming the route which is why we've been going round in circles. We bodge up a mount out of Quiff's sat nav mount, some cables ties, gaffer tape and a plastic bag. Its mounted on the clutch resevoir master cyclinder now, which means its sheltered from the rain and more in his line of sight so should make life easier.

Whilst we are doing this, we are talking about the weather and what we are going to do. Its nearly 5pm and we've got along way to go to get to Geneva. We wander if we are riding along in the same band of rain and that if we head south weather or not not we'll come out of the rain and into some better weather. We decide thats a good plan and head south. We end up going around Paris on the ring road at rush hour, which is filter tastic, Quiff points at the Eifel Tower, but I'm to focused on the traffic to see it. As we come around the city, the sun begins to break through and the roads dry up. We stop for fuel and Rick buys a map and we can all feel our mood lifting as we begin to dry out.

We look at the map and decide to head for Orelans. Looking at the water running out of my tent onto the floor I dont want to camp so we decide we'll try and find a hotel and then we can showered and warmed up and dried off.

We ride for another couple of hours and come off the Motorway into Orelans, the suns out and its warm now and I can see dry patches forming on the arms of my waterproof. But my boots are full of water and my gloves are wringing wet as is the rest of me. But I'm actually quite chirpy now, Especially as we pull into the first hotel we found and its looks decent enough, we negotiate a bit on the price of a room and get unloaded, showered and changed and hang as much stuff out to dry as we can. I pour the water out of my boots and hang them upside down to try and dry them out. Its nice to feel warm again.

We go out into Orelans to get food and find a decent restaurant and chow down a very decent and welcome meal and a few beers. After all the rain, its weird to be sat out side in a T-Shirt and jeans and it be a very pleasantly warm evening.

I should have bought my camera with me as the town square is very picturesque. Never mind. Back to the hotel and bed.

D Day + 1 Tuesday 17th August. Orelans to Millau.

We wake up a little late, but thankful for a goods night sleep and all feel a lot better for it. God knows what camping would have left us feeling like.

Load up the bikes and I take a few pics of where we have stayed.







We've got alot of miles to do today and so we decide to bang some miles in on the motorway in the morning to make the miles up and get some time back from our lie in.

Its a bit cloudy this morning, the further south we travel the warmer it gets. We stop for lunch and fuel at a Super U. I experience my first "wrong side of the road moment" I've got the whole ride on the right thing sorted out. Except when something unexpected comes along. Viper turns left into the road the Supermarket is on quite quickly I follow suit by Quiff misses the Turn, I make the turn and then realise I am on the left hand side of the road. There are no other cars about so its all OK, but a timely reminder that I need to pay a little more attention.

We're making good time, so we head off onto the back roads. This is better big open wide roads with long sweeping bends, decent road surface happy days ! Road then narrows into a long section of sharp twisty bends. The road surface is bumpy and its punishing on my arms. We stop in a layby for a drink and some pics, was very quite and tranquil here. Its nice and warm now, every time we stop and every new bit of road or corner we discover has my mood picking up. I'm really enjoying the riding and exploring.







We ride for another couple of hours, just taking in the roads and the scenary. We stop around 5 ish at a campsite, its not our planned destination of Millau, but we have a quick drink and a natter and decide to stick with the plan. The weather is good and we're all enjoying ourselves, we have a good bit of banter and micky taking.

This next section is fantastic, continuous left then right handed bends all leading one into another, I get into a real rhythm and its sublime just tipping the bike in to the corners.

We all come barreling down a hill into a little town called Estaing, and all have our breath taken away by the view, its beautiful. Viper finds a spot to stop in and we hop of the bikes to use the toilet and grab some pictures.

Again the stop lifts our mood and its just enough to keep us pushing on.







Its now getting late, and we're close to Millau and the campsite Viper had planned to stay at. We keep pushing on and we're on the motorway again and its getting cold. 820metres above sea level and as we come down a little drop we get our first glimpse of the Viaduct itself. Nearly there now, we stop in the town to get the address of the site and have a quick drink. We finally make it to the campsite as it begins to get dark and it gets dark quickly. I get the poles in the tent, but I have to get the torch out in order to peg it out. But I get the tent up by myself in not to much time and get setup. Then its off the cafe on site for food and a few welcome beers. Its a huge emotional lift to finally get to where Viper and I had been talking about getting to for so long, I'm just so darn tired I dont really feel it.

D Day + 2 Wednesday 18th August. Millau to Lleida in Spain, via Andorra.

Wake up and get a shower, tent packed down and away into bag on the first go. Bike loaded up and we're off. Quick splash and dash for fuel and we're away.

First stop is the viewing area at the Viaduct, it really is an impressive feat of engineering, seeing it on the TV doesnt do it justice, shame the weathers a bit grey and overcast today though.







Then its on the bikes again. Same plan as yesterday bash the miles off in the morning on the motorway and then lunch and explore in the afternoon. We pull into a fuel station around lunch time fill up and theres a little shack at the side of the road, selling fruit, wine and food. We get a baguette, some fruit and a drink. Its not 4* accomodation but its rather nice sat in the sun by the side of the road, eating our rolls which are delicious just watching the world go by. This is what I wanted to get from the trip, to get off the beaten track and explore. So many times I've been abroad and the people I'm with look for the familiar i.e. the want to eat in Burger King or Mcdonals, whereas I find it interesting to see a bit more of the country I'm in.

Back on the bikes and we can see the mountains ahead of us. The road begins to climb and climb, its getting hotter and hotter. We're into Andorra now, with steep twisty roads very technical. The poles on the side that mark out the road when it snows are fully visable. I've been to Andorra before Snowboarding and normally all you see are the tips, so it gives and idea of how much snow they get. Its beautiful riding along like this, its hard work and traffic makes it hard to make progress as its hard to overtake, we stop for a few pics.











Whilst we are stopped I have a quick check over the bike and my Scottoiler is empty. I've never done that on a trip before.

We head on, more of the same bend after bend after bend, up and down switchbacks. Its bl**dy awesome. Viper touches his knee down on one of the bends, the surface is excellent on the road and it just seems to get better and better.

We stop in one of the towns once we come out of the mountains for a break and Viper and Quiff go on in search of food whilst I stay with the bikes.



Whilst we are sat there taking a break a local official comes over and looks at the bike, We have no idea what he is talking about and vice versa. He manages to explain his is 63 and shows us some of his Karate moves and then wishes us a safe trip.

From here its over the boarder and into Spain. Its hot now but we can see rain clouds gathering and then the heavens open, its only for a few miles but it rains hard. The rains welcome and rather cooling and refreshing.

The landscape changes again, its barren and dusty, we're riding through big rock cuttings of Red Sandstone and the sun reflecting off them makes a great view. The road curves and winds along through some huge tunnels and then out into big long straights. Its hot, really hot, the sun is low in our eyes, but the dark visor works well.

I can see the signs clicking the distance down to Ileida 40, 20K's and then we're there. We park up in the main street. Viper phones his Auntie and she comes to collect us and we follow her back to her house.

I'm so knackered now that I feel completely flat and empty, I dont feel anything just relief we've arrived. We park the bikes up and the heat is unbelievable. Off with the leathers and we have a few beers. June makes a meal for us and suggests we go to a local bar for a few drinks. Vipers Uncle JM is a very generous man and we dont put our hands in our pockets all evening and we drink plenty and then the emotion and realisation of what we've done comes.

We have a brilliant evening and get back rather late ! Bikes are parked up safe and sound. So off to bed.



D Day + 3 Thursday 19th August. No riding today, but 2100Km's covered since leaving home.

A day off the bikes and a chance to rest and recover. Vipers Auntie June, kindly offers to wash all our stinky kit, which does indeed stink quite badly. Especially the socks. We sleep in quite late as we're tired from riding and a bit of a hangover to !

My feet are sore, I have a sore big toe on my right foot and nice callous developing on one of the fingers of my right hand. I'm tired and I drift in and out of sleep and June gets some lunch for us. Then I settle in for a little sleep in the afternoon to with some more food in the evening. Its so so good to have arrived and just be off the bike and relaxing.

Quiff has had some bad luck, ( the first of many incidents from now on ) He left his gloves on the end of his handlebars, and one of the dogs has got hold of it and chewed the hell out of it. Completely shredded it. He takes it in better humour than perhaps I would, but its a sign of us sinking into the rhythm on the trip. Where we change plans or things go wrong and you shrug it off and take it in your stride.

As the day draws on, we fiddle with the bikes and I refil my scottoiler and give the bike a check over and all seems well. Its overcast and cloudy, but also hot. It gets hotter through the day and then the weather breaks and theres a tremendous storm. It rains really hard for a while with thunder and lightning. So yes the rain in Spain does fall mainly on the plain !

D Day + 4 1/2 day on bikes. Friday 20th August. Ileida to Saint Beat

In the morning we go to a local shop to get Viper some waterproofs and find Quiff some new gloves. Its a sports shop so we spend a while here getting what we need and I contemplate buying some new cycling shoes as the prices seem quite cheap. But decide against it.

Then June takes us to her Husbands factory. They make fittings, rams, pumps etc for Hydraulic systems. The area of Spain we are in theres lots of agriculture, which means lots of work. We get the tour and have a wander around and say our goodbyes. Then its back to the house to load up the bikes and then head out.

Heres Quiff wandering how to organise the shelves a little better.



The weather today is much hotter after the storm, its baking hot and I'm sweating in my leathers. We take the same route out of Spain that we took in to start with and have a little more time to stop for photo's.



we've not mapped this part out and are completely winging it with no plan at all, just a rough idea of a route and our basic plan is to head out across the Pyrennes again and then head for a town called "Sort" and then head for Le Mans.

When we explain this to June she explains that "Sort" roughly translates into english as "Lucky" and theres been a lot of lottery winners who have bought tickets in that town and its got quite a reputation now.

The roads are climbing again and its miles and miles of twisty mountain passes, its hot and the bikes are working hard, the fans on on the GSXR alot now. The road and surface are incredible. Viper is having fun and I am to, but I'm holding back a little with the lugagge on and the niggle of those long drops into nowhere makes me cautious.

We find another place to stop and grab some pictures, the scenary is simply stunning.



We carry on again and stop in a Petrol station just outside of Sort, hot, hungry and thirsty. We fill the bikes up and park up. As I ride past Quiff's bike it topples over and smacks my forearm and then with a massive crash its on the floor. My first thoughts are not good. I can see he is distressed as I would be, I park mine up and we help him pick up his stuff and theres another biker at the same petrol station who helps Viper and Quiff pick the VFR up off the floor. Damage thankfully doesnt seem to bad, Its broke the mirror off, snapped the hero blob off the pegs and scratched the fairing and panniers, my bike has a cracked fairing and some red paint on it off the VFR, but thankfully both bikes are un damaged apart from that, to the huge relief of both of us. We get some food into us and some drink and Quiff splices the mirror back on with a spanner. So for us Sort wasnt that lucky.



However the view from the window of the toilet in the petrol station was fantastic.





We crack on, the roads are more of the same and just get better and better and better. We get to the top of the final pass and Viper and I are buzzing. I'm shaking from the adrenalin and the concentration, unbelivable. I'm wandering whether riding my bike after this will be one continuous anti climax. We pull over and grab some more pictures.





We get to about 7 o clock and pull over in a little town. Do we push on or do we camp at the campsite we've just gone past. We stop and have a drink and decide to stop for the day. We go back to the campsite and book in and pitch our tents. Then head off into town. The lady on the campsite says no chance of food anywhere. So feeling hungry but resigned to not getting any food, we head into town for a walk around to see if anywhere is open. Everywhere apart from one little bar is shut. We go into the bar and order beers and sit outside. Quiff goes back in to see if they do food. The bar owner says he will open the kitchen up to cook us something which is a result. He couldnt be nicer and seems friendly and perhaps spots the opportunity to make a few Euro's. We dont mind, the food is excellent and we stay for a few hours and buy several drinks and one for him to say thank you and then its off to bed.

2390km covered since leaving Yeovil.











D Day + 5 Saturday 21st August, Saint Beat to Thievels

Usual process, get up Shower, pack up bikes and then off we go again. It was wet and dewey that morning so tent went away wet. I've left the Scottoiler on prime so its emptied itself, and I dont want to run the bike to reprime it on the campsite. So when we pull over for fuel and breakfast. I take the chance to refill and reprime it.

We have agreed not to push the milleage high on this part of the trip. We are all tired and I'm making silly mistakes in my riding. Its also scorching hot. All I can feel is the heat coming back from the tarmac and exhaust. My hands are roasting from the heat coming back from the grips to. But it is really nice. Big wide open roads, long sweeping corners. Which is a nice rest from the technical stuff that we were doing yesterday.

Lunch / break stop







We keep on, stopping more regularly for drinks and breaks. Its really hot showing 37 degress air temp on the dash on Quiff's VFR.

We are heading for Perigreux, but theres nowhere to camp and its a sweat box so we push on through. We agree that the next campsite we come to we will stop at. As we head into Thievels, we see a sign and follow it. Theres a little lake and they have a swiming pool, a small bar and a pool. Seems idea so we book in.

Tents up and un packed and the wet gear from the morning is dry in minutes. Its baking hot. I go for a shower and come back and Viper is talking to another English guy, Turns out Steve has been riding across france into spain on a Chinese copy of a Honda C90. for a bet ! He was bet £5 and a pint that he wouldnt make it. He has and is on his way back to his house in france.





Kind of puts our efforts to shame. He seems in good enough spirits and we invite him to eat with us and have an evening recalling our experience from the trip so far and he does likewise. He's good company and time flies by.

My feet stink, its even making me think they are unpleasant now. After the soaking and then the heat they are suffering a little. We talk about getting home and decide rather than the Tunnel on the way back we'll get the Ferry and save some milleage.

We've seen a few signs in the petrol stations today saying "Shut on Sunday" we wander if it would be better to have a day at the campsite and rest. Rather than getting further up through france and not being able to get fuel. My back is begining to feel a litte sore now. We're really begining to feel the milleage we've done. We all agree that taking Sunday as a rest day would be good so thats what we decide to do.

2730 Km covered since Leaving Yeovil.

D Day + 6 Sunday 22nd August.

Wake up to the noise of a C90 riding out the campsite. Then kick back and relax in the sun. Its sweltering hot again today so we just kick back and enjoy. Viper and I pop up into town before the shop shuts to get some stuff for lunch apart from that the bikes stay where they are.

Quiff and Viper go for a swim. I just lie asleep in the shape relaxing, with no shoes on to give my manky feet a chance to recover. We have some food and a few beers in the evening and spend the night taking the mick out of each other. I am so glad that Quiff and Viper are doing this trip as I know them well already and we can chat away and take the p*ss without being worried about crossing a line or offending each other. Just relaxing and enjoying each others company. We have a few games of pool and by the lad that been running the bar and cooking for us a beer or two as he has really looked after us and nothings been to much trouble for him.

It really hits me now that we are starting the journey home. Reflecting on how far we've come and what we've done, makes me realise jus thow on this trip things have had a way of working out. Take yesterday for example. We got to around 160 km's since the last fuel stop I could see Viper getting twitchy looking for fuel and just around the corner was a fuel station. Same with the campsite, 11km or so afer we decided we were getting tired and had had enough of riding, appeared what was the ideal campsite.

I'm enjoying having no set plan and going with the flow, it makes things more relaxed and the extra flexability that brings means you can ride with no pressure and stop for pics or a break just when you feel like doing so.

We borrow a laptop from Geome the campsite owners son and book the ferry crossing from Cherbourgh into Poole, now we've set the date to come home it really feels like the homeward leg. We plan tomorrows route. I'm excited about it. When we planned the trip I said to Viper I'd like to go to Le Mans to see the circuit and if we could ride a little of it as I know that some of it is public roads and I'm really looking forward to it.









D Day + 7 Monday 23rd August. Thievels to Conlie

Wake up to the sound of rain and a Thunderstorm, but it passes quickly enough, but we're left with a wet tent setup and I dont like packing away a wet tent, but it cant be helped.

Pack up the gear and get ready to leave. Quiff goes to start his bike and the battery is flat as a pancake. We try to bump it but it wont bump as the battery is to flat to prime the fuel rail / pump and it fires then cuts out again. We push it back to our camping pitch and Quiff produces a set of jump leads from his Tardis like panniers. Viper pops the seat off of his bike and we jump Quiffs bike. Lesson learned about not running your iphone charger off the bike and then going to sleep and forgetting to unplug it. No big drama really.

Its hot but overcast today. Rain showers on and off and it finally chucks it down in the afternoon. So its stop shelter under a fuel station forecourt roof and on with the waterproofs. Vipers really glad he bought some now when we were in Spain. Its really raining hard and I suggest we wait and see if the worst blows over which it does after 10 minutes or so, so we set off. We clear the rain but the roads still wet and its really windy.

Stop in a layby to stretch our legs and take my waterproofs off as the rains stopped, I'm now boiling hot and squinting through my clear visor. We stop again a little later on and I think Quiff is so tired he has a little sleepy on his bike.



Then its onto Le Mans itself. Viper is doing a stirling job up front. He plumbs Mulsanne into the satnav and I almost literally leap for joy as we turn onto the circuit and I see the Yellow and blue kerb markings. Then I twig we're on the Mulsanne Straight itself. I can feel the hairs on the back of my neck rising and find myself imagining what it would be like to do real speed along here. You can see the two chicanes put into after the mercedes flipped a few years ago. Its awesome to be riding along it. Turn right at the end at the junction, cant use the track layout here as its fenced off, but you get the feel of going through the Mulsanne Kink and then braking hard for Mulsanne corner. Then accelerate again then flick through indianpolis which you can properly ride and then where the road turns for Arnarge is a junction which you have to stop at. So cant really attack that. We ride around a few times to see if we can get at anymore of the track but its mostly fenced off or in accessable.

Even that little bit is enough. I'm Steve McQueen in a Gulf Porsche 917. Its for me really emotive one of the places I've always wanted to go and I've done it. The kerbs are there, the tyre marks from spins and accidents are still visable from this years race. You can really get a feel for it.



Then we stop at Mcdonals in Le Mans itself and grab a bit to eat. As we go to leave, my alarm stops responding to the keyfob and I cack myself. I fish the spare out and that doesnt work either and I cant start my bike. In desperation I flick the ignition on and off and then once I've done that the I can disarm the immobiliser and let out a huge sigh of relief. Its done this before on this trip. I dont know if its the alarm or me being tired.

We get fuel and head for a campsite we've found, We arrive and theres no attendant and the phone number to ring goes to an answerphone and we dont speak enough french to decipher it. So we decide to pitch up anyway.

Tents up and we decide to go into the little town and see if we can get a beer. Not hungry as we ate earlier on and its just as well as the whole place is shut, nothing is open. So we wander round and head back to the tent. Quiff decides he is going on a mission for beer and kits up and heads off on his own. I'm not that fussed and its getting dark and theres a big black rain cloud looming over head. About 10 minutes after he's gone it tips down with rain. Viper and I are chatting and we are hoping he comes back soon. Another 20 minutes or so and he does. He hasnt got beer or anything he wanted to find, but I dont care I'm just glad he's back. The rains coming down hard now and he is soaked. We shut the tents down to keep dry and decide that its time for an early night. I read for a bit and then drift off to sleep.










3188 Km covered since left Yeovil.

D Day + 8 Tuesday 24th August. Conlie to Cherbourg.

It rains alot during the night. When I wake in the morning I'm cold. But I discover Viper is soaked as his tent has leaked. Quiffs a bit damp but his air beds kept him off of the floor.

We pack up and pay the site caretaker who's turned up as we were packing up. We decide to head for Mont St Michel just because its on the way roughly to where we want to go. Alarm seems to be oK today which is good so I wander if it was me being tired rather than a problem with the bike. I'm tired today the miles are racking up and I'm not really concentrating. Its not particularly warm with my leathers on either, can tell we are getting close to home now and to be honest I'm ready for home.

We stop at Mont St Michel for some photos and park up and walk up the cafe's to get some lunch, a very nice Pizza with ice cream for desert.





As Viper got such a soaking last night, he admited at one point he had got up and put his waterproofs on and then gone back to sleep again. We decide to get a hotel tonight. Also that means we can lie in later and not have to take the tents down to get the ferry.

We head onto Cherbourg and make it in good time. Finding a hotel is another matter. The formula 1 is full and despite the sat nav we cant find another one and spend alot of time retracing our steps. I think this is probably down to just being physically and mentally tired. Eventually we get back into the town centre and find a hotel. We park the bikes up and check in sort ourselves out and head out to find something to eat and a few beers. Then back to the hotel and bed.







3516 Km covered since left Yeovl

D Day + 9 Wednesday 25th August. Cherbourg to Yeovil.

Its grey and overcast when I wake up. I get myself sorted and head down to load up the bike. We all surface eventually and ride the 1/2 mile or so to the Ferry port. We go into the terminal building and get our ticket printed out as we only have a reference due to booking in Thievels when we didnt have access to a printer. No big problem. As we sit and wait it spits with rain a little we talk to few people queuing and ask about their trips etc. Then its away through to get checked in and queue up to board the ferry itself.

They have the clips for the front wheel on this one which I've not used before and it feels weird riding the bike in and then the clip grabbing the front wheel. Remember to leave the bike in gear and dont set the alarm and then head up the cabin area to get some breakfast. Crossing is pretty uneventful, but it rains all the way across.

We dock at Poole and get off the Ferry, for what seems like an age we queue to get through passport control and group up around the corner. I was going to go to Vipers and drop my photos off for him, but its raining hard and I decide to run for home as does Quiff. Waterproofs on and off I go. Seems weird riding on the left again and without the others to. Its raining hard across the hills that take me home and I'm soaked through again by the time I get home my waterproof is no longer waterproof !

I walk in the door and drip over the floor, I eat a nice slice of chocolate cake Liz has given me and grab a cup of tea. Its good to be home.

Total Mileage for the trip 2245 miles.

I've been home a couple of days now. It doesnt seem real to be back home just yet and I keep looking back to the trip.

Monday in france was horrid, cold wet, miserable. But the sheer challenge of getting through it made it worthwhile. The fact that we never made Geneva actually worked in our favour and some of the roads we did that otherwise we'd have missed were fantastic. Having no fixed plan on the way home worked better and we could take our time and not feel pressured into doing miles when we were knackered. I love the way the french people are so courteous to motorbikes and that despite their reputation are hospitable enough to look after us like the bar owner did who opened his kitchen to feed us. The way the countryside changes as you ride from country to country is weird.

France looks grubby and run down in places. Spain changes from Lush green to barren almost desert and then back again. Andorra looks odd with no snow on the ground and it was weird riding through Pas de la Cassa and Soldeau where I have boarded before. My favourite bits were from Millau through Andorra down into Spain and out the other side back into France. It was fantastic, the road surface the endless miles of corners and the heat in the tyres making me feel I was a riding god. I am not in fact far from it. I love the smell of my bike on a wet day when the moisture burns off and the sights and smells will stay with me forever. I can recall fields of sunflowers and the smell of melons loaded up in a tractor trailer as we overtook it was wanderful. I notice how the bike changes sound and power delivery at altitude and how every biker on those mountain roads was like me having the time of their life.

Spanish people are friendly and welcoming and Vipers relatives were fantastic and refused to take a penny in board and lodgings or let us put our hands in our pockets the two days we stayed with them.

It was brilliant and a real challenge at times. Riding when tired and trying to push on, requires depth of character, both to do and to say "actually I've had enough" but thats why I went with Viper and Quiff, no egos, nothing to prove, just mates riding and exploring and all looking out for each other. Some days everything would click and other days I felt awful on the bike. The bike was flawless the whole trip, but riding along you imagine all sorts of noises and think whats that, or was that there earlier, Its just the brain playing tricks on you.

I remember the hard days as well as the good ones. Its all part of the experience and theres no better way to explore than on a bike. Theres no better way to push your limits and see what you can do and theres something special about taking your own bike to places you've dreamed of going. Especially when your bike was never designed to tour or do long distances on. I found myself by the end of the trip having shed all my cares or worries and it really does come down to the basics of.

Where can I eat
Where can I get a drink
Where do I sleep
Where can I get petrol

and those things are remarkably easy to find and sort out. Then its just a case of getting on with it really. My photos and my write up dont really do it justice. You had to be there I'll never forget it.

Awesome write up Fizz! Really enjoyed that!

[timwilky]

Glad you are all back safely and had a good time.

Now send your claim details for the repaint to quiff's insurer

It looks great! Well done for getting a good write up written and posted. I'l crack on with my write up after the long weekend.

[maviczap]

Epic trip! Very envious

[Wideboy]

Originally Posted by maviczap

Epic trip! Very envious

+1 also jealous

nice pics! really kicking myself for not going back this year!

Great report! Jealous!

As it happens, I'm a great beliver in "The more you plan something the more you limit what can happen".

I'd have packed the bike and set off. No final destination, no fixed stops, Just gone with the flow. I might never have come back

C

[gruntygiggles]

Fizz, that was a fabulous read, thank you. Off to see if the pics are on facebook as I can't see them on here but probably my laptop, so no worries

[Nick_69]

Some brilliant photos and sounds like you had an amazing time

i enjoyed reading that.. great stuff - also a wee bit jealous lovely pics - particularly enjoyed the view from the loo comment..

nice one!