Featured Spanish Trip Finally Set Up....

Been a busy bee these last few evenings, getting a trip to Spain organised. Originally planned doing a route along the Pyrenees but so many hotels are closed early May, so change of plan. Done them enough already, really. I'll go straight through the middle, booked stops in a couple of old towns, Palencia and Daroca, and get to the apartment fairly directly. I'll be leaving the bike there for quite some time, possibly until next year, might get some midwinter riding in when it's total cack in Blighty. Certainly it's going to be handy when we go across in the summer, going for longer now I'm working less. Ferry on May 7th, not flying back until 16th so plenty of chance for a few day trips or overnighters from the flat if I feel so inclined.

 

Right, 12 months mot slapped on the bike, new tyres on. TBH l've been looking for excuses not to go for a while, the black dog caught up with me, but l'm going to be on the ship Wednesday afternoon hopefully. Went the long way round to the test station and l think l'm going to enjoy knocking off some decent miles on this bike

 

Plenty of luggage room, the benefit of not taking the trouble and strife! That said, l do have her bike boots and leather jacket in the panniers. No need for tank bag so no bother seeing the satnav. Decent forecast for tomorrow, might get up to rain Friday morning in Palencia. I expect l'll live...

 

Up on time, her indoors did me a nice breakfast, easy cruise down....ferry delayed! Feckin had to be, never happens when you're running late. And the first time l ever had a security check at Plymouth. Mirror under the bike, patdown. Happily no full cavity search. Anyhow, had a coffee, sun is out, sit and wait

 

A routine plenty know and love-board, strap bike down, stagger up all those steps to the cabin, throw everything on the floor, strip down to undercrackers and lie down staring at the ceiling. Cool off, shorts on, where's the bar?

 

Ferry only half an hour late docking, but disembarking took for ever. I therefore took the motorway route to Palencia. Mind you for the first half this was nothing like the M42 mate of course no pics though. In the hotel at a decent time so going to walk into the old part and see what it's like. Coffee first l reckon....

 

Nice old town Palencia. Like a big Jaca or small Zaragoza, really. Really funny though, l walked into town around 5, deserted. Stood at the cathedral and all the bells cracked off, and lo and behold, people appeared everywhere like bloody mushrooms. Like the Time Machine when all the Eloi are summoned

 

On the ferry there is usually someone from ORCA, a marine preservation organisation. She said this was the best crossing she's had for dolphins-at least 160 sighted. Try taking a feckin photo though...best l could do

 

Always someone doing a sodding survey though

 

Good day's riding today. I set the Tomtom to avoid motorways, put about 45 mins on the time. In the event it didn't because the roads were largely quiet and devoid of cameras
Amazing variety of scenery (and road surface) quite a lot of the route was high, passed several markers in excess of 1100 metres. Highest point was 1235 from memory. So, it was cold and occasionally damp, and one stonking downpour near Soria. No pics again, so hard to stop on Spanish roads. I'd certainly be happy to do that route again.
One thing if any of you decide to ride across rural Spain-leave your overnight stop with a full tank and don't take too long to top up. Didn't see a filling station for nearly 100 miles this morning.

 

No one expects the Spanish lnquisition! Google it if you need to..

 

Daroca is old...

Upper gate



Lower gate



Hotel car park was up the right hand fork which says dead end. Glad l got it right, miss it and you come to a set of steps on maybe an 8% gradient. If you could turn a fully loaded sport tourer up there you're a better man than l, Gungadin

 

On a lighter note:
If it rains find somewhere else to stand



Wouldn't get away with this in the UK. Sign for the old Jewish quarter


Racial stereotype! I'm offended!
Mind you, world heritage site or not, this is a car culture country

 

Right, woken up again. Good roads are tiring, l find. One thing l did finally remember was to put the windcreen on highest setting. Big difference
Little lesson for those who may not know the intricacies of Spanish road numbering. From the top:
AP is autopista, pay motorway. AP 7, for example.
A is autovia, free motorway. I used the A67 yesterday.
N plus number is carratera nacional, paid for and maintained by central governmemt. Generally good. We all know the N-260 for example.
Then we get provincial roads looked after by local government. The prefix denotes where you are. In Catalunya they begin with a C. C12 from Tortosa for example. CV is Comunidad Valenciana. You get the idea. This is why sometimes the same road on a map suddenly changes number. These roads vary massively. Hope someone finds that helpful

 

BTW, today is my 44th wedding anniversary. I have an understanding wife, l hope might be sleeping in the shed when l get home...