Valencia MotoGP Road trip
- Thread starter JimmyMac
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I took the advice offered by the one and only JimmyMac last time we met and went across Europe on my own earlier this year and it was the best bike trip I have had. He also suggested something about sitting on my hand to make it go numb was a good way to pass the evenings solo. Each to their own I say 
lol.
lol.
JimmyMac
Well-known member
Haha Andy, my *** life is exposed for one and all.
JimmyMac
JimmyMac
Agreed, it seems like more of an adventure being on my own while travelling especially while abroad on the bike.
On one trip I got ill, that was not so good but I learnt a lot about myself.
Jimmy, how many miles a day will you be riding?
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JimmyMac
Well-known member
Sorry for the late reply Phil, I will ride approx 350 to 500 plus miles a day.
JimmyMac
JimmyMac
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JimmyMac
Well-known member
Well that's Day one in, left Scotland at 7.30 AM in a massive rainstorm that followed me down the A1 for all but an hour, lol.
Had invested in Klim waterproofs for my China trip and it was the first time I had used them in awful conditions and they held up exactly as they should, keeping me toasty dry and warm.
Took the A68 down to England as I know this is the one with the least official Border Guards as that's the route the Secret Haggis smugglers use. I personally got 14 tins of Macaroni through today without paying any duty.
They Guards were that laid back today they never even turned up for work and I was able to use my iPhone to photograph the 'England' stone. It's a bit like the Blarney Stone or the Stone of Destiny in that it's big, heavy and stone coloured.
I was using the BMW Nav5 sat nav (***** with a capital Sh) as I recently upgraded from an excellent Tom Tom that never failed on me for the 6 years I had it. First problem with it is that it told me Dover was too far to calculate and it would give me an ETA when I got closer, I am not kidding. I about fell of my bike laughing, this is meant to be a premium bit of kit from Garmin an I am far from impressed.
Does have some good features and gives you a summary of your day, but top speed must be playing up as I would never do such a thing, lol.
It did manage to direct me towards Geordieland and I was soon admiring one of my favourite sculptures as it brings back many happy memories of driving North up the A1 from my RAF days.
Had a wee blast into Newark as this was also an old haunt of mine and glad to see the Hospital still standing strong and proud.
Another drenching saw me over the Dartford crossing and into Le Shuttle for a quick scoot over to Calais where I discovered that although my Sat Nav has Finland in its library of countries in Europe that start with F it doesn't have any details of France, couldn't make this up, so had to navigate to my hotel with my phone.
Got here knackered but glad that they have the normal TV channels in the room but the lift is getting serviced and had to trudge up and down the stairs to the 3rd floor wearing all my sodding gear, least I can watch NCIS.
Looking forward to riding in the dry tomorrow but don't know where to head but at least the compass works so I will go South as I will eventually get to Spain or just ride right into the Med to give that SatNav a funeral at sea.
Think the Snickers bar I got at the tunnel summed up my feelings, haha.
JimmyMac
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Had invested in Klim waterproofs for my China trip and it was the first time I had used them in awful conditions and they held up exactly as they should, keeping me toasty dry and warm.
Took the A68 down to England as I know this is the one with the least official Border Guards as that's the route the Secret Haggis smugglers use. I personally got 14 tins of Macaroni through today without paying any duty.
They Guards were that laid back today they never even turned up for work and I was able to use my iPhone to photograph the 'England' stone. It's a bit like the Blarney Stone or the Stone of Destiny in that it's big, heavy and stone coloured.
I was using the BMW Nav5 sat nav (***** with a capital Sh) as I recently upgraded from an excellent Tom Tom that never failed on me for the 6 years I had it. First problem with it is that it told me Dover was too far to calculate and it would give me an ETA when I got closer, I am not kidding. I about fell of my bike laughing, this is meant to be a premium bit of kit from Garmin an I am far from impressed.
Does have some good features and gives you a summary of your day, but top speed must be playing up as I would never do such a thing, lol.
It did manage to direct me towards Geordieland and I was soon admiring one of my favourite sculptures as it brings back many happy memories of driving North up the A1 from my RAF days.
Had a wee blast into Newark as this was also an old haunt of mine and glad to see the Hospital still standing strong and proud.
Another drenching saw me over the Dartford crossing and into Le Shuttle for a quick scoot over to Calais where I discovered that although my Sat Nav has Finland in its library of countries in Europe that start with F it doesn't have any details of France, couldn't make this up, so had to navigate to my hotel with my phone.
Got here knackered but glad that they have the normal TV channels in the room but the lift is getting serviced and had to trudge up and down the stairs to the 3rd floor wearing all my sodding gear, least I can watch NCIS.
Looking forward to riding in the dry tomorrow but don't know where to head but at least the compass works so I will go South as I will eventually get to Spain or just ride right into the Med to give that SatNav a funeral at sea.
Think the Snickers bar I got at the tunnel summed up my feelings, haha.
JimmyMac
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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FreudianSlip
Well-known member
Nice one Jimmy. Glad to see you made it through the wilds of England, hope you didn’t pick up too much culture. I thought you were having a giraffe about the macaroni! You’re a wealthy man obviously, Heinz isn’t cheap ya know!
Ride safe, and don’t hold back on those pics.
Ride safe, and don’t hold back on those pics.
FreudianSlip
Well-known member
I now realise Jimmy must be a smart cookie. Those tins of mac n’cheese aren’t for his consumption, it’s the only stable currency these days.
Good write up and pic's, keep it up Jimmy.
Hope the rest of the trip is much sunnier!
stuartb
Well-known member
Whats with all that macaroni Jimmy ?..... get more pics up when you can.
Stuart
Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk
Stuart
Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk
JimmyMac
Well-known member
Hi guys sorry for the delay
In posting, it will all become clear if you can be bothered reading.
Stuart the tinned stuff is very bland and I can't do spicy foreign food any more after getting my gall bladder out, I'd be sitting o a porcelain throne rather than riding, lol
Anyways, the ride report.............
After a great nights sleep in Calais on Tuesday night, I get up and have the standard ham and chess baguette times 3 for breakfast and go out and load the horse. It is still drizzling but not to bad weather wise. I had noticed that whilst on the tunnel train my fuel gauge had gone **** up but I know how to repair it and had brought the tools with me, a piezo electric cell does the trick and I have the sparker from a gas fire in my kit.
Once loaded I have a play with Teddy the Bijon Frieze and remember that all French hotels have little white dogs for luck
I set out and immediately miss having a working Sat Nav and end up riding around in circles for 2 hours trying to find a bank and the road to Le Mans.
I eventually get it and head off in the pouring rain yet again.
Ride was boring and wet all the way to La Rochelle but the final 30 km were great on wee twisties and the rain stopped about an hour before I got there, double win.
Booked a nice hotel with a sea view, fixed my fuel gauge and off to bed.
JimmyMac
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
In posting, it will all become clear if you can be bothered reading.
Stuart the tinned stuff is very bland and I can't do spicy foreign food any more after getting my gall bladder out, I'd be sitting o a porcelain throne rather than riding, lol
Anyways, the ride report.............
After a great nights sleep in Calais on Tuesday night, I get up and have the standard ham and chess baguette times 3 for breakfast and go out and load the horse. It is still drizzling but not to bad weather wise. I had noticed that whilst on the tunnel train my fuel gauge had gone **** up but I know how to repair it and had brought the tools with me, a piezo electric cell does the trick and I have the sparker from a gas fire in my kit.
Once loaded I have a play with Teddy the Bijon Frieze and remember that all French hotels have little white dogs for luck
I set out and immediately miss having a working Sat Nav and end up riding around in circles for 2 hours trying to find a bank and the road to Le Mans.
I eventually get it and head off in the pouring rain yet again.
Ride was boring and wet all the way to La Rochelle but the final 30 km were great on wee twisties and the rain stopped about an hour before I got there, double win.
Booked a nice hotel with a sea view, fixed my fuel gauge and off to bed.
JimmyMac
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
FreudianSlip
Well-known member
Wonderful view there Jimmy... shame about the tree.
This ‘fix’ with a sparkler sounds like a story in itself. Action starts today in Cheste, hope you make it in time!
This ‘fix’ with a sparkler sounds like a story in itself. Action starts today in Cheste, hope you make it in time!
JimmyMac
Well-known member
Beleive me Wayne I was just glad it had stopped raining, I was laughing when I looked out and wondered if it would snow today.................................
JimmyMac
JimmyMac
Well-known member
Day 3 starts as usual with a hearty ham and cheese baguette times 3 and some of the best coffee I have ever tasted.
I am wanting on the road as I wish to arrive in Andorra around 3pm, my son went there last year on holiday with his pals and brought me back a flag which hangs in my garage.
I only ever put flag stickers on my panniers of places I have ridden through so today I would be adding the Andorra one to my boxes.
Formalities over at the hotel I attach my new sat nav to the bike with its brown cradle and check the hard drive, all good.
I attach the tank bag to the pillion seat as I am struggling to balance the bike properly as my short arms can't reach around it so well to get purchase on the bars, riding is ok but setting down and lifting from side stand are difficult.
Hotel has a white plastic dog for luck which I suspect won't work as well as the real thing but time will tell. Sandi the receptionist photo bombs my bike photo.
Out on the road and the SatNav is working better than it's redundant ornament sitting underneath. The traffic is very heavy riding South but hey ho it's holiday time so I relax into the trek.
I meet some Spanish riders at a service station and try all tell me they want Dovi to win the title as I do. They are heading straight to Valencia but I tell them I am staying in Andorra tonight.
They tell me it is impossible as the day time high for Andorra is -4c with an overnight low of -12c.
I laugh and shrug off the warning. Things I have been told I cannot do, as they are difficult in the extreme or impossible are the things that my stubborn and curious nature thrive on, roll on the snow.
I stop 40 miles from my destination to take in the sheer beauty of the Pyrenees and am reminded of home.
The weather is cold at 3c but nothing to worry about and I push on.
Further up the altitude lowers the temperature and people are fitting snow chains while I take some photos that remind me of Christmas.
Further up the mountains the altitude is really apparent on the weather conditions and I see many cars at the side of the road that have failed the ascent but I continue until my trusty steed tells me that this is one of those times that is truly impossible.
The sharp eyed amongst you will spot the tyre marks I have left and realise this wasn't a stationary drop.
It also left me with a conundrum on how to get to my 5 star hotel which was less than 20 miles away.
The Gendarme were quickly on the scene (within 2 minutes to be fair) asked me where I was from and that was it. The 4 of them looked on smoking whilst yours truly lifted up 350kg of injured horse on ice back to its upright position.
One of the cheeky buggers then comes across and tells me "You are very strong"
I ask him would it not be more professional to put the cigarettes out and maybe ask me if I was injured?
The worlds best chain smoking recovery driver is on scene within a few minutes as he tells me he drives this road every day picking up idiots like me.
We share a joke about the Police and load up.
I tell my new friend that I am heading to the MotoGP and drop me off anywhere with no ice.
He tells me that as the Police called him I must get taken to a local garage where the Police are waiting to record details and I must put the incident to my insurers.
A quick exchange of Euros and I am dropped off at a tunnel entrance with the warning that the road to Barcelona is impossible to ride on a bike today due to snow, now that's a challenge, lol.
JimmyMac
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I am wanting on the road as I wish to arrive in Andorra around 3pm, my son went there last year on holiday with his pals and brought me back a flag which hangs in my garage.
I only ever put flag stickers on my panniers of places I have ridden through so today I would be adding the Andorra one to my boxes.
Formalities over at the hotel I attach my new sat nav to the bike with its brown cradle and check the hard drive, all good.
I attach the tank bag to the pillion seat as I am struggling to balance the bike properly as my short arms can't reach around it so well to get purchase on the bars, riding is ok but setting down and lifting from side stand are difficult.
Hotel has a white plastic dog for luck which I suspect won't work as well as the real thing but time will tell. Sandi the receptionist photo bombs my bike photo.
Out on the road and the SatNav is working better than it's redundant ornament sitting underneath. The traffic is very heavy riding South but hey ho it's holiday time so I relax into the trek.
I meet some Spanish riders at a service station and try all tell me they want Dovi to win the title as I do. They are heading straight to Valencia but I tell them I am staying in Andorra tonight.
They tell me it is impossible as the day time high for Andorra is -4c with an overnight low of -12c.
I laugh and shrug off the warning. Things I have been told I cannot do, as they are difficult in the extreme or impossible are the things that my stubborn and curious nature thrive on, roll on the snow.
I stop 40 miles from my destination to take in the sheer beauty of the Pyrenees and am reminded of home.
The weather is cold at 3c but nothing to worry about and I push on.
Further up the altitude lowers the temperature and people are fitting snow chains while I take some photos that remind me of Christmas.
Further up the mountains the altitude is really apparent on the weather conditions and I see many cars at the side of the road that have failed the ascent but I continue until my trusty steed tells me that this is one of those times that is truly impossible.
The sharp eyed amongst you will spot the tyre marks I have left and realise this wasn't a stationary drop.
It also left me with a conundrum on how to get to my 5 star hotel which was less than 20 miles away.
The Gendarme were quickly on the scene (within 2 minutes to be fair) asked me where I was from and that was it. The 4 of them looked on smoking whilst yours truly lifted up 350kg of injured horse on ice back to its upright position.
One of the cheeky buggers then comes across and tells me "You are very strong"
I ask him would it not be more professional to put the cigarettes out and maybe ask me if I was injured?
The worlds best chain smoking recovery driver is on scene within a few minutes as he tells me he drives this road every day picking up idiots like me.
We share a joke about the Police and load up.
I tell my new friend that I am heading to the MotoGP and drop me off anywhere with no ice.
He tells me that as the Police called him I must get taken to a local garage where the Police are waiting to record details and I must put the incident to my insurers.
A quick exchange of Euros and I am dropped off at a tunnel entrance with the warning that the road to Barcelona is impossible to ride on a bike today due to snow, now that's a challenge, lol.
JimmyMac
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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FreudianSlip
Well-known member
holy zombie jesus! Looks like you've levelled up on the adventure scale - at least you 'sound' like you're alright and the bike is still roadworthy. I was considering a winter ride out taking advantage of some last minute ferry prices from Portsmouth to Santander - but I think i'll wait for the next thrilling instalment before I press the 'book' button. Naively I believed the winter darn sarf was milder - or is it because you're in the mountains?
You've got me hooked Jimmy!
I can't wait for the next instalment.
My son and his wife are there already and I can tell you that it's nice and warm, and sunny too.
Keep safe
I can't wait for the next instalment.
My son and his wife are there already and I can tell you that it's nice and warm, and sunny too.
Keep safe
Bigger balls than me lol !! Fair play to you !
