You have to first remember this was a big adventure for me, passed my test in December and still lacking in confidence, don't like bendy roads, roundabouts, junctions, well I just about like straight roads but not too fast...
Set off to Gloucester to break the ride up down to Plymouth as a long way for me to ride in one day. sun beaming
after a good night with friends and a hearty breakfast we set off again under cloudy skies - yep pished down and windy all the way down the M5.
got to the port and the sun came out!!!
the dear heart had explained that the bikes get onto the ferry via the dock on a narrow plank - while i didn't believe him but had plenty of nightmares leading up to my adventure about falling into the sea - so once we got into the queue the nerves really started to kick in. warned the group of blokes behind me to give me plenty of space....
made sure all other bikes out of the way first and then i was on and in... dear heart did the tieing down of my bike and off we went for a night of fun in bunk beds...
No going back now - the start of no hairdryer, straightens and weeing where and when you can...
arriving in Santander some bloke jumps onto the ferry to guide it in
looks at bit cold in Spain
Got off the ferry to heat..... Spanish wanting to look at passports etc then off into the mad traffic of Santander,
With my sticker on my right mirror to remind me which side of the road to be on
Feel the distrubition of luggage was equal…
Headed along the coast on the E70and stayed at a campsite just outside Deba
pished down overnight
I had arranged to go visit one of my late husbands best mates just north of Toulouse, on a small map it didn't look far, from Deba to his place I rode over 300 miles, along motorways mainly. Feck even the Spanish motorways are bendy. Decided I don't like him that much anymore... we did all kinds of weather along the way, warm clothes on and then off...
Stopped to rest or in my case find a suitable piece of ground
After a heavy night we packed up and got on our way again, hoping to outrun the rain – it wasn’t to be. But we stopped for petrol and it took us that long to work out the self serve instructions that the rain had passed over, so we just followed it
Night in a French campsite, nothing impressive, then noticed a bloke further up watching our tent, later he even had bincolulars watching us inside – creepy or what. Admittedly I was naked, but that’s no excuse
Then back into spain – and more bendy road, the N260 became my friend – NOT - far to bendy…. But the D118 was a great road, very bendy, narrow and through a gorge. No placed to stop and take pictures which was a real shame, until almost out the other side
Spent a couple of nights in Sort.
never mind the tent get the tea on
time for some washing - bike doubles as a washing line
Second night just getting into bed and noticed a visiting mouse in the tent, squeeled and he left. Then the dear heart wakes up complaining of being bitten on the hand, on inspection the mouse was visiting again….. shoe throwing and he was gone. Slightly distressed as the dear heart had his arm over me – so that mouse had be walking over me…
Back onto the N260 and off to Torla – as I said not a fan of bendy roads, but this is how they are… wouldn’t mind but pics taken about half way up and then the reflief when I get to the top and then the heart sinking when I remember I have to go back down the other side
the dear heart says you can take a horse to water - no idea what he means !!!!
Had a day off and both went on my bike doing a bit of off roading.
We went up and up and up and found this sky resort.
But the roads had been washed away during the winter and repairs don't seem to have move on very far...
By this point I have aquired man flu followed a couple of days later by the dear heart getting a girly cold but the campsite did have lovely view
it we had to move on and start to treck back to Santander stumbled across this along the way, and the village at the top of the hill is deserted
Being hot, tired and full of cold it was getting harder, then the inevitatble happened. Got to this roundabout – the road sloped away to the left and yes I stopped putting my left foot down. Sadly it was a long way down and the bike just carried on to the road until it was lying down. While I was still standing. All the dear heart hears is “ohhhhh shit” which is my usual giveaway…. So he races back on foot to pick.
We have a break and decide to get a hotel for the night
Due to our colds decided to cover as much ground as possible getting back to Santander the day before the ferry and booked into a hotel in a small village – great view
come on babe bring the luggage up!!!!
then back to Santander and back on the ferry
then a night in Lyme Regis - and the sun still out
then onto some tiny village in Dorset for a wedding - me being organised had clothes posted down to the pub i had booked for overnight - can't tell you how much i loved that room....
i had a great time - this really was a big deal for me, and the dear heart was amazing, doing slow riding, all those bendy bits and hairpins at my pace, never once complained or wanted to blast off. i covered over 2,000 miles, got back in one peice and now can't wait to book my ferry to iceland next year.
big hugs and kisses to the dear heart for keeping me sane and repsonding to all my OHHH SHITTTTTT with soothing words of support and telling me i can do this. small fry given his last trip was 3 months and 17,000 miles but he was an absolute darling
if your thinking about it - just do it, life is short....
