Logrono it's a city!

After the racing we had about 350 miles to get to Santander. Edwards was nervous that we would get there in time, after all the ferry was leaving at 3.15 pm the next day.

To stop his worrying we agreed to ride part of the way after the racing and settled in a little village called Logrono. Well it turns out that Logrono is no little village it is actually rather a large city with a lot going on.








We stopped at the F&G chain of hotels, yep I have never heard of them either but apparently they are quite big. Edwards got told off for the parking of his bike and was forced to live it much to his annoyance. Edwards ask the girl behind the reception desk for a razor as he was starting to look a little, err, how shall I put this? Trampie. He was supplied with a very professional looking white box which contained a very cheap pound land cheese grater and tube of white 20 grit grinding paste.

What came out of the bathroom looked like nothing short of gravel rash. Fortunately being 90 years old he can pull the look off.

We headed into the city and found a fantastic bar that served us a 3 course meal for only 12€.

The barman noticed us looking at bike racing on my phone and proceeded to change all the tv's in the room over to the live MotoGP from Argentina. Top bloke.

The hotel was quite posh but they had obviously not spent a lot on lift maintenance for a while. There were two of those glass elevators. The one on the left was like something out of Charlie and the Chocolate factory. It stopped between floors for about 30 sec's and then plummeted to the basement. Edwards and Williams looked at each other to see who would break first but were saved the masculine humiliation when it started to behave and took us to the correct floor.

In the morning we were greeted with rain and it stayed virtually the whole way to Santander.

On arrival Edwards dos it again and started chatting to an old bloke on a push bike. I would guess he was in his early 60's and he had just cycled 1000 miles around Spain. Turns out he was the local Gp in Barry ( you know, the place where Gavin and Stacy was filmed) .






The ferry was quite late being loaded. There was quite a que of bikes for the ferry, most of them had traveled many times by ferry and knew the drill for strapping a bike down for a long ferry crossing. Basically you put the bike on the side stand and then use a ratchet strap to compress the suspension while making sure that the bike is In gear so that it cannot move when the ferry rocks and rolls. Unfortunately williams was parked next to the only guy who thought he knew better and insisted l, even after being challenged to put his bike on the centre stand. Expecting to find it fallen on Williams bike when we arrive in Portsmouth tomorrow.















Entertainment on the ferry was very varied. Guitar and solo singing act, very good, ventriloquist, crap, juggler, brilliant, male solo singer so so.



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Stitched by booking.com

We set the alarm early yesterday because we wanted to make sure we got good seats at the circuit, Edwards being a poorly sausage did not want to get up.
We were greeted by the news that the hotel we had booked weeks ago had canceled on us with less than 12 hours notice, some cock and bull story about problems with the electricity supply. Booking.com found us an alternative about 50 miles further on. Which would have meant nearly a 2 hour ride to the circuit the next day. No thanks, this spoiled out previously faultless opinion of booking.com

We found somewhere ourself but it was a hostel with bunk beds. At least they had hot running water which was absent from the previous morning due to the water being heated by solar. Williams being a big kid insisted on the top bunk. The grace with which he mounted the 4ft bed was graceful in the extreme.

Edwards was nervous because the ABS seems to be malfunctioning on the ever reliable k1200s. He spent virtually all of Saturday constructing a finely written Masterpiece of complaint to BMW. I think he is hoping for a new bike to replace his 12 year old one, everyone loves an optimist.

We loaded the bikes and rode to the circuit. On the Friday we had parked up and then gone into the paddocks. Yesterday we decided we would spend the day down the bottom end of the circuit. There are no seats down there but you do get the advantage of having a large screen to watch the whole race.

We rode to our Hostel which is a strange place, a cross between a holiday camp and the titty twister bar in Dusk till dawn.






It consisted of 10 or so non connected buildings. Most of them seemed to be for habitation but there was a hall where breakfast and dinner would be served and then there was a bar area in something that resembled a town hall and we were treated (I use the word in the loosest possible sense) to the local coffin Dodgers serenading each other. We applauded warmly (when they finished and buggered off) leaving Edwards and Williams to enjoy a came of cards, some Tapas and a few beers. The waiter joked in pigeon English "you British really enjoy your beer!" Cheeky git, we enjoy all alcohol!

In the morning Edwards was feeling a little better and insisted I checked his bike on the loose gravel to confirm his suspicions that the brakes were not working correct. Most ABS systems work by cycling the brakes many times each second, Edwards seem to work by harsh braking and diving on forks then completely releasing and allowing you to free when for several yards, followed by a sudden sharp braking again. Very disconcerting. Time to get shut we think and buy a Honda C90.










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Location:Circuito de Alcañiz,Alcañiz,Spain

This is Bob

This is Bob, Bob is only 1 and is still a puppy and has some growing to do. Bob is over 6ft when standing on his back legs. Bob likes hugs and kisses and don't like to take no for an answer.


















Today we went to Motoland Aragon to watch free practice for world super bikes. We bumped into my old mate Tom Sykes. Tom does not realize he is my old mate but he is (not that I am stalking him or anything).

Edwards is a poorly sausage, he has man flu. He doesn't moan though, no moaning is for girls, Edwards goes for the full on winge. "Ohh my head, ohh my nose " what ever, just man up Edwards. On a plus point we did discover that Spain does not have the same draconian drug laws as the uk and their paracetamol dose over the counter would be enough to knock out a race horse.







Sykes and Rea win the award for the most impressive team truck





This is lowes spare engine (it's a man thing ok!)






This is Lowes scooter, I touched this, is that wrong!

We had pre-booked a b&b called Nuestrada Posada (God bless booking.com) we could not find it initially until we realized it really was down that dirt track road.

What a lovely place, run by a Belgian couple what are mad as a box of frogs but lovely with it.

There was wine waiting for us when we arrived and then a home cooked meal. Oh yeas, and Bob! The biggest softest dog you could. He is a komoder, a Hungarian sheep dog basically. Our hosts want to Budapest to pick him up. Their B&B is booked up all through summer and we can see why. They grow everything theirselves. They baked us a home made Pizza in their own Pizza oven situated outside the property





The view below is the sunset out of our B&B. Fantastic.


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Location:Lledó,Spain

Motoland Aragon

Well we made it, more of a feat than you might think considering Edwards temperamental K1200s BMW. After the initial cutting out problem it is now suffering from breaking problems which is a big disconcerting considering some of the roads we have been riding.

Anyway back to Motoland. We walked into the paddocks and nearly tripped over WSB champion Tom Sykes who was mounting a slightly Ropey looking scooter.










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Location:Circuito de Alcañiz,Alcañiz,Spain

Schumacher, wind and Teruel

We headed out of Alcover in search of Siurana as it had been recommended to us as a bit of a must see. We can confirm that it is. You wind your way up through mountains with shear rock faces on both sides to the top. It is a one way pass to the top which is fantastic because it means you get the run the route all again but in the opposite direction.

Breakfast was had In beautiful little cafe and consisted so a selection of cold meats for Williams and a salad for Edwards who was still sulking after his previous night failure to finish the steak that was put in front of him, bloody light weight.





































We headed down out of The village of Siurana only to be confronted by Michael Schumacher driving a white A3. Williams carefully picked his overtaking point but Schuie was determined to deny him and, in a move that Damon Hill would find familiar he tried to ram Williams off the road. They collided and only Williams consummate riding skill or blind luck (take you pick) prevented disaster. We pulled over further up the road to refit Williams wing mirror and knock Schuie's block off but were denied as he just drove past. "Coward!" we shouted after him waving our gloved fists "we know where you live" ......Spain.






We then headed to Alcaniz and on to our destination for the night of Teruel. The road weaved its way though lakes with fantastic views and it was baking hot. Part way though the journey Williams took a wrong turn down a small gravel side road. He checked his mirror and Edwards was right there behind him and gone the next. Williams pulled over about 500 yards up the road an waited, after about 2h he started to worry and decided to go back and check he was ok. Turns out Edwards bike gremlins were not behind him and the old girl had cut out. Time to get shut we think. He managed to get her going again and we set off to Teruel.









The last part of the journey was not as much fun as we were tired and the wind had got up as we climbed higher and higher.

Only a couple of days to world super bikes

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Location:Calle Bajo los Arcos,Teruel,Spain

The morning after

After a night on the vino collapso and beer our host brought us this plate of spirits to try. Our grasp of Spanish is poor to say the least but I think he said they were on him, I guess we will find out when we pay the bill.


Woke up this morning to the most amazing view and the sound of nature,birds were singing, cockerel cock a doodle doing and Edwards farting. I would check that if I was you Edwards.


There was a debate last night into what breed of dog this was. It is actually a Bichon Maltese, not a Bengie, or a Scottie dog.



We have been recommended to go to the Siruna today so we might just pop there for breakfast.




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Location:Alcover,Spain

Light weight

Photo says it all. Never seen a grown man cry until he came to collect Edwards plate.





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Location:Carretera del Musara,Mont-Ral,Spain

Another brilliant find

We must have done something right to deserve the roads we have been dealt up today.

We headed out of the Casa Dueso down the side of the lake to Barbarasto. It was raining quite a bit but this did not dampen our enthusiasm for the fantastic, relatively traffic free roads




From there we headed across up to Benasque which was actually another mistake but a really good one that took us for mile upon mile through a gorge with a river running through it






We made another wrong turn which turned out to be the greatest wrong turn of all time finding the C1311 to Tremp OMG! What a road, hairpin after hairpin, bend after bend on baking hot tarmac. Possibly the greatest road ever invented




From there we cut through lake after lake on fast weaving freshly paved roads



How could this get any better? How about a 9.2 (booking.com) rated hotel with mountain views, a pool table and dart board for only €45 per night. The female proprietor even had a cold beer waiting for us. Oh yeah and just to put the icing on the cake the road up to it would make any motor racing fan salivate.










Want it to be Groundhog Day so we can do it all again tomorrow



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Location:Carrer Julivert,Mont-Ral,Spain

We overshot

The dot below is us, the heavy line is the route we are supposed to be on. Woops!


































We rode from Aines to Barbastro down a beautiful lake. The weather was a bit hit and miss but it never stopped us having some fun.

We then headed back up north often the A138 though a very long gorge which was simply stunning if a little wet. Everywhere you look they are harnessing the power of water either through dams or hydroelectric power stations in the hills.

The moaning started early today but for a change it had nothing to do with fuel. "I've got a cold", "I'm wet", "the roads are sloppy" Richard victor meldrew Edwards has been on top form.

Eventually we stopped for some fuel (which we did not really need) and that seemed to cheer him up.

We ended up in a place called Benasque and stopped to dry out and get a pot of tea.




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Location:Calle de San Pedro,Benasque,Spain

Casa Dueso

Ok, this has to be find of the trip so far. €35 for two in one of the nicest places you could ever hope to stay, the Casa Dueso.






























Edwards fell in love with this pooch, so much so that he let him try his teeth on for size.

We rode over the Pyrenees today on some lovely roads starting in Lourdes. Yes that is the place where you can dunk your head in a bottle of Perrier and cure everything from genital herpes (I have heard) to the big C. Only problem of course is that it is all bollox, sorry if you are religious but I find it very disturbing all the ill kids there with adults promising they are going to get better. And let me tell you, it was Easter Monday so the place was packed with nutters.






Random picture from the web, we escaped before we got "converted".

We then traveled to Viella and stoped for a coffee. We were sitting outside a small hotel enjoying a coffee when the church bells went off over our heads. To say we were surprised would be a bit of an understatement, Edwards launched back from his seating position and sent our coffee flying with it.

























Then off to Bagnares-de-bigorre where we stopped for a bite to eat and were served by a lad with a very broad French accent, until he realized we were from England and then he proceeded to talk to us from in and equally broad Southhampton,l accident. Turns out he had been in France since the age of 10.

We ordered chicken by weight choosing 300g each, Southhampton bloke looked surprised, he was not expecting two such slender individuals to be able to put that much away (cough).

We passed though the Freddie tunnel from France to Spain. We have named it the Freddie tunnel as neither Williams or Edwards could remember what it was called but it basically came out near Aines, we had to que at the entrants to the tunnel for about 10 minutes so we decided to act like British kids for the entertainment of the French and Spanish car drivers by having a snow ball fight and making snow angles. The latter was a mistake as we got snow inside all our motorbike clothing and even higher speed runs would not get them dry.

The crowds entertainment ceased and kids were quickly put back in their cars when edwards started writing his name in the snow in "yellow" ink.

















If you look closely in the background you can see Edwards doing his thunderbirds impression.



We suspect the top speed may be a touch inaccurate !



Anyway, back to the Casa Dueso our lodging for the night. Thank god for google translate that is all I can say. The proprietor was so impressed that she promptly downloaded it herself and took every opportunity to use it.

Happy days



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Location:Calle de Santa Cruz,El Pueyo de Araguás,Spain