Crossing Spain
Crossing Spain
September | 2021
After nearly 2 years of planning, we finally started our adventure off to the Pyrenees. Originally it was planned for May 2020, but Corona made us change the plan; and we originally were planning to go with James brother-in-law and an old friend of James, coming over from Great Britain. Well, 1.5 years down the calendar it is not anymore James brother-in-law (family-wise), so it was only us two on our little own ;-) but that didn't stop our motivation at all!!
Early Saturday morning in the Algarve we said goodbye to our mothers and dogs and off we went via IP2 up North. Just after Beja another BMW driver was greeting Steffi like an old friend and stayed with us until Evora. As he was wearing a helmet Steffi had until Evora no clue whom it was..., but guessing it must be someone on the way up to Avis for the yearly Traveller Event. In Evora, we had gesticulated to stop for a drink, we finally worked it out that it was Luis from Faro on his way to Traveller Event - Steffi had a good guess as we normally also go to this well known (within the Portuguese community) and organised small Portuguese Motorbike event beginning of September in Avis - read more about the event here!
From Evora on we went to Vila Velha de Rodão, a lovely city along the Tejo river, already close to the border of Spain. James had discovered some years ago a track on Wikiloc for the Pyrenees - Algarve off-onroad. Last year we tried out the part across Portugal, so that we could start this time at the border to Spain.
In Vila Velha de Rodão we had some tapas for late lunch, topped up the bikes with fuel and bought some beers, wine and crisps for dinner tonight (soup and couscous we had from home). From now on it is off into the unknown!
It was nice offroad tracks, mixed with some nice back roads. We did about another 2.5 hours when it was time to look out for a nice camping spot. On a short rutty uphill Steffi resisted on driving it up, so James had to take it. Whilst he was doing that we both had straight away the same idea - camping on the field up that hill. We had to straighten a patch for the tent on the ploughed field, but it was a fantastic camping spot. Well, until the mosquitos came during sunset.
After a good night sleep the next morning we headed off to the close-by Spanish border. In Rosemarinhal we stopped for a small breakfast, before we continued to the border. Of course, only ruins left where once the border crossing used to be. In Spain, we had a fantastic mix of fast farm tracks mixed with back roads, so that we reached the area of Plascencia. Unfortunately in the area of Casas de Milán the track was locked with big gates and fences so that we tried to find alternatives on the app Osmand. It started with a nice open track around a hill and then we find us about 5km back to where we started. Great! In the end we decided to go about 20mins on-road to some place away from this area to move on.
Finally, we were back on track and at the end of the day, we had a well-deserved beer at a tasca; bought there also some wine, beer and water for our dinner later camping. We even found a great camping spot at a picnic area, that even had running water, so we could wash our hair and get pretty clean. For dinner, we had the Couscous Steffi made Friday night, being in the roasting heat during the last two days, but it still tasted fantastic, even though the cheese was melted ;-)
In the evening James checked the oil level on his XT, as the bike was being a bit funny on the last 50 km. And surprise, surprise, there was nearly no oil level! How comes?? We couldn't really see anything in the night and we had not the faintest idea what could provoke the oil loss. However, Google told us that the next petrol station is just down the road, so we could look better into it tomorrow morning and get some oil for topping up.
Again we slept like logs and the next morning, after all was packed away - slowly getting into routine again - we headed to the nearby petrol station close to the A1. There we filled the bikes up with petrol and whilst James tried to get some oil for the XT Steffi organised us a (Spanish) breakfast. Being at a big petrol station, selling all sorts of oil and spares for motorbikes, it wouldn't have any 10w/40 oil for the bike. So the good old XT had to be satisfied with 15W/50 oil, which was better than no oil!
As the original route of Wikiloc branches of south, north, south and north again, we decided to cut a bit through these bows, which meant a bit more backroads than offroad, but we also had to crack on a bit to do all we wanted to do in these two weeks. However, it was lovely panoramic mountain roads and changes of the scenery in landscape, or ground we occasionally hit today with some offroad. Coming out of the mountains late afternoon we tried to find some place to camp for the night. It was not so easy this time as in a way rural, but also in the mountains. Finally, we found a fantastic place up at 1600 m. We passed "wild" horses and up at our camping spot were some "wild" cows living. We had a fantastic nearly 360º view over the valley surrounding us.
After we decided where to pitch up the tent, meaningless stones and somehow a bit sheltered from the wind and off the cow tracks, we occasionally got some gusts of winds, so cook James had to tuck himself away behind a big rock to prepare his famous spicy camping-pasta. We really enjoyed the evening watching the uncountable stars in the sky and moving satellites. When we went to bed, there were already some more gusts of wind than the occasionally. During the night it got worse, the gusts got really strong and blowing then non-stop all night We were really concerned to be blown away at some point, not talking about the bikes being blown over!! James went 3x during the night out to re-do the pegs in the ground as they got really loose, and of course he checked if the bikes are ok.
As soon as there was the first glimpse of dawn we decided to pack in as it was getting worse! We normally need 2 hours from getting up and sitting on the bikes. This time we had the record-breaking time of 30mins and James took the first bike down until he found a sheltered space to get ourselves and the packing better sorted. As it was such a strong wind, he had also to take Schimmelchen down as Steffi knew she wouldn't make it!
After all, was better packed away, contact lenses in the eyes, teeth brushed we headed down to the next petrol station to top up the bikes and then in the village for a lovely, well deserved Spanish breakfast; actually the best of the entire trip! Then it was time to hit the road again, in this case, the road mainly during the morning. As we nearly got bored with only asphalt there started the offroad. This time lots of sandy pine woods. Mainly lovely hard-packed sand, forest tracks, really beautiful! Towards the end of the afternoon the sand got really deep! So Steffi did a lot of wading = sweating buckets! Sometimes also some bushwacking as less deep sand, but at some point Schimmelchen needed a rest. Same time as James nearly drove into a tree (that is deep rutty sand for you!). So he sorted first the XT and then Schimmelchen - and nearly went into the same tree again! Now was the question carrying on the track or finding an alternative to get out of here. Well, good question as not knowing the area and it doesn't look anywhere getting better ... so we crisscrossed our way through the deep sand until we hit a street! How good was it to see asphalt again!
We carried on for another hour through nice pine woods, offroad again, but nothing as sandy as the stretch earlier! Unfortunately we came closer to a natural park, where we came across signs that motorbikes were not allowed. At the first one we searched for an alternative, but the next one, which was only about 500m to hit the road, we ignored by telling us that we are Overlander. As soon as we hit the road there was a little tasca that we couldn't pass! We had to stop for a well-deserved cold beer, or two. Sitting there, next to a little river, peaceful and quiet we realised there was a little hotel. James convinced Steffi to stay here, well first to check the prices. Steffi made a good deal with Elsa at the reception of "El Rincón de las Hoces", so that made us having beer number 3 whilst unpacking the bikes.
It was really nice to have a hot shower, which was also used to wash some t-shirts, socks and knickers ;-) Our tiny balcony looked like a laundry!
Tonight we pampered us with the dinner in the restaurant of the hotel, which was really nice. We had also a nice chat with the owner of the hotel, basically about travelling and covid. It was an early night for us as we were really tired after our early start this morning.
Next morning at breakfast was a really disrespectful polish family - disrespectful in the meaning of refusing to wear face masks whilst moving around the buffet! Various people, including us, told them off. They were really disrespectful as they were rich and couldn't care about any rules! Unfortunately as well not the owner of the hotel - well a good example of money rules the world!
After breakfast we had to pack the bikes, which takes us almost the same time as packing up after camping! This morning the tour started early with challenging offroad. Today we got rocks, meaning that sort of rocks that plaster tracks, just for a change to yesterdays sand. After a bit of blond moment of Steffi this track was really nice. It got us to the canyon "Puente de Talcano", Selpulveda, unfortunately from the "wrong" side as the track leaded into a single track and then towards the bottom of the canyon into a foot paths with hikers. James went down to check if it was passable but due the hikers and Steffi not being so good for these sort of action, we opted to go back and find an alternative. However, the valley was the ideal area for eagles. There were so many groups of eagles in the air circling, it was fantastic to see!
The rest of the day was a good mixture of tracks along fields, rocky tracks and through forests towards Embalse de Douro. When we nearly thought we won't find a camping spot for the night as it was nearly getting dark, we found a good one right at the edge of the dam. That was really lucky! Tonight it was James spicy super noodles for dinner and early sleep!
Today will be a boring long day as going only street up to Irún where we will start tomorrow the Trans-Pyrenees. After packing in we hit the road, mainly national roads up north. Weather was cloudy, but stayed dry. However weather forecast was forecasting rain - oh no! That was not in the contract for this trip! Up at the Atlântic coast, in Puerto Berrila (Hondarribia), right next to the french border James wanted to tip "his toe into the sea" as he is planning to do the same at the other end, at the Mediterranean next week. Believe it or not, on the last kilometre towards the sea we lost each other! Communication is the secret - as far as the Scala works and the partner listens ;-) James wanted to tiptoe in the sea and then off to hotel and Steffi having a well-deserved beer at beach bar whilst tipping the toe in the sea. Thanks to modern technology Steffi rang James to find out that he was at the little harbour at the far end of xxx where we finally reunited. Toe in the water and picture taken we headed towards Irún to our hotel.
The hotel turned out to be like a truck stop hotel, which was quite entertaining after James saw a tall dark hair leopard with bright yellow high heels walk out of the petrol-supermarket opposite of our hotel ;-) Whilst Steffi got organised he sat there to hopefully not missing out on anything. Our bikes outside of the hotel where also very safe as the restaurant of this hotel was the meeting point, changing shift place of the Guardia Civil.
As we needed some serious laundry doing, we walked to the nearest one, also next door we could have our dinner. After all was clean, belly filled up we went back to our hotel where we soon fell asleep. Unfortunately in our room was an army of mosquitos that kept us awake 2nd half of night plus the truck drivers starting to work by 5am. So we had also an early start.
You want to know how we got along the Trans-Pyrenees, please click Trips to find out more of our "moto-momentums".
Places | Cities:
Vila Velha de Rodão, Rosmaninhal, Ponte de Segura, Brozas, Embalse de José Maria Oriol, Cañaveral, Serradilla, Malpartida de Plasencia, Casas de Millán, Toril, Almaraz, Robledollano, Castañar de Ibor, Bohonal de Ibor, Aldeanueva de Barbarroya, Belvís de la Jara, Calera y Chozas, Pedro Bernardo, Serranillos, Ermita de San Pedro, Burgohondo, Embalse de El Burguillo, El Hoyo de Pinares, Aldeavieja, Sangarcia, Nava de la Asución, Turégano, Embalse de Burgomillodo, Sepúlveda, San Esteban de Gormaz, Molinos de Duero, Arnedo, Pamplona, Puerto Berrila (Hondarribia), Irún
Driven km | Trip:
Day 1 - 440 km SE, James 410 km
Day 2 - 225 km
Day 3 - 280km
Day 4 - 250 km
Day 5 - 225 km
Day 6 - 300 km
Maintenance | Breakdown:
XT oil leak as most probably one gasket (not easy to reach) leaking
Health issues:
None :-)
Special thanks to:
To the weather God as awesome good weather
The app OsmAnd to help us find alternative routes