Member Contributer Skids Posted June 14, 2023 Member Contributer Share Posted June 14, 2023 Snowdog & I are off the the Spanish Picos in Northern Spain next week. We planned to take the ferry to Santander but at nearly £800 each and a 30 hour crossing time, we decided to ride down so we the Eurotunnel under The Channel next Wednesday lunchtime. WE have a planned night stop in Le Mans but will find somewhere for the 2nd night when we've ridden enough for the day. Then it's onto our base in Potes. Mrs Skids flies out and I have to collect her from Santander airport. On the way back we're going via The Pyrenees so it's 3 nights home. I'll post some pics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Mohawk Posted June 14, 2023 Member Contributer Share Posted June 14, 2023 Hey Skids have fun. The Picos de Europa are excellent, some great roads, usually very little traffic. Same with the Pyrennes. The Coll's are ace. Try not to hit the photographer's at the top if you want a picture! One of our lot at the tail of our group clouted the camera lens with his pannier trying to do a real close up. She took umbrage & didn't post the pics to the Coll photos site ☹️ Enjoy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Dutchy Posted June 15, 2023 Member Contributer Share Posted June 15, 2023 Potes a great base to do rides from Wishing you a great trip, with no rain. But even if it does, you will still enjoy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Skids Posted June 22, 2023 Author Member Contributer Share Posted June 22, 2023 Only 3000 miles to go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Bren Posted June 22, 2023 Member Contributer Share Posted June 22, 2023 Safe and happy trip! Not even a bit jealous 😢 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Skids Posted June 22, 2023 Author Member Contributer Share Posted June 22, 2023 415 miles and a delayed Channel Tunnel later we find ourselves in Le Mans, yes, the 24-Huere Du Mans town. I love the French roads, when you have a lot of miles to do, 90 mph is legal (just). Found a lovely place to stay in the middle of town. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Skids Posted June 22, 2023 Author Member Contributer Share Posted June 22, 2023 Tomorrow, we need to be in Spain so I can collect Mrs Skids from the airport on Saturday afternoon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Dutchy Posted June 23, 2023 Member Contributer Share Posted June 23, 2023 Full steam ahead Mustafa!!!! :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Skids Posted June 23, 2023 Author Member Contributer Share Posted June 23, 2023 Just under 420 miles today in 30°C heat (86°F) so it was warm but the toll roads were very quiet and the tarmac is superb, unlike back at home, and easily able to maintain 90 (ish) mph all day. Just crossed the border into Spain and found a nice hotel then it's about 3 1/2 hours to Potes tomorrow. Have to be there early pm as I have to ride back to Santander airport to collect Mrs Skids at 4pm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Skids Posted June 23, 2023 Author Member Contributer Share Posted June 23, 2023 I can't get over how good the VFR1200 is. This is my first long distance overseas trip on her, and she's just eating the miles. All those that thought the 1200 would cause range anxiety can go f**k themselves; at a steady 90mph I'm getting 45+ mpg (UK) which I think is about 38 US mpg, giving me around 185 miles to empty. That's with full luggage and a 70 litre bag on the back seat. We've been stopping at around 150 miles which really leaves plenty of flex so incredibly happy that we can cruise so fast without burning too much fuel. That also includes blasting it away from the toll booths too Love the VFR1200! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Skids Posted June 24, 2023 Author Member Contributer Share Posted June 24, 2023 1184 miles later and here we are in Potes. Currently 33°C at 8.20 in the evening. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Skids Posted June 25, 2023 Author Member Contributer Share Posted June 25, 2023 Had an easy day today, short ride up to the sadly undergoing maintenance cable car at Fuente De then took the road south out of Potes to Riano for lunch then back. The roads better are ridiculously good, about 90% butter smooth tarmac, sweeping fast and tight slow bends, elevation changes, cows, eagles, the lot yet very few cars or vans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Skids Posted June 27, 2023 Author Member Contributer Share Posted June 27, 2023 Some cloud on the hilltops Monday But still some fantastic roads. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Skids Posted June 27, 2023 Author Member Contributer Share Posted June 27, 2023 No photos today, had mixed day with a road closure changing our plans mid-route but it did lead to another set of very nice roads. Off down to the coast tomorrow for our last day then on Thu morning we take Mrs Skids back to the airport and Andy & I then set off for Ainsa at the foot of the Pyrenees for the start of our journey home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Skids Posted June 28, 2023 Author Member Contributer Share Posted June 28, 2023 Relatively short day today as we have a long day ahead of us tomorrow dropping Mrs Skids off at the airport then continuing on to Ainsa. Rode past a dam and down a gorge the other day and wanted to ride it back up to the dam from the opposite direction, so we did Then we rode back down the gorge and on to the coast for lunch. Chilling now before packing for the journey home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Skids Posted June 29, 2023 Author Member Contributer Share Posted June 29, 2023 Now we're at the foot of the Pyrenees. We've had at least 2 monumental storms tonight but the forecast for tomorrow is good for our climb and descent into France. Snowdog is a cycling fan so we are riding the Tour de France route through the col D'Aspin and col de Tourmalet. And the roads to here were brilliant again! This is Ainsa..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer St. Stephen Posted June 29, 2023 Member Contributer Share Posted June 29, 2023 Thanks for your travelogue Skids, lots of fun to follow. Your photos are better than the ones I get in the Edelweiss marketing emails every week! Have a great trip back home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Skids Posted June 30, 2023 Author Member Contributer Share Posted June 30, 2023 Sadly, we had to miss riding the 2 Tour de France legs. We emerged from the 3km long tunnel that straddles the Spanish/French border to really poor visibility from cloud meaning the roads were very wet too. We had to ride quite carefully down the switchbacks until we got to a small town, sat and had a coffee and decided it would be too dangerous, and we wouldn't have the views either. It's a real shame as this was why we canme home this longer way but at least we had the spectacular ride up the Spanish side of the Pyrenees. Billy bonus is that we're now in Tours and it's only 5 hours to the Eurotunnel home so we get back a day early. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Dutchy Posted July 1, 2023 Member Contributer Share Posted July 1, 2023 Clever deciscion. Riding to the Picos on my VF500F2 I had a stopover in Lourdes. Plan was to do a few cols prior to heading to Santander. With clouds already kissing the tarmac at the base, that plan was abandonded.... Got my kit on And once across the border, the sun was out in force again.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Skids Posted July 1, 2023 Author Member Contributer Share Posted July 1, 2023 Home safe. Almost 3000. VFR was faultless. She eats miles at high speeds then is perfectly at home carving the corners, so much so I barely had time to experience the fabulous scenery. Great to be home though. Time to sit down with a beer and watch the Dutch TT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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