October 2010

fall 2010 through the ports of July 2010 Madrid

This output fall bikers propose an escape through ports of the Community of Madrid. With clear skies and low temperature for the start we meet in our usual starting point, Oberon No. 6. With tanks full we left the M-30 north to deviate in a short time to exit M-607 Colmenar Cerceda address. The temperature drops slowly and the sky threatens to cover the sun so popular with bikers. But the scenery is more wooded and with those curves that challenge us with indescribable drawn.

with the M-601, a great climb to Puerto de Navacerrada. We get into a dense cloud that moisture gets us into the bones. On top of the pass turn right on M-604 to the port of Preserves. And we do a full Cotos necessary stop for something warm, very warm, tempering our freezing hands while talking about the human and the divine laughing a bit.

Rascafría address We start by a beautiful mountain road enters the forest. Reaching this town in no time we turn on the M-611 to the Port of Morcuera, a past landscape. Miraflores and here we come to enjoy some degree that gives us the sun on a crowded terrace surrounded by bikes and bikers. One of the greatest pleasures is to take a snack in the sun with friends throwing a few laughs, forgetting that there is a clock.

From here some time set by a long stop, take a course at home and others choose to continue to Guadalix de la Sierra, apiary management and hence the M-625 through the curves of the Pico de San Pedro to the junction with Highway M-607 Colmenar Madrid direction.

A few miles take the exit towards San Agustín de Guadalix by M-104, The technical and fun that we end up leaving a good taste. connect with the A1 and back to Madrid.

fall premiere has not been too bad. We are going other routes also cool to those already we have informed you.

Greetings

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: la route des cols

This is the chronicle of an amazing journey in a mountain bike for that re always want. Three days to cross the Pyrenees and the French side with a slight incursion into English territory to which we must add two days for the round trip to Madrid. The trip was made in early July but not until October when I am able to write these lines. What happened then?, As I turned to find across the Pyrenees at the end of August, this immense stone long chain, and I came from France, coming from Toulouse, to enter Spain by Les. This time I was driving with my children and the view was spectacular, you get the picture much clearer if you see from this side, all flat, you see clearly the natural barrier posed. I thought about the July trip, I had no idea where we could have gone, I remembered the endless succession of curves and scenery, only three days but a trip which are not forgotten.

Thursday July 1 at four in the afternoon. Jose Ramon and I went way Hondarribia. I can not think of a better first step to begin this journey. The way we do it well and it rains us something on the trip. We arrived in Hondarribia, a town where I lived in small few months and brings back memories, confused, but that reminds me very beautiful scenes.

Hondarribia is immaculate, is a population very carefully with a pristine old growth and has provided content services to the people as a sports complex and impressive indoor swimming pool. We adentramos en el casco antiguo en busca del hotel Palecete y lo encontramos en una plaza preciosa, llena de balcones con flores y una terrazas que piden a gritos que te  tomes algo en ellas. 

El hotel se encuentra en un casa antigua y tiene todas las comodidades, además de una terraza estupenda para desayunar. El viaje no ha podido empezar mejor y así lo celebramos, tomándonos una sidra vasca en la cena.

Será el martes 2 cuando empecemos a cruzar los Pirineos. Repostamos a la salida del pueblo y tenemos la ocasión de charlar con una pareja de simpáticos gallegos que se dirigen a Cabo Norte en una BMW GS cargada hasta los topes. Tienen four weeks ahead of the bike and a lot of miles. We take Laruns way, simple but very pleasant village with a plaza with terraces at the foot of high mountains, where they will meet with Roberto that we could not go out on Thursday with us. There Paulou sleepover, rural tourism accommodation simple but very nice, large room that would allow up to six people and homemade breakfast with fresh bread and an assortment of jams in the house. But to get there we'll have to run about 270km in which start and ports up and down endlessly, we will be on roads in better or worse but always surrounded by beautiful landscapes. This highlight four days now. The first would be the passage through the port of Otxondo, our first port of travel.

Second, we take coffee in a terrace just a port end of the day, time off but I stand out so nice place but mainly by the atmosphere there was: motorcycles parked alongside a road bike with a wonderful painting that belonged to a mixed group where the average age would be over fifty.

The love of cycling that we have seen on this trip through these ports of endless curves of steep slopes, which are butting each other has been completely and this group should be Germans, were a clear example.

The third stage would be the afternoon stop at the port of Marie Blanche.

The climb to the port was great and once there, in a small clearing, stumps, a fog has been a partner in many moments of the trip, which wanted was to stop and enjoy the site, there is peace breathed from the colors of the forest.

From there to Laruns was a walk, and find the house was simple. We were greeted by the owner, very nice and we had dinner under clouds threatening to rain soon break.

In our minds, where it would be Roberto. After dinner, we made time and around twelve o'clock we were in the town square when the distance we hear the roar of a boxer approaching. Roberto was there in his red GS appeared in the square which leaves bull pens, turned to the square to where we were. We were three but came so hard and passed the hotel and again we listened to the Reuge of his boxer approaching us. She was late, yes, but had gotten into the body a cod explaining part of the duration of your trip.

Saturday Sunrise 3 with a rich breakfast. We started the day pouring gasoline and watching several motorcycles. We went to Aux Les Bains, some 300 km ahead. The invention of the camera to record to Roberto and Jose Ramon from the trunk of my bike is unsuccessful in the first assault since a few meters apart and the camera falls off the case, thankfully Roberto and to realize and collects. But it would afternoon when an attempt was consiguieramos segndo, leaving this video and graphic testimony.

continue and climb to the Col d'Abuisque. On this trip has ocurrrido we started the day with a great port and amazing views.

This means that for the first 50 miles each day we invested almost two hours, between shots, between gasps of how nice it is what we are seeing.

The descent of the Col is precious, and allows us enjoy a beautiful landscape while still amazed by the love of cycling is in this area of \u200b\u200bthe Pyrenees, with a lot of brave cyclists climbing these steep ramps.

We are moving to the next big event of the day, the Col de Tourmalet, mythical top Tour de France this year makes the edition number 100. The climb is straightforward, a few kilometers you upload a large gap, unlike other ports that have passed this vegetation is very free, very exposed in every way, including road, which is not a single parapet or protection avoid an eventual exit from the highway (in this case, all the way down you would be a good run). At the top of the port we took a coffee and enjoy the views.

Time has changed and the sun have gone to some dark clouds and heavy fog that make the port go down in the rain and poor visibility meters. Still, in our descent we passed cyclists brave the fog out and under the rain continue their ascent.

stopped for lunch in St Marie de Campan, a town crossed by two branches of a mighty river. We eat well, as is customary in Travel and cheaply.

begins a long journey to enjoy, first crossing the Col de Aspin, another myth of the Tour, with its twisting roads and surrounded by dense vegetation and little further to reach the Peyresourde Bagneres de Luchon where we stopped for coffee before crossing into Spain by the Cole to refuel in Les Portillon and English prices. And decided to continue to beat to get to Aulus-les-Bais, people who clearly had a past much better than their present, but which is located at the foot of a pine forest and crossed a river that gives it that special touch . The hotel where we stay, Hostellerie de la Terrasse, is a clear example of that past.

Hotel decadent movie hotel Agata Christi, empty hotel rooms as their other time, with minimal reception with very friendly owner who is also chef and prepares a tasting menu is , terrific, thank goodness we said yes because we dined in the hotel on the promenade after dinner could not find anywhere in town that have taken anything.

Sunday 4 July. We woke up quietly and took a nice breakfast. We left 'Vicdessos. The first hour of the tour is impressive, going through a pine forest at the beginning and after abundant vegetation, went through a light fog which lets you see the odd wall ; ' ; impressive as we passed.

We came to a valley with a lake, with their cows and four fishermen. We stayed there a long time gawking. Today we take you to Cerbere, 377KM on secondary roads and some other port. We can not stay longer and why apetecería stay there all day as some caravans are hidden in strategic locations with great views.

Today the road will change radically, we turn to go over open field, less forest and more cultivated fields, open spaces but more wind and occasional pass.

Cerbere arrive at a very good time, will arrive after the end of 20 kilometers along a coastal road full of curves and perfect visibility to go the latter is a pleasure to see how Jose Ramon and Roberto are knocking their BMWs at every turn as if dancing a choreography rehearse.

Cerbere, no trace of mountains, beaches, Mediterranean, intense light. Three days ago we were where the Atlantic merges with the Bay of Biscay. Today we are facing the Mediterranean. In between, 34 mountain pass in between three days to remember.

Monday 5 June. We return to Madrid, more than 800km of highway with few stops and do during which we passed herds forward or we mobilized Motorcycle Grand Prix of Catalunya. We arrived in Madrid, we'll soon be plotting what the next trip. For the moment, in the October issue of Moto Viva come a extensive report of this trip and page http://www. laroutedescols.com / can help you plan the trip.

'll leave you with some additional photos, you enjoy them.

Diego Soler del Campo