Last day in Barcelona

There is so much left to see and do in Barcelona, it's hard to choose but we plan to cover a lot of ground. First things first; a delicious breakfast in a neighbourhood cafe and then we set out for the Passeig de Gracia and another Antoni Gaudi masterpiece, the Casa Batlló. As the brochure says "Casa Batlló...more than just a building, is a legend of art. The striking modernist facade conceals a whole world of artistic and architectural surprises." It is the centrepiece of the so-called "Block of Discord."

Everything about Casa Batlló is exquisite; the facades, the chimneys, the interior, windows, the fittings and furnishings, the elevator shaft, the attics.

 

There is an excellent audio guide that takes us through the building, to the courtyard and up onto the roof. 

 

Time for a coffee break - and confession - we sit on the sidewalk under umbrellas that say McDonalds. I always make fun of people who travel the world to exciting destinations and end up eating at McDonalds, but when I see their pastry display, I find it funny to find how they have adapted to the Spanish setting with great coffee and munchies. At the back of the store you can buy the usual Big Macs etc. Our standby, the McWashroom is a reliable option wherever you travel!

 

We walk and walk, through the La Ribera neighbourhood, through lively squares, past churches and shops. And then through the Barri Gotic which is the oldest part of Barcelona; a maze of narrow, winding streets and delightful small shops and restaurants. After a lunch stop, I do a bit of shopping and Peter finds a companion to keep him company. 

For our last supper we choose a popular tapas restaurant, Lolita, in L'Eixample, a nice walk from the hotel. Food is great, some of the best tapas we've had on the trip, and staff super friendly; a great ending to a great vacation.

In the morning we take the Aerobus to the airport. The stop is an easy walk from the hotel; i.e. as easy as it can be dragging luggage over uneven sidewalks and the streets of a busy urban centre.

So it's Adios to España. I think we can check it off as another excellent adventure.

RIDE REPORT - Barcelona through the Pyrenees to Pamplona and back

 Peter's Summary of our awesome ride through the backroads of Spain.

THE BIKE
We rented a 2012 BMW R1200 RT with only 7,000 kms on the clock, from IMT Bikes http://www.imtbike.com/  The RT certainly lives up to its reputation as one of the best touring bikes around. It was perfect for touring with comfy but supportive seats, and great wind protection from the fairing and power wind screen. Luggage capacity was enough for the 2 of us for 8 days, and the top-box gave Karin the security to allow me to push it through the corners. For a big bike, I was quite impressed by how well it initiated the corners, and flicked from side to side in the tight twisties. I set the electronic suspension pre-load for 2-up for the whole trip. In the first set of twisties, I noticed it was a bit soft, then realized we were still in the normal suspension setting. A couple quick adjustments on the fly got us into sport mode, and the suspension felt much better. I left it there the whole trip. I know that some people complain about lack of feedback from the front paralever set-up, but it felt quite responsive and natural to me.

Cornering clearance was not an issue as I managed to get the chicken strips down to the elephant’s knees on the new Metzler rear that was just installed. After 2,000 km, they had to replace both the OEM front and the new rear. IMT was totally cool with that, happy that we were able to give it a good workout.

There are a couple negatives that I should point out. Fully loaded and 2-up, the bike didn’t quite have the power pulling out of the corners I would like. But the bigger issue was that the shift down into first coming into a tight corner was not smooth, and tended to disrupt the flow. First is really tall, so in the super tight stuff, I tended to just leave it there and run it right through the rev range. But coming from a faster section into a tight corner required that rough shift into first, as second would lug too much. As the RT shares the same engine as the GS, I’m hoping the RT will also get the new engine just introduced in the 2013 R1200 GS. Hopefully the extra 15 hp and the switch to a wet clutch will solve both problems.

IMT was great to rent from. Totally organized, they walked us through everything we needed to know. Roadside assistance was included in the rental, but fortunately we didn’t need to test that service. They allowed us to pick up the bike the night before (no charge), so we were able to get an early start on the first formal day of the rental. Unfortunately I put a small scratch on the 1 pannier, and the 1 cylinder head cover. I was expecting to see my damage deposit disappear, but they were totally fair with the little extra I had to pay. Even though we pushed the bike hard and wore through a set of tires, they were happy to have us rent from them again. I would do it without hesitation.

THE ROADS
I think I know why Spain’s economy is in the toilet (although you didn’t really see it in the streets). They put all their money into infrastructure. Most of the roads were in fabulous shape. A couple were starting to deteriorate, but repairs were underway, or in one case, a new road with twisties that crisscrossed the old road, was being built. And the twisties & sweepers were smooth, nice camber and great flow between the corners. Not much straight, hairpin, straight, just flowing corners at different radii. I couldn’t ask for better.

We averaged about 250 – 300 km’s per day, but the roads were just so twisty, we would get to our daily destination mid to late afternoon, leaving reasonably early with only stops for gas & lunch. The whole trip worked out to about 2,000 km.

It’s really hard to pick a favorite, but probably one of the most dramatic roads was the GI-682. We did it on the first day. It runs up the coast north of Barcelona, and I would think that it would have to rank as one of the world best riding roads. Continuous flowing tight twisties, smooth pavement, steep drops, amazing views and not too much traffic, this road has it all.

I put the route together from reviewing segments posted on http://www.bestbikingroads.com/motorcycle-roads/motorbike-rides-in-spain-/spain-__1474.htmlIt’s a great web site, often with numerous posts for each road segment, some with videos.

Traffic was almost non-existent. Don’t believe me, just check out how many cars you see in our videos. I think we timed things well too. We rented from May 8th to 15th. The tourist season formally starts on the 15th, but I still think the traffic was far less than when we were travelling in Italy a few years ago.

View from the Pillion - Back to Barcelona via Montserrat

 

In the morning, along with a group of other hotel guests, we wait for a custodian to unlock the church door with a large key so we can explore the interior. It is a large plain stone building, almost 1,000 years old, with high windows that let in slanted rays of light. It is so empty and bleak, but it must have seen more life than a group of tourists trying to suck history from the walls. I try to imagine monks chanting and a priest intoning mass. There is a crypt that used to house relics, under the main alter. I always find crypts intriguing even when they are cold and empty

It is a bittersweet feeling to be gearing up for our last day on the road. My Scorpion jacket, which was new when we left Canada, feels like a second skin. And I now feel quite at home in the Olympia pants which I grumbled about because they seemed bulky and ridiculously long. When we left home, temperatures were not much above zero in the mountains so we came prepared - but our rain (repellent) gear and warm linings have remained stowed in our bags. Not a drop of rain, mostly beautiful blue skies and warm to hot temperatures, except for a couple of hours of fog one day. 

As our last sightseeing stop, we're on our way to Montserrat. It's only about an hour from Cardona, and once we're heading to peaks of Montserrat, the ride is awesome. Visible from 50km  away, the mountain stands out like a set of jagged teeth. We take the road up the back side of the mountain, heading up to the monastery at the peak. Like most of the roads we've travelled, this is in great shape and considering that our destination is a major tourist attraction, there is surprisingly little traffic. With the twists and turns of the road, we see the serrated peaks from many different angles. It is a dramatic sight; no wonder the monks chose this as a holy refuge.

Riding the back route along stunning Montserrat, up to the monastery, then back down to Monistrol de Montserrat. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c82NeRyJ2yI

This is a popular day outing from Barcelona and it's busy with dozens of tour buses as well as private cars that are parked a long way down the road. Fortunately there is motorcycle parking right at the top and one spot waiting for us. However, the down side of our transportation is that there is nowhere to leave our stuff. We hang our helmets off the bike, but there isn't any kind of checkroom,  so we clump around in boots and heavy pants, carrying our jackets.

The Basillica de Montserrat and Monastery nestle dramatically into the mountainside. Pilgrims flock to to be in the presence of the legendary Black Madonna, La Morenetta. There is a service in progress and the Basillica is jammed with people. We can only squeeze into the back where we listen to the choir and get a distant view of the statue, in a chapel high above the main altar, where people take their turn to kiss a cardboard cutout of her hand.

There are a couple of cog railways and a cable car that you can take right to the tip of one of the peaks. The hiking trails also look appealing. But we don't have time today and the view from this level isn't too shabby.

Back on the road again, we head down the mountain which is also a pretty nice road but, due to traffic, at a much more sedate pace than we have been used to. It's just over an hour by highway to Barcelona, but of course we're not going the direct route. Construction and detours for a new highway make it somewhat frustrating, but Peter has one last interesting road in his repetoire; a route that takes us through lovely wooded areas and into Barcelona from the surrounding hills.  Riding the backroads from Monistrol de Montserrat through the hills above Barcelona and down into the City to end our 8-day riding holiday. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gnXnfs0FqWw

 We only have time to check into the hotel and empty the bags before heading to IMT Bikes. It is already 6pm when we get there, but Mikel is waiting patiently. He spots the scratches quickly, but waits until we 'fess up to laying the bike down gently onto the gravel road. He assesses the damage, checking everything over carefully and tells us what we owe. We feel it is very fair.

The tires have to be replaced, no charge for that. According to the GPS record, we have travelled 2028 km. I feel quite sad leaving the bike, our faithful companion and beast of burden for the past 8 days. I pat it and say "Hey Jude, thanks for the good ride buddy." Miquel is intrigued about the name and he promises to remember it. There is method to my madness, it was my way of remembering the licence plate number.

So, we have come to the end of this part of the adventure. We are both quite tired and ready for a change of pace. We have a quiet night, with an excellent dinner back at the Hotel Market followed by a good walk through the neighbourhood to stretch our legs.

View from the Pillion - A night in a castle

Monday May 14 - Evening
Perched on the top of a steep hill is the imposing Parador "Ducs de Cardona" set in a castle/fortress, keeping watch over the town that steps down the flanks of the hill to the salt mine below, as it has done for centuries. The salt beds are what gave Cardona its prominence and wealth centuries ago and are still actively mined today.

The steep walled road, with its sharp turns, is just wide enough for one car. I'm not sure how the German tourists in their big Mercedes manage it. Even on the bike it's quite a challenging operaton as we have to go at a walking pace, avoiding pedestrians and other vehicles. At the top, it's so tight that I put my hand onto the wall to steady the bike in the final turn to the small parking lot.

From our corner room in the Castle, we have a birds-eye view of the town's roofs and machines moving on the salt beds far below. The medieval town looks inviting to explore, but it's a long hike back down and we are content to enjoy the sumptuous room with it's three foot stone walls, four poster canopy bed, high pressure shower and a view from the porcelain throne from which a medieval prince could survey his fiefdom.  

The building, parts of which date back to the 10th century, has been carefully updated with all the conveniences needed to house modern tourists in the Parador. The accomodation wing blends seamlessly with the ancient ruins of the courtyards, church, towers and outer walls. It is like staying in a museum and we are free to explore everywhere except the Romanesque Church of Sant Vincenç which has closed for the night.

We watch the sunset from the battlements and head downstairs to the dining room, which is busy with fellow travellers and loaded with atmosphere. The service is impeccable and the food, exquisitely presented, traditional Catalonian dishes. The wine is gum-smackingly delectable and the desserts, irresistible. Okay, so perhaps I am overdoing the superlatives, but it is one of those decadent, perfect evenings, that you have to relish and remember.

View from the Pillion - The long road to Cardona

This is a day of solid riding with few stops. We climb mountains, swoop round corners, speed through valleys, hug cliff edges. The views are stunning and scary. Time after time, high up on the outside edge of mountain roads, before sharp corners, it feels as if we're going to fly off the edge of the world, and then, just in time, Peter initiates the turn; in unison we lean and we're safely around the corner and the next one is upon us.
A-2208, a quick run through the backroad twisties north of Barbastro. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zk0Tx9GPBA

Rugged mountains and craggy cliffs surround us.

Down in the valleys we see bright blue lakes, peaceful green pastures and fields and fields of cheerful red poppies.





The road seems to go on forever.

Estada to Tremp. Rugged mountains, tunnels, plus a nice mix of twisties & sweepers. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJPStqWpGpY

I feel as if we are on a long road to nowhere. I am getting tired and cranky. Must be time for lunch. But our usual homing instinct for food lets us down. At a small town, with a dazzling view, we can't find anything open for lunch. Where is everyone? A couple of hikers with a large crumpled map, tell us there is probably something in the next town 5 kilometers away. But there is no town 5km or anywhere close. I am trying not to spoil the riding pace with my grumpiness. When you're a passenger on a tour like this, you have a long time to think. I think about how crazy I am at my age to be hurtling at the edge of precipices on a fast moving motorcycle. It's easy to go from that thought to worrying..."what if....?" But you can't go there. You have to have faith in the rider; trust his judgement and be a partner in the ride. So, I think instead, "Hey, this is pretty cool. I'm riding on the back of a BMW motorbike, in Spain! Weather is great; views are amazing; people are friendly; each town is another adventure. What more can I ask for? Well, to get home in one piece." Yeah, there's a lot of time to think! L-511 from Isona to Col de Nargo. More twisties through the rugged Pyrennes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3pnKl1C5Rs

L-401 from Coll de Nargo to St Llorenc de Morunys. Riding the narrow roads high in the Pyrennes with steep drops on one side and rugged cliff walls with cages protecting from rock falls on the other. Finishing off with great views and a nice set of hairpin turns heading down into town.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xefP-HVJt2s

BV-4241 from St Llorenc de Morunys to Berga. 20 minutes of continuous 2nd & 3rd gear twisties & sweepers with a few hairpins thrown in for fun. A great run through the Pyrennes! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfQefVZJY_Q

Another 50 km and we finally ride into the town of Berga. There are outdoor cafes right on the edge of the narrow street. One cafe in particular seems to be a popular spot with lots of people coming and going, while others sit eating and chatting in congenial groups. We park across the street and when we approach the cafe, we get friendly nods, so we find an empty table on the sidewalk where we enjoy the food and the people watching.

I would like to say that I am in a better mood after lunch, but truly I just want a nice shower and time to relax. But I don't whine aloud. Peter is having a ball. He has really got the feel of the bike and what it can do. I watch the signs which warn of curves ahead, often with a posted speed. 60, 50, 40 - when I see 30, I know there is a serious hairpin ahead.

We're back up high on a mountain road again when suddenly we are flagged down by a policeman standing in the middle of the road. This isn't a traffic cop. He's with someone from a production company. Turns out, they are doing a photo shoot of a new car around the corner. We have to wait while they finish the shoot and are told to turn off the video camera and take no photos. When we are allowed to continue, we see a car completely hidden under a tarp, artistically posed with a rugged mountain backdrop. In the 15 minutes we have waited, we are the only vehicle to come by on the road.

Catalonia Region south and west of Berga. A mix of sweepers through the lowlands along the C-26, north through the scenic Lake Cardener valley, back through St Llorenc de Morunys, then south along the LV-4241 for some nice mountain views. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqLm7IwM8N8

And now we are on the last stretch of the route to Parador Cardona; 385 km from where we started this morning, and not as the crow flies. By North American standards this isn't a long distance for a day's ride - but the backroads of Spain are something quite different.

View from the Pillion - Barbastro via Ujué

We gear up relatively early (for us) and set out on a short route to the fortress-church of Ujué, where pilgrims climb the cobbled streets. It's a bit easier for us on the bike. The narrow, steep road winds up past stone buildings to the stunningly sited Romansque Gothic Iglesia Fortaleza de Santa Maria de Ujué. We jostle our way into the tiny parking lot at the top which is crowded with cars.
The view goes on forever, slighly reminiscent of a softly, hazy Tuscan landscape. We make a short stop to climb the pilgrim's steps and peer into the dimly lit church.

This isn't just a destination for pilgrims and tourists; people live in the old stone houses around the fortress.

Once down from the fortress, the road is wide open, fast sweepers mostly through farmland. Then we get into a series of backroads which are pretty rough in spots with sections of construction and road building. But there is almost no traffic and we keep up a pretty good speed. At one point we cross a bridge over a blue lake and through the tunnel on the other side we find a nice view point of the dam and the valley below and the mountains that ring the road.

The road has plenty of twists and turns and follows a fast flowing river. This is clearly a popular venue for kayaking. A whole stretch of the road is taken over by their vehicles. 

The downfall of having an older GPS with slightly out of date maps is that sometimes, just sometimes, it can lead you astray. And that's what happens next. The GPS points us in a direction that too late, Peter realizes is an old abandoned strip of the road. We quickly find the surface deteriorating into potholes and then rough gravel. We stop and do a careful turn - but the bike dips into a hole and Peter's boot slips on the gravel as he tries to keep it upright. I slide, ever so gracefully, onto the ground. Peter's first instinct is to ask if I am okay. I am. So he focuses on our predicament and follows up with a few choice words #%!t and *#c$. But quite quickly, with Peter pushing with his back and me pulling with all my puny strength, we are upright again. A quick check shows us there are some superficial scratches on one sidebag, but no serious damage and everything is operational. With some mumbling and grumbling, we set off for a well-earned lunch break in the town of Huesca.

Video for Ujue Monestary to Lake La Perla. A nice mix of sweepers and twisties on hidden back roads southeast of Pamplona. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WdX8XO913E8

By guess work and good luck we find ourself in a pretty square in what we assume is the centre of town. The place has a sleepy Sunday afternoon feeling. But there is one restaurant open and we order from the ubiquitous daily Menu.

Video for Lake la Perla to Barbastro. Riding the twisting road along the Rio Gellego with kayakers getting ready to run the rapids. Back roads into Barbastro. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G67i9IygOtE

There is absolutely nothing in any of the guidebooks about Barbastro, but it's a convenient overnight stop before a long day's ride to Cardona. There is also nothing special about the Hotel Rey Sancho but the room is fine and there is actually air conditioning. The place is quite big,and is absolutely deserted except for the receptonist. We don't see any sign of other guests and the big parking lot is empty. It's sort of an eerie feeling. Anyway, its a good place to chill out for a while, download the day's GoPro videos and catch up on some some journal notes. We are too far out of town to walk for dinner (and the hotel restaurant is closed.)

Barbastro turns out to be a gritty working class town. It takes a while to find a place to park the bike and we wend our way back by foot to the centre, through back streets. This is the only time we see evidence of poverty. Beside the unusable Tourist Parking Lot, filled with broken glass and garbage, we see people living in dreadful open-sided stalls.

The centre of town is a bit more opulent and quite busy with the usual Spanish street life. A nice wide treed avenue has tables from the restaurants lining the street. The friendly server has enough English to advise us on typical Spanish fare of pulpo, sepia and a lusty red wine.