Five weeks, 12 countries and just practice!

Good stuff so far Edog

That Tom from Woburn realy knows about bikes.

If disconnecting the PC doesn't help the fuel economy then drop into a KTM dealer and get them to load the standard map, doesn't take long and should sort out the problem.

It's three in the afternoon and I've found a wifi hotspot at the Austin Vince Film Festival in Bideford. The sunshine has just given way to light rain, but I can't complain, we have had brilliant weather to ride in. In fact I'm sporting a little sun burn at the moment.

Austin Vince is a world renown motorcycle adventure film maker and Darren and I had the very great pleasure of receiving some pointers from him.

We've had some brilliant riding through the back roads of southern England. We've had tens of kilometres through hedge lined lanes, which can be a little scary at times but it looks great on the go pro!

Tomorrow we jump on the ferry from Plymouth to Santander in Spain. Darren tells me the trip across the Bay of Biscay can be pretty rough. I sincerely hope not as I'm a bit of a bowl hugger.

Great to hear from you DannoJ and Pete. Tell Russell I saw his homeland from a far, across a large channel the name of which escapes me.

Now, I'm a bit reluctant to tell you this but that's life. You may recall in the previous post I said that I disconnected the power commander. Well I didn't. I disconnected the ..........blinkers. :eek1:huh. Needless to say that didn't improve fuel economy.

I'm sitting out the front of one of the movie previews, so a little distracting, but I'm going to try and pump out a little gopro video from the hedge row riding.

Thanks mate but I think it's too late. I'll just go with the flow now. I haven't ridden a 990 for a lengthy period before. They really are a great bike and certainly a great bike for this trip.

This a a real quick video but not bad considering I'm sitting out the front of a make shift cinema in a portable building.

Anyway it gives you a great idea of the wonderful country we have been riding in.

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A slightly overcast day and a pleasant 23 degrees C. It&#8217;s 7.15am on Sunday 5 June.

This inaugural Adventure Film Festival, hosted by the famous UK motorcycle adventurer, Austin Vince, of &#8216;Terra Circa&#8217; and &#8216;Mondo Enduro&#8217; fame has been a hoot. It&#8217;s been a combination of watching great adventure films and then being tutored by the people who made those films in the craft of story telling. Darren and I have learnt a heap.

Austin was very kind and gave us piece to camera that we greatly appreciate. This festival has been a very supportive environment and great encouragement for us for the bigger trip.

This morning we get a little send off from the festival and we&#8217;ll be on our way to Plymouth. The great things about meeting like minded adventurers is that you get some great tips and we&#8217;ve been given an adventure trail route in gpx format through the Pyrennes to Andorra. Apparently this route isn&#8217;t well known and is spectacular.


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That was the mighty Bristol Channel! You should drop in on Mum on your way back if you are in Gloucestershire. She would love to see you both and give you a feed/bed.

Enjoy the Pyrenees ... watch out for those crazy drivers and goats!

We were up in the Watagans yesterday with the boy wonder showing me up on hill climbs again!

Mudman

Ah edog you poor fool

you're missing the best bit - get yourself over the bridge and into God's Own Country

Croeso i Gymru

ps - Go the Beemer!!

Ah Winko, Just thinking of you.....out in the Bay of Biscay steaming for Santander, practising my Spanish.

It's been a smooth over night trip none of this for me.
I was fearing, as was Darren, filling the cabin up with spew, but we survived 'spew' free.

Darren spoke to a guy at the Adventure Film Festival that has given us a great route through the Pyrennes, called the 'Smugglers Route' that leads into Andorra.

Subscribed!

this is going to be awesome
actually, it ALREADY IS
thanks for taking us along for the ride
SUBSCRIBED !!!

Unfortunately Wales didnt fully break off from the mainland and the resulting crack is the Bristol Channel!

Go the Triumph!

MM

Darren and I have just arrived in Jaca, pronounced Hacka. The ferry get off was amazing as there would have been about 150 may be more bikes in the ship. I've got some great footage of that and will post hopefully later this evening once I get a feed.

Once we rode out of the madness of Santander, it was off to Bilbao on multilane high quality roads with safe drivers.......so far.

After Bilbao the scenery became more dramatic and beautiful as we headed north east. The road gently meandered between rugged mountains and fields and then we were hit with our first storm. Two more were to follow.

I had one moment that I would rate in my top 5 in thirty years of riding. It was pissing down rain on the freeway and went to pass a car and it hit a patch of water flowing over the roadway, the contents of which landed on my visor. I had a complete wash out with no visibility for at least 2 maybe three seconds. I just held it straight and prayed. I really don't want any more of those moments.

Now a bike tip for those heading to Jaca in Spain. We have stumbled across a really bike friendly hotel called A Boira at C/ Valle deAnso. 3. Very reasonably priced for a twin share at 60 Euros, with a fantastic bike garage, wi fi and great rooms.

Heading out to eat, and if not too tired when I come back will post some quick GOPRO footage.

Ah Edog, I knew it!

Did you even pack a tent..??

BTW - tell us about the comms setup

Winco

I had a stock 2007 990 Adv S and the fuel ecomomy was bloody terrible, from full tanks to bone dry empty I could only get 274km :huh and that was on road, not going over 110kph, no gear or passenger and being light on the throttle. I was very disappointed.

Time for a few photos. I'll start with our thunderstorms on the way to Jaca and reach back in time.



This is a normal kind of day in Spain for lightning strikes.

And here is what we went through. I honestly don't know why we weren't vaporised!




On the way into the south west of England.




Here is Darren practising the new craze, planking at Stone Hendge. I suppose that's a modified plank with mobile phone.



This was my first introduction to what I thought were 'Triffids'....What I really meant were Druids...I think it's a paganistic cult. Anyway they were very interesting people committed to reburying remains of the 5000 year old locals who were being held captive in a museum by some researchers.




The film festival brought with it some nostalgic surprises. To actually touch one of the famous round the world Mondo Enduro bikes was a real buzz.



And that famous trade mark.



The edog logo, just doesn't hold the same gravitas.

I capitulated and we are cohabiting in Darren's large tent which has a very useful vestibule. Darren says that it has a very big bell end. I 'll keep away from that.

Although cohabiting at the moment it is early days yet. This little fart he does just before waking up has been nick named 'Reveille' after the famous trumpet call to wake the troops, originally practised by the romans.

Comms. Yes interesting point Russ. In my tank bag I have a radio with a speaker mike and that's where it stays. None of this complicated speakers in helmet, push to talk speak.....and the radio isn't water proof.

Two more days in Spain, that is if we don't get stuck in the Pyrennes, and that is likely, and then onto France.....a forecast wet France.:eek1

I have made contact with KTM Spain and we meet up with them tomorrow night.

Make sure you have your KY jelly!

PS Corby wants to sell you his XR for Mike ... speak quick before he gives it away on bike point!

Test rode the BM 800 and new Trumpy today. Tough decision! Both do 400kms to tank!

Enjoy the rain and paella!

Keep the posts coming and dont share any cigarettes with any Druids .... you will go feral

MM

Hallo edog,

thaks for sharing your adventure!

What are your plans for europe?
Which countries are you going to visit?

I live in vienna/Austria so maybe I'm able to meet you and ride a few miles with you
Or if you need any help let me know. Maybe I'm able to help you.

We have just arrived in Sort, about 1 hour from Andorra. We have had a great day of riding in sunny conditions and it was worth waiting the day in Jaca.

The riding today was nothing short of spectacular. We headed from Jaca to a small village called Fanlo where Darren dropped a load and I picked up a bagget.

Darren made the unfortunate decision to wear his GOPRO harness on whilst going to the toilet and this made for interesting footage that is real scary because there was a mirror on the back of the door. :huh.

More to come. I'll just upload some pictures.

I purchased a bagget at this magnificent ridge top outdoor cafe whilst Darren made the deposit.



The view was fantastic and we made the right decision waiting in Jaca for the weather to clear.



Carrying a bagget is problematic.



Following an amazing ride through a very deep gorge (hopefully a little video later tonight), we stopped for lunch near some ruins.



Some cheese, a spicy spanish sausage, a fresh bagget. Delicious. Although I must confess this photograph doesn't look as appealing as it tasted.