Pyrenees - Catalunya and Andorra only

Hi all and FYYFF's!!
this is our RideReport # 19 and it is about Andorra, Pyrenees and Catalunya.

And we nearly start all our reports with a picture like this.



The 950 is packed and ready to go. Making this pic is like a ritual to me - It's a "ok - lets go" thing.

So day 1 and we took highway to Garmisch, Fernpass, Reschenpass and then this one.



No, not the one you see in the Background - na?



Jep - now you got it - Umbrail - not Stelvio. Umbrail, the one with the gravel section.



A lot of snow - it is 3rd June - normaly we expeced less snow here.



Ortler Group

Next day - no pics. First we went to Lago di Como, then Milano to Torino. Wanted to go into the alps again, but weather looked real bad. So went down to Nice and took a Hotel a few km later. Next day - Rain until Spain. So we reached our Base Camp in Castellbo quiet wet.

First ride - St. Joan de L'Erm. For a few Cafe con Leche more.



green roads



old villages



great views.

Cool Start

Next Day -- Sierra del Cadi



Planet Claire (B52's)



the way to Tuixen



Tuixen - to have a Cafe con Leche and a Bocadillo.



Next little town, nearby Park natural Sierra del Cadi



Impressive views. Here at Coll de la Trapa 1321 m



Tunnels (good for parking)



mucho aqua - and very impressive - it's high in the montains, not in a valley

A bit later we dived into the Cadi Tunnel and took the main road from Puigcerda back to La Seu. A good day.

The 1st Andorra day

normaly you hate to drive into Andorra. nu - but sometimes ....



Overview



Ordino - a quiter place



Andorra la Vella - main city



Pyrenees - Shopping



more shopping



you need money

So - you have a first impression?

The tour to Tremp



So this is the correct opposite to Andorra - at Coll de Boixols (1380 m).



more



down there is Tremp



Up to Sort and here at Coll de Canto. Great view again.



Zoom to Sierra del Cadi.



the 100 - 400 brings far things near.



the day ended wet - very wet

but



the night was ok.

to be continued ....

Awsome pics!

Let's see what places you choosed to visit in my playground.

uff - back home from work - so lets go on with the RR.

So -- next stage in our Ride Report -- St. Joan de L'Erm - Eremita - Tavascan and back



In this mountains you often see Horses. The old ones know where and how to block a road to ask for sweets. The very young ones are running like crazy when a big bike comes.



This is a easy track from L'Erm to Roni.



uff - Terraforming - years ago it looks like this



a pic from 06/ 2007



from the other side.



walls



still easy off-road



Tina still loves to be creative - (or still is a Terraformer)



and on we go - to reach the tarmac before Roni




have to pass "huge" waterfalls.



End of the road above Tavascan. On the other side of the hills is France.



leo.org gives me "broom", "furze", "gorse" and "whin". One of them might be correct for german word "Ginster" (this yellow plants).



way down the same way to Tavascan i had to stop here



What a nice garden.



Time for -- yes - Cafe con leche and Bocadillo. Here in DownTown Tavascan



The old road (typical bridge)



Looks like the little cat want to join us on the bike - but she didn't.

So back to our Base Camp and join the excellent Food we get there every day.

The LLES - Days

next area - Lles - is La Seu - Martinet and then up. But before you must stop in Martinet. Why - because there is a chocolate factory.
You can buy Croissants, Bread, and kg's of chocolate - with milk, without milk, brown, white, with nuts, with whatever. Fantastic.




first - learn the name of the Pics of Sierra del Cadi



then - explore the mountain



finally - escape the rain.

Next day Lles again - but



fantastic weather conditions



water the way we like



have some chocolate



Following the track for a while -- a nice lake (even with min. 2 fish inside)



what you not see on that pic -- the cars and the picknick-area.



next Waterfall



Horses - of course



the highest point for us - and



Sierra del Cadi - Horses



Tina and the Horses



who finds the cow in that pic?



98 Horses



the way down to



some more cows and



cool views and



Bescaran. Where we get more ... Yes - Cafe con Leche and Bocadillo.

Next day -- La Seu - close to Coll de Nargo then left - up to Coll de Jou and Berga -- That means -- Curves, curves, curves, curves, curves, curves, curves, curves and not much pics.



at Coll de Jou



Berga

Next day - on and off road -- St. Joan de L'Erm - Rubio - Sort - Gerri de la Sal - up to Els Castells - Taus - Noves de Segre - Castellbo



On the way to Rubio



Terraformers playground



TIA - Tina in Action



The way up to Els Castells.



the way we came up



a few km to go up



Cordero - Sheeps -- Jam, jam (when grilled)



Still not reached the end of gravel



Vulture (capitallist? )



At the top - a "high valley" and a gravel highway



the way down to Noves de Segre - the last sun in Cadi - the rain catched us again.

Still more to tell - to be continued...

So beautiful! Looking forward to the next installment.

last part - let's see the rest of the story

the "uphill - downhill" Day -- St. Joan l'Erm - Pic l'Orri - Rialp - Espui



From Castellbo 25 km up to St. Joan - from here you can choose 5 differend gravel roads. Today we want to reach the highest point - Pic l'Orri. It's still wet on the tracks.



Still a lot to do for Tina



The top of the hill. (2 437m)



First view down



view down part 2



Clouds come close



The hills we ride around



view dirct. Andorra

So now down to Roni and Rialp, and up the next hill to Llesui.



Crossing the next ski area.



Top of the hill - Down in the valley the next target -- Espui.
Normaly we take the 30 km track to Espot - but this time we wanted to go down because we never did before.



Parking at top



l'Orri in Background - the one we've been before.



the way we came up



on the way down



half the way down



last section (like Col de Tende). You cross this part 5 times



Some km more down at L Pobleta de Bellvei we take a small road to Gerri de la Sal and get some more fantastic views. - Here we look down the first part.



nice lake is next



Montcortes



Desfiladero de Collegats (the main road takes you through this valley)



Bretui

The last Andorra Day

So - time is running out - we won't ride much today - so we decide to visit Andorra one more time.



of course - this is Andorra - our style. -- the way up to Canolic from St. Julia de Loria



view down



After an Cafe ... and a B... in Os de Civis we entered the next valley and reached this church.



view down to Andorra la Vella



Closer look to the Jungle

The way home

La Seu - Puigcerda - Prades - Perpignan - Highway - Orange - first day
Next day arround Mt. Ventoux to find this



and the pics i wanted to take



Lavender - Lavande - Lavanda - &#1083;&#1072;&#1074;&#1072;&#1085;&#1076;&#1072; - <big>&#34224;&#34915;&#33609;</big>





and Poppy



playing with perspectives



which one is better?



Lines

Next we reached a nice valley close to Gap



impressive rock



near the End of the valley. Rain again

Heavy rain until Briancon. We decide to do one more pass -



Col de Galibier - 2645m



Rain stopped



but it's cold



our last stay - Hotel in St. Michel.

Next day - still rain - we took Frejus-Tunnel to escape to Torino. At Torino sun - Highway to Milano and on to Lago di Garda. (33° C) Then the rain comes back.



At Lago di Garda

At Sterzing it is raining like hell. And windy. Took Passo Brennero in 2nd gear very slow - saw nearly nothing - 6°C - fresh snow on the mountains. Rain until Mittenwald - Last km in Sun at Kochel and than back home.

Hope you liked this report - CU at # 20.

have fun

Bettina and Andreas

Fantastic Trip!
Normally foraniers know better my country than me...
Congrats.

but you have 150 km to ride - i have 1500 km to go -- so 1:1

Just start to explore.

love your report - as always!

Gruß aus den Staaten

Very nice report!I explore this area a couple of times and i love it!Do u know why are there so many horses everywhere?

Some of your pics look stunningly familiar



Nice ride report!!

Jep

No No No. You got me wrong. I meant the location, that's the ruin near Joan de l'Erm or whatever it's called. That's not even me on the picture. Here's another one:

Thanks for sharing your ride. Great pictures of a beautiful place.

Hi franken,

Typical... I get on ADVrider as a break from travelling the trails in the Pyrenees, (I've only been home about 5 days in the past month) and hey, what do I find... your superbly photographed ride report on the Pyrenees.....

I have lived/worked in the Pyrenees for 7 years now, but have never seen it captured so well, despite not having the best weather, (I know as I was camping in it, including snow at one point), your photos are fantastic, I assume you are a professional photographer, if not then I think you should be .

Actually, I was on the trail between Llessui & Espui yesterday afternoon... we were exploring the old ski station of course

Nice work...
Cheers
Potski

Nice pics!!!!!!!

Great pics!

But why is there just one pic with the BMW?


Gruß aussm Ruhrpott

Christian

Thank u all for your kind comments!!

@bavarian: i know what u meant the location, but .... the wheelie ..
@potski: u are so lucky to live in this beautyful place, and no - i'm not a professional. Just luck - sometimes i get very good pics, sometimes a lot of none goods.
@christian: The BWM pic belongs to bavarian - he also traveled several times in that area. (This time we made an "Africa Twin Meeting", with only one AT. Rest of bikes was KTM, BMW and Yamaha). This ride report is just the story of my ride with Tina in this area.

regards
Andreas

I find this pic exraordinairy, cool report



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I am frustrated, I,ll never take photographs again after i have seen your pictures.
nice report, great locations....and the best of all...that pictures