I forgot to add to the ongoing story .
In november last year , my girlfriend and I decided to ride to Motorland Aragon to watch the last round of the Classic Endurance Champs.
My friend , ex multi SA champion , Mike Dickinson was riding in Phase 1 team in the aged Suzuki GSX bikes .
He had won the round at Imola so was hoping for another good run .
Any way , Jo had never been on such a long trip , but the red BMW is so comfortable 2 up I wasn't unduly worried .
However , I did take a pack of paracetamol in case .
The route up was a mixture of Toll and good A roads .
We rode up the AP 7 until just past Valencia , then turned off towards Teruel .
This was a beautiful wide road , long smooth sweepers , climbing to over 1400 metres above sea level.
Lovely road . At Teruel , we turned off towards Alcaniz .
This was slower , but wound for miles through a canyon , clinging to the sides , with amazing scenery, not too tight bends, but up and down 3rd to 5th on the box .
Lovely ride, 550 km in 6 hours including fuel coffee pee stops .
The race started off well, Mike in the lead ......
However shortly after the second fuel stop , he came in to the pits, oil all over his boot and rear tyre ..
Sadly , terminal , the crank case had split ... too many years of over stressed racing , 35 year old engine !!!
We all went back to the hotel early , had a brilliant mixed tappa supper, several Gins , as expected .
Next day , after a lovely Spanish brekkie , we headed off back home .
This time down the valley towards the coast, Morella to Vinaros , then Valencia and home .
Jo was starting to feel the effects by the first fuel stop , this road steep down hills , with very hard tight hair pin bends all the way , hard on me, with all the braking and her weight as well. So I broke out the paracetamol for her, and end of problem , just a happy chick chattering away in the intercom !
The round trip all in all was just over 1100 km , and the bike was perfect despite loaded panniers and top box .
No oil used , and just a brilliant ride .
We will go back again , hope to have a more leisurely ride, stopping to see some of the quaint villages we rode through .
Definitely a great ride , and the fantastic Spanish roads make an awesome experience .
Next month , back to Aragon for World Superbikes , but because son and daughter will be out from UK , it'll be a car trip .
- Jo with bike at Arragon.jpg (119.05 KiB) Viewed 10593 times
