Gael warning in Gallia Celtica

simondippenhall · Mar 31, 2022

MikeS said:
I had this same problem last October, it was not the nice relaxed drive I had hoped for.

Hope the rest of the trip goes well.

Thanks Mike. To be honest, it helped keep me alert (maybe not quite alert enough!) and today I continued my RN/D road campaign south through some fabulous roads, selected from the Michelin for their green edges ie v scenic. Although the views would have been better if it had not been raining/hailing all morning….which in turn led to the discovery that my beloved boots have (probably due 40,000 kms around Africa) lost their waterproofing

.

So very cold tootsies after a few hours of this but despite the 5C temperatures and the shit weather the roads were an absolute joy, with some real twisties, and the Wing was flawless in its handling on the wet turns.

Now in Albi, pleasantly tired….photos to follow after I have a

(Seen on the road this morning )

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

theoneandonly · Apr 1, 2022

if , while in Albi , you see a salmon pink , Guzzi t3 , say hello to him.

simondippenhall · Apr 1, 2022

theoneandonly said:
if , while in Albi , you see a salmon pink , Guzzi t3 , say hello to him.

Shall do! Meanwhile pondering the dodgy weather outlook. May spend the day in Albi, although tomorrow’s forecast not much better

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

albatross · Apr 1, 2022

Morning Simon
I absolutely adore your white flagship, what a battle cruiser.. :okay

Your journey reminds me a bit of my trip End April 2019. Tried to cruise down to the Pyrenees..
Decided not to cross as weather became ice old and mountains covered in snow and ice on the road,grrrr
..so turned back quickly via the motorway towards Bordeaux and then got caught in a snowstorm

Cars collided and riding the GS become real interesting and fun..
In addition the zip of my jacket broke . Couldn’t close the top bit of my jacket anymore and the front of my body felt after a short while like being in a freezer..despite all various layers I used.. :blast

Had to resort to hotels and warm showers.. :thumby:

Hope your journey improves weather wise at least, stay dry and safe
Hope to see you again some time
:thumby:

Captain jack · Apr 1, 2022

Nice thread. Keep em coming

simondippenhall · Apr 1, 2022

Thanks guys and Albert hope to see you soon! Since you asked, here is a photo of me showing my host of yesterday all the Goldwing technology. (He’s a retired French Air Force General so interested in whizzy stuff

)

And on that score, I have been delighted by how the bike’s DCT has coped with the roads. On some of the most tortuous I switched to manual to control the gear better, but in general it’s been spot on. And only rarely has it been over 2,000 rpm!

I made it to Albi last night….here is the cathedral, lots of red brick to celebrate bashing the heretic Albigensian crowd

At 5.30 I booked a room at the Ibis Budget and it’s been a great place, in city centre, plus free secure underground parking and a big breakfast (and from that, lunch!) for €60.

Off to see some paintings shortly

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

tuftywhite · Apr 1, 2022

Brill. I do enjoy your trips.

simondippenhall · Apr 1, 2022

So now I am in Spain, having crossed France from N to S without touching a motorway. More to follow when I have my cuppa

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

simondippenhall · Apr 1, 2022

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Tim Cullis · Apr 1, 2022

simondippenhall said:
I’ve also gone all Continental and measured litres per 100 km.

Never understood the logic of that. Don't you have km/litre as an option?

simondippenhall · Apr 1, 2022

So yesterday’s ride saw rain and hail in the morning and all day cool so I was glad of my heated waistcoat. A few snaps:
An early stop to put on waterproof trousers

Seen on the road

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Northern jock · Apr 1, 2022

Great to be involved remotely, enjoy the simple pleasures of travelling, discovering and making plans. It's a big wonderful world out there and you don't have to cross a continent to remember that

simondippenhall · Apr 1, 2022

Albi was very beautiful but with the threat of snow tonight, Friday, it looked more sensible to get on the move while I could.

Beautiful Albi

But horrible forecast

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

simondippenhall · Apr 1, 2022

So once I had been to the Toulouse-Lautrec museum (which was good, but marred by the reflective glass over all the paintings) I was on my way to Spain, via Narbonne and avoiding motorways.

That proved to be a surprisingly windy and mountainous route. Few pictures as it started to snow and then blow 60 km/h winds so I was rather busy on the bike

.
A Lautrec poster I really liked, as also the name of the distributor!

Early signs of snow - despite 2C temperatures, falling snow and twisty mountain roads the Wing felt completely planted

I was also glad of the bike’s weight for the run from Narbonne on south as it was being blown all over the place- I can only imagine what might have happened to a lighter bike

.

So now I am parked up in the attractive city of Girona and debating where I wil go to tomorrow, as 0C temperatures are forecast here

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

simondippenhall · Apr 2, 2022

Northern jock said:
Great to be involved remotely, enjoy the simple pleasures of travelling, discovering and making plans. It's a big wonderful world out there and you don't have to cross a continent to remember that

Indeed! Although looking at all the sub zero temperatures on the routes I was planning

. So will maybe hug the coast until it warms up. And it was good to see that the ‘Wing made it through the night, parked on the street in one of Girona’s millions of moto parking bays

A less extensive breakfast today in a local coffee shop

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

simondippenhall · Apr 2, 2022

Evening view of Girona

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

simondippenhall · Apr 3, 2022

So Saturday was a day of following national roads through Cataluña. After a brief and frustrating ride up an autopista I reset the avoidances and suddenly the roads were swooping curves and almost deserted. In the higher hills there were a few Saturday bikers but the unseasonably cold weather probably put many off. Some views ….

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

simondippenhall · Apr 3, 2022

This was my playground

After a fun morning following the Cistercian route (my guidebook tells me) through places like St Coloma de Queralt, on my way to the Monastery at Poblet, I came across a tiny cafe by the road which served me homemade veggie soup and then chicken with pities and pepper. Definitely enjoyed!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

simondippenhall · Apr 3, 2022

Then after a black coffee, it was back on the mighty steed for a brief relax and visit to the Monastery

However the road was calling so I decided to follow the A and B roads down from the mountains to the seaside and ended up here:

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

simondippenhall · Apr 4, 2022

Despite my substantial lunch, I felt a light bite was in order to end and enjoyable day

I was not man enough for the task, and half the pizza was wrapped up and out in the top box overnight for my lunchtime snack. And as the hotel buffet was very generous, it was joined by a croissant and a chocolate roll and a cheese roll. (I am justifying all this eating by the mental energy consumed in steering the mighty beast on the smaller roads, and the physical energy expended in keeping warm

).

So having gone to bed on Saturday thinking I might head for Zaragoza, I changed my mind at breakfast and decided on a route up the mountains and then down to the mouth of the Ebro river and on to Valencia.

Farewell to the basic but clean Hotel Tolosa

And such is the magic of the UKGSer community that whilst I was enjoying the sun and the mountains, the very kind Dermot (GSPod on this forum) was dropping off these impressive panniers for possible fitting on the GS:

Thanks Dermot!!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Gael warning in Gallia Celtica

Well-known member

looking over the edge

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

getting away with it so far!

Well-known member

Well-known member

Scotland lover

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Similar threads