Tour de España, 2012

[Paul-S]

What's the celebration Simon? It is one of those Spanish 'any occasion' ones?

[Simon_100]

What's the celebration Simon? It is one of those Spanish 'any occasion' ones?

Where's your sense of romance Paul - Mrs S and I haven't seen each other for nearly a month :silly:

Meanwhile - I didn't just pack up and get a taxi home you know! - back to the last day, possibly one of the best and certainly the longest @ 495 kms!

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Discounting the direct route home - of course - I had a choice of two ways, either crossing the Maestrazgo of the Montes Universales. Well, I did the Maestrazgo last time I was down this way and I also wanted to do more of the Los Monegros 'desert' - see next post - as the terrible Cierzo wind had died down. So Montes Universales it was . . .

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. . . whichever way involed crossing yet another stretch of great plain - and yet another castle. I pulled over at this viewpoint to find an French couple riding a BMW boxer twin touring thingy. We met again at the filling station in the town and yet again out of the plains - where I overtook them around a long, long sweeping left-hander downhill bend with 100% visibilty for about two kilomtres ahead, taking the bend on the 'wrong' side of the carriageway leaning way way over at about 145 KPH - a bliss moment! :silly:

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Back into a sierra of nondescript but nevertheless enjoyable sceney and through Belchite to Los Mongros . . .

[Simon_100]

Los Monegros is a bit confusing: it's basically the huge arid area of high ground between the Pyrenees and the Sistema Ibérico mountains with Zaragossa right in the middle and the mighty Ebro river running right through it. But a much smaller area to the north of the region is a district council called 'Los Monegros'

Technically it's not quite a desert - a few centimetres too much rain - but it really doens't matter! There are probably more interesting features, e.g. land erosion, than in the Bardena Blanca but these are spread over an eara of about 200 x 80 kilometres with a lot of newly irrigated farmland dividing up the territory.

One fine day I'll devise an 'ideal' route - which by necessity would include lots and lots of trails! - which would take in the highlights and avoid the developed bits. But the Cierzo blows about 100 days a year when it is useless for biking - unless you want to practice for Patagonia! There's also precios little accommodastion there so the logistics of exploring the Monegros properly are quite difficult. So dream on for now . . .

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Head out on the highway brmm brmm brmm - Lookin' for Adventure . . .

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The landscape is so huge it's very difficult to give a true impression with photographs, especially around midday in high summer!

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Finally the mighty Ebro:

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The route I had chosen led inevitably to a stretch on the abominable N2 - a truly horrible road, so I hasten on home as soon as I could . . .

[Simon_100]

One brilliant thing was that the day was exceptionally dry and I could see the Pyrenees from a long way away on the Sierra de Alcubierre south of Ontiñena. This is very unusual and very comforting to feel that I was getting close to home.

The mountains were still too indistinct to make any photo worthwhile so I just enjoyed trying to name some of the major peaks as they came into 'focus' - and to reflect that I've now ridden over every single on of he passes and 'done' the entire length of the chain from coast to coast!

Back on terra firma:

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The last little town before home and the Sierra de Montsec begins to emerge out of the plains - it's a 'spur' of the so-called Pre-Pyrenees that stands right away south of the main massif - it's also in effect my back yard, my house in on the north face!

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My route took me parallel with he Pyrenees 'proper' and from the fabulous C1311 road I had yet more wonderful views of the Pyrenees - this time in focus!

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One last castle - but this one's mine! Actually it belongs to the village or the Government of whatever - but it's mine I tell you, all mine!!!

[Simon_100]

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Once a punk-rock biker girl always a punk-rock biker girl - love youy Jan!

A kind of 'endpiece' to my trip - more to come, statistic, etc. :-

Jan is a reluctant Internet user at best - one reason we'd lost touch - but she rummaged around and scanned this memory from about twenty years ago to me. As I righly said, Once a punk-rock biker girl. . . !

[attachment=-1]Janharley2.jpg[/attachment]
And as she said - why do I always pull that bloody pose whenever I sit on a bike!

[prw44]

Thanks for a great trip report, i have enjoyed reading your comments and the pictures are stunning.

[PHILinFRANCE]

Bloody great mate , see you soon
Phil

[Paul-S]

More great stuff Simon

I will deffo have to visit and do those trails once you've worked out a route

[Simon_100]

Bloody great mate , see you soon
Phil

Cheers Phil, I reckon in couple of week's time :woohoo:

[Simon_100]

More great stuff Simon

I will deffo have to visit and do those trails once you've worked out a route

Cheers Paul, just say the word and we can work them out together - your Africa Twin looks just the business!

Regs

Simon