Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Two to Gibraltar Part 8

Wednesday, 11 June 2008
Alicante - Barcelona
Starting Mileage: 9218
Daily Total: 328
Finishing Mileage: 9546

Today is probably our longest riding day of our journey. Air Hawk really comes into its own over these distances. Good sunny day, only one heavy shower. Probably our most expensive day for motorway tolls/peage.

On arrival very disappointed that no secure parking on hotel site for Etap Hotel patrons. Site consists of Etap Hotel, Ibis Hotel and parking for Ibis patrons only. We parked our bikes in an unused corner of the car park, which was too small for a car.

Thursday, 12 June 2008
Barcelona - Beziers
Starting Mileage: 9546
Daily Total: 212
Finishing Mileage: 9758

Started 07.35 a.m. Through Barcelona the traffic was heaving, how do people commute like this every day? Initially we intended to avoid the motorways but due to many new, local roads not on the map we soon returned to them. We arrived at the border town of Le Perthus at 12.00 pm. The place was crowded – lunchtime for many tourists.

Continuing on the A9 the wind was tremendous and slowed us down to 40 mph on full throttle. Windsocks were flying horizontally. So difficult to ride and maintain forward momentum. I removed the laminar lip from my screen, seemed to help. Arrived at Beziers at 15.00 pm. Initially given a room on 3rd floor and no lift. After one trip upstairs the manager arranged for a ground floor room for me. The husband and wife managers arranged for a pizza take away for us. We were too shattered to travel out for a meal.


Etap Hotel, Beziers, France

Friday, 13 June 2008
Beziers (Rest Day)
Starting Mileage: 9758
Daily Total: 6
Finishing Mileage: 9764

Running short of cash we rode around and found an Auchan supermarket with a cash dispenser. Bought lunch and dinner. Prawn noodles for lunch, chicken curry with rice cantonaise (fried rice) and some nectarines and apples, for dinner. A spot of dhobi, then another day of rest – feet up and Euro 2008 on the TV.

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