Index | Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | References
Day 2
After a leisurely breakfast we mounted up again, now bound for the Pyrenees. We found the NA132 which was another excellently surfaced (benefit of EC funds) road and headed towards Tafalla. The locals seem to have scant regard for the speed limit on these road, which, given that they were superior to most UK roads, was understandable.
Day 2
A little detour after Tafalla found us heading northwards towards Pamplona on the A15 which we managed to exit and recover our route with the help of a local. Whilst sorting ourselves out we observed a Spanish police checkpoint. Those guys mean business. One with a pump action shotgun. Two motorcycle police. Another with a vicious length of chain with caltrops every 18 inches. Plus several others all armed to the teeth. I think that when they ask you to stop they mean it!
We crossed the N240 and headed for the Pyrenees. We followed the NA178 and then the NA140 (mentioned in Bike magazine); the ascent to the Pyrenees seemed quite gentle. Most of the villages near the border look like ski resorts, which is, of course, their purpose in the winter.
Ochagavia
Ochagavia again
Some serious hairpin bends started appearing after this, first gear required and the air started to get cooler (much appreciated). Crossing the border was such an anticlimax Alan had to ask me when it happened.
The descent along the D26 was not as I had expected. From being in bright sunshine on the Spanish side we were suddenly plunged into cloud, there were quite a few cars impeding our decent with few opportunities to pass them safely. The road surface had a great deal of gravel and loose stones and my wrists began to ache after a few miles. My back brake must have been warm as I was constantly bleeding off speed in the downhill hairpins. However, the ease with which the Triumph flicked from right to left and back to right again was noted by Alan who was having to work a little harder on the Honda, but the state of the surface, often not apparent until you were committed in the bends, meant that you couldn't really enjoy yourself.
Once down in the forests and heading eastwards along the D918, although not in quite such a steep descent, the surface showed no sign of improving. Once past Asasp-Arros and continuing along the D918 there was less loose material but the ride was lumpy - OK for the Triumph but not so good for the Honda. By this time we were fairly tired so we decided to cut short our planned foray as far as Argeles-Gazost (fortuitously, as we discovered later) and wheeled into a 2 star Logis in the outskirts of Bielle.
Hotel L'Ayguelade
What a lucky find. The Hotel L'Ayguelade was excellent. Le patron, M Lartigau, was hospitable, an excellent chef and ... a biker. He helped us put our bikes in his garage with his Fazer 1000. We would recommend this inexpensive Logis (£24 for a room) to anyone traversing the Pyrenean roads. After a truly memorable meal and some excellent wines we invited Francis and his wife (who speaks some English) to join us and chatted for an hour in spite of my terrible French. Our intention to continue along the D918 was dashed when he told us that the Col d'Aubisque was blocked by a mini avalanche of snow - good job we stopped when we did!
View from Hotel L'Ayguelade
Total distance 151 miles
Index | Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | References