Tour of the Pyrenees 2008

[Caba]

Small bottles so I should be able to pack a couple for you. One to share - one to take home and treasure.

Dave, I will owe you big Time!

Can't wait for MAY!!!! :yahoo:

I'd bring something worthwhile from Slovakia for you, but my wife won't let me put her on the bike!

Caba

 

[teerex51]

I'd bring something worthwhile from Slovakia for you, but my wife won't let me put her on the bike!
Caba

Hell, we'll spring for the airfare, bro :lol:

I was very impressed with the local ...er... "assets" when I came to visit last year. :devilsmiley:

Stef

PS: while on the subject of sensory pleasures :dribble: check out this not-yet-famous restaurant that happens to be within striking distance of San Sebastian. Clicar Aqui.

I'll check if they have rooms upstairs, as I just can't see us riding in a straight line after eating there

 

[Caba]

I'll check if they have rooms upstairs, as I just can't see us riding in a straight line after eating there

If we finish all the imported hooch we bring along the first night, I don't know if I'll ride in a straight line for the rest of the week! Good thing the roads are twisty!

Currently making plans for the trip (new tires, etc).

Stef, I'm thinking about trying to make Kosice - Milan in one day. That should either get me 1) an IBA number 2) a darwin runner-up award or 3) Half the police in Austria chasing me! I'm told that the Austrian police are a little more strict than their eastern neighbors. Maybe two easy days is best.

Been about 60F in Kosice the last few days and the bike's been on a warmup from the winter rest. Still running good (at least once I put enough air in the tires).

 

[teerex51]

....Currently making plans for the trip (new tires, etc).
Stef, I'm thinking about trying to make Kosice - Milan in one day. ....

I can get Avon Storm ST's here for about Eur 215 a set. I don't know what the going prices are in SK, but you might take this into consideration.

Kosice-Milan in one go is a lot to ask of your aging body ( :lol: :lol: :lol: look who's talking...). Austria's still relatively safe from speed traps on motorways (beware of fixed radars, though) but the state highways are like "submarine alley" for motorbikes. I'd take it easier and plan on a 2-day trip.

You can stay here with us when you ride in (and put the bike in the garage) and we'll head out together the next day.

Stef

PS: A tire pump is what you'll get from me for Xmas

 

[Caba]

PS: A tire pump is what you'll get from me for Xmas

Yeah, yeah, ok. I deserved that.

 

[VMax_03]

Doggone gringos... :cowboy: thinkin' 'bout booze alla time....

(Leastways we've got something in common we can talk about... )

I get the feeling this is going to be a high-octane trip. So far, the hooch list contains

* Saris beer for starters (as the Spanish say: nunca bajar!, start from the lower alcohol content and work your way up)

* Palinka (gypsy mouthwash)

* Grappa (Eye-talian Maalox)

* Single Malt (a gentleman's drink, but we'll have some, too, thank you very much )

* Orujo (local firewater)

Dang, if my friend VMax_03 were to join us we'd have ourselves some mighty faahn White Lightnin' too

Stef

I still have about 2" of the stuff waiting for you.

Y'all have a good trip.

JW

 

[beemerdons]

Hello Stef, My eleven year old son Seth and I are leaving for New Zealand in a few hours, I was just checking me e-mails before heading to the airport. If you should post your request for our PayPal monies in the next two weeks, don't be surprised if you don't see a quick response from me. I am going to have a "real" vacation for the next two weeks with my Best Friend: Son Seth! And I am not going to ruin it by checking in with the office via Internet, or the FJR forum. Dave from England, and Bob and I, have been exchanging e-mails on sightseeing Barcelona together before you and the Italian FJR Crew arrive. We three have also kept Tuesday's nights lodgings open, in case you fine folks arrive on Tuesday. We want to stay at the same hotel as you FJR fanatics. Bob and I will need to let AD-MO motorcycle rental agency Barcelona know which hotel location we will be at on Wednesday morning May 28 for our BMW pickup. Don

 

[teerex51]

Don

Have a great vacation down under. B)

I have recently been in touch with our hotels along the route and monies will only be due after your return.

We're now definitely arriving BCN on May 27 and I will secure bookings at the Alimara Hotel for that night.

Stef

 

[teerex51]

OK gents, a little update on what's going on and apologies to the folks who won't be joining us if this proves an unbearable torture . Yup, it'd be great to have you with us, but I reckon this year we'll do jess' fine by ourselves :lol:

I happened to be in Barcelona on business last week and I spent some time fine-tuning some organizational details since I was there...

The Italian contingent, including our friend Caba, will definitely be in Barcelona on May 27 (as a matter of fact, we're now arriving even earlier, i.e. on May 25 and going off on a little tangent of our own until May 27 B) ).

As for our stay on May 27, I have not booked the Alimara hotel as they wouldn't give me a better rate.

What I have now booked for all of us (Don, Bob and Orestes included) is a lot more central, it's actually called that... the Sunotel Central . 570 Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes - 08011 Barcelona.

It offers us the Rambla within a 5-minute walk or the subway a block away. Underground garage for our rides, as you don't take chances with that in Barcelona, no sir.

No down payment necessary. We'll all be there in the afternoon of May 27 for a little pre-Tour party, with Cava wine etc. Next day we're off to the Costa Brava and the town of San Feliu de Guixols.

My private jet, that I shared with another 200 people on this occasion, happened to bank right above San Feliu on its approach to BCN. If that ain't destiny...

The town is a pretty coastal burg that thrived in the olden days, when the wealthy from Spain and a sprinkling of gin-drinking Brits flocked to Costa Brava's mild winters. It has a generous sandy beach that we're welcome to use if the weather's fine.

I have booked our party at the Hostal Del Sol, a unique Art Deco small hotel from the early 1900s that offers proximity to the town center without being one of the usual concrete behemoths that Spain regrettably seems to allow near the water.

The seafront promenade and the beach are just a 10-minute walk away and we can safely leave the bikes at the hotel.

That'll be especially handy if we happen to come across some unclaimed bottles of Rioja wine when we stroll through the town... :huh:

This above is the old Casino from San Feliu.

Everything else is as planned. No action from you guys is necessary, except of course count the days to late May. B)

Stef

 

[orestes]

OK gents, a little update on what's going on and apologies to the folks who won't be joining us if this proves an unbearable torture . Yup, it'd be great to have you with us, but I reckon this year we'll do jess' fine by ourselves :lol:
Stef

Thanks Stef. I'll be heading down from Foix on the 27th so I would expect to arrive in BCN early afternoon in time for the party.

Are you sure you do not need any deposits?

Dave

 

[teerex51]

...Are you sure you do not need any deposits?
Dave

Dave

So far none.

I may have to prepay the hotels in Andorra and Pamplona to secure two very sweet deals, but I'll let everyone know when that time comes.

Stef

 

[Caba]

I can get Avon Storm ST's here for about Eur 215 a set. I don't know what the going prices are in SK, but you might take this into consideration.
Kosice-Milan in one go is a lot to ask of your aging body ( :lol: :lol: :lol: look who's talking...). Austria's still relatively safe from speed traps on motorways (beware of fixed radars, though) but the state highways are like "submarine alley" for motorbikes. I'd take it easier and plan on a 2-day trip.

You can stay here with us when you ride in (and put the bike in the garage) and we'll head out together the next day.

Stef

PS: A tire pump is what you'll get from me for Xmas

Stef,

I've checked Tire prices here and I might just try to ride these Shinkos to the cords. PRII's in Hungary at 478 Euro a set!!! Avons a little better at 400 Euro! And those are without mounting!!!! They didn't even offer to kiss me after! :blink:

It's a little better in SK as I can get the Avons and PRII's deliverd from Czech Republic for about 280 Euro. There's a Pirelli shop near the house. I might try the Diablo Stradas if the price is good. If not, I'll be hobbling into Milan a day early riding on the strings!!!

Countdown Till May has begun!!!

 

[teerex51]

Eric

EUR 280 delivered is not bad, considering the other prices you mentioned. Personally, I'd go for the Avon Storm ST's.

They're guaranteed to last you through the whole trip.

Man, I can't believe you're thinking of riding over on the Shinkos...

Countdown Till May has begun!!!

Yes it has, big time. (For me there's a Tour of Sicily I've managed to squeeze in starting Easter Friday, but the Pyrenees is without a doubt the main event)

Stef

 

[beemerdons]

Hello Stef, We just got back from Kiwiland and I see that you've identified the hotel for Tuesday nights stay; May 27th.

I'll post to Roberta at Ad-Mo Tours and tell her to pick up Bob and I from the Sunotel Central at 0800 on Wednesday.

We have not reserved a hotel room for our last night in Barcelona on Tuesday, June 3. Expedia moved our Wednesday departure from BCN to 0930 from the previous 1100 flight time. I'll ask the Ad-Mo shuttle van driver to deliver us that evening to a reasonably priced hotel near BCN; unless you know a hotel near the Barcelona airport you recommend.

Sunotel Central looks like an easy move for us from the Barcelo Sants. Looking forward to the party. Regards, Don

 

[Caba]

Stef,

I'm starting to plan the trip route and I'm looking for some more local knowledge. I'm looking at taking a...er..."shortcut" from Innsbruck to Milano.

How is SS38 through "Parco Nazionale dello Stelvio"? Those roads should remove the corners on the tires from the superslab. :hyper: :yahoo: :hyper:

I was trying to put some maps up just for everyone's viewing pleasure, but couldn't figure out how to get the google maps pasted into the reply.

 

[beemerdons]

Stef,
I'm starting to plan the trip route and I'm looking for some more local knowledge. I'm looking at taking a...er..."shortcut" from Innsbruck to Milano.

How is SS38 through "Parco Nazionale dello Stelvio"? Those roads should remove the corners on the tires from the superslab. :hyper: :yahoo: :hyper:

I was trying to put some maps up just for everyone's viewing pleasure, but couldn't figure out how to get the google maps pasted into the reply.

https://picasaweb.google.com/beemerdons/Alps2007Ride

Caba,

Does Stilfersjoch, Passo dello Stelvio, appear like it's going to be free of snow this May? When we AZ Beemers attempted to ride it last May it was still snowed in. However, Timmelsjoch had just opened up the day before we arrived there. We made Merano our base camp for 3 days and rode all the passes within 200 kilometers, but Stelvio was verboten and off limits.

In the fifteenth picture in my photo album, the caption reads: "Passo dello Stelvio, still covered in snow and unaccessible!"

Don

 

[Caba]

Don,

Cool pics!!

I don't know if the passes will be open or not. I had assumed that by the end of May it wouldn't be an issue, but we'll have to see. I'm keeping a very flixible attitude on the whole trip. I'm going to try to bomb it on the slab from Kosice to either Lintz or possibly Innsbruck on the first day and then having the time to "meander" into Milan.

Stef,

Succeded in getting Avons for 235 Euro here in SK. Pick them up this afternoon! Had to resort to the same local help that I used in importing and registering the bike.

Can't Wait for May!

 

[beemerdons]

https://www.alpineroads.com/passstatus.php

Hello Caba,

Here's a link you may find useful as you're heading West from Kosice. Alpine Roads is hosted by two ex-pats living in Austria. I believe Tim's an American living in Vienna and Mark is a Brit living in Linz. They really keep the Pass Status' up to date and AZ Beemers used it effectively when we were bagging Alpine passes last May. Really helped our routing.

I do hope that Passo di Stelvio is open for you. In my 45 years of street riding, nothing compares to riding Stilfser Joch!

Regards, Don

https://www.alpineroads.com/images/photos/e...er/stilfser.htm

 

[Caba]

Don,

Thanks for the link!! I hadn't even thought about the passes still being closed at the end of May (Even though I had to turn the FJR around today because I ran into 3 inches of snow on one pass.)

This will be very helpful! Love the pictures on the site and the guide to the roads.

Caba

 

[teerex51]

Hey there, just back from a Tour of Sicily blessed with gale-force winds, rough seas and constant rain.

We covered 3,250 kms (two-thirds of which on wet roads) :huh: My FJR is now seriously dirty...

Anyway, back to the Pyrenees.

I've secured a booking for Don and Bob at the Frontair Congress Hotel in Sant Boi de Llobregat (some 3 miles from BCN a/p and a steal at EUR 55, it being a 4-star joint with an annexed spa where you can recover from the hardships of our trip). I'll let you have all details if you're OK with it, or I can cancel it at no charge.

Caba, as for the Passo Stelvio/Stilfserjoch it's going to be a close call, but we can get real-time info on the reopening of the pass before you leave SK.

Later

Stef