There are times, rare occasions, when I do something stupid. Now I can see the look of disbelief some of you are giving this statement. Yes, rare occasions, but today may just qualify as one of those rare times...
My day begins simple enough; walking along beach, eating my nutritional breakfast of a chocolate doughnut. Back on my motorbike, I wriggle my way eastwards somewhere between the coast and the foothills of the Cordillera Cantábrica. Ahead of me tower the three imposing, dark, jagged, limestone massifs of the Picos de Europa.
I reach the edge of the Picos and it is here that I make my decision. I head off the main road to find a route through the Picos rather than around them.
The first warning sign is the dramatic narrowing of the road. I ignore the fact that road surface changes to loose sand and gravel. The road narrows and steepens to just a bit wider than my motorbike. Lord knows how people get a car up here, but they do.
I land in the courtyard of a small farm, much to the surprise of the two men quietly going about their day. "Pon-they-boss?" I ask through my helmet whilst gesticulating in the direction of the road. "Do you speak English?" the younger chap replies.
It transpires that this road will get me to Poncebos, it is just that nobody ever goes the way. After a short while exchanging pleasantries and stories, I thank the farmer and the writer for their friendliness and leave them to continue with their day.
I would think twice about riding my mountain bike on some of these tracks and here am I on a 300kg beast. Unsurprisingly, I take a few wrong turns in the tangle of tracks. Much to the surprise of an elderly gentleman quietly reading his newspaper, I drop into his back garden, but he just casually waves me in the correct direction.
When I eventually get to Labra, a place large enough to warrant a name, I am dripping with sweat, starving and dangerously low on fuel. I continue to descend into the valley where I find a better road and a place to cure my pangs of hunger.
Refreshed, revitalised and refuelled, I make the short trip down well maintained roads to Poncebos. This tiny straggle of buildings at the northern end of the Cares gorge is set amid spectacular scenery and will be my home for the night.
...and this is how I turned a 90 minute journey into a five hour expedition! Stupid or adventurous? I will let you decide.
My day begins simple enough; walking along beach, eating my nutritional breakfast of a chocolate doughnut. Back on my motorbike, I wriggle my way eastwards somewhere between the coast and the foothills of the Cordillera Cantábrica. Ahead of me tower the three imposing, dark, jagged, limestone massifs of the Picos de Europa.
I reach the edge of the Picos and it is here that I make my decision. I head off the main road to find a route through the Picos rather than around them.
The first warning sign is the dramatic narrowing of the road. I ignore the fact that road surface changes to loose sand and gravel. The road narrows and steepens to just a bit wider than my motorbike. Lord knows how people get a car up here, but they do.
I land in the courtyard of a small farm, much to the surprise of the two men quietly going about their day. "Pon-they-boss?" I ask through my helmet whilst gesticulating in the direction of the road. "Do you speak English?" the younger chap replies.
It transpires that this road will get me to Poncebos, it is just that nobody ever goes the way. After a short while exchanging pleasantries and stories, I thank the farmer and the writer for their friendliness and leave them to continue with their day.
I would think twice about riding my mountain bike on some of these tracks and here am I on a 300kg beast. Unsurprisingly, I take a few wrong turns in the tangle of tracks. Much to the surprise of an elderly gentleman quietly reading his newspaper, I drop into his back garden, but he just casually waves me in the correct direction.
When I eventually get to Labra, a place large enough to warrant a name, I am dripping with sweat, starving and dangerously low on fuel. I continue to descend into the valley where I find a better road and a place to cure my pangs of hunger.
Refreshed, revitalised and refuelled, I make the short trip down well maintained roads to Poncebos. This tiny straggle of buildings at the northern end of the Cares gorge is set amid spectacular scenery and will be my home for the night.
...and this is how I turned a 90 minute journey into a five hour expedition! Stupid or adventurous? I will let you decide.
2 comments:
Hey Big Bro x nah your adventurous...
far from the other. takes some guts
to do that - good on you! love James x x
That's kind of you to say James.
Thanks :)
Take care and I'll see you soon..
Love Lee x
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