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- Preparing Your Bike For a Long Distance Trip ( https://www.xt660.com/forumdisplay.php?f=123)

- - My first ever trip abroad ( https://www.xt660.com/showthread.php?t=12199)

I guarantee you will do it more then once :laughing4:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tony660z (Post 111504)

....... This trip may only be a one off,.......

In your dreams, travelling gets under your skin. I think about little else. Only time, family and money get in the way.

When you do it and sort out for yourself what kit you need by your own experiences (and it is a very personal thing) you will wonder why you did not do it earlier.

I personally like to camp and do not mind rain and cold - to a degree, but there is something special about camping up a mountain and waking up at dawn and watching the planet wake up.

http://i310.photobucket.com/albums/k...d_DSCF1585.jpg

When I go with SWAMBO we camp and B&B depending upon the weather. We take all the kit and then have a choice.

Either way, like I said, it gets under your skin.

Enjoy.

Quote:

Originally Posted by CaptMoto (Post 111477)

Opinions are just that, opinions, though I have to say Tony is only going over to Spain, not the 3rd world. Spain and Europe in general are a lot more bike oriented that UK, specially due to the better weather. There are plenty of mechanics, along the way. The list of things Tony suggested I find it to be a bit overkill.

Crossing over to Spain even on a XT 660 is not going to take more than 2-3 days max depending on how many times you intend to stop, although Tony mentioned camping is involved as overnight stay, just because Spain is not an uncivilized 3rd world country, I would personally stop at some very cheap B&B, (there are plenty of them cheap, clean and family run with pukka food) not having to worry about setting up a tent in the middle of nowhere, play with pans and pots, and all that stuff. Instead sleep on a comfy bed so you are much fresher the next day, get a proper shower / bath and off you go again fresh as a daisy to the next stop, 700 miles later. But of course that's me and the way I like to travel, I did camping and was not a real fan of it. If you choose the B&B option then you have a lot less to carry and your journey can be more enjoyable, you bike will be lighter and perform better.

Just my opinion.

I tend to agree with the Capt' (group hug again) above - having toured around Spain/Portugal/France last summer, there are few places to set up camp (other than dedicated campsites of course) at the side of the road - most of Europe is owned by someone, if only a farmer...

I started this thread a while ago when I was traveling in the USA:

http://www.xt660.com/showthread.php?...=packing+light

Hopefully there are some pointers there?

As others have said - you need surprisingly little with you, other than a full change of clothes, a waterproof over jacket/suit/gloves (it is Europe) and a few basic tools and bodge-it spares.

Go light, and enjoy it all the more!

Jenny xxx

After posting above, I watched the film, "The Motorcycle Diaries" by Che Guevara.
It reminded me of a travelling experience I'd like to share. I did not know before today that Che was a doctor specialising in leprosy and spent some time working in a colony in the Amazon.

In 1997 , along with 2 friends, I sailed all the way up the Amazon. When we entered Peru we met some peruvian police who sailed with us through Peru.

A couple of days into Peru one of them asked us if we wanted to go to the leper colony which was on the river side. Stunned, we agreed and were treated like kings by these unfortunate people whom we hugged and greeted in the typical latin way.

The encounter was one of the most moving I have ever had. They say travel broadens the mind. It did that day and was a very humbling and rewarding expeience.

Travel: You can't beat it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JMo (Post 111559)

Jmo, I have read that thread and it is fantastic IMHO (worth its weight in gold TBH). Light for me is now clearly the way to go. Oh and loving the phrase "bodge-it spares"! As an ex plant maintenance fitter I can certainly think of a few of those I have had to do when needs must!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tony660z (Post 111594)

Glad to be of help Tony!

Last summer I took the Portsmouth-Bilbao ferry to Spain, then headed west into northern Portugal (awesome riding) then down to the Algarve via Lisbon. From there I headed to southern Spain and took the ferry to Tanger - spend a couple of weeks in Morocco the wound my way back up to the Pyrenees on some fantastic roads... from there I headed though southern France to the Alps, then back up to Calais and the channel tunnel...

What I would say is the journey down (or back up) through France is a bit dull unless you have the time to take the minor roads (the south of France is another matter - it's all awesome!) - fuel and tolls are also expensive in France these days... Personally I'd save your tyres/fuel/sanity and take the Bilbao (or Santander) ferry directly to Spain, and take more time enjoying Spain - the Pyrenees are fantastic, then cutting cross country staying 50 miles or so inland from the coast is a lovely way to head south...

xxx

I am just looking at the travel plan at the moment, plan is to go straight after the school holidays have started so pretty much peak season (late July early August)! Anyway looking at ferry bookings and Portsmouth - Bilao return is �579. Thats higher than I thought it was going to be. It certainly looks a good way to travel but I am looking to lower that somewhat. Same times on the Euro Tunnel is �48 return (obviously lots of more riding and stop overs to add).

Can anyone recommend a site for booking ferries? If this is about the going rate then riding through France is going to be only way TBH. I hear the toll roads in France are expensive as well but want to gauge the costs of this as well if anyone knows. I dont have a map so dont yet know a route but is it totally unrealistic to do the journey off the toll roads? I mean I dont use them in the UK (even though we have some) and I live right next to the M6 toll and can easily live without its "convienience".

Again any info will help. I want to consider each option/cost.

Try the www.viamichelin.com site which offers many alternatives including most economical route.

www.ferrysavers.com

Dave, actually now that you "spoke" I remember it was your son the intrepid young chap that collected your first blue XTR and rode it all the way from Bambury to your villa in Spain to deliver it to you, and he was was only carrying his rucksack with his spare clothes and mars bars, wasn't he? Come rain or shine he made it there in one piece albeit a pair of shot and squared tires!

:clap: :clap: to your son!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tony660z (Post 111822)

If you have time, then staying off the toll roads in France is quite possible, and far more enjoyable - it will just take a bit longer...

How about this for an idea - get the Bilbao ferry one way (saving your tyres etc), enjoy Spain, then leave a day or two earlier and ride home through France and take the tunnel?

Best of all worlds etc.