Cheers, I have tried ferrysavers, its a good site. Will read through the other link towmorrow. Cheers.

Jmo - Thank you, its a good compromise. Will review later.

I like Jmo's idea, it gives you more times in the place your planning to be and you can either leave a couple days at the end to head back (avoiding the tolls and saving money) or staying late and ferrying straight back from Bilbao again if your having too much fun! :)

You can get this cost down, if you change your route and are willing to accept a drop in 'comfort'. Have a look ath the Plymouth-Santander route, you can opt for a seat rather than a cabin, and the route is faster at less than a day.

The route Jenny has suggested is a good option, I know as I've done that myself (although the other way around). Give yourself more time, keep an eye on the weather and consider a route across France before turning south - when the rain comes in from the west you really don't want to be riding long distances alongside the Bay of Biscay, it's flat and exposed. One of the ways to feel the most freedom is the ability to completely change direction at a whim.

Motonacio the viamichelin site is 10 out of 10. Cheers.

I've been travelling back and forth for about 45 years now but having retired about 8 years ago I can choose when to travel usually. The Plymouth-Santander is cheaper and quicker - my son always uses it (he can bring his dog in the car as well).

Whatever you choose relax and enjoy the travelling - I sometimes didn't bother with a map even - just a piece of paper with the names of the major cities on the way and the nearest few towns to my destination. Navigating by the position of the sun in the sky or the Pole star at night and taking the road which appeared to go in the direction I wanted (not motorways) allowed me to discover lots of places to stop for a refreshing cafe solo or munchies.

Fran:- The write-up of my son's trip down disappeared with a number of other 'first impressions' from 2007 on but yes he did ride it down for me because he remembered the fun he had riding my Divvi 900 in France when he was 16 (that's the equivalent of 25 in metric!!!).

Tony.. nae doubt yer spain trip is not on the carsds now wi NO big Ten,, but if yer cycle thing is still on..let me know when ye come tae Scotland,, i would offer ma help tae ye on hand in ma van ifye needed me at any time due tae problems wi the locals throwin stones at ye,,, buckled wheels, crashes... or jist anything... anywhere on route fur me tae Joh o Groats is 6 hrs fur me... seriously,, im offering ma help if ye need it.......cheers. john. oh an a :snooze[1]: if ye need it aswell when yer passin ma neck o the woods

Cheers John, the Tenere got sold and there is no real wish to do it on the X. The cycling is still on though, originally planned but parked up due to finances being tight. Believe it or not cycling is not cheap when you prep the bike and tally up the B&B costs. Forget camping it isnt for me. I still want to do the ride, people who have done it say south to north is the better way.

Thanks for the offer of help.

Tony. jist dawned on me,, yer trip was summer 2010......Hmnnn :blowup:

It sure was, I did go there on holiday exactly as planned but flew with the family instead!

Spain!
 

Hi Tony, that's going to be a great trip, but having done this a couple of times (UK and back to Madrid where I live, here are my trip tips). I would skip France unless you specifically want to go there, three to four days riding across Spain one way and the same to return puts you out of days if you want to only spend 7 days on the road. I would take the fast ferry from Plymouth to Santander (it's still overnight, but is 16 hours as opposed to 24 for the Bilboa one). As to the list;


Bike fully serviced and ready to go!
:thumbsup[1]:
Luggage System (panniers/topbox or soft luggage) ?
If you plan to do this traveling a lot, get an alloy set from the likes of TT or Metal Mule, Trax etc. If not, use cheaper fabric ones.
Satnav or maps which one do I choose?
both, your satnav could fail.
Bike lock
Must have
Centre stand - should I fit one thinking is how to repair punctures on the road?
Punctures in Spain not likely, haven't had one in five years. Wouldn't say its a must for this trip although it's nice to have for chain lubrication. Also, chain adjustment on the Ten needs to be done on the side stand. For chain lubrication you can get your shoulder under the exhaust whilst on the side stand and lift with your shoulder, rotate the rear tyre with one hand whilst spraying lube with the other.
Campsite guide/B&B info ?
www.spaincamping.com I use it all the time
Camera and spare batteries
Essential, I would recommend a tankbag to carry these, then they are to hand when the good sites come along. No point having your camera at the bottom of the pannier.
Mobile phone and charger
Consider fitting a mini usb charger to the Ten, power take off is behind the dash, plenty threads here on how to do it, my phone and satnav use the same mini usb and as I have a voltage converter built into the mini usb line I can charge them one at a time when I'm on the road.
Bike spares consisting of:
Front and rear inner tube
Would only take a front as this can be used in a pinch for both front and rear. Unlikely you will use it.
Puncture repair kit
Inclined to say this is enough, but if you want to feel safer, take the tube.
Throttle cable ?
Juries out, I wouldn't, you can usually rig a hand throttle if the cable snaps and there are plenty bike stores in every village in Spain where they can make one up for you.
Clutch cable ?
I always take one
Engine oil ?
I wouldn't, if you want to change oil, you'll be able to buy any flavour you want here in Spain.
Chain lube
Yup, an aerosol can
Fuses - assorted ?
One of each
Bulbs (head lamp, indicators, side lights) ?
One of each
Spark plug
Yup
Cable ties
Very useful
GT85/WD40 - small
Yup
Insulation tape
Yup, I also carry duct tape as it's useful for everything from holding on broken body panels after a fall to repairing a tear in the tent.
Rag
Latex gloves x 3 pairs
Grease - small tube
Tools for all repairs consisting of:
Tools to remove front and rear wheels
Assorted tools
Spark plug spanner
Tyre pump (manual/12 volt or Co2 system) ?
Touratech do a good electric pump
Tyre levers
three of
Legal travel documents consisting of:
Passport
You have to have this on you in Spain
Driving licence (both parts)
No-one here is interested in the counterpart and if the trafico ask for your license the card is all you need show.
Bike Insurance certificate including european cover
Green card not required, but makes any stop and show easier as it comes in all languages and is a standard format so the Guardia Civil Trafico guys will know a green card, but may not understand your UK covernote. I would get a green card.
MOT - if applicable
Nobody in Spain will even know what this is (call it an ITV which is the local term for MOT and they'll get it) I like the way you're thinking though, shoving out a big heap of english official looking docs is a good way to get waved on!
Bike registration documents
NB, originals
Breakdown cover including european cover
I don't have, but if it makes you feel safer.
Money (Uk � and local currency/Credit card)
Leave your pounds at home and bring a debit card, ATM's are everywhere. Be sure to tell your bank that you are travelling to Spain and will use your card there.
Travel insurance
essential, must include repatriation.
Ferry or tunnel ?
See comments above.
Personal items consisting of:
Included on my list but deleted in this post as not relevant and I am certain I need all the items!

[B] Clothing consisting of Waterproofs
For the UK side, but in high summer in Spain it's very unlikely you will need these. I did 9000km's over 20 days in August last year through Spain and Portugal with no rain. I did have my waterproofs with me though :sad1:
Spare gloves
Get gloves that can let air in, it gets to 48 degrees celsius on the Meseta (plains in central Spain) and you need lighter gloves that do not skimp on the protection.
Hi-viz vest ?
You should have one

Camping gear consisting of (assuming camping is the preferred accomodation):
Tent
At this time of year a bivvy with a mossie net is enough.
Sleeping bag
Bring a sleeping bag inner, cotton is best, when it gets too hot you can sleep in the inner alone, also when you sleep inside the sleeping bag you should use this as it'll keep your sleeping bag clean for longer. a Cheap cotton one from Decathlon is good.
Ground mat (Thermarest)
These are the best, they make such a difference to me, no more sleeping on a thin mattress and ending up feeling rough on the road the next day. http://cascadedesigns.com/en/therm-a...neoair/product
Head torch inc spare batteries
Tea towel
Cooking facility and fuel
if you want to be self sustaining then yes, most campsites in Spain have a little bar/canteen where you can buy a hot meal for less than you could make it yourself.
Matches - wind proof/water proof type
Mess tin
Knife/Fork/Spoon
Metal mug
Cooking pan
T bags in sealed pot
Sugar - small pot or sachets
Milk - UHT shots ? How do i get my milk!
powdered milk in an old 35mm film cannister
Dehydrated food packs
Chocolate bars/energy bars
need these
Washing up liquid - small ?
Sponge - to clean pan/mug/cuttlery ?
Waterproof bags - multiple
Water container ?
I use a platypus which holds three litres and also keep an extra litre in the panniers. You must have water with you! I always have at least four litres of water per person when riding in the Spanish summer, mostly in case you have to spend time broken down on the side of the road.
Mosquito net/repellant ? If applicable
Mossies not bad on the plains (these are 700 masl, most of Spain is plain, closer to the coast you will need them.
I know the list is crazy and I need to thin it down but its on the list for consideration. Please offer your oppinions and feed back. I can then refine the list and be happy knowing I have thought of enough to make both holidays enjoyable. You'll have a great time, and I think you approach this correctly (the 5 P's approach) Proper Preparation Prevents Piss-Poor Performance. If you need help there are many XT660 forum members in Spain who would be happy to help.