3rd European AdvRider Rally - Pyrenees 2007

[Possu]

Thought I'd start the ride report as some of the participants won't be home for a while yet.

Loz, Pumpy & myself drove down in Loz's Mercedes Sprinter van with our three dirtbikes in the back - Loz's 950SE, Pumpy's DR350 & my 400EXC. Riding with us was RiderBob on his Adventure tank equipped R1200GS.

Sort, southwest of Andorra was chosen as a base because of a recommendation by KTiM, this was a good choice. Here's our approximate route from Le Havre to Sort:


We took in a small detour to Le Mas d'Azil to view a cave with a river running through it, once occupied by Stone Age man. A road now runs through the cave alongside the river.

One side of the cave entrance with RiderBob in the foreground:


View of the river from the road, long exposure time;




We had docked in Le Havre early Friday morning after an overnight sailing from Portsmouth in the UK and arrived in Sort early Saturday evening, having spent Friday night in a 200+ year old hotel in Saint-Yrieix-la-Perche, south of Limoges. On arrival in Sort, we found most of the others had already arrived - due to incompetence on my part, I have no photos of the first few days as I kept forgeting to take my camera with me. However, I know that the others have plenty of pics to add to this thread. Once settled in to the hotel and the bikes & gear unloaded, it was out to dinner with the others.

Day 1: Sunday & we're due to meet up with Spanish AdvRider Joan-GS from Barcelona, riding his 950SE, who's familiar with the area & had generously offered to show us some of favourite trails. We met up in La Pobla de Segur before heading off in to the countryside. Almost immediately, Joan-GS suffered a puncture in his rear tyre. We decided to patch it rather than fit another tube. Not sure if the glue used was past its best but the patch failed a few miles later, leaving no option to start again, this time with a fresh tube. I have no pics, so here's a link to Joan's report on another forum & some "borrowed" pics:
http://www.gstrail.es/foro/showthrea...121#post103121

RiderBob also suffered a puncture, in his front tyre. It was more of a sliced hole than a round puncture hole. We managed to repair it well enough to last a few more hours & later found someone to supply & fit a new 19" tube to Bob's GS for a measley €20 which held out for thr rest of the trip & the journey home.

Loz crossing a ford, with Wibble & RiderBob in the background:


Pumpy, with Bavarian in the background:


Bummer from Denmark on the R1150GS Adventure he borrowed from Spanish Bob, pics says it all really :


Spot the snapped off r/h mirror just starting to float downstream (we rescued it), me & Wibble to the rescue, soon to be joined by RiderBob in the background:


After a very late lunch, some of the guys headed back to Sort whilst Joan took myself, Pumpy, Loz, RiderBob & KTiM up a long hard steep & very rocky track over the mountains. It was hard but worth it. On the other side, we parted company with Joan as he headed home - once again, thanks for a great days riding. One of the highlights for me was seeing a trio of Vultures with 7ft+ wingspans gliding overhead. The rest of us were faced with a 120km road ride, arriving back in Sort at 940pm, tired but happy although 120km on my EXC left me with Monkey Butt .

I'll stop posting for the moment, to allow the others the opportunity to post their pics & thoughts of the first days riding.

[the white rabbit]

All safe and sound?

[Possu]

Originally Posted by Dr Rich

All safe and sound?

Yes, no injuries at all, only slow spills, just a few bruised ego's etc, you know what I mean, the sort of thing that happened in Wales recently. Spanish Bob's GS is in need of some attention though, courtesy of our Donkey loving Danish friend.........

[Tim]

Hi Possu, thanks for starting the thread. I made it home at 6.00pm last night.

Many thanks to all involved for a great trip, including Static Bob for is help in making the arrangements (sorry about your bike Bob! )

On my way to Sort I took this trail



I was concerned to find this sign at the other end of it, under the village name a rough translation is "wild mountain, land of the bears"



The only ones that I found were two of these guys in an enclosure in the village of Arties.



I hadn't expected to find these conditions en-route over the mountains!



Our hotel in Sort



joan-gs and Possu hard at work..........



........whilst Bummer and Wibble look after Joans bike



Bummer starts in the manner in which he intends to continue....



Bummer finally gets across the ford



whilst Pumpy shows him how to do it.



RiderBobs tyre gets fixed



After lunch



we had much more of this



Many thanks to joan-gs for a great first day out.

I'll want for Possu to do some more of the next day and will chime in again with some more.

[the white rabbit]

Originally Posted by Possu

Yes, no injuries at all, only slow spills, just a few bruised ego's etc, you know what I mean, the sort of thing that happened in Wales recently. Spanish Bob's GS is in need of some attention though, courtesy of our Donkey loving Danish friend.........

Oustanding first few pics.

RiderBob and Loz look lile long lost twins , sorry Bob, Dad & son maybe

[aurel]

That looks good

[Spanish Bob]

didn`t any any one have a gun?

htf did you drop my bike on a straight road you donkey-shagging Danish loonie? ;-)

[kejago]

[Spanish Bob]

Originally Posted by Dr Rich

Oustanding first few pics.

RiderBob and Loz look lile long lost twins , sorry Bob, Dad & son maybe

Prof,

planning a trip back to the homeland (Cardiff and Usk) in June, will advise so you can invent interesting university related meetings which we can perform on two wheels.

bless

bob

[Spanish Bob]

Anyone see a pattern forming?





Wibble, you should know better mate. Next time he´ll be fingering your bearing, if you get my drift.

[riderbob]

OK first some vital statistics and then some photos.

Miles covered: 2293
Punctures: 2 (1 front and 1 rear - I needed to replace the rear due to a huge slash but a tube got me to Andorra where I could buy a new tyre)
Dropped: 3 times (once in the snow and twice in the mud)
Damaged: 1 bent gear lever and scratched engine bars (that's what they're for anyway)
Lost: my toolkit which fell off the back (glad everyone else had tools to change tyres)
Injurys: sprained left wrist due to man handling the machine off the ground and in tight turnaround areas (feel free to make jokes here I'm expecting it)

That's it I think. I had a bloody good time and will definitely do it again next year now that I am qualified to take the tub of lard off-road (the bike that is not me)!

[tenbears]

My number 1 AREA for biking in Europe. Simply superb all along the range.

More pics please! And can you indicate on a map/chart the trails you chose?
Cheers!

[riderbob]

I'm the one with better table manners though!

Originally Posted by Dr Rich

RiderBob and Loz look lile long lost twins , sorry Bob, Dad & son maybe

[Spanish Bob]

Originally Posted by riderbob

I'm the one with better table manners though!

Like thats a challenge.

[Spanish Bob]

Originally Posted by riderbob

sprained left wrist due to man handling the machine off the ground and in tight turnaround areas (feel free to make jokes here I'm expecting it)

I´ll start then.

Yeah right, you perv!

the other Bob

On the good side at least you didnt drop my bike ON A STRAIGHT ROAD.

not loonie/not perv Bob