N330

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I took 24 hrs off, just outside Teruel. To sort some admin for back home. Stayed in a small,  fairly rough campsite. To do laundry and make some calls. All bloody night long, , dogs were barking, some bug was grinding its teeth near the tent. And some English man was shouting " shuuuuut uuuup ".!!! Lol

Whilst there I decided to try out some of the many powered Energy Drinks I had. As I'm fine tuning what's coming to Africa with me.

Having bought some extra ' boil in the bag packs ', I use the water to make a brew normally. But having had three boil in the bags. I had now had about 3 pints of powdered Energy Drinks !!!! Talk about wired. Up till 5 am in the tent, bopping away to DJ Tiesto !!! What a plonker !

Up at 10 am next day and still wired direct to Mars. I got on the N330.
Wow !!!!!It was El scortio And the road constantly was bending from left to right. Up and up, over mountains. Rising to 1, 400 meters.Some 4, 200 ft. Through loads of little Spanish villages. ( you come across allot of them in Spain. )  I'm not on a R1 or anything.  But I loved it. The Van Van, despite oil leaks and only being a 125, dogedly carrying on.

I must have done about 320 kms. And my mpg was 75.Low for the mighty Van Van.  But that was down to all the mountains and me making " weeeeee " noises, , going round the bends.  Great fun. Time flew by.

It was getting dark.  So I hide myself and the bike around the back of a dissused house. That was in the middle of nowhere.

Really enjoyed the N330. My best day riding yet.

I will be at the coast tomorrow.  And meeting an old Army mate Saturday night. Then on to meet Chez, Josh, John and Jack at San Javier.  For a catch up and a beer or ten. And the all important final preparations for Africa.

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So.....having come off the A68, near Zaragoza and gone on to a dust track. That led to no where. I'd squeezed through this gate, as my road was all fenced off.

In the morning, packed my camp away and let loose the wild horses. 5 minutes later I went to turn off, heading for Tereul.

Well blow me if there wasn't a huge barrier and Toll booth.  Scratching my helmet. ( now then potty minds).
I asked the attendant what was going on. As I wasn't on a Toll Road.

Well. ...it turned out I very much was. Now !! My cross country trek and gate squeezing session. Had put me on the Peage / Toll road that ran parallel !!! The AP 68. I had accidentally gone from a normal road. The A68 to a parallel road, not 500 m away, called the AP 68!!!

He told me, as i didn't have a ticket " You have to pay for use of ALL of the Toll roads " !!! As in a huge $$$ euro number. My arms started to wave ( in Spanish of course ) "but but but...I just came through this gate....off a field "...His head shook...." you must pay for everything. ..or go back "

Clutch in and I was off. Back on to this bloody Toll road. When the traffic went quiet, I went to the central reservation, lifted a chain and wizzed up the other side. Now riding North, in the opposite direction.

I soon realised of course, ' my petrol station ', with the secret gate. Was on the other side of the road. And I couldn't get to it.

So not wanting a 500 odd Euro bill. For accidentally getting on the Toll road. I looked to sneak out. But the road is all fenced in. Thinking outside of the box.  I went to the petrol station opposite mine. Serving North bound traffic.  And it turned out it was a copy of the other one. Complete with gate to a joining field.

Guess what happened next ? Yep...a prode with the Van Van front wheel.  A bit of jiggery pockery. ...and I was out. And back on the A68. And surrounded by Spanish trucks......

I only did a couple of kms, determined to go back lanes.  Heading South West.  One appeared, but wasn't in my 3 euro Spanish map. But off I went. Nothing, and I mean nothing.!!!As far as the eye could see. Just me and the bike. And open Spanish rugged landscape.

It was great.  Loved it. Photo's are below .

I am now just South of Teruel. About 380 kms from San Javier. Where I am meeting Gary Doggett from Basic Training.  He lives over here. Then off to spend money I don't have on the bike. ( Joking.  It was always in the budget. ).

Took today off. To do my laundry.  Some admin. For back home.And well...because I can.
Teruel is nice. Just been wizzing around the historic old town. Looking for a Pharmacy. As a mozzy bit my eye lid. It's a cool look. Check the pics out.

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Now on a serious note. Im not on a jolly. Im paying for this. And risking everything. There is Al Queda where I am going.  And I don't think that they will be inviting me around for a cuppa. So if you like what I am doing. Please spend 2 minutes with your bank card. Click the Help for Heroes logo and show your support.  It goes directly to them. I don't see or touch a penny. I would like to raise £15, 000.

Please help me do that.

Will

Bonding with the Spanish truckers

So after the night of European relations building at Dune Playa. I got up at the crack of lunch time. And set off.

Nothing too exciting to report. Finally running out of day light at Leitza. Where I pitched at a camp site. So as to charge my phone.  And get my weekly shower. :) And from the menu I had a large plate of grilled bacon.:)))) ( I have not forgiven the Boer for the Ravioli pot episode. )

The next morning is where the fun began.I was now in Spain and in the lower part of Piarraneze mountains. Thing is my bike can only cruise happily at 45 mph, with all the weight.(Im so butch ).

And the road to Pamplona was up mountains and mainly single lane.!!! (Are you painting the picture yet...?)

Throw a couple of hundred Spanish 40 tone trucks  into the mix and ....well. ......im surprised the Spanish Environment Noise Control Agency didn't have complaints for 80+ kms. All I could hear was Scania air horns blasting away behind me !!!!

Put the turbulence of a NASA wind tunnel into my situation.  And it was all I could do to take my left hand off the handle bars slowly, and comminicate with my middle finger. :)

I didn't want to stop and see any of the sights. Due to the nature of the terrain. And the Van Van having some oil leaks. So pushed on towards Zaragoza. Cooking by the road side and having the all important brews.

Having put hours on loads of Spanish truckers day. I turned off the A68. Onto a dust track .I rode on it for a couple of kms. But it didn't seem to lead anywhere. And was a dusty Service road for all eco windmills. So....ahhh...seeing a Petrol station I decided t go back on the road id left. But there was a fence between me and the petrol station car park. But I found a gate. So with a bit of jiggery pockery, I got the bike and the panniers through.

Proud of myself, I made camp that night by the car park. Little did I know what I had done............

Will post another blog today. Need to do some personal admin, , during office hours.

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I'm  doing all this for wounded Servicemen.  Please press Help for Heroes logo top right.  And make a massive donation.

Not allot of photos. Due to being in a mountainus NASA wind tunnel, doing 40 mph. With half the Spanish Scania fleet in hot, horn blowing pursuit.

Will :)

Dune Playa

Last Bon Jour....

I left Saintes and headed South West, using the Mark 1 Satnav.(compass). Heading towards Bordeux. I wanted to go around as much of the Piarraneze as possible,  so I kept to the country lanes nearest the coast. Very time consuming, but some great scenery. These roads suit the mighty Van Van. Unlike the Peage roads, where the bike and I are thrown all over the place.

Well, I came across this huge sand dune, called Dune Playa.The largest in Europe. Its 330 ft high. So I decided to camp at the base of it and check it out.

Whilst there I met about 40 University leavers, all on a ......er......get drunk session. Wanting to do my bit for British / European relations. I happily took part. They didn't understand me and I didnt understand them. I sang songs in French, making my own words up of course and did allot of arm waving. Result !!!!

It did however result in me not appearing out of my tent till lunch time. An hour of packing all my kit away and it was always going to be a late finish, to get to the Spanish border. ( ooops ).

I am writing this sat having a coffee, about 10 km south ( favourite  word ) of Pamplona. Spain.

The Van Van has a couple of leaks and gear selection is a problem. Having Googled it. Turns out a common problem is, a spring being put in the wrong way around. From the gearbox sump plug end. Ive checked mine.....and yes, its the wrong way round !!! So nursing the bike at the moment. Desperately need to get to a competant Suzuki Dealer in Murcia. I'm praying that going over the lower part of the Piarraneze, hasn't generated further problems.

Lovely weather. ..or is it whether, here. 29 degrees. Looking forward to seeing an old Army mate, a mate from Radcliffe, where I'm from and the FMX clan. Where I intend to spend some money on the bike.  Getting ship shape for Africa. :)

Find An Idiot Got Bored. The Slow Way Down. ..on Facebook. Search " London to Johannesburg.". And click " Like ".

Check out some of the photos I took on the way. :) " Oooola". :)))))

Saintes

Bon jour. ...

I got up from Boer watch yesterday morning, made breakfast and packed my kit away. I was on the D 307 for 8 am. And of course, following my ' satnav ', heading South. From Le Mans. ( The mighty Van Van suited the race track ) :)

Having had a few delays, due to phone and minor bike issues. I wanted to get a good few kms under my belt.

So I crancked up the 12 bhp and held on tight and sat at 45 mph. ( 75km ph) .The Van Van is actually really comfortable. With my sleeping bag behind me, it's like sitting in your favourite arm chair. All be it with allot of buffeting.

Through the French countryside on a nice day. What could be better ? These little villages remind me of how England was about 40-50 years ago. A very different way of life. Slow and peaceful.

So I sometimes made a point of standing up on my bike whilst riding through, just to see their reaction.
Nice though.

I kept going, through Saumur and over the Loire river. On the D 938, heading to Parthenay. Eventually I finished up just outside Saintes. Having covered 350 kms.  Not too shabby for a 125, carrying allot of weight !

Today I am staying at my first camp site. Having stayed in various woods so far. ( Im still not over the Ravioli,  Boer theft )!

So it's been an exciting day here at An Idiot Got Bored.  Doing my laundry in the shower. ( Didn't take long. One have 3 pairs of socks and boxers. .lol ) Fixing the puncture on my Vango mat. And trying to fix my multi fuel cooker. I only have enough Hexi blocks for two more days. So I need this Chinese cooker to work . Or its cold 'boil in the bag ', till I can get a replacement.

Also tightened up a few nuts on the mighty Van Van and wax oiled the chain. ( I do have a little idea for protecting the chain in the Sahara. Watch this space. )

Going to have a big day tomorrow and get to the Spanish boarder. Im heading for the coast. So as to go around the Piarraneze and not over.

Put some photos of today's laundry. And other bits. O and I just wanted to say " hi " to Mark, Jonny, Vali and Costelli over in Romania. Although all highly homo sexual.  They were good lads to work with . ( Woz e ma. .moooooow ). ;)

And Mark. You best hurry up and pick my car up . As Becy is stressing as its on the drive. :)

Speak soon. Off to fold my boxers.

Will