Counting Blessings

Here in the UK we are currently experiencing what the meteorologists are calling “Unseasonable Weather.” In other words, cold, wet and fairly miserable. 

Living on our island, it’s something I am pretty well used to; we don’t really have a climate, just weather and an awful lot of it is wet and cold! Today a gale is blowing in off the Atlantic with strong winds and rain, plenty of both. It could be worse, we could live in a country subject to typhoons and hurricanes or year long droughts, so look on the bright side and count blessings!

The road to Col de la Lombard, 2350m and look, a guard rail!

It’s a good day to watch the rain beating on the window and dream of sunnier places and happier times. In a way it’s a bit like travelling in my mind!

High in the Pyrenees, Catalonia.

With the continuing global pandemic situation, it is not a great time to go travelling anyway.

Lunch break, Col de la Madeleine 2000m, one of my favourites.

Now don’t get me wrong, I want to get back out there on the international roads as soon as I can, but I don’t need to nor have to. So I’m resigned to being patient and letting things get back to whatever the new normal is going to be before hitting the highway.

Heavenly twisty roads, Col de la Pierre St Martin 1766m.

In the meantime I have many memories and photos to refer to before that day comes, plus we live in a lovely part of the world too. 

I suppose also there’s also a bit of “Been there, Done that” at the back of my mind and that can straighten things out!

I just wish for now that it would stop raining….!

“I am travelling with you, just as I travel in my mind.”

Catch you soon,

Dookes.

Hola Espania!


Well, my wish for no rain in Spain was granted! Lovely warm weather saw us into Santander just after midday. The beaches were golden whilst the hills beyond looked brooding with high cloud. Unfortunately Harley and I with over a hundred other motorbikes were stuck on the lower vehicle deck for over forty five minutes whilst all of the other vehicles were disembarked! It was like a sauna, only with motorbikes in there with you as well, not pleasant!

Once we were released, the Spanish authorities could not have assisted more and we all flew through passport control and customs without any further hold up. Harley and I hit the Cantabrian Autopista and sped eastwards. Traffic was ok, a little busy round Bilbao but soon thin to almost nothing on the AP68 as we headed towards the red soils of Rioja and the Ebro valley. The Region of Rioja is rightly famous for its splendid red wines, made largely from the tempranillo grape and acres of vines can be seen stretching away for miles. Now I have seen quite a few wine producing areas around the place, but Rioja takes the prize for the sheer scale of the cultivation. The vines are small, but boy are there a lot of them!

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The road was quite simply fantastic, lots of European cash has been invested in the Spanish transport network and the roads have got to be amongst the best anywhere, a real joy to ride.

“I’m just glad to be here, happy to be alive.”

Dookes

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