Half baked adventure | The Adventure Baker

Santander – Malaga on a 1976 Bultaco Matador MK 9

I have always wanted to ride my Dad old bike back to Spain, for the past few years I have sent it down on a lorry, and returned it the same way this time I`m ready to ride it.

I have some soft bags and the local bike shop has made me a small frame to keep them from harms way.

I leave next Friday next the 19th April about 3pm for a 5.30pm ferry to Spain, I`m doing the first 50 miles in the van down to the port as I don`t want to miss a booked ferry, If I brake down I want to do it in Spain not on the M27 to Portsmouth.

I land in Santander on Saturday evening hope to do 50 miles then Sunday I want to do 100 – 150 that`s how much fuel I have 15 lts, 5 in the can and 10 in the tank.

Booked a hotel in Mjias just North Of Malaga for Friday night so I hope to stay there 3 nights and fly back MONDAY 29th to Gatwick.

RAC Card should get me down there if I get into a real over heat, but at a steady 35-40 I should be fine.

I am taking my small netbook so should be able to keep this going, the bike is not going to be the easyist thing to ride but a pleasure to see folks faces when I turn up at Spanish petrol Station.

if I do 100 miles I`ll be happy, 700 and I`ll be amazed and going to spell check then I`ll be amused as well

As for routes, I was going to buy maps on the ferry and spend my time on there routing a back road route.

Bags are lopsided as normal, most importantly TEA making equipment an old oily cover as to hide bike at night and an wire alarm that I can thread allover and sends out 45,00000 desebells when cut, and a nice little lock that I bought from Adventure Warehouse about £25ish brilliant thing.

Carrying 50 TWINNGS Assam so as to make drinks for the natives, as Assam is Strong & Mighty.

I 7 days to decide weather to were 1970`s gear, I have some great old stuff kept from years of trail riding, with some modern under garments I think I`ll be fine in a old BARBOUR Suit.

Suit was brand new in the 70s swooped for an egg and cress sandwich for a visiting stores Sargent from Tidworth barracks.

Then a few lanes testing out ways of carrying the unwanted gear we all carry.

The perfect set up, a plastic can and two stroke oil MX7 and a small Colmans mustard pot to measure the correct amount of oil too petrol as this old bike is DIY mixing.]

Garmin 62stc is going to guide me into or out of trouble.

Or though a thing of beauty the 5lt can I have gone for the plastic one for traveling, and my toolkit below.

Helmet and googles picked, after years of open face riding I have found builders googles the best at £10 apair.

Sailing, I didnt read my ticket correctly, sailing was at 5pm not 5.30pm, bikes tied down and fuel off,

Good job Ian drove me down in the van, noway would I have made the ferry leaving at 3.15 like we did, very nice ferry or boat, even has Wi Fi in the bar

What a fantastic site the Sun going down, Sunset I have never see a Sunset for a ferry before its a shame I left my camera in my room, ah every time theirs a shot the thing is not with me.

I would love to be able to explain in a artistic type way the site, water horizon and dipping Sun, or is it the Moon on its the Sun its orange and big and at the moment seemingly floating 3 miles away, I`m sure its further away than that.

Its almost gone now, I would like to wave as its like a old friend disserpering into the far way horizon, Its gone

I may have missed Sunset but I am never going to miss Sun rise, up with the Chefs that are filling shelfs not in baseball caps but in the full french kitchen gear.

What on earth were the French thinking when they let in Mc Donalds, the least they could have done was put in a national law to make Mc Donalds staff wear the proper clothing.

Always tea on the go, what is it about us Brits and tea, worked in a french bakery last time I was over and the hot water from the tap went straight onto the tea bag.

First stop for petrol on the road too BURGOS, N623 the best road for to wheels I should think in Northern Spain and it showed it, 100s of bikes on a Saturday evening, but I small Spanish old girl.

I have made it to Burgos and Im questioning my sanity, this is not a bike to do miles on.

Where ever I park the bike is surrounded, even tonight parked at the back of the Hostel all the talk in the bar is about 1970s Spanish motorbikes, 4 times now I have had to go out and lift the cover.

I have been shown scares on wrists legs and arms and pointed to numerous folks to take outside to start it up.

So I have to post the enevertable food photo at least you haven’t had 10 boring mountain photos

The Boss has just asked me if its OK if he smokes indoors, after telling the waitress whom is about 20 blonde and in the tightest Spandex pants I have ever seen, to feed me with the HOUSE SPECIALTY, again the camera is in my room.

Not for the food but for the waitresses arse that seems to be just about 1 inch wider eiether side from perfect.

Anyhow, Im really not sure that I am going to finish this ride, I looked down at the GPS thinking I was half way to BURGOS and had only traveled 7 kilometers from Santander, with another 150 kilometers to go.

It vibrates like nothing on earth, but the reseption the bike gets as I ride through villages with folks shouting BULTACO is well worth it, even as I got off the ferry some 10 workmen stopped talking turned and shouted with real gusto. BULTACO BULTACO

Well I managed about 280 kilometers today, I am a day ahead of myself, as there’s no other roads than the ones I`m on to ride south.

You can or you are ridding along side the old road for miles and miles, every so offtern I turn off and slip into the road side villages and ride out the other end if only to brake the boredom of the Spanish A303.

A very cold start this morning frost on the cover of the bike, the lady who was scream and shouting and throwing pots and pans about at 2am was there at 9am to take my money.

ROOM ,a 3 courses meal Large beer, large glass wine and a bottle od good stuff, massive plate of anchovies £55 so please I couldn’t find the tent I bought specially for the trip.

Cafe, stop, route plan

Another stop

we are heading South, I must admit to finding the young 8-10 year old and the 10-14 year old Spanish dancers a bit disturbing but I did manage to control myself when the old girls came on.

One beer slipped down very nicely and I managed a travelers trick, helped myself to four of the villagers finest Tapas, and watched a while before pushing the Bully down the road as not to upset the young dancers, and off to do a few lanes even if they do run along side the N502.

Anyhow all locked up in the poshest hotel I could find 2 star ** £40 euro and £11 euro for the garage, Im in the town I wanted to be in and at about the right time 5.30pm

While the bike was unloaded of baggage, I did a few circuits of the town, totally different ride without all that baggage, that’s it off to the POST OFFICE first thing and empty a pannier and send stuff home, as the ride is being spolt by all my extra gear.

Local Police in the Square ignored the speed and the sound as I made my way, and me panicking in their site as to weather I had shot down a one way street, much to the amusement of the local scooter riders.

I also had a sleep on a village park bench about 4.30pm – 5pm I could feel the healing quality of the Sun on my face, just looked in the mirror OMG thats (oh my God) to you non textees or testees

No, no thats the Sun, not my blood pressure kicking in

2 small beers and a ton of Tapas while watching the MOTO GP I couldn’t work out the commentary and where it was from.

There seemed to be lots of clapping and shouting, this went on all through the race it took me 30 mins to realize that the sound was on mute and the football was on in the other bar and the speakers from the T.V and around were playing the football commentary.

I know that seems hard to think how can he make such a silly mistake, but I am in a foreign country and I not knowing the GP wasn’t in Spain, it seemed almost the same.

Off to The Postie Office this morning so gathered up gear to lighten the bike as I am sure as eggs are eggs that its slowing me down, that and carrying the petrol that I am bound to need looking at those back roads and the way the do not connect with major road for some miles.

The petrol can go in the side bag, making it easier to hop on and off, as most of the time I have a audience as you can imagine I love.

Why do we do it, walk around the house just half an hour before you leave for a trip and grab stuff you think you will need, you need nothing.

I spent days working out this and that, and yes half an hour before leaving doubled it, and every time I go away I forget my tooth brush.

with internet support from a certain website “The Lovely Amanda and I are cheering you on all the way, GO BAKES, GO!!!” is one of the true Bultaco friends,

I am a day ahead of my self but now I hit the C Roads there`s a long stretch if you look on the map of SPAIN, Managed to dump 6 kgs of gear into the post office into a box £45 euros a much better ride for it, I recon I have another 3 kgs I could easy post tomorrow.

Things not needed LOCKS, Bike cover, and the odd ram mount.

This morning I looked on the GPS for the post office it was 27 miles away, so I set off on foot, across the town after 3 asks I manage to find the POST OFFICE at the railway station but it was for Rail post.

The railway post man gave me a bit of paper with the address on it mind you I have walked about a mile or so from the hotel.

A very fast walk with a lady that was late for work walks me to the POST OFFICE a n 30 min box wrap and form fill out and off I go to find my Hotel that is next to the POST OFFICE.

Paid the bill with a trial run of a very warped Dept card, that had melted next to the bikes exhaust box, it works BINGO, as I manage to work out that the manager of the hotel said ” Woooooooh what a man hes bent a card “.

Off I ride a lot lighter

The temperature is rising now the further south another 250 kilometers today really don’t want to do more, in a small town stopped here and weighed up the push to the next town 70 kms away and its 5.30

Stay here I decide, 70 ks the way I`m going today would take me to 7.30 and I`m done.

I took this picture today when I felt very lonely and venerable as I had not seen a car or a truck for a while, Just as I snapped a car overtook blasting his horn as I was straying into the other lane

My way of measuring the correct amount of 2 stroke oil into a Clomans Mustard Pot very British, old chap.

Spain Spain Spain

In PACOS bar and grill and * star Hostal, I think Mrs Paco has just laid this egg its stunning BULL FIGHTING on in the bar I`m in heaven

Small note, I asked for fish ! Who cares !

PACO

Sorry its been all pictures but as we all know every picture tells a story. Dont know how that Austin Vince bloke does it but I tried 8 or 10 times and never pulled it off, Mondo Malaga

Not a great lover of Chinese, not sure if I have spelt it write either, If your Chinese its not the people, well apart from the 12 that beat me up at school because I shouted Ying Tong China Man at them.

You have to be very careful of what you write on the internet as it can come back and bite you on the arse, well I was in the lift in the hotel this evening and I should think someone had just left the lift with a Chinese takeaway.

It smelt of Sweet and Sour so I went straight to the desk not to complain but to as which way to China Town, sorry NO CHINATOWN, just a chinese restaurant up the road.

No way was I going there Chinese folks normally make rubbish food for the locals, so I throw the menu the desk man gave me in the nearest bin, then a few laps of a few blocks a beer and tapas, by this time I am ready to eat, I see 2 coach loads of Chinese folk leaving this restaurant, so I walk in and its empty, but food everywhere, plates and plates of uneaten food.

Lady sits me down and gives me a menu and asks what I would like to eat, so I get up and start pointing at the plate after plate of this uneaten food.

I offer the waiters £5 euros and start gathering it up, NO NO NO, stop it stop it, off she runs and gets the owner, owner returns shes not silly, and takes my £5 euros quick as,

Then the waitress points me to a fresher table of food another Chinese man had not touched, a whole table full, and then the 3 waitress start to bring me all sorts of stuff, HOT SOUP, TEA, and on and on,

Never had the camera moment again

What a great day, but I am so tired, I walk about of a hour and return to the hotel , could be my age, or the days riding might have something to do with it.

I am more of a small town boy, cities just don’t do it for me, don’t know why but I had to try Cordoba as it is on the way.

If I do’nt write this up now I would never do it, the trouble is its a good 90 minutes an evening and 4 beers and by the time I have finished I don’t want to do anything else.

In a way where I have been and what I have done nerchering an old bike 720 miles makes for not doing much in the evening anyway.

I have really enjoyed looking back each day at the pictures, and when you are on your own you want to share the trip with somebody as you go.

As I am an aquired taste anyway its a good way for me to travel, beacaue there is no way the trip could have been done with two as I have stopped so many times, for photos, fuel and sun cream.

I have never thought of the ride report as having a start and middle and a finish thats good, thats what I like in a film

Have to be back to work Tuesday as its dear old Pats funeral, fight booked for Monday.

Pedro a Spanish chap thats a good friend and customer every morning at the bakery, imports any Brochali you eat in the U.K well anything GREEN you eat from Spain, is on his monthly buying trip in Mercia.

He is driving down to meet me he is also a very acomplished POLO player, so we are going for a few chucks.

Hitch hiking in Spain was a nightmare with 2 maybe not to bad alone, but I have to be asured to be home MONDAY, most important as my name word be dirt.

10.30 and starting to warm up, think I am going to stay off the bike today, I had a fantastic fuss made of me at the Fiestas new Motorcycle club bar, SAMBOKA and BAYLEYS a very small one, but very nice.

Sat in the Hallway of the hotel surrounded by 300 thousnd Japoneese people, funny they are all the same hight, why is that ?

Also they are all about seven stone, theres 3 English at the desk with the cobined weight of the whole Japoneese nation

If not for the funeral, I would love to hitch back, thank you for the idear, It is difficult finding internet on the road in back waters you really have to book a room.

Hich hiking is still about 60-80 euros a day, and riding down with all fuel and stuff 100 euros, seems to be the norm where ever you are and what ever I do.

Must admit to a nice well 17 euro bottle of Joes’s finest last night and his brothers not so generous with the ham platea so I had to have two so that was a 45 euro night without room and breckfast.

If you do ride South Spain just pop into Mijas its very Touristie but your not here for that, Joes’s is such a great host in the village,