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Monday, September 3, 2012
From Cahors to Montcada
(near Barcelona)
It was still dark when the alarm of my phone started ringing this morning.
I wanted to leave early because it is a long way to Montcada. Breakfast was at
half past seven but before that, my panniers and tankbag were already on the bike.
I left the hotelparking at around eight o'clock and firts went to a gasstation to
start with a full tank.
Because it is to far to avoid highways and toll-roads, I programmed the Tomtom to
show me the quickest road, including toll-roads.
A nice bridge, close to Cahors before I got on the Peage
Not far from Cahors, I entered the peage and had to get a ticket. I had never
done this before so it took some time before I found out that I just had to get an
entry ticket and then I could enjoy the empty freeway (that is not free).
At the Peage to Barcelona
My ticket for the Peage
Almost 160 km from Cahors, I needed a coffee and I wanted to fill the tank again so
I stopped at Relais de Port Lauragais Sud. I got a cappuccino and some TicTac mints
and a full tank and got on the bike again.
Between Toulouse and Perpignan, there were signs along the road that drivers with a
caravan behind their car should drive slow because of the hard crosswinds.
I did not tow a trailer but I drove slow too because the wind blows very hard indeed.
Not very comfortable.
The peage is a good road with not much traffic
From the freeway, I could see the old village of Carcassonne in the distance.
Because there was a parking with a nice view on the old town, I stopped
to get some pictures.
Carcassonne in the distance
At the AGIP Aire Village Catalan in Villemolaqu I made my last pitstop in France.
I also bought some fruitjuice and sandwiches because I was getting hungry.
Not long after my stop, I crossed the borderwith Spain and the toll-road here is
a beautiful four lane freeway with almost no traffic. I guess this is where they
spend the EU money.....
Four lanes of tollroad with almost no traffic (in Spain)
It is warm, even on a motorcycle. The wind feels like a hot air blower. I am glad
it is September because in August, it is sometimes 40 degrees Celcius ! Much to
hot for me.
On of the parkings along the road had a very nice shaded parking area. I parked the
bike there to drink some water when a nice Spanish lady asked me if I would like her
to take my picture. Ofcourse I would so she made the first picture of me in Spain.
The first picture of me in Spain
On the next time I stopped at a parking, I met a Dutch couple in a BMW open sportscar.
He also had a BMW R1100R bike so we chatted bikes and cars before we both left.
A quick pitstop
Finaly, after a long hot boring ride I arrived at the end of the toll-road, near
Barcelona. I think this is the last time I use the toll-road, peage or whatever.
Not my kind of road.
The end of the toll-road, near Barcelona
I had to go another 10 or 15 kilometers to my hotel in Montcada and I was very
happy I had a Tomtom GPS. It would be hard to find it in the maze of highways around
Barcelona. After a long and hot ride, I finaly reached the hotel Sercotel Ciutat de
Montcada.
Sercotel Ciutat de Montcada, Carrer Verdi 12, Montcada, Spain
After I checked in, I could park my BMW in the garage under the hotel. There is
a train station only a few minutes walking from the hotel so I will go to Barcelona
by train tomorrow.
The bike in the garage under the hotel
After I locked the bike I went to my room, room 234, at the very end of a very long
corridor. First I wanted to have a shower. I needed it after the heat of the ride.
Then I noticed the toilet seat was broken so I called reception to tell them and I got
another room. Room 244, very close to the elevator. Much better !
Now my luggage was in my room and I had a shower, I put on clean clothes and went
outside to check out the station. It was very close to the hotel so tomorrow I will
know where to go. Then I went to the shopping center, right bellow the hotel. I had
a nice cappuccino and bought some water and fruitjuice at a Mercadona supermarket.
Shopping center, under the hotel
The Spanish people like to diner late in the evening so the restauarant of the hotel
did not open until 20:30 h but then I had a wonderfull dinner with soup, a salmon dish
with vegetables, a bottle of wine, ice cream and a very small cup of very strong coffee
and that all for only 13.50 euros !
A big change in plans
I changed my plans for this trip. My plan was to go to Gibraltar but
because of the distance and the high temperature (for me) it is becoming more
of a challenge then a fun holiday. I go for the fun relaxing holiday so after my visit
to Barcelona, I will not go to Gibraltar in the South but to Andorra in the North and
then to Carcassonne and then .... I do not know yet. I like to enjoy riding my
wonderful BMW on mountain- and countyroads, not just speeding on the freeway so that
is what I will do the next couple of days.
to be continued......
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