Riding Rita .....

[needlongerlegs]

Riding Rita

Marion and I have just got back from a weeks holiday with a difference, We flew to Northern Spain (Santander) where we were picked up by a very nice man called Phil, and driven to a small costal town called Llanes in The Asturias region, this is located on the north coast of Spain with the capital city of Oviedo located at the centre.

Phil runs Bike Astur, a tour company with a difference, the transport for Bike Asturs tours are as the name says by Bike – Motorbike.

A 500 cc Royal Enfield Bullet was awaiting us at the hotel, this is a 1950’s British design but they are now manufactured in India and suitably updated in the reliability, handling and braking areas. But they still retain the authentic 50’s British big single character, I have 1953 Matchless single here in the UK and the Enfield felt like an updated version rather than a modern bike, Phil has six of these fine beasts all kept in tip top condition.

To the tour > each day you set out from your hotel (more of which later) about 10 ish and head for the hills, or should I say mountains. The Picos de Europe, The scenery was stunning, we, Marion and I have travelled extensively and we were both stunned by the views and vistas along the way.

Phil has spent a lot of time researching the areas history and points of interest, and it shows, as we wander along the bye roads of Asturia, Phil is full of history and facts, by day three we had just stopped for our lunch, I sat there thinking how’s Phil going to top today, but he did again each day we travelled a different route and saw different scenes and sampled different snacks in hostelries along the way. Marion is now hooked on Tortilla de patatas a sort of deluxe flan with an extra layer of cheese and ham and topped off with an omelet, humm that explains why the Enfield felt a little sluggish in the afternoons. Each day you cover between 70 and 120 miles I’d guess, it didn’t seem important at the time, with plenty of stops along the way, never rushed or stress full, Phil is ever helpful, he speaks Spanish like a Spaniard so no problems with ordering snacks and drinks etc,

The roads used are all small a and b roads, the quality of the roads surfaces are what we dream about in the UK, only once or twice on the whole trip did we come across roads like in the UK i.e. full of pot holes and bumps.

Marion is not really a biker and rarely goes on my bikes in the UK, she thoroughly enjoyed all six days on the back of the Enfield and commented on its comfort, not something she has commented on my modern BMWs, I must say I couldn’t believe how good the Enfield was either, it shocked me how a competent a bike it was and one will definitely be living in my garage soon be nesting between the Thruxton and the Matchless and the perfect little two up tourer.

Because you always return to the same hotel each night, one of the beauties of this type of trip is you don’t have to go biking each day, if you don’t feel like it or if you have a pillion he or she does not have to ride either, the beaches and town is a fifteen min walk away. Having said this no one on our tour opted out, they didn’t want to miss anything.

The town is very Spanish and has not pandered to the tourist industry, no tea like mum makes there. and all the better for it. The Hotel chosen by Phil was of excellent standard, true Spanish feel and style not a modern square block, the staff where great and so was the breakfast, Phil knows the family and they really look after the “bikers “ who stay, even to the extend of having built a little bar cum club house to the rear of the hotel where we finished every ride with a beer or two looking at the stunning mountain range awaiting our next sortie.

At the end of our trip as we prepared to head back to the airport Marion, thanked Phil and said this was not like a tour at all, but like going for a ride with good friends, I can only concur it was fantastic 6 days on a special bike, with spec

[GSAX1]

Nice review, superb pics. Thanks for sharing.

Michael

[paul knapp]

Graham, appreciate your effort in showing what motorcyclists in the rest of the world are doing.
For us lot stuck down here, we will never experience those adventures,... we might as well be on another planet!

Cheers, Paul