Fun Badger Rides Again

Day 8 - La Floresta to Espot Wait - whatever happened to days 5, 6 and 7?  Well, this is a (vaguely) motorcycling related blog, and days 5 to 7 were non-riding days, where we played tourists along with our lovely wives, Angela and Sharon.  No complaints, very enjoyable days they were too.  We visited the Bari Gothique, went mad in Mercado De La Boqueria, visited Parc Guell, Casa Vicens, Sagrada Familia and a whole day at the magnificent Monestir de Montserrat.  We also were present when the rioting in central Barcelona started.... watch  this if you want to know what that was all about! So here we are, it's now Tuesday morning.  Jez & I will get underway on the bikes, whilst the signorina's take in more Gaudi and some last-minute shopping before heading for the airport for a late evening departure home.  We unchain the bikes, and carry out inspection.  Petrol? Check Oil?  Check Water?  Yes - in the panniers and not the air-cooled engine! Damage?  Non Electrics?  Check Rub

This trip represents the culmination of an idea that was born at a barbeque two summer's ago;  Scott, myself and Jez standing around the bonfire, drinking beer, smoking cigars, and plotting tours of Europe - despite the fact that only one of us had a bike at the time! And a Harley Davidson 883 Iron isn't really suited to long distance touring....   Within  a month, Scott had bought a 2017 BMW R1200 GS Triple Black, and within 2 months Jez had found his steed, a 2007 R1200 GSA.  When I completed the trio with Gretchen at Christmas, we were all set to do something the following summer. A house move for Jez meant that the original plan was pared back to the previously recorded Ireland trip with Scott.  The following summer, due to pract ical necessity we were down to Jez & myself for the long-delayed continental trip.  Planning was tricky, because the wives wanted in on the adventure, but without the riding!  So we settled on a plan of taking the ferry to Northern Spain, ri