Planning Paused!

So we are at that stage where planning has got about as far as it goes. It's now a case of wait and see what happens with Covid and the new variants that pop up every few weeks.

Currently travel and return to the UK results in a whole raft of testing and possibly being stuck in a quarantine hotel for two weeks on return.

So who actually knows that will happen in September 2022?  

Outward Route - Pass or Tunnel?

As mentioned before Neill's outward route goes through the Somport Tunnel.  The tunnel is just short of 9kms long.

If we have enough time I'd like to go over the Somport Pass instead and get that chalked off! I prefer the passes to tunnels every time!

It might be quicker by tunnel but I don't think anyone would want to miss the mountain view to go through a dark and dank tunnel.

Using to two points on either side of the border Google Maps I calculated it would be 6.7kms further to go over the Col rather than the tunnel, and about 12 minutes added to the day's riding. 

To me that sounds like the Col isn't that much of a problem and we can tick off a 1632 metre pass along the way!  Plenty of photo ops as well.

The two maps below are using MyRouteApp and the Michelin Map overlay.

Tunnel route left, Pass route right.

I do like to have a photo of the bike,  and even me in them, by the sign that says the altitude of the pass. 

For example:

From 2014!

Outward Journey - Hotels Changed

I have cancelled the Première Classe hotel in Joué de Tours and the Campanile in Bayonne in favour of Neill's choice of a pair of Kyriad Hotels.

His Kyriads are a Chambray-les-Tours and Orthez.

Fuelly App

For a number of years I have been using the Fuelly app and its desktop version to track the mileage and miles-per-gallon I get from the vehicles I own.

It's easy to use and came about when I switched from an iPhone to Android and the app I was using on iOS wasn't available on the Android platform.

I currently keep a log on the three vehicles that we own as a couple, the Juke has replaced the Insignia, Vera Strom has replaced the Rocket III, and I added the Kettle "Suzi Triplo" just to see how much fuel I use!

It all helps when planning a trip. How? It gives me a pretty accurate idea of how far I can go on a tank of fuel. 

I am one of those guys that likes to have a full tank when I set off on a ride/trip.  Belt and braces I guess. My metaphorical pants aren't going to fall down!

When I am away on a longer trip this applies too.  I'd rather fill the tank, even if I have only done 50 miles on the current one before I leave the overnight stop. If that means tanking up before the hotel/B&B, then that's what I will do.

So for this trip that's my thinking. Fuel stops also mean giving the butt a rest, a change for a pee and a coffee/lunch!

Vera's current Fuelly dashboard.  It's a public post so anyone can view the stats.

Fuel Stops - Homeward Route

Another route filled out with prospective fuel stops.  This is liable to change and  have have shared it with my brother. 

I suggested that we go down to Spain his way and come back mine. 

This is the bare bones route, overnight hotels and the fuel stops.  

There's plenty of time to see about some stops on the way to break up the journey and take a lunch or tourist type break!

It is a holiday/vacation not simply a rubber and fuel burning exercise!

Fuel Stops - Outward Route

With all my planning I tend to not add in fuel stops to my routes. Neill does as he usually tours with his friend Patrick. Patrick has a Honda Shadow with a smaller fuel tank range.

I have been through my outward trip and added some fuel stops.  Vera is currently averaging 50mpg dead on the Fuelly app and this is mixed riding in town and on the motorways when I do tend to push the speed limit to it's outer envelope.  

With Covid-19 being rife (and cases on the increase!) across the EU countries and Channel crossing fares being a complete and utter rip-off, I haven't been away to test what sort of mileage I can expect "over there"!

With a 20.5 litre tank I am looking at around 170-180 miles between fill-ups to ensure a margin of error. So far I haven't done more that about 149 miles on a tank. 

With a non-toll route in each direction there will be some fairly low speed limits, but there are sections of non-toll motorways that can be experienced, and speeds might get nearer 70mph on those sections.

This is my outward journey, mostly using the N10. Neill's is a little different.

In the end we may go "out" to Spain using Neill's route which is pretty much the same as this with different hotels, and a change at the bottom of France. I want to keep my return journey as it is the N20 route north instead of the N10 route.

Hotel at 7 covered by Fuel 8

Plan B

From the previous post I laid out two options, Plan A and Plan B.

The latter was to leave after racing and stay in a hotel in Lleida.

We have decided to do that.

So I have amended the booking at the El Cid and removed the Sunday night and added another hotel instead.

The new one in Lleida is the Ramon Berenguer IV. Quite budget but all of Lleida is cheaper in comparison to hotels nearer the Catalan coast. 

The hotel has private parking at €7 a night for a car space and in my booking I asked for a space to be reserved.  Although there is street parking if the option to have secure parking is there, it's worth taking!

That change saves us about 110 miles on the way home on Monday.

The saving will allow us more time to thread our way through the Pyrenees at Pont de Reu and then into France. 

We need to check the distances and overnight stops on the way upwards.