Spain '22, #7 Espinama Trail, Offroad through The Picos de Europa by Royal Enfield Himalayan.
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- Опубліковано 15 лис 2022
- In this the 7th video from this years trip to Northern Spain, we - that's Blizzard and myself - take the tarmac roads as far as Sotres, before embarking on the gravel trail, or camino, which takes us through the central massif of The Picos de Europa for about 12 miles, south to the village of Espinama, where we rejoin the tarmac as far as Fuente De. As usual a delightful ride, as I'm sure you'll agree. Thanks in advance for watching.
Greetings from Turkey, what a great route, thank you for your effort and guidance.
nice video, beautiful scenes
Thanks Stuart, yes the North of Spain has a lot more to offer than I realised, as does the rest of the country. Thanks for watching anyway. Cheers. 👍
I got the cable car up and walked back round back to my bike. It was money well spent.
I just found this channel 👌🏻 what a a beautiful scenery....so im in.. a New Subscriber ✨️ 💯👏🏻👍🏻
Thanks Martin...
Greetings from Kingdom of Saudi Arabia 🇸🇦 🌴 💐
Welcome aboard Abdul, I'm glad you found it interesting and watchable. Thanks for subscribing, and supporting my little channel. 😎
Of all the great videos you have done for us this is my fave; motorcycling utopia it is; just fantastic.
Thank you my friend.
Neil
Thanks for that Neil, this year's trip was definitely a good 'un!
I was blessed with the weather for this ride too.
Cheers, Martin
@@martintraffordmoorlandbike7121 Your welcome my friend. Your channel deserves many more subscribers; your a nice guy and I love what you do, we seem to enjoy the same type of riding etc; people really are missing out on a great channel.
Saw your tongue in cheek reply to Bill, please, no bad videos lol.
That's nice to see Neil. I enjoy playing around with the cameras and stuff, but I must admit it'd be nice to see bigger numbers. I never really thought I'd generate this much interest when I started.
Agreed though, no bad videos! 😅
Lovely video thanks. Unless i missed it. What time of year was this trip taken? I'm thinking about a trip in April but really unsure on the weather! That said, if it is poor maybe i just keep heading south? Your advice would be appreciated! Thanks!
Hi and thanks for watching. This was in late September, when the north of Spain tends to be fairly settled. I've been across there at that time of year several times now, and the weather's been invariably good. I went across once in early May, but there was too much residual snow on the higher roads to guarantee getting through. Yes, if you look at my videos from last year's trip, where I spent more time in Almeria and Sierra Nevada, it's as spectacular and more guaranteed weather. Wherever you go, have a great trip. 😎👍
@@martintraffordmoorlandbike7121 that's great many thanks!
Hi Martin this is driving me to an oct 2023 trip to the picks. I had a house in Spain until my divorce in Andalucia. I kept an xmax250 there and rode most of the mountain roads between Malaga and Gibraltar. Astonishingly beautiful and beautiful tarmac. My xmax only had 22 bhp I think but I rode it from uk and back and all around Spain, Seville, Jerez, Granada. Sometimes 2 up cruising at 60mph no problem. Lovely big fat seat. My daughters have walked the Camino trail. In Spain most bikes are of low ish capacity 500s 650s etc. There are the sports bikes too but with scenery like that it’s got to be an adv bike next for me. This is your most spectacular vlog to date I have watched. May I ask how tall you are and the longest you have spent on himmy. Have you had to repair fork seals etc, looks pretty rough in places. Again many thanks for this pure pleasure and entertainment value.
Ha ha just rewatched and yes the orange/olive/lime groves in the wilds have very big dogs or sometimes packs of dogs and I didn’t stop and was chased several times. Gypsey deterrence my guess as you can’t fence thousands of acres
Hi Volt, I know what you mean about inland from the costas, and I've set off a couple of times intending to go further south, but been waylaid by the northern sierras. It's just such a spectacular part of the world!
I'm 6'3" tall, and have invested in a set of bar risers, and had my seat raised by SAS Autotrim. Blizzard's now pretty much perfect. I do quite a bit of green-laning where I live in the Peak District, and at 14000 miles haven't had any fork-seal or steering-head bearings, so I'm particularly happy with the bike. I just have to accept it's limitations on motorway work.
Can I say that I really appreciate your following my channel, as comments like yours give me the impetus to carry on. I just wish I could reach a wider audience. Thanks again anyway. 👍
@@martintraffordmoorlandbike7121 I don’t know how I came across your channel. There’s a guy in Cornwall saddle bags73 who works with exeter rider. SB73 doesn’t have that many subs yet ER does. SB rides several RE. Check him out. I also watch a lady called rest day rider a paramedic who has just bought a himmy. Perhaps ask how they have reached out. I am sharing some of your vids to see if any my buddies like it. Whatever, yours is a lovely watch don’t be disheartened. I used to do Andalucia in one day from Santander but is a trek but could rest once there. My bones don’t like very long trips nowadays. Thinking of buying a bike trailer
Yes, I watch all of those three, plus many others, so it could well be an idea to tap them for advice. Rest Day Rider in particular, as she's gained far more subs in a much shorter time. I know my vids are a bit long, but I just can't bring myself to leave stuff out.
Regards, Martin.
@@martintraffordmoorlandbike7121 please don’t change.
Haha.......no chance! I'm enjoying it too much, and it's nice and easy this way. 👍
Thanks for the great inspirational videos Martin. Been doing the Picos and Spain/Portugal for many years. Still not found a good paper map of the region. Can I ask the specific details of the one you use at 2:30 in this video please? A small group of us pan to do the Espinama - Sotres route late may this year. p.s. I like the background you give to the "local videos" as it's sort of my patch too. 👍👍
Cheers Gary, yes I use the Michelin 'zoom' series of maps, which are a green cover. But I've also found (on eBay too) some national geographic maps, which are water and wear resistant.
Sounds like I'm preaching to the converted regarding Northern Spain, but at least you know what I'm rambling on about!
Thanks for watching again, and comments like yours are greatly appreciated. Cheers again. 👍
I've just checked my maps, and I use sheets 143 and 144 in the zoom series of maps. I hope you find them Gary. I can't find them on eBay just now, but a general Google search threw them up. 😊
@@martintraffordmoorlandbike7121 So informative, thank you!
Thanks for that, glad you found it interesting. 👍
Such a nice and interesting video with scenery which i don´t often see , Exquisit. Thank you👍👍👍
Cheers, it is a bit special across there. Thanks for watching again. 👍
Exquisite *
Hey Martin! Great video. Hoping to do this 2 up on a 1972 CL175. Where did you get your paper map from? Thank you!
ah i've just digged in the comments and found an answer. thanks
Thanks for watching Mattie, you'll have a blast. It'll be easier with a pillion if you go from Espinama north. Glad you found the map details. Cheers. 👍
Hi martin just been watching MOTO MOGUL latest vid on this very road ....👍good watch...for wrong reason
Sorry Dave, I haven't seen that one yet, does it raise a problem?
@@martintraffordmoorlandbike7121 heavy bikes ??not making it...
Oh right, yes there's a time & place, and that's definitely not the place for some of the behemoths around just now. It's a popular route indeed, but also a serious undertaking. Thanks for pointing that out. Cheers 👍
Hi Dave, I just watched it through; for one thing the sight of so many big bikes attacking such a beautiful trail made me shudder, and then the footwear some of them were wearing was ridiculous for what is a mountain environment. I just wouldn't want to be part of a group like that. Doesn't show us in a good light. Thanks for showing me this.(I hope this doesn't make me sound like a know-it-all, it's just that I have a mountaineering background) Cheers again. 👍
It was one of Richy Vida's trips...nuff said! 👍
Hi enjoying your videos. Can ask is that the standard can you have on your himmy
Hi Peter, thanks for watching and commenting. The can on Blizzard is a Lextek one. I did a bit of research, and it's a lot lighter, small performance increase, and not ASBO material. Cheers 👍
Ok, Ok. Hope you have a lawyer! I have just been to the Picos. Four of us went. A GS1250 rider with 100% road tyres. A V-Strom 650 with 100% road tyres. A F700GS with 100% road tyres and me on an X-Cape with 90 road/10 off road based tyres. On the back of your amazing yet misleading video ( have to say that for the impending court case) we attempted your route. It was a freaking disaster! Entering from Espanama the first 5 miles were fabulous….. then the GS1250 rider pooped, lost his grip on reality and froze! Then after half hour calming the snowflake down he continued but dropped it twice! Then refused to ride any further. It’s only 6 months old and cost him £16k ! But the law suite continues…. My ex wife ( 5 foot nothing ) on the 700 kept her cool but alas binned it twice and also refused to ride any further. My nephew on the 650 and my self had to ride our bikes a mile ahead WALK back and ride the 700 and 1250 down. We repeated the process for almost 3 hours!! Ordinarily I would sue using the full extent of the law. However, watching a GS 1250 rider having recently paid thrice the price of my bike, freeze, poop , and paddle was very entertaining. I think the ( silent ) laughter value is compensation enough. Fair respect Sir. You made it look easy on Blizzard. Take care Oly
I'm sorry Oly, I've only just found your comments......yes, I'm putting together a team of lawyers as we speak! 🤔😅 I'm glad you gave it a go though, as the situation up on the plateau is fantastic. Although the Himalayan isn't the lightest of bikes, it's way more manageable than the Tiger 955 I used on my first visit 10 years ago. (pre UA-cam by a long chalk). Thanks for watching again, and TRY to stay safe! 😀👍
I did it the opposite way on a brand new 1250 gsa. Am no stranger to off road .. how I did not bin it was luck not skill. Never again
And that, Bryan, is why I'm happy to stick with the Himalayan. At 70+ I just couldn't pick the old Tiger up! A tad limiting on the motorway, but it'll do me. Thanks for watching anyway. 👍
Getting fed up of watching your videos. It makes me so envious.😊 I have never been abroad on my Himmy or any other bike. Not had the courage or confidence but next year I am going to try and do this on my bike. Are you planning on going again? Could do with a guide. I am a retired chap.
Oh heck! I'd better make a few rubbish ones then. Thanks for sticking with them though. 👍
Sorry Bill, I missed the second bit. Yes, I'm making tentative plans for next year, but not sure whether to go early season for a change, and also cross to St Malo, and take in a bit of France, as the long crossing's a tad pricey.
Way to go Bill.
Hope the trip comes off for you.
Cheers
Neil
@@martintraffordmoorlandbike7121 Good idea Martin; I’m all for saving money if poss.
Plus, you get to ride for longer too.
Neil
Plus there's one or two nice passes through the Pyrenees.
All good then really. 👍
Hiya Martin Can I ask you a question? That dirt trail you took from Sotres going high, is that useable for a bike with road tyres if dry? In your estimation that is? Or would it need adventure type tyres? Thanks
In my honest opinion Bill, I personally wouldn't take it on, on pure road tyres, although I understand folks have done it. I'd do it on Tourances, but it was definitely more gnarly this year than last. I hope that helps. 🤞
@@martintraffordmoorlandbike7121 Martin. Would you say it's easier to do Espinama to Sotres on that trail rather than Sotres to Espinama? Thanks. I am there in June.
There's two ways of looking at it Bill. The only steepish section is on the climb from the Sotres direction, so it depends whether you prefer to descend or climb steep sections. I'm ok with both, which is why I was greedy last year, and rode both ways. I have to say that if I was to offer advice to a first-timer, it'd be to ride south to north - Espinama to Sotres, but either way, I'd urge you to take the tarmac ride out to Treviso(and back) Just have a great trip Bill.
@@martintraffordmoorlandbike7121 I agrée. Mind you when I said the same in response to Richy Vida’s dramatic video about the same subject I received a huge amount of abuse from his sidekick Mr English who claimed I had no idea what I was talking about. 🙂
The least said about that man, the better! I have good knowledge of that trail, and as a mountaineer, more respect for that environment. I've rarely seen a more disorganised group. At the end of the day it's a serious mountain environment. Cheers David. 👍