Only hours after completing the 2023 PBP, Friday morning we took a cab to Paris Gar de Lyon for a fast train to Barcelona for the second phase of this year’s European adventure. It was a comfortable train and we arrived in Barcelona mid-afternoon. We booked a hotel that was literally above the Barcelona Sants train station that would be our home for the next two nights.
Space age theme in the Hotel
La Vuelta Headquarters
The Barcelo Sants hotel was convenient and comfortable. It had a space age theme that seemed out of place, but we appreciated the large room (European standards) and convenient location. The first two stages of the La Vuelta bike race would pass nearby, and as it happened, it was also the hotel for the race officials!
Gazpacho for dinner
We could have gotten the half size!
We checked in and waited for the sun to get a bit lower in the sky, it was 90+ degrees and quite uncomfortable! We were looking for a light meal and found a great little tapas place tucked into a nearby square. The Gazpacho and tapas were just what we needed to end our travel day, and we had some leftovers for the room.
Saturday
Stage 1 of La Vuelta was a short Team Time Trial (TTT) in the streets of Barcelona. When we were planning the trip, we found passes through Bike Spain to the VIP section at the finish line and scooped them up. The stage would not start until early evening, so we had the day to check out the area and figure out the subway system.
Final roundabout before the finish line
Promotional banner near the finish
The final 75 meters
Our VIP section at 75 meters to go!
Watch on the big screen…
…or as they fly by toward the finish!
It had been oppressively hot all day, and thunderstorms were predicted about the time the teams got started. We didn’t bother with umbrellas or rain gear because we actually were looking forward to getting wet and cooling off. Well it was more like a mountain storm and about an hour into the event it was pouring rain and windy and cold. We ditched the VIP area and hurried back to the room to watch the finish on TV!
Sunday
We got up early and took an Uber to a local church that we found on the Mass Near Me app. Unfortunately the app data was old and it was closed and locked. We walked to another church and were able to get there, in the rain, just in time! We headed back to the hotel with a couple of cheap umbrellas, and pretty much soaked to the skin. Stage 2 would be a normal stage that started north of Barcelona, headed into the hills, and returned to Barcelona via Marotell. We took a late check out of the Barcelo Sants hotel and headed to Marotell via taxi to pick up our home for the next week, an Indie Campers euro caravan. We planned to follow La Vuelta into Andorra for two more stages and then head into the Pyrenees mountains for some riding and camping.
Route planning
We picked up the camper, had the requisite orientation and training on operating the refrigerator, battery system and toilet. This was no US camper, there is no generator, minimal water supply, and a tiny bed, at least for the two of us! But is it would suit our needs, and best of all, Stage 2 would go right through the industrial park where we picked it up, only an hour or so later.
Downhill roundabout, what could go wrong!
It’s Sunday, McDonalds was the ONLY place open!
The breakaway rolls through
The main peloton flashed by a few minutes later! It took another 30 minutes or so for the remainder of the race vehicles to pass through and the police reopened the roads. We fired up the RV and headed north toward Andorra and some welcome cooler mountain temperatures.
Hot dog stand open on Sunday!
Our plan was to get about 2/3rds of the way to Andorra and as evening rolled around, we started to look for restaurants. Most were closed, and the only ones that were going to open, would do so at 7pm! We were rolling through a small village and saw this hot dog and frites stand. We pulled a U turn in the rig and ordered some very tasty dogs and frites.
We spent our first night at a roadside pullout designed for caravans. Paved, level parking places and a toilet dump facility. We were tired and decided to give it a try. It worked great, but we were surprised by how low the cabin batteries were in the morning, we had only used minimal lights and the refrigerator ran on propane!
Monday
We woke to the sound of other campers heading out. We had plenty of time and our propane refrigerator was not working. I was able to get an Indie Campers customer service rep on an internet chat and he provided a link to a video that provided a fix. To our surprise it worked on the first try!
With a working fridge, we headed to Andorra to pick up groceries and supplies we needed for the camper. We had ordered the bedding, cooking, and BBQ kits; but there were many other things we would need. So Debby found a Target-like superstore outside of Andorra and we loaded up on groceries, paper towels, charcoal, lighter tabs, bath towels, and hangers (for the closet)!
We had a little scare leaving the superstore, the RV started beeping, but no warning lights, and was losing power in the higher gears. It was a diesel 6 speed and I had not quite adjusted to the lower RPM shift points and think I was over-revving it. In any case we limped into the RV camp in Andorra (again steps away from the race route) and found a great spot.
It was called Valira Camping and had power and water, great shower and wash facilities, a pool and jacuzzi. Our spot was shady and grassy on the edge of the camp and very quiet.
The Stage 3 breakaway
Stage 3 peloton
German sausage, Spanish beer!
While we were cooking dinner, we decided to stay at this great campground another night. Instead of camping on the side of the road in the mountains to watch the next days stage, we would stay ‘plugged in’ and walk into town to watch the start of Stage 4.
Our first RV dinner!
There was even a small market at the camp, and we picked up some really tasty spicy beans to add to our brat dinner.
Tuesday
We got up early and headed into Andorra to find the race start and explore the town. We found a cafe and did some shopping before returning to the camp to relax until the race started in the late afternoon.
Police traffic control moto’s ready for the stage
Team introductions
We headed back into town to the start area to hear some of the team introductions and watch the general chaos as all the teams, vehicles, and fans jammed into a very tight parking lot!
Race leader Remco Evenepoel
We were able to catch a photo (telephoto) of race leader Remco Evenepoel, he won the prior stage but crashed just after the finish line due to some poor planning on the part of the organizers. He was giving the press an earful (we saw it later on race highlights via YouTube) about that and running the TTT in the dark during the downpour!
Race leaders roll out
Stage 4 rollout
We found a great spot to watch the start of the neutral section. The riders head through that section to warm up and get out of a congested start area before the real racing begins..
Beautiful stream flows through Andorra
After the race passed through we headed back to camp to relax and plan the next couple of days and our excursion into the Pyrenees Mountains.
Ready for bike assembly
Our neighbors had checked out so we had plenty of space to get out the bike boxes and assemble our bikes. We took them out for a very short shake-down ride of about 2-3 miles. Andorra is very hilling and it seemed like trying to ride a bike in downtown San Francisco!
Yummy steak dinner
They were so nice, we had them twice!
Wednesday
Panorama view in the Pyrenees
Having a blast
Debby continues to rock the flannel
Coffee stop
We checked out early and were very happy that the RV performed well in the mountains and we did not have a repeat of the power loss in Andorra. But, the road we selected was steep and required a lot of shifting, but with the diesel engine, our rig had no problems, after I got used to the lower shift points.
At the top of a col we saw a restaurant and we were both ready for coffee so we stopped in for a break. There were a number of work trucks there and some linesman having lunch. Always a good sign! Two coffees for less than 3 euros, even better!
We camped along this river
We found a municipal campground in the town of Arreau that had plenty of space. Nice, but not nearly as nice at the one in Andorra, but it was also about half the price. We walked into town to buy some groceries and headed back to camp.
Col d’Aspin
There was plenty of daylight left so I decided to tackle the Col d’Aspin climb before dinner. The base of the climb was only a few kilometers from our camp, so off I went.
Beautiful views
Handy progress signs each kilometer
Done, in the wind and rain!
Like many days in the mountains the ride started with perfect weather. By the time I reached the Col a couple of hours later; rain, wind and cold was the order of the day. I dropped off the Col and found a spot sheltered from the wind and put on a base layer, rain jacket, and rain chaps for the wet descent back to town.
Lamb chops and ravioli
Dinner was a team effort, Debby cooked the ravioli in the camper and I cooked the chops on our little grill outside. Happily the rain, cold, and wind did not follow me all the way down the mountain!
Thursday
Traffic jam on Col d’Aspin
With one of the two climbs complete, we broke camp and headed up the Col d’Aspin, much easier climbing in the RV, until we hit a traffic jam near the top. A cattleman was moving his herd up the road and all traffic was stopped!
Base on the Col du Tourmalet
We stopped at the pass to take a few photos then headed down to the base of the Tourmalet climb. This climb is longer at 17.1 km with an average grade of 7.3%, and would take a bit longer that the Col d’Aspin so we found a shady spot to park the RV and I got started.
Steady climbing, the steep sections are in the second half
Sheep enjoying the shade in an avalanche shelter
About half-way up
The summit
Just desserts!
The bar at the Col
It took just over two hours to reach the summit and I headed to the bar for some refreshment. It was a lovely day and I enjoyed an Orange Fanta and a blueberry tart. I spend about 25 minutes at the summit then pointed my trusty steed back toward St. Marie-Claire and voila, I was back at the RV in less than 30 minutes!
Chip seal goat track
Getting back to the RV, we looked at the map and we determined that we didn’t need to backtrack all the way to Arreau via Col d’Aspin, but could instead go over the Hourquette d’Ancizan and rejoin the highway in a different way.
Curious horses
Hourquette d’Ancizan
Beautiful views in the high French Pyrenees
It was a great choice! The road was narrow and luckily there were only a few times we needed to pull part way off to allow oncoming traffic to get by. Rejoining the highway, we soon were stopped at a tunnel on the Spanish border for about 20 minutes, but then traffic cleared and we were back on our way and headed back into Spain. We stopped at a grocery and topped off the fuel for the RV and headed back toward Barcelona.
Roadside camping
It was nearing sunset and we noticed several RV’s pulled off the highway near a mountain stream. It looked flat and there was a place for our rig so we pulled in! We fired up the grill and cooked the only meat that was in stock at the grocery, brats!
No worries it was a great day and wonderful spot to camp and finish our day!
Friday
American Plus spot
Debby booked us two nights at the Camp Barcelona campground about 30 miles from Barcelona. It was a 4 star campground and was clearly the nicest we had been to. We splurged for the ‘American Plus’ spot which included a nice wide area to relax outside the RV.
Afternoon snack
We didn’t arrive until late afternoon and after several full days of riding and driving we were ready for a rest day and took full advantage!
Saturday
Side chapel where Mass was held
Mataró Cathedral
Organ balcony
We rode into Mataró, only a few miles from the campground to find coffee and a Mass. Again we struck out at the first church, but finally found another just in time for Mass. Afterwards we relaxed in the square with a coffee, and the priest showed up a bit later and had one too!
Mataró beach
Heading back to camp
Laundry day!
We used the rest of the evening to catch up on laundry and get the rig cleaned up and organized. The pre-tour started on Sunday afternoon and we would need to drive the rig into Barcelona to drop Debby, the bags, and her bike off while I drove to Marotell to return the RV and ride back to the hotel. Sounds like an easy plan!
Sunday
All going according to plan, that would change momentarily!
Santana Adventures keeps the pre-tour hotel name and location top secret until only a few days before arrival. This prevents guests from forwarding luggage or rushing the hotel early. Imagine our surprise when we found out the hotel was deep in the Gothic Quarter of Barcelona, a section with narrow restricted streets that our rig could barely fit through!
Of course, we could have put the bikes back in the boxes or taken a cab, but I would have none of that! We were sticking to the plan!
So we got up early and arrived before 0600 when the streets were nearly empty, except for the red light district workers and partiers that were just ending their night on the nearby La Rambla. We drove into the Gothic Quarter to a park a block from the hotel, ran the bags to the hotel, turned around in the park and head out. All was going to plan, until a few moments after the photo above. As I retraced my route back, a traffic bollard had popped up after 0600 and I couldn’t get out that way!
I called Debby for help as I backed the RV through the narrow street and turned around again and tried another route. Dead end! Once more in reverse and we try a third way. A young couple is making out on park bench, and Debby goes over and says ‘excuse us, we’re trapped, do you know a way out?’
They were more than happy to help and guided us out. In fact they insisted on walking Debby back to the hotel, since during the late/early hours, that area gets quite rough. They were very kind and we were very grateful!
Ride to the Barcelona
Great bike paths
Easy riding
After that exercise in the Gothic Quarter, the narrow two lane La Rambla seemed like a super highway! Traffic was still light and soon I was on a freeway to Marotell and dropped off the camper. They opened early and I was able to get it checked in and start my ride back to Barcelona. It was about 17 miles of city riding and the route suggested by Ride with GPS was excellent. Buy the time I got to the hotel, the room was ready and we were able to relax and laugh about the morning crisis! I dropped my bike off with the Santana Adventures team and we had the afternoon to wander around the La Rambla.
Walking La Rambla by day
The guilty traffic bollard!
We finished the day heading by city bus to the bike build area near the marina (ours were already built) for a welcome dinner and the start of the Santana Adventures Barcelona to Lisbon pre-tour activities. What a week!
