Howdy all,

Well, not sure yet but this may be the last official ride day of the trip..we are heading back to Barcelona ..... and I shall interject that I still can not get used to how late they eat here....supper is usually around 9....I am sitting at a bar outside....and the tapas aren't even out yet and its 6. So I ordered a rum...wellllll If I remember I will put a picture of the rum up as a rum... is A RUM!!! So....if i slur...you may understand why.  

So I slept like a baby....seems the ghost has the opposite effect on me as Martin explained he has stayed here many times and never has a good sleep. Kinda think he has the sheets pulled up over his head and quivers in his bed here me thinks lol. But he has seen some real stuff so has related to the ghost more than I. I on the other hand slept in a bit and went for breaky and it was a gooder as usual. Quick check with Pini and nope no ghost sightings...we all figure that once the ghost met Pini...he would give up the ghost...bwah ha ha...awww geez..hahahahahahah...that was the rum for sure. But thats the concensus to a man....Pini would wear the ghost down....and teach him how to be a proper ghost. Enough about that.

So a quick breaky a burp and time to pack. I got down a bit behind everyone else because I had to check out and got lost in the castle...holy crap they need to leave a cheese trail. So a lil cussing.... and I followed the echoes to the right path and escaped. What a cooooooool castle, Paradores...if you ever go to spain.....you must must must stay in them. Amazing!!

So I get to packing up the bike a bit behind everyone and for once I am last to get ready, no problem...I know they will wait. Roger is leading today and they all roll out with me still packing up. It was dicey weather too but no problem. I got sorted andd hopped on and left the castle. I got to the bottom of the hill.....and no one is there....ack. Its a left or right turn.....ack again..... no problem. I just need to sit an wait for them to come git me.....so I sit....and wait....and wait...then the rain started....uhhhhh helllooo....wtf. I am a lil frazzled...put me gear on....walk around a bit...kick some rocks...nada.... Hmmmm I think I am on me own.... ack. The ack is because Martin mentioned we would be taking some detours today and I wanted to partake. I had a route in me gps and figured wellll...gotta decide. Pulled out me cell phone to which I had aquired a local simm card for just such emergencies....heh heh.  

I unfortunately left me tour guide book with the proper phone numbers in my bag which was on the van. Hmmmmm no worries IMTBike has got you covered...they put a stamp on the inside of the top box with important phone numbers so I find the Barcelona number for Sergia (aka Slim). I dial as I have signal....and I get a automated load of Spanish that if I got it right is telling me me simm card is pooched....frggin hell......uhhhh. Okay...hmmmm twiddle of yonder thumbs for a min. K no worries... plan c I have a gps route...surely they will just be up ahead. My wifi had been working up to today so I will try an email.....so I send a quick email to Ryan..the chap I dealt with booking the tour to let him know I am trying to find my group. I hit the send and.... "Sorry Senior No data connection"..... ackity ack ack!!....oh and its raining good on me now.  K time ta ride....and plan d....I will stop every once in a while to see if I can get a data signal at least.....Off I go. Needless to say...it was scenic....but I was kinda trying to make sure I didn't messsup me navigating....as I had no rear tire to follow for a bit, I seem to get used to not having to think very quickly. All was going well...I kept stopping at villages or where there were houses...and still no signal...son of a B@#ch! This is why I get simm cards!!! lol. K I have learned in me travels to never lose ones cool. I always go back to the Apollo 13 story....you can yell and cuss and sweear all you want but your right where you are. I rolled into the next city and used a skill that has never failed me....I looked for bikes parked....sure enough....bikes are parked at a garage. I stop....put on me ack face.....and go inside andd in some pretty interessting spanish explain me situation. Oh and lol what are the odds... this guy is really nice but no english. ecessity works.....I learnd some words...or made them up and by forcee of will he understood them. EEither way he called the number for me on his cell and I got Sergia. Wahooo, I told him me situation that I canna find me group and where I was and to call Martin. He said no worries...I'll call you back pronto. I gave the phone back thanked me nuevo amigo and  waited....it was nto 5 minutes and my buddy trotted up to me with phone in hand.

It was Martin, he was wondering where I was and seems we were both looking for each other. Said he passed me going the other way but I didn't see him etc etc. No worrites he gave me the name of teh next town they were at and it wasn't too far in front of mee and they would be there. Tada...no worries!! I thankeed me friend....hopped on the bike and took off. Weell the road was great now.... I got to have fun. The rain had stopped and it was looking good and twisty....so I was having fun....the bike was revving high and I rounded a right hander and there was Martin waving his hands....couple downshifts...and I was reunited.  

So it was a joyous reunion....both Martin and Roger were apologising it seems it was because they were going to take some pictures. I seem to have been always there no questions asked so they never had to look back to see if I was there....oops, no worries though all was good and I get it, things can happen. So they got me a cafe...told me to have a sit an chillax...to which I took em up on it.  

After that it was time to ride.... we got going and the ride was pretty fun with Roger in the lead we wound up a mountain that is these guys's playground. Very fun riding. Not long but lots of fun turns and we got some speed in as it was dry. I think it is mount Montserrat an icon around here. So we stopped to let the rest catch up and then we ended up doing a combo of city and mountain roads...unfortunately there was always a car in front that would not let us by...so it was scenic but not great riding.  

 Hmmm so if this tale ends abruptly is because my tablet was stolen..just saying. I am a lil wobbly and sitting on the street at a bar and the bar keep has politely tuck me phone away and told me to keep a good grip on things as a lot of thieves are around here. I have heard a lot of stories about pick pockets too..... 


With that we ended up climbing a hill and pulled into a cool lil cafe and I got to order some patatas oli....lots of garlic they were very good. We got rolling after a lil break and it was city driving time...ick......tonnes of traffic and it was a bit sticky out.....in a lil while we were in front of the shop rolling the bikes in to park em. The Perfect Pyrennes tour was over. Funny even as I wrote that I felt a pang...just like when I turned the bike off for the last time. I had a few days left and was torn if to get another bike and keep riding or if to just explore...I decided to just explore sin bike.

We all got off and commenced to unpack the gear...and load up the van to get it all back to the hotel. Roger and Martin gave hugs to all and I met Slim (Sergio) and gave him a big thanks!I was straggling so all had left and only Roger and Martin were left so they offered me a ride in the van with them. This really allowed me to thank both of them for the awesome riding with them as it was some great chasing. They both were pretty happy to have some fun to as they said its a bit rare to be able to do that. First having someone to go quick with and second....having the rest of the pack not mind when you take off up front. Seems I lucked out with this group and everyone got the ride they wanted. We got to the hotel dropped all the gear. A last supper was set for 7:30.  

I sort of dozzzzed.......and almost missed it. But we all met up and went for a long walk to a cooool Basque restaurant that Martin had connections with so they opened early for us....and had a special table for us in the back.....remember supper doesn't even start till 9 around here. Really cool place and it started off with the tradional Basque apple ale. It is poured specially from a bottle about 3 feet above your glass.....and the waiter knew how to do it....not a drop on me. It was pretty tasty too. Then the dishes started to come...one after another...and a lot of veggies too...I joined in...which may suprise some that know me. Some kind of bean soup which was really good....then some cod.....then some lamb I think which was delicious. Then the Brulee......awesome meal. The speeches commenced after and some cool pics were handed out that were taken by whoever wasn't riding......and a usb stick with all the pics. We also got our certificates.  

Everyone had a great time it seems and both Martin and Roger are very genuine in their passion for showing a good time to all as it was not an act on eithers part. They went out of their way on several occcasions to help us out of various scenarios. They both love riding that is for sure too. We all patted each other on the back and it was time to head back to the hotel. We got back after a long walk and chats and both Roger and Martin insisted on making sure I know if I have any problems or questions at all to get ahold of them With that we parted......end of a cool ride.

Tomorrow time to start wandering around Barcelona........