Howdy,

Our "rest" day was fun today its time to head south towards Barcelona. I actually slept a solid night last night for the first time and slept in a bit. So got down ready to go for breaky and to load up the bike. We did our briefing in the parking lot and Martin and Roger gave us some neck warmers tres cool. The sun is up and the view is great so far. The night before it rained and it seems we are getting very lucky the clouds always clear up a bit in the morning. The bike was soaked but nothing a rag couldn't cure. Martin is lead today.  

With that off we went. We will end up in Cardona today and will stay in a haunted castle. Yup its haunted for real. The roads are damp so nothing bit going to happen in the ride so I just entertained meself taking pics and looking around a bunch. We stopped to fill up but I had the night before on me way back so was good. The weather however was looking dicey so we all put on our rain gear...just in case. If you put it on before it rains it usually doesn't. Kinda weird. Off we went, again the roads are a bit wet so its just a nice ride through scenic roads, not a bad way to spend a morning. eventually we pulled into a cool town with a castle on top of the biggest hill. Time for a coffee. The castle is cool....and we wandered around it and there is a cafe inside the main yard. Not a bad place to have a sit down. Oh and the cloud cleared and the sun was out n about in full force.  

We wrapped up and headed back to the bikes, loaded up and were off. The roads were drying up and it looked like it could get fun. Today wee are to be on some cool roads that are actually used by motor bike magazines for shooting as there is hardly any traffic on them at times and they are wide long sweepers with great pavement. However we had to go through a bunch of very narrow roads that follow a canyon that has the odd truck going through and there is not a lot of room heh heh.

As expected the scenery was crazy cool and we had some fun to start as the roads were good at first....then we hit some construction. Loose asphalt all over the place.....so that slowed us up. When it is all cleaned up again that road will be crazy cool but it kinda sucked having to take it slow on it. It ended at the border of Aragon and we stopped at yet another cafe....and a wicked good sandwich I am eating wayyyyy too much. With a burp....and a change of Dan's bike, seems the leak was back, we were good to go again.

Now we ended up on this crazy cool narrow canyon road....wow it was narrow and windy and very interesting to see but traffic got us and myself and Martin made it past a truck that was holding everyone up but no one else seems to have been able to get buy so we had to take it easy till they could....unfortunately it was most of the cool road. So nice scenic ride..... then we finally go to open road that opened up and holy crap.....we took off. These were the roads we were told about that are used by bike magazines. It almost perfect dry but a few wet spots so we had to be a bit careful but Martin lit it up and the chase was on from my perspective. We pulled from the pack pretty quick and it was a great ride the sweepers just went on and on....fast with hard lean all the way around.....one after another. Martin would point out wet spots for me and I for the most part would follow his line but I had to move on the inside on him once cuz of some crud so lost my line a bit. He was pulling away whilst I got the groove back but I caught back up after a couple of corners but I had to work it. I am amazed at how the GS can go in the right hands. I noticed I got a throttle hand callous the other day, heh heh. Amazing road and it was the most challenging I found so far as it was probably the quickest run we did so far.  

Then we popped around a corner and police cars....and cycle fans were all over the place. Seems the Spanish equivalent of the Tour de France was going on and we were on part of the track. So.....lil slower for a bit. Then we were off again for a good run. The rest of the day seemed to go pretty quick and in what seemed like not long there was the Castle of Cardona in view. We had a gas up and then a nice little climb up to the castle. We parked in the back and the hotel staff was waiting for us again with are room keys ready to go. Seems the norm. Pini got put in the haunted room lol. He is not to concerned bit of a tough guy.  

I just headed up to the room....the castle is cool....the room has a great view of the ancient salt mines below... I hopped in the shower as it had gotten a bit warm and I needed a soak, got out and realized I had not picked up my bags from the van....ack. So bike gear back on...went back down to get me bags and get into normal cloths. Once that was done it was time to find the bar. the thing about castles is that they are hard to figure out. I managed to find the bar and its got a wicked patio that of course overlooks everything. Castles are always in the coolest spot. Beers started and we got to visit with a bunch of British tourists. I found they had a cool Venezuelan rum....and it was time for supper.  

Another awesome supper, the appetizers alone were a meal..... We ultimately ended up on the patio to share a bottle of raspberry wine that Martin was given at one of the cafes we stopped at. So we wondered what news of the ghost we would get the next morning. It is apparently real. To work in there you have to sign an agreement they you will not go into room 712 alone. All sorts of guest and employees have seen and heard stuff. It seems this is where a duke met his untimely demise. .... google it seriously.....

With that the day was done.... Last riding day tomorrow, all good things must come to an end sadly.