Moto Museums And Really Big Mountains
I took off solo the next day. I had miles to cover, and countries to visit. My destination? Andorra. The teensy little country nestled in the Pyrenees, seemed a good enough goal. With decent time management I figured I could make it all the way to France. Looking specifically for skinny lines on the map I blasted out of Barcelona on the A-2 again, only this time blew right past Montserrat on the C-55. While the C-55 isn't the twisting goat paths of the mountain, it was a good cruiser road, with winding sweepers connecting the dots between ancient towns with beautiful old buildings and occasionally Roman ruins off the side of the road.
In Cardona I found a castle on a hill with a commanding view of the valley. Castle Cardona is now a state-run luxury hotel, but you can ride right up to and around it on your bike and park right on the battlements. Continuing on the C-26, I soon found myself in the rugged country near Basilla. Here the C-14 runs up into the Pyrenees, but a short jog to the south gets you to Museu de la Moto. I'd highly recommend this museum over just about any American one, as there is a wealth of makes and models that never made it to the US. Stuff I'd never heard of before, along with super rare bikes, a 1940s-period bike workshop mockup, and a whole floor dedicated to Spanish brands.
After what was probably way too much time checking out old bikes and eating a fine lunch at the café, it was straight up C-14. Much of this road skirts the edge of a reservoir (Pantano de Oliana) with a series of tunnels blasted to straighten out the road. I found it fun to take the old road turnouts both to drop the pace a little and enjoy the views of the lake.
It was getting late when I met up with the N-260, which is the road that follows the foothills of the Pyrenees, and I should have given up my stubborn streak right there and skipped Andorra, but curiosity got the better of me and up I went. When asked about where I went later by a brit. I told him Andorra. He asked what I got there, so I naturally asked "what does one go to Andorra to get?"
His reply? "Anything you want." So if you need something hard to find elsewhere in Europe, or in need of a bike shop (there are a ton of them here), by all means visit Andorra. If not it'll be the low point of a trip through the Pyrenees. It's just got heavy traffic, long lines at the border, and they don't even stamp your passport! However, after turning around, heading back out and rejoining N-260 to the east, I was once again in heaven. Here, deep in the mountains, on this road were snow-capped peaks on both sides (in May), more of the long sweeping corners common to four-lane highways, but beautiful and relaxing and uncrowded, even on a Saturday.
With the sun sinking low, I just took the expressway back, but I couldn't have picked a better one. The C-16/E-9 heads due south to Barcelona through a long tunnel with a $20 toll (ouch). Those snow-capped mountains I saw earlier? The tunnel goes through them. Out the other side the road follows the Llobregat River Valley and reminds me of I-70 through Colorado, only with a constant downhill trend. Towering peaks and waterfalls, occasionally a set of switchbacks. It's one of the nicest expressways I've ever seen.
Don't Forget Barcelona
Our last day was spent, once again, as a couple toodling around Barcelona to check out all of the magnificent architecture. Antoni Gaudi is a legend in this town, and one of the world's foremost architects, who designed and built parks, churches, and public buildings all over Barcelona. The beautiful buildings didn't start with Gaudi, as there are spectacular old Roman sections of town, some ruinous, some still in use. But I'd like to think that it wouldn't be quite as beautiful as it is if it weren't for all of the 20th century and later builders feeling like they need to measure up to Gaudi's genius.
Barcelona is a very bike-friendly town. You can park on the sidewalk just about anywhere there is room. If you're safe about it, you can even ride on skinny little pedestrian streets, if they're not crowded. Right in town there are scenic and beautiful roads to explore like the roads up and around Montjuic.
In the end, I discovered that just five days in a town like this is not enough. I have a new favorite foreign town, and this is it.
Do It Yourself
Obviously this is not something you can just hop on a plane and do, so we rounded up a few contacts in Barcelona via Google (we don't endorese any of these businesses). If you have your heart set on a cruiser, you're probably getting a Harley, there are also BMWs, Hondas (just sportbikes/dual-sports) and Ducatis for hire as well. Weekly rates start at about $500 Euro for an 883 Sportster to closer to $850 for a Road King, and don't differ much between dealers.