No swimming

https://www.imamuseum.org/island2011/author/kball/


a proyect of an artist in residency that i felt touched by

rolling home Vespa

http://www.flickr.com/photos/objectif_up/1355904277/

Camping Legessy (http://www.camping-legessy.com)

this was one of the very good if not to say best camping spots on the 2011 tour Valencia-Frankfurt-Valencia. It was on our way back south, the region is called "Drome Provencale" and the owner confirmed that it is still "sauvage",well it made us stay several days on that site. We followed Alain and Cristiane, the owners of camping Legessy, on a trailride passing lavender fields and a mountain ridge. They rode an old Honda xlv 750. That I guess made me trade my trusty Transalp for a 1986 Tenere. As we started working again back in Valencia, I wanted to move to that place badly. In my memory the whole experience had turned into something different, almost like a myth or memory of a story long ago.

2011 transalp trip seen by synesthetic expedition

Sot de Chera trailride

another secret trip after finishing work early today. 

 

Sot de Chera is reachable only by a considerably curvy country road, entering from the east and crossing a mountain pass, and leaving towards the west, gently and continuously rising until it meets the Highway Valencia- Madrid.

However, once you are there you find those remote gravel road networks, my guessing is they are forestal maintenance roads, accesses to little fields and terraces and ancient cettle pathways.

It is recommendable to ride them in a respectful manner. It makes you feel that everything there is alive and has maintained and provided for the few people living here. 

Same as their gravel roads, the people also are very dedicated and intelligent networkers!

Web Sot de Chera

this is somewhat further west, maybe half way between Sot de Chera and Siete Aguas, after this point again the altitude of the road is rising considerably.

Way home 2

About commuting home from work and the little detours I sometimes allow myself to take.

Yendo del trabajo a casa, és lo que se me abre si me puedo permitir de vez en cuando un pequeño desvío.

Auf dem Heimweg von der Arbeit. Eigentlich geht es schnell über die Autobahn und in 30 min bin ich zuhause. Hier ist was passiert wenn ich mir manchmal Umwege erlaube...

cb250N, 3rd hand, two-up, touring Europe.

valencia-frankfurt-valenciacapturing and reflecting a little part of a travelling idea ....while it took place....almost 10 days of riding in 3 minutes of  footage.
Can give a little bit of vertigo
 was so interesting doing it!!
It did not happen all of a sudden. Fact is I was living already a couple of years in Spain when I started to develop a sore hip, very painful, and decided to buy a Vespa for commuting and getting around town, instead of bus, walk and cycling which I always enjoy very much but along with intense training (I still performed and tought classes as a dance/physical theatre performer) i thought my hip would be happier on a Vespa.

What a great experience! i got to wrench and ride a lot, and learned to appreciate italian temper and caracter.

Once i got a notion of how to deal with a Vespa, it really started to take us places.

Vespa t5 por la mancha

 and, motivated for  further motorcycle training!

 Result: to try out the new adquired licence, i bought a little old CB250. To buy the Honda- I sold the Vespa  :-(

 That was an new mecanical vocabulary-valve clearences, chain and sprocket exchange, cleaning and greasing of the chain, incredible gas mileage, Brake pads and fluid, new tires and thats about it.
I would not go fast, so it went far, something I had learned the hard way from the Vespa.
The logical conclusion after zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance:

 packing a little bit of camping gear on it somehow,

and crossing el maestrazgo, the Pyrenees, France, all the way to Frankfurt in Germany and back.

sometimes we camped, and after the occasional day of soaking rain, we would permit ourself the luxury of a hostal.

there where small country roads

heavy rains, adjustments to camping lifestyle, sore butts but altogether it was unforgettable.

on the right my new project!
Currently without a rearwheel but hopefully soon back on the roads again...