Sunday 30 June 2013

Never leave home without one!

4 miles out from Pyrenees Motorcycle Tours Robin riding a Triumph Street Triple R get a flat rear tyre.  Luckily both of us are carrying puncture repair kits and we are up and running again in less than 10 minutes.  We always find that the string type repair works well and this one didn't loose any pressure for the rest of his stay.



Getting the string ready to fill the hole

Inserting the string

All ready to rock and roll again!

Tuesday 25 June 2013

Weight restriction ....

There is a weight restriction on the approach road to the Bielsa Tunnel, could be due to part of the road being washed away by the recent high water levels in the river.

Today witnessed an excavator standing beside the hole behind the barrier with a workman standing in the bucket of the machine and being lowered down to the bottom, not one for the HSE!


Saturday 22 June 2013

Better weather at last!

Well what a week it has been in the Hautes-Pyrenees! We had a group arrive on Monday evening straight off the ferry at Santander, it took them longer than they thought with the bad weather they had not only in France but Spain too.

Tuesday was "tour" day, so everyone donned their wet weather gear for what was going to be a very wet ride taking in Col d'Aubisque, unfortunately there were no spectacular views to be seen that day.
Annie enjoying a break from the rain at Col d'Aubisque

'Buncey' group leader
Leaving the cafe at Col d'Aubisque
Gorges du Hourat
After the heavy late snow fall, a few hot days followed by heavy rain the result was devastating for many of the mountain villages, with houses, road and bridges being taken out by the storm water.  This has resulted in many roads being temporarily closed to enable emergency services to do their work.  Some routes are closed due to there no longer being a road; access to Caurterets, Bareges and St. Beat, we will let you know when these have been sorted.


Bridge damaged by flood water at St Laurent-de-Neste

Bridge damaged by flood water at St Laurent-de-Neste

Bridge damaged by flood water at St Laurent-de-Neste



Monday 17 June 2013

Col d'Aubisque finally opens

Yesterdays ride took in Col d'Aubisque for the first time this year!  We were rewarded with sunshine, dry roads and beautiful views.  We ended up for lunch at a new location for us in Spain, Panticosa, where we were surrounded by mountains and waterfalls in all directions.




Sheep on their way to greener pastures
Dave, Robin and George - Cirque du Litor
Horses in the car park at Col d'Aubisque
Col d'Aubisque


Thursday 13 June 2013

PMT goes international

Just completed a poster campaign and here is a photo of one of our posters displayed in a Auckland, New Zealand at Pyrenees Mt Albert French Delicatessen


Wednesday 12 June 2013

Tourmalet in June

Yesterday we rode up to the Col du Tourmalet to see the snow for ourselves, this is a short clip of our decent.

Video clip


Monday 10 June 2013

Honing those wet weather skills

Another wet one yesterday, with a complete mix of weather.  We rode a loop into Spain hoping to escape the wet French Pyrenees, but there wasn't much let up on the Spanish side.











Saturday 8 June 2013

Tiger versus XTZ660

Trying to keep Keith (XTZ660) at bay on Col de la Pierre St Martin

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_w7cu8UmJU




Bike 'boys' 2013 trip

Monday saw the arrival of Dennis on a Fazer 1000, Ray on a KTM990 SM, Tony riding an Aprillia Tuono, Bob on a Triumph 1050GT and Bryan riding a BMW 1200GSA.

Arriving @ Pyrenees Motorcycle Tours
Weather being perfect we all went for a ride, well thats what they are here for!
Tuesday into Spain.
Ordesa y Monte Perdido

Ordesa y Monte Perdido

Wednesday Pont d'Espagne and Cirque de Troumouse

Pont d'Espagne


Cirque de Troumouse
Bob in his new beret 




Thursday KTM needed recovering, it turned out to be a battery problem.


Friday morning a quick trip into Tarbes to buy a new battery, then off for a ride to Col de la Pierre St Martin.



Saturday turning out not so nice, too much rain and they didnt fancy honing their wet weather skills so a good opportunity for some polishing!







Sunday 2 June 2013

All turned out well in the end .....

They arrived on a Monday in the rain, left on Saturday ..... in the rain, had two abysmal days riding in the rain and snow and finally on Friday their last day at Pyrenees Motorcycle Tours we hit the jackpot.

Lunch stop at Biescas - scorchio 


After a wet ride through France crossing into Spain at
Bielsa the sun came out, the roads dried up and we all
had some fun, big smiles all round :)

Suns out = waterproof off

Mark and Shad 'singing' or overtired?
To top off a good days ride, curry for dinner, washed down with a few beers and bottles of red wine.



Early start Saturday morning as the boys had to catch a ferry from Caen at 9pm which entailed a journey of 860km and although it was raining again when they left the forecast said good weather was to follow them all the way up through France.
Loaded for Caen