Just got back from another amazing adventure in the Mapmog.
(See general gallery for pictures)
Link to movies in a week or so.
It was quite a trip and getting off the ferry at Bilbao (in a right hand drive car that is half the height of a lorry wheel) into 8 lanes of busy motorway with little rear vision due our luggage on the back was quite a challenge. My Wife with dog on lap was my rear mirror! We also had torrential rain on another motorway and with no hard shoulder, visibility of 200 yards, nowhere to stop and 45 Tonners on each side we somehow made it to The Pyrenees. I was also concerned that the car might grind to a halt as this was the first time I had been in such heavy rain since fitting the Kuryakyn Air Cleaner but no problems and the car just purred through all the spray and motorway which in the dips had several inches of water to plough through! When we got to the Pyrenees we enjoyed lovely weather (apart from one thunderstorm after I had parked up). Just happened to be under the only leaking gutter in the village of Hecho! So pleased I had put that extra flap over the zip as it was torrential but pleased to say hardly a drop went in the car.
We did over a 1000 miles (about 100 per day) of perfectly maintained roads with amazing vistas, zig zag hill climbs often with sheer drops, hundreds of bikers waving at us, a wedding party who stopped us for pictures in the middle of a main road and friendly people on both the French and Spanish side. I had total admiration for all the hundreds of cyclists we passed going up hills that make my native Cotswold Hills seem like little humps in the road.
A special mention must be made to my amazing wife and co pilot, it’s quite unnerving to be a passenger in a Three Wheeler at the best of times but to sit there with opposing traffic feet away on the 'wrong side' takes quite a bit of guts and faith in my driving ability. Some oncoming cars started to veer over towards us on our side in shock at seeing such a strange little car. We also had a near miss with an oncoming motorcyclist who overtook a car whilst we were hidden in a dip and we met head on only just making it past doing at least a ton.
Last but not least I want to thank the amazing 'Scampi' (our super little Jack Russell) that put up with long days sat in a noisy hot car and having to pose for hundreds of pictures with his doggles on. He must be all over facebook by now?
Apart from needing to pack the steering gaiters with grease to stop the ball joints creaking from the extra luggage weight the car performed faultlessly all the way.Thanks to whoever it was on TM that recommended putting a few cable ties in the tool kit as I needed them to tie back the gaiters.
When I called at a Renault garage to get some grease I came out of the shop and there were at least 30 mechanics, staff and customers taking pictures. Is this what it is like being a celebrity?
I would do it all over again tomorrow and now back at home I really miss preparing and polishing the little monster each morning.
Ah well, back to the crumbling, worn out roads of England for another year!
