Road trip

[Tom]

Well it was bloody tiring but a good week. I went down to Jerez in Spain to film Honda and their new F1 car. 2 of us sharing the drive.

We left via a Portsmouth ferry to Caen at midnight, kipped in a cabin. We had a LWB Mercedes Sprinter van, they're excellent those vans, really fast, really comfy seats (even though you can't move them much). The radio even had a CD player. 2 of us, taking turns to drive and catnap. We got into France at about 0700, I think I got snapped by a scamera which was annoying as I was a bit busy concentrating on the driving and wasn't driving at all fast (on entirely empty roads). We just drove, drove and drove through France, swapping over every 150 miles or so, stopping at lots of service stations (French services are brilliant, much better than ours). Got into Spain sometime in the afternoon and continued through Madrid. We got to the circuit at about 0300 the next day. I then had a couple of days off to recover before starting work again.

Some piccies:

 

[Tom]

I even got a couple of days spare to do some riding. That hill in the distance I had planned to ride to, but it was too hot and dry and I couldn't hold enough water to make it.

 

[Tom]

(this isn't me)

I shouldn't really show any pics of the car as they're sensitive about those things.

This is the camera I was shooting on - with a 40x10 lens (including 2x extender). Great camera but I hated the viewfinder.

Homeward:

The view on the road to San Sebastian was outstanding. A proper mountain driving road if you're around that way, its on the BI-623 here:

manaria - Google Maps

 

[Tom]

Unfortunately I couldn't take pictures from the roadside as it was too dangerous, but the view would have made anybody gawp. If you're in the area and have a nice car, go there. Trust me.

Calais:

Setting off from Jerez circuit at 1930 Spanish time, we got into France somewhere around 1000-1200, into Paris at about 1630 (blame TomTom for taking us there ) and finally to Calais (after being stuck in traffic) at about 2130. We had some gear to drop in London so we did that, I then took the van up to the base at Milton Keynes, got my own car and promptly died in the car park at Stoke services for a couple of hours. Got home about 0600ish and collapsed into bed immediately.

I'm knackered now but I enjoyed every minute.

 

[Tom]

Collection: Jerez 2008

Biggerer piccies there. The panoramas are mahoosive.

 

[throdgrain]

Fucking awesome Tom nice one. I love to travel always have, its the best thing.

 

[throdgrain]

Me and some mates drove our bikes from Roscoff to San Sebastian to Barcelona to Toulouse back to Roscoff in 6 days , 2600 miles (including me getting to Plymouth and back in the first place!)

The roads from San Sebastian to Barcelona were awesome, though I felt I nearly died many times My photos arnt as good as yours, but heres a few

These photos were in France the other side of the Pyranees on the way back to Toulouse.

 

[throdgrain]

Heres another one, no photos of rats you might notice

Ive been on that Ferry to Caen btw Tom, we had the noisiest fucking cabin in the world!

 

[Trem]

Really good pictures Tom, you are a lucky lucky lady.

Edit - each time throddy fell off he took a picture

 

[DaGaffer]

There are some terrific driving roads around Jerez; the route down to Tarifa (and back up to Seville) is excellent (paid for by us via the EU with nice signs informing you of the fact), smooth but twisty with really good visibility.

Got to admit I wouldn't have driven all the way through France, I'd have got the ferry to Santander, but that's because I'm a. lazy, and b. really fond of north and northwest Spain, and I'd have gone via Salamanca, which is my favourite Spanish city (did that route in an Alfa about 10 years ago, one of the best driving holidays of my life).

 

[TdC]

some smashing pics there guys. I've made up my mind to get down there soon in a decent auto

 

[Deebs]

some smashing pics there guys. I've made up my mind to get down there soon in a decent auto

That rules out the following:

• Datsun (for the young, Nissan)
• Volvo (built for ***** by *****)
• Ford
• Honda
• Hyundai
• Insert some other cheap shit car make here

 

[DaGaffer]

That rules out the following:

• Datsun (for the young, Nissan)
• Volvo (built for ***** by *****)
• Ford
• Honda
• Hyundai
• Insert some other cheap shit car make here

Erm, Nissan 350Z, Nissan GT-R? Honda NSX?

 

[cHodAX]

Fucking hell, that is a nice collection of pics there Tom. Seriously impressive. Myself and a mate who is a MotoGP nut are thinking about a 4 day trip to Jerez for next years MotoGP race so it was nice to get an insight into what the area is like.

Btw, anyone been to San Sebastian before? I hear it is a great night out and I might have to make a detour there on the way home if people say enough good things about.