LeoinSA

It's nearly winter and many of the forum denizens aren't riding - so take a few minutes to read this, click the links if you're of a mind to, and then offer your thoughts. Yeah, eventually it's MC related!

Way back in the far far past - April 2012 - I had a plan - a course plotted - but stuff happened that wasn't in the plans and therefore the course changed. See this thread.

But first a synopsis of the crappy points (MC related):

• Bad Hard Krome pipes derailed rides in national parks in California - see this thread.
• Wrist pain started and grew worse - bad enough to derail planned rides in Washington, Idaho and Colorado - see this thread.
  • November 2012 update on this - Pain is 80% gone but still flairs at random times. Have a doctor appointment next week for further treatment - earlier diagnosed as tendinitis. I can only hope it's all gone in a few more weeks!

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Readers of my earlier adventures that are documented in my blog - La Condition Humaine - might remember this.

Bridget is why I'm on a 10 week holiday here (Returning to son's place in the Sacramento area in early December.) on Gran Canaria - she lives and works here - and has for the past 27 years!

We're getting on famously - at least as well as two people can that are from vastly different cultures - and we will be continuing our relationship - in some manner - in 2013. Exactly how that's gonna play out is TBD.

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Gran Canaria is a 50km round-ish hunk of volcanic rock about 150km west of the African continent - the countries of Morocco and Western Sahara to be more precise!

Since the island is (mostly) straight up and down erosion features from the volcanic activity, the majority of the roads are exceedingly crooked and because they are cut into the mountain sides they are very very narrow!

Here's a few youtube videos:


They take the road - GC-60 - that starts at the traffic circle that is just 50m from Bridget's townhouse. Map.


I rented a scooter from the same company last weekend and rode the round trip from Playa del Ingles to Puerto de Mogan.


This video starts from Puerto de Morgan and goes around the southwest and west sides of the island on GC-200. Map. Note the straight-up and straight-down nature of the mountains. Miss a curve here and it's not off into a grassy ditch!

Here are some pics from GC.


Bridget and I at sunset on the beach at Playa del Ingles


Street in Fataga - a small mountain village about 16km 'up' the hill from Bridget's home.


Fataga Door


Spiny plants all over the island!



The village of Los Cerados and a water deposit - very low due to drought.



Looking south from viewpoint on west coast - Parque Tamadaba


Looking north from viewpoint on west coast - Parque Tamadaba


Sunset at Puerto de las Nieves


The hill top village of Artenara - panorama. Artenara sits atop the western wall of the largest volcanic crater on Gran Canaria.


Panorama from Hotel Parador de Cruz de Tejeda. The hotel sits on the top of the north wall of the largest volcanic crater on Gran Canaria.


Sunset from Hotel Parador.

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MC Stuff

As you might imagine there are lots of scooters and motorcycles here. Everything from 50cc scooters with exhausts that sound like a leaf blower to full dress Harley's and Goldwings.

And yes, even a bunch of Volusia 800's - Intruders as our bikes are known here.

I've gotta figure out what bike I'm gonna have should my relationship with Bridget work out that I move here.

I'm thinking that should I actually move here I'm gonna have the opportunity to travel on the mainland - Spain, France, Switzerland, and Italy for starters. There's a ferry from Las Palmas to Cadiz that will take the bike. I can ride for 2 1/2 days or fly over in 3 hours. Hmmm...

Regardless, a BMW RT - 1150 or 1200 - with top case and bags looks to me to be the ideal bike to use both here on the island and also touring Europe. And... they are available - low mileage-ish - for comparable prices with the USA - including the currency exchange rate.

Why not ship my fully paid for C50 over? In three words, bureaucratic red tape. Have to change the headlight lens and disconnect my flashing lights - tail, signal and head - to meet EU standards and then deal with customs and getting the bike registered in Spain. This could easily cost €2000 - $2600 at current exchange rates. And then take 4 to 6 months to complete. Doesn't seem worth the hassle.

So... As the next year plays out we'll see...

Cheers!

.

__________________
"For the truth is that I already know as much about my fate as I need to.
The day will come when I die.
The only matter of consequence is what I will do with my allotted time?"

2001 BMW 1150 GS - nicely farkled

2009 Boulevard C50 Special Edition - Given away to son

King-Pin

Right On!

__________________
'72 750 Four
'86 Virago
'07 C50T
'07 Nomad

Hi-Vis

That is soooo nice.

__________________
Special Edition 2009 C50 Green/White . 13600 miles. Loaded up and then some!
2006 Honda Big-Ruckus 250 scooter. ~Rare~

If an old man is Laughing at you for no reason, you might want to take a mental inventory because you might have lost something.

ATGATT Sweat, not blood.