MotoWolff

Our previous trip to Spain on a motorbike was in 2010. At that time we visited the southern region and spent our time touring throughout Andalusia. This time we chose northern Spain and the Basque Country, with our home base in Bilbao. Our plan was to do day trips throughout the region, returning to our hotel in Bilbao each night.

Hotel breakfasts are a little different in Spain, fresh fruit and baked goods each morning along with meats and cheeses. A great way to start the riding day!

The rental bike was a 2015 BMW 1200 GS which we arranged through IMT (Iberian Motorcycle Tours) and picked up at Nordkapp BMW just outside of Bilbao. The bike was in great shape and was well equipped with side-cases and top case. Sara and I would be riding two up on this bike which had all we needed.

Our plan was to stay at our hotel in Bilbao and just do day trips through the region. This (above) was our first day out at the coastal village of Bermeo where we had lunch at the harbor.

On a day trip through Bilbao we met the President of the local chapter of the Harley Owner Group. He was proudly showing off some bikes from his members in the square.

These signs are for the same street, above in Castilian Spanish and below in Basque.

On a day trip south to Vitoria Gasteiz we were lucky enough to be there on market day. The produce and goods always amaze us, everything from baked good, cured meats and leather work to salted cod!

On the next day we took the motorway towards La Rioja and the city of Logrono. It was raining pretty good so I pulled off for some gas and a break from the weather. Once back on the highway I was cruising at about 100 kph since there was a lot of water standing on the road. I looked in my mirror to see a bike coming up behind and closing fast. It was another rider on a 1200 GSA and he blew by at 130 kph (80 mph) or more! He was riding with a passenger and he waved as he went by with his right hand. That means he had the cruise control on, two up, in the rain at 130 plus! Now I don’t mind a rain ride but that was riding a little above my personal risk limits.

La Rioja is the northern wine region of Spain, just south of the Basque Country. It is a distinctly different region, almost like a different country with Rioja being in Spain and Basque Country on its own. As you go south into La Rioja the climate changes as well!

I saw this little scooter in the town square in Logrono. Looks like a 1960’s item based on the mechanics of it. A nice little vintage townie runabout for coffee and pastries!

There are all kinds of lightly travelled backroads in northern Spain, this one was leading us to Gorbeiako Parke Naturala in the Basque Country.

We visited the city of Guernica which lies deep in Basque Country east of Bilbao. It is not as scenic of a town as imagination might have suggested. The buildings are all newer and it doesn’t feel as old as other towns in the area. Once you know the history of the town however you gain a much deeper respect for the place.

The Basque City of Geurnica was bombed during the Spanish Civil war in April of 1937 after the Fascist regime asked Hitler to do so to help quell the separatist uprising in the area. It took place on “market day” when most civilians would be concentrated in the city center. As a result the city was almost completely destroyed with many Basque lives lost. The mural which was commissioned by free Spain in 1937 was done by Pablo Picasso. The mural in Guernica is a tile reproduction of that original which now resides in Madrid. It is a moving and tragic testament to the horrors of war.

Food has a language all it’s own, and in this case the “Hamburguesa” and a regional beer were speaking to me. How do you say mmmm in Basque?

Heading back to Bilbao after a day 0f riding in Rioja, stopping by the Sanctuary at Urkiola.

Basque Country is quite hilly and it seems that if you are not climbing you are probably descending. As a result there are a LOT of twisty roads to ride in northern Spain!

We covered about 1500 kilometers in the area during about a week of riding. I also managed to get two speeding infractions during the visit, though I did not learn of it until a month later after we returned home.

We returned the bike to the dealer at Nordkapp BMW. It was kind of sad to give it back because after that we were just tourists, not “motoziklista” as you would say in Basque.