1 August

I did leave Callioure after a walk and a good breakfast at last. Back up toward Perpingan and into the foothills. Vineyards fruit trees and villages. The first Ceret, and then the pass to climb with sinister clouds and cool air that fortunately came to nothing more than fog at the top. The first stop was if I can recall the name correctly, Sant Pau de Seguries where the kids were playing boulle under the trees, so I had a coffee and enjoyed the stop. Over the top at about 1500m and down the other side to Spain. Another glorious ride past Repoll and at Tona turned left into the hills of a national park and worth every minute, but I am ahead of myself. At Tona, just after, was a small village the name I do not recall and my map does not register it but I rode past a bar on the street at about 2.30 and it looked great so I stopped. It was good. Huge character, and delightfully decorated, if they had rooms I would still be there but the English speaking waitress (learned in Colombia as a kid) was really helpful and persuaded me that a glass of local wine and a steak would do me a lot of good, and it did. Got a picture before I left of an old bloke sitting outside with a wine and a silly grin. Sort of summed it up really. So through the park, over the pass that clearly got its share of snow at times, down and up again for another pass before the mediterranean came into view again. The town that I had identified did not have accommodation so I carried on pretty much to Barcelona. Back in the high traffic and not enjoyable, but the hotel is OK and the Tapas bar in the park was good. That means tomorrow I can catch the underground to the city and have a days walking about. That is the plan anyway. I had a wonderful day. Cold damp warm hot sunny, mountain passes, coastal plains, forests, vineyards, villages, cities, no people to crowds and traffic, so I have had it all. Lots of motorbikes in the remote areas, and I mean lots......and they almost without exception wave. So another memorable day. I might have preferred some things to have been different, but in retrospect what I got I was lucky to have experienced. Few people get the chance and I appreciate the wonderful world that I ride through, and the many people that communicate with me. It is pretty good. Pictures will not do it justice but I try !