BOPA Bikers

Sunday 15th January 2012.

Jan 172012

Only 3 bikes started todays ride out. Don, Carl, Aad with Mieke, met at the Orba petrol station for a 10.30 start.

The morning was a cool 10 degrees but the sun was out and the sky was blue. We followed Aad’s suggested route and travelled out of Orba,turned left to Alcalali and then onto Jalon. There we took the back roads and joined the CV749, a rough tarmaced road that winds up 800m towards the Bernia ridge. A few minutes into the climb Don decided that it wasn’t a road for a man with history of back problems, so the other two bikes continued upwards through Masserof until they reached the junction to Pinos.

On the way down to Pinos we spotted a large bird of prey soaring not far from us…but this isn’t a road to be distracted on. We continued downhill until we met the CV750. Turning right we met the N332 and followed the winding bends down to Calpe. Turning left down to the CV746 coast road we travelled towards Moraira. Along the road we stopped briefly to meet up with Don again. An extended coffee break was at the Moraira with a glorious views out to sea.

On the move again we travelled inland to Benitachell and then onto Javea. There we joined the CV735 which took us the length of the Montgo National Park and a few minutes later we arrived at La Xara where we joined the CV7222. This took us past Denia Hospital and back towards Ondara. From Ondara we took the road to Benidoleig. At the roundabout which turns off to Beniarbeig we split to go our separate ways home.

A good ride over 3 hours, covering 98km and finished in 17 degrees at 1.30pm.

8th January 2012

Jan 082012

The first challenge for some of our riders today was getting out of the Orba valley and onto the N332. The roads were all closed due to a cycle race around the local roads. Eventually a kind Police Officer let them through his road block as they were going North and not South.

Eventually five bike met up at the Bio Oil petrol station on the old N332 in El Vergel. Don, Ken, Colin, Aad & Mieke and Kees & Karin had a discussion and as none of our northerly members were with us and some needed to be back by 2pm we decided on a shortened route from that planned. Due to the cycle race we decided to go North rather than South.

We headed off up the N332 in the direction of Gandia, the recession must be biting as there were more ‘working girls’ than normal near Oliva Nova Golf. It was the usual slow crawl through Oliva and then on to Gandia where we turned left onto the CV 60 and through Real de Gandia. This road is so much better now that the speed humps have been removed. We turned right onto the new CV 60 dual carriageway heading inland. As we went further inland and climbed higher the temperature dropped considerably, even though there was bright sunshine and clear blue skies it was cold, mind you it is only the first week of January, so what should we expect. After a steady 100kmh run along the CV 60 we turned off onto the CV 619 through Montichelvo and onto Rugat where we turned onto the CV 705 over the mountain to Beniarres. According to Kees’ GPS we hit 600m as we crossed the top of the mountain. It was still cold and the road was still quite damp in the shade, as we crested the mountain we came out into sunshine from the shade and the whole of the Beniarres valley was visible with the reservoir glistening in the sunshine and low hanging cloud caused by the many campo fires burning. In Beniarres village we had a tour around the narrow streets to find a bar for a coffee, which we eventually did.

After coffee we left on the CV705 and Colin as usual almost missed the turning onto the CV 711 to the reservoir ( a really confusing junction, well that’s my excuse anyway). We rode along past the reservoir and over the dam and past Planes and turned left onto the CV 700 through to Margarida where we turned right onto the CV 712 through Vall d’Alcala. This is one of the nicest roads to ride locally with a few hairpins but mainly open sweeping curves where all the road can be used safely. When we got to Val d’Ebo we decided to stop for a second coffee stop but found that Bar L’Entra was closed, luckily the other bar in the main village square was open and we had our second coffee sitting outside in the sunshine.

After coffee we continued our run along the CV 712 in the direction of Pego. Once we reached the CV 715 we started to split up and make our respective ways home.

Another great day out on the bikes in the sunshine with some great roads and a nice 120km route.

Today's route

3 Kings Day 6th January 2012

Jan 062012

Don and Colin met at Orba petrol station at 10.30 for this Bank Holiday ride. Unfortunately Ken’s bike had a flat battery so it was only the two intrepid riders for a trip into the mountains.

It was dry and sunny with a strong wind with a yellow wind warning for inland areas and so we decided to stay off the really high mountains. As a result we left Orba up the CV 715 and turned right onto CV 719 through Murla to Benigembla and then onto the CV 720 to Castell de Castells through Famorca and turning left in Facheca onto the CV 754 to Quatretondeta. On the exit of one of the hairpin bends we found gravel strewn right across the road, luckily we weren’t going fast and we threaded our way through safely. We continued on into Gorga intending to stop at our usual bar on the crossroads but unfortunately they weren’t open. We turned onto the CV 710 and just as we were leaving Gorga we spotted a small bar that was open and stopped there for a coffee.

After coffee we continued on the CV 710 to the junction with the CV 70 where we turned left in the direction of the coast. We had seen a few bikes out and about along the route but when we got to Confrides there were about 30 bikes parked outside the bar there so there were others enjoying the mild January weather on their bikes as well as us. We rode past the Aiatana mountain on the CV 70 and it is the first time that i have seen it without snow on in January, which just goes to show how mild it is currently. When we got to the roundabout at Benimantell we stayed on the CV 70 rather than going into Guadalest. This section of the CV 70 has a fabulous view of the coast and Benidorm and it was along this section that we started to feel the effect of the wind. We turned onto the CV 762 and went through Polop to La Nucia where we turned on to the CV 760 heading for Altea. The wind increased all the way along until we got to the coast in Altea. Here we found the road closed and we went round an unmarked diversion to get onto the N332. We turned onto the N 332 and we hit by a massive blast of wind as we crossed the river on the northern outskirts of Altea. The gusty very strong wind was a feature of our ride along the N332 to Calpe and then Benissa. At times we had the bikes heeled over into the wind just to keep going straight. We turned off onto the CV 750 heading towards Jalon. By the time we passed Lady Elizabeth school the wind had become a lot lest gusty and we had a pleasant ride to the Aleluja bar where we stopped for a cold one before heading back through Alcalali to Orba and home.

A nice ride in the sunshine of around 120kms, and without the wind it would have been an outstanding day. Lets hope that we have plenty of days like this in 2012.

Today's route

Sunday 1st January 2012

Jan 022012

The New Year started with a blue sky, perfect for our first ride of the year.

Don, Kees, Dutch Pete with Motobel and Carl with Rosie met at the Monte Pego petrol station, which happened to be shut.

We decided to head for the hills,so after a brief stop at the coop Pego petrol station we continued traveling on the bends upwards on the CV700 Val de Gallinera route. At Benisiva we stopped for coffee and a catch up. An hour went by and we thought it was time to get going again.

In the cool of the shade we continued up to Margarida and then turned right onto the CV713 to Tollos. This is road is more a single track that’s well tarmaced. With the sun being low we were in and out of the shade and had to watch some of the bends as they were still wet in places.

At the end of the CV713 we turned left onto the CV720 and descended into Castel de Castells. Then we climbed out on the tight bends of the CV752 towards Tarbena. Turning left at Tarbena onto the CV715 we started to climb the Coll de Rates, having our next stop, the restaurant, in view. Kees left us and went for home as we stopped to enjoy our late lunch of apple strudel and ice cream with a coffee.

An hour later we said our farewells and rejoined the CV 715 traveling all the way downhill in the cool shade of Coll de Rates to Parcent. From there we all went our own way.

A Total of 110km a good start to the New Year.

Sunday 9th October 2011

Oct 092011

We met up at Orba petrol station today at 10.30am (Colin thanks everyone for the late start so that he could see the Grand Prix live). There were 9 bikes today so a good turn out, Aad & Mieke, Kees, Mark, Nobby, Don, June, Carl, Colin and ‘new boy’ Pete S. After a discussion we agreed to follow Colin’s suggestion as to the route BUT in reverse order.

So we left Orba with Aad leading and went up the mountain on the CV715 and then onto the CV719 through Murla to Benigembla, on to the CV720 to Castel de Castells, Famorca and Facheca then on to the CV754 to Quatretondeta and Gorga. We stopped at our usual bar in Gorga for a coffee but two other groups of bikes and a film crew had beaten us to it and so there was no room outside. We had to go inside and we waited for a while to get served. If it hadn’t been for Meike playing waitress then we would have still been waiting to get served. Thank you Mieke. Another group of bikers came and joined us inside, it was the largest gathering of bikes I have ever seen at this bar. As we were leaving some of us stopped to admire a KTM RC8R a real mean looking machine with over 150bhp in 180kg’s, probably a bit too quick for most of us with advanced years.

We left Gorga on the CV710 and at the junction with the CV70 we turned left towards Benasau. There were lots of bikes around on the CV70 and for the rest of our journey today. We continued through Confrides and then turned left through L’Abdet. The village itself was very narrow and once out the other side we joined a Camino Rural. For the first few kilometers the surface was old and there were some potholes and gravel. This was not to the liking of June, Kees and Don. The road surface improved and we wound our way towards the Guadalest reservoir. We had a fabulous view of it approaching from inland as we had. The road was pretty twisty and it wound up and down the mountainside and there were lots of walkers along this narrow road but thankfully very few cars. We road on to the top of the dam and stopped to stretch our legs and look at the scenery for a few minutes. We then joined the CV 755 heading for Callosa and decided to stop at the motorcycle museum restaurant for a cold one. As it was a Bank Holiday the place was packed and there wasn’t room for 10 thirsty bikers.

We headed off again for Callosa and as we arrived at the outskirts of the town we found the road closed but luckily the local Policia were just in the process of re-opening it. The road and the centre of Callosa had been closed for their Moors and Christians parade. We were the first vehicles allowed to pass along the road so there were still a few pedestrians milling around. Here Mark and Pete S left us to make their own way home. The rest of us turned on to the CV 715 heading for Bolulla. In Bolulla Nobby and Kees left us to head home and the rest of us stopped for a cold one.

Suitably refreshed we left Bolulla on the CV715 and headed for Tarbena and over the Coll de Ratas and down into Parcent. The along into Orba where the remainder of us split up and headed home.

It was a nice bright sunny day that initially was cool in the shade of the trees and mountains but by the time we split up it was very warm. It was a great ride of about 115km’s over some interesting roads with some lovely views. Let’s hope that next weekends predicted Gota Fria doesn’t arrive and that we can go exploring a new route that Aad has in mind for us.