Planning a motorcycle route usually starts with a simple question:how many km are we going to do? However, when the day ends, the km are rarely the first thing we remember. In fact, we remember that road that surprised us, the town where we stopped to have a drink, the landscape that appeared after a curve or the conversation with another colleague during a break. Also, that stretch that was not planned and that ended up being one of the best moments of the day.
Spain also offers a particularly varied setting to seek this type of experiences. From mountain passes to roads that cross pastures, mountains or small towns, there are routes in which the path itself becomes part of the destination. And, although it sounds like advertising, it is the “pu… true”.
A road that invites you to follow
Not all roads are enjoyed equally on 2 wheels. A good route needs a route that has a rhythm, that combines curves and straights, that allows you to enjoy the motorcycle without turning the journey into a meaningless succession of km. And it’s not about constantly looking for curves. Sometimes a seemingly simple road, with good asphalt and little traffic, can be much more rewarding than a familiar port full of vehicles.
The key is that the route has personality and allows you to ride calmly, enjoying each section instead of thinking only about getting to the next point.
A landscape that changes what you are seeing
A memorable route also needs something to look at. Not necessarily great monuments or postcard photography landscapes. It can be a mountain range that appears in the background, a forest, a valley, a small town or simply the change in landscape that accompanies the journey. That surprise factor has a lot of weight when we travel on 2 wheels. The road allows us to be much closer to the environment and discover places that would go unnoticed on a daily trip.
Therefore, when choosing a route, it is worth looking beyond the point of departure and arrival. The landscape is an undoubted part of the trip. AND, you have to enjoy it.
The company and chance encounters
There are outings that are enjoyed alone and others that take on another, completely different dimension when shared. Going out with friends, meeting other bikers or ending up talking to someone you just met at a stop is part of that experience. The motorcycle has a curious ability to create conversations, it is a super emotional machine, as we all know.
It is enough to park next to another motorcycle for the usual exchange of questions to appear: «How beautiful, where do you come from, where are you going or what roads have you traveled or know…” And that is precisely why a route does not have to end when the engine is turned off. Many times, the best continues around a table.
A stop that is also part of the trip
Just like our motorcycles need gasoline. «A good route needs to breathe«. Stopping for a coffee, lunch at a local restaurant, or just sitting for a few minutes can completely change the perception of a long day. Gastronomy also allows you to get to know the territory. It is no coincidence that many motorcycle tourism proposals precisely incorporate gastronomic stops and local products as part of the tour. A “zero zero…” you already know…
Besides, “These breaks help you break the rhythm, rest and get back on the road with another renewed perspective.«. Because taking a good route does not mean being permanently on the motorcycle.
The feeling of having discovered something
It is perhaps the most difficult ingredient to plan and, obviously, at the same time, one of the ones we remember the most. Finding a road that we didn’t know, crossing a town that we had no idea existed or discovering an unexpected viewpoint, generates a different feeling than repeating a route that we know by heart.
Therefore, when organizing a good motorcycle route, «It is also worth leaving space for the unknown«. Not everything has to be thought out to the millimeter. Sometimes, precisely what turns a normal day into a special experience is what we did not expect to find. «What surprises us, we remember more and better«.
A good route begins long before starting
«Road, landscapes, friends, gastronomy and discoveries«. 5 different elements that, when they coincide, make a motorcycle outing much more than a trip on 2 wheels. And, that is precisely the philosophy behind Rider Soul. Their tours are presented as motorcycle tourism experiences in which the road and the discovery have as much weight as the destination, in fact, the routes are discovered during the day itself. Everything is a surprise.
The next time you plan a route, perhaps the question should not be how many km you are going to do. It may be much more interesting to ask yourself what you want to remember when you return home. Because a great route is not necessarily the one that accumulates the most km. It is the one that, days, months or even years later, still makes you remember: “What a great time we had that day, do you remember??”
