KIWI RIDER 09 2018 VOL.2 | Page 90

I pressed on and rode through border control in to Andorra around an hour or so later. The place was super busy in comparison to the remote feel of the riding I’d just done in the Pyrenees and because of that I lost interest in hanging around. I did about a 20km loop for a quick look about, shot down to intersect the C16 to Barcelona and kept riding. I have to say that all the roads are stunning, in excellent condition and with fantastic views and bridges that make for highly enjoyable, safe, high speed riding – it all very much puts New Zealand’s piecemeal, low budget approach to road construction to shame. Close to Barcelona is Montserrat, a spectacular mountain with stunning views over Catalunya. Benedictine monks built the monastery there that dates way back and the place sure has a calming vibe. Truly 90 KIWI RIDER a remarkable place to visit, I’d recommend taking the cable car to the monastery then the tram to the top – the view is glorious. About this time I was starting to get concerned. My phone was flat, the GPS unit didn’t work, I had no proper map and I needed to find a small street in the middle of a city of two million people. So, I thought I’d have a crack at fixing the GPS unit... I pulled over and checked the battery connection which seemed a logical place to start. Great, a clicker of life on the GPS screen, so I jammed a piece of paper under the battery to hold the connection firm and I was back in business. An hour later I was back at IMTbike, did the hand over and walked back to my room. IMTbike were easy to deal, I’d use them again. Overall a very cool area to ride in and I’d recommend it to anyone.