We Were Here To Ride Motorcycles

At the end our first day riding motorcycles through Andalusia’s Montes Malaga, my husband and I sat on the couch in our AirBnB with a Michelin Map spread out before us. We were passing a Top 10 Eyewitness Travel Guide between us contemplating the next five days. We hadn’t done much pre-planning for our trip. Our goal was to catch some mid-winter sunshine and ride motorcycles.

The thing about southern Spain is that it not only the home if spectacular beaches, but it is also where to very old civilizations and the source of historical shifts of human migration.

Now, for a overly simplified history of Andalusia.

The Moors, northern African Muslims, led a conquest into the Iberian Pennisula in 711CE (Current Era). The region became al-Andalus. During their centuries long rule of e egion, the Moors built magnificent fortresses. In the 13th century CE, the Moors were driven out of al-Andalus. The one Moorish stronghold in Granada held until 1492 when the Treaty of Granada with Christian Spain was reached with Queen Isabella I (yep, that same queen that paid Columbus to sail “discover” (read: conquest the already populated) Americas).

The same year good ol’ Chris sailed the ocean blue, the Spanish Inquisition expelled all the Moors and the Jews from Iberia which set up a secret migration of Shepardic Jews to Latin America. The Atlantic just had a facinating piece on the lasting legacy of this migration as seen in the DNA of Latin Americans.

The Fortress

The Alhambra in Granada at the base of Sierra Nevada is a fortress was built by the Nasrids. They were the last Muslim dynasty that ruled Andalusia including Granada, Malaga and Almeria. There are Moorish fortresses sprinkled throughout the region, but the Alhambra is the most significant.

It also happens to be a 3-1/2 hour ride via highways from our homebase in Alhaurin el Grande.

Should. Should. Should.

Lured by the idea that, after traveling so far we should see this site. We started planning an overnight an excursion. We’d leave most our stuff at our Alhaurin homebase and take only enough for one night. Zip over on highways on New Year’s Day. If we arrive in time, we’d end the day with a little mountain riding and stay in hotel. First thing in the morning, we’d visit Alhambra and do a quickish tour before hitting the road and heading back to Alhaurin. Most if this would be highway (boring) miles so we’d try to capture a few fun roads along the way if time allowed.

We picked a hotel and planned routes. Then, we read that the Alhambra only allows a limited number of visitors each day.

Swish. All the plans vaporized. They were fully booked for the entirety of our stay.

Should we go to see it from the outside? Maybe we should buy tickets to the other sites and at least go to the. Perhaps we should go anyway then get up early and hope to score cancellation tickets.

Should. Should. Should.

We are here to ride motorcycles!

I felt a pang of guilt (toward who?) about missing the opportunity to take in this piece of history. However, the unfortunate circumstances allowed me (us?) to re-calibrate priorities.

1. Ride Motorcycles
2. Soak in Sunshine
3. Eat Spanish Food
4. See Tourist Sites

Like I said, I didn’t do much pre-planning for this trip. I felt I was ahead of the game by getting the map and the guide. But the one thing that was certain, we rented motorcycles and we were here to ride motorcycles.

So, ride we did.

Over five days we rode motorcycles 1230km on the many Michelin Green Roads and fun twisties within a few hours of our homebase.

We’d gear up and ride off in the chilly dew of midmorning. Our day’s destination would be a mountain town for a late lunch. On the way, we’d ride through some of the most amazing and technical roads. They were often just wide enough for two small cars to pass each other and rarely marked with a centerline stripe. As the sun set, we’d return in the dusky light where we’d make dinner, drink wine and cava and plan for the next day.

Day after day of Ride-To-Eats (RTEs) in the parlance of my New England Rider friends.

We did manage to take in the 8th century Moorish fortress palace the Alcazaba and walk to the top of Monte Gibralfaro where the 14th Cebtury Castle of Gibralfaro looks out over the city of Malaga.

And a not the not-so-ancient village of Juzcar where the Cartoonish dynasty Pitufos (Smurfs) currently rule.

While the historians, architects, site-seekers and whoever else I felt guilty (momentarily) toward might be disappointed in my missing some of the great monuments of Southern Spain, I am not.

The motorcycling was more than worth it. It was epic.

Happy Cooking and Happy Motorcycling!