• Date: Nov 01, 2024
• Starting Location: Malaga, Spain
• Ending Location: Malaga, Malaga
• Mileage: 0 miles
• Mileage Total So Far: 0Km (0 Miles)

Breakfast

The hotel breakfast was plentiful, but not especially appealing. The breakfast had lots of meats and cheeses, along with hot and cold cereal, but not much in the way of a traditional bacon and egg breakfast. We figured out how to get the coffee machines to produce a couple cups of coffee, gobbled everything down, and headed out into the square in Malaga to begin investigating.

Malaga: The Square

The square in the city of Malaga is an amazing place, covering about a square mile, and full of streets, alleys, and open spaces. It seems to be modeled after a mid-evil city, where the streets are narrow, and there are shops, vendors, restaurants, and business tucked just about everywhere.

On this morning, we walked the square, and came upon a Mime, who was standing on a faux rock.

We wandered further, and found another fascinating store. The store is called Duckland, and if you take a minute and guess what they sell at Duckland, you won’t be surprised.

The weather Map

Over the course of the past 5 days, the weather of Spain and Portugal has been very unpredictable. The weather maps don’t seem to hold true, and by the time we head into the weather on the motorcycle, the weather has changed course, diminished in intensity, or increased in intensity. It was almost impossible to predict what the weather would be.

It’s important to note that just a few days before our tour was to start, a massive storm hit Spain, causing the city of Valencia was overcome with heavy rain, causing flooding across the city and the region, and rendering large parts of the city offline, and inaccessible. Our hearts went out for these people, whose lives were changed, and who were now our kindred spirits, as we were enjoying the hospitality of the Spanish people.

The Briefing

Meeting our new riding partners

We arrived at the briefing at 5:30 or so, and started to socialize with our fellow riders. Although we had never met, it seemed very easy to pick all of the other riders out. They were the ones that were looking for others, with whom they had never met either. There’s a curiosity in their eyes that gives them away.

The two guides (Juanan and Paulo) showed up just before 6:00 PM, and we organized ourselves into a private dining room, and ordered some beers. Over the course of the next 90 minutes, we talked about many things. We spoke of the rules of the road in Spain, and in Portugal. We spoke about the different currencies we’d be using, we spoke about motorcycle etiquette, and we spoke about the route, and the varying terrain.

Things to think about

At the end of the briefing, we began the 15 minute walk to our dinner reservation, and a chance to enjoy our first meal as a group. Meeting so many different people, from Canada, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, and the USA triggers in me a desire to know more, and to learn about their cultures, and to pick their brains for phrases in their native tongues, that I could perhaps use in future conversations, where I demonstrated that I wanted to learn their language, and to make them feel comfortable.

Over the course of the 2 1/2 weeks of riding with this crew, I would come to learn some key phrases in French, Spanish, Berber, and Arabic. Lars spoke perfect English, and as a result, I never learned any Swedish words from him, but I’m sure that Lars and I will enjoy a friendship, and we’ll come to share languages, and perhaps even some elements of business and finance.

What will tomorrow bring

Tomorrow we’ll get up, have breakfast, and then head over to IMT bikes to pick up our bikes for the first time. Elizabeth and I had rented a bike for 4 days prior to the tour, so my bike was already modified to include ergonomic fitment pieces that allow someone that is 6’4″ tall to fit the bike properly. I installed a tank bag, handlebar risers, and lowering foot pegs.

After picking up the bikes, we would make our way to the main highway, negotiate our first roundabout as a group, and head South, toward the coast of Spain, and the port of Algeceras.