September 2016. Thirteen days riding south through France and Spain and into Portugal — roads I'd only ever read about.

The route came in over the Cantabrian Mountains before dropping south to Salamanca, Badajoz, and into Portugal — Albufeira, Cascais, Lisbon. Names that had lived in books finally passed under the wheels. The return tracked back north through Madrid and Zaragoza and home through France.

Two nights in Madrid meant time to catch a La Liga match at the Bernabéu — Real Madrid vs Villarreal on Wednesday 21 September. Madrid were on a run of 16 consecutive league wins, equalling Barcelona's record, and needed one more to set a new one. They drew 1–1 after Sergio Ramos equalised a Bruno penalty, so the record stayed tied at 16. A good evening regardless.

The last day cut back across Belgium for a quick run up Tobacco Alley before the Eurotunnel — a practical end to a long ride.

Passes:

Puerto de San Glorio, Cantabrian Mountains (1,609m)

Places Visited

Brittany, France — 1 night
Picos de Europa, Cantabria — 1 night
Salamanca, Spain — 1 night
Badajoz, Spain — 1 night
Albufeira, Portugal — 2 nights
Cascais, Portugal — 1 night
Madrid, Spain — 2 nights
Zaragoza, Spain — 1 night
Toulouse, France — 1 night

Stats

Dates	Tuesday 13 – Sunday 25 September 2016
Countries	UK, France, Belgium, Spain, Portugal
Duration	13 days
With	Solo
Distance	~5,000 km (3,000 mi)
Route	London → Cantabria → Salamanca → Badajoz → Albufeira → Cascais → Madrid → Zaragoza → Toulouse → home
Transport	KTM 1190 Adventure (2014)
Temperature	10–30°C

On the way home through southern France, I stopped to see the Millau Viaduct. At 343 metres to the top of its tallest pylon it beats the Eiffel Tower, and for a few years it was the tallest bridge in the world. It carries the A75 across the Tarn valley near the town of Millau, opened December 2004 after just over three years of construction.

It's a cable-stayed design by Norman Foster with French engineer Michel Virlogeux — seven slender concrete piers holding up a curving 2.5 km (1.6 mi) steel deck, the tallest pier 245 metres on its own before the pylon climbs from there. From a distance it almost looks weightless, more floating over the valley than sitting on it.

I didn't cross it, just pulled over and walked underneath. Up close the scale is something else — stand at the base of a pier and you can't really make out the top. Worth the detour even without riding over.

Up before dawn on the 25th and rolling out of Clermont-Ferrand by 06:18 — then 636 miles home in a single push, just in time for a pint at the Fox.