Spanish Adventure Part 5

 

Spanish Adventure

Part Five.

Friday morning, bright and early for breakfast and loaded up for a day at the races. An easy run to the Catalunya track until we joined the queue to get in. It was not the best organised with having to go in one entrance then out again to go in another entrance for our pre-booked car parking. We finally got parked but missed the Moto 3 first practice by the time we found t stand H and seats. It was scorchingly hot and we spent the least time possible in the sun. It was a unique experience with every MotoGP rider having a stall or part of one. Time to buy tee shirts. I was impressed with Fabio Quatararo in practice as he was so smooth and progressive in his riding and seemed to be streets ahead in not looking as though he was trying. Aleix Espargaro was hustling his Aprilla to make progress and wild at times. There is quite some camaraderie in the stands and conversations with complete strangers about who is good who you support and what you think of the racers. I could have done with live BT Sport to help recognising machines and riders. It was not available to me in Spain. The big screen opposite us was too far away. During the mid day break we explored the entertainments near stands A and B and the entrance 1. There was a big queue to sit on Fabio’s bike and I declined but did have a picture of me and Gita holding a winners’ trophy.

We did not stay to the end and Moto2 second Free Practice as we had tickets for the theatre at eight. Leaving after MotoGP practice would get us back to the hotel before five with enough time to get showered and changed and be heading for the station by six and in Barcelona by seven for an evening meal before show time. Unlike the UK travel is relatively cheap with a travel ticket giving eight journeys. We could both use it. Two return journeys to the centre of the city for 28 euros. My comments on British Public Transport are not printable. Theatre in Spanish you might ask but it was a treat for us watching our youngest daughter perform in her chosen profession and we had the luck to be there. It was a musical called Starcrossed. Written by one of the cast and turned out to be one of the best things I had ever seen in the small theatre. It was entertainment at its best with believable story line, excellent acting and witty script, not to mention the songs. It was over all too quick and we had to rush back to the station to catch the last train back cutting short our post show revelries.

Saturday was a struggle to get started. We had got back to the hotel at one am and were up at seven for breakfast and on our way at eight. The same traffic greeted us as expected but we went to the parking area by a different route which was much easier. Just as hot and we still managed to miss Free Practice for Moto3. Always eager to know how Scott and Josh are progressing. The rookies in the paddock. New people to meet today. Yesterday you could go anywhere but today you had to use your allocated seat. Practices were much the same with a couple of riders taking a tumble and qualifying set the scene for the races. The return journey was uneventful other than missing a turning and going into Barcelona to come out on the right road. I pulled into the garage just a little way from the hotel to fill up with fuel for tomorrow. It was also a cafe and shop. Gita noticed there was something dripping from under the car. I checked the oil and there was not much left. Time to panic. I bought 5litres of oil and hoped we could get to the track for race day. Back at the hotel car park there was tell tale slick from where we had parked the day before. Nothing I could do about that for a few days except adding oil as required. It was a crankshaft oil seal doing exactly what it did in Portugal where I had help at the 2CV Rally to fix it. This time I was on my own. There was only about sixty miles to do the next day and I reckoned it was safely doable with the amount of oil I had only hoping I did not have to stop on the motorway.

Another early start and still not away any earlier than eight. There was much more traffic today and so many more cars. Entering the parking was not bad but going up a steep hill I had the oil warning light flicker. Although the same car park we were much further away and took much longer. We still missed a warm up but were in good time for the races. Another hot day in the sun with no shade in the stand we found shade whenever we could even having a proper meal in a covered area. There was drama in every race and the finale of Fabio winning was a spectacle with crowds heading for the podium to see the gladiators. Walking down the start-finish straight to see the stars of the day was an experience I will never forget taking pictures as we went.

It took ages to get out of the car park and on our way. Today I did not make a mistake with the navigating but the drive was tense, expecting the oil light to come on at any moment. There was much relief at getting back to the hotel and parked up. What a day! I needed some time to work what to do next. That would be tomorrow.