New Tour, new Whatsapp group, Facebook posts, Instagram, video editing.. Guys please send me pictures of smiling people, more food shots, more motorcycles, more landscapes, interviews, architecture, better approaches…. Does this ring a bell IMTBIKE guides?

It was my turn now, I was going on my first motorbike tour as the support guide in the van, I had to prepare!

Our destination was Southern Spain, my Andalusia as I call it. Although, truth been told, any part of Spain would have excited me. For four years I had been behind the marketing aspect of these trips, seeing impressive photos, exciting roads and salivating with food shots.

Two weeks prior to my trip I was very nervous. I don´t know how many times I looked over the Tour Handbook! My traveling partner, Head Guide and mentor would be Super Chano (now I understand why he has that nickname…) I could not be more fortunate, one of the most veteran IMTBIKE guides would teach me on this 10 day adventure.

Every morning I had a big breakfast and I took an apple for the road. That was good advice to keep my energy up, the day would be long!

I was lucky to have Rubén & Paulo running the same Andalucia tour one day ahead of us. They briefed me daily on what I would find the next day, giving me advice on the route, parking, hotels, etc. Here I came to understand and respect the companionship amongst IMTBIKE guides, the messages of encouragement between them and the strong bond that unites them.

What did I get out of this tour? One of the best experiences I’ve ever had. The feelings and sensations that passed through my mind and body were various. I went from worrying about getting lost and being late to our destination, to the excitement of seeing the wonders of the surrounding green landscapes, the lakes of deep blue water mixed with the smell of those endless olive trees that flooded the route on each day.

I learned how to read a roadmap, to get lost and find myself again, to empathize with cyclists on the road giving them encouragement for their incredible effort climbing steep mountain roads. I  smiled at the end of every day when I arrived to my room and relived the days adventures in my head again and gave myself a pat on the back and told myself “you did it !”
Now I know, guys, behind every picture there’s a story, nervousness “am I in the best place to get a good shot?” Did I leave the van too much in the road for our group to pull out?

This tour awoke in me a new appreciation for the saying that “It’s the journey not the destination that is important.”

Thank you IMTBIKE for giving me the opportunity to experience the magic of an IMTBIKE tour.