From the windows of our airplane, I can see the Mediterranean glistening in the morning sun.  Another sparkling day in one of my favorite European cities.  Today, people will walk the La Rambla, shop in the Mercat, eat paella, marvel at Gaudi’s architecture and indulge in some incredible Rioja wine.  But they will be doing it without us.

Raye and I settle in for the long airplane ride home, but not without reliving all the amazing things we saw, food we ate, people we met and roads we traveled.  It was better than we imagined, but at this stage of life, I have come to appreciate new motorcycle adventures for the uncertainty and unmatched sense of discovery you get when you make time for these kinds of experiences.

The last thing we discuss before drifting off to sleep is the one thing that will help me overcome the sweet sadness of leaving: when and where do we go next?  The truth is, I don’t really care.  Just as long as another ride awaits.

Sunday in Barcelona was a day of rest, literally, as we slept late and tried to continue adjusting to the seven-hour time difference.  We ventured out for a late brunch and found everyone else moving at a slower pace as well.

After another walk down La Rambla, we found several outdoor cafés to choose from in the Placa de Real, one of more than a dozen ancient squares we had seen over the past two days.  We took a seat and couldn’t resist ordering tapas again.  The setting was lovely, with cobblestones underfoot and a fountain in the center of the plaza.  The buildings surrounding us were filled with flower-covered balconies overlooking the plaza below.

While we enjoyed the laziness of the morning, our thoughts turn to the upcoming motorcycle trip through the Pyrenees Mountains.  After checking out of Hotel Regina, www.reginahotel.com, we taxied to our next hotel to meet up with our motorcycle tour group, organized by Edelweiss Bikes, www.edelweissbike.com.

This evening we learned the rules of the road, got an overview of the trip, enjoyed a dinner buffet, a decaf espresso and got to know a few of the other tour members.  There is a group here from South Africa, another contingent of friends from California, a sweet couple from Germany, another German fellow who only speaks German, our two guides and us. I like everyone already, and they seem as excited about the trip as we are.

I head for bed tonight hoping this trip is just as grand as our Alps tour two years ago.  We shall see.