In March 2014, Mr. Knobby and I took our BMWs—his F 800 GS Adventure and my F 800 GS—on a thrilling ride across Portugal and Spain. We landed in Málaga, Spain, settling into the Tryp Guadalmar Hotel for a day to adjust before hitting the road. From Málaga, we rode to Seville, spending two nights at the Tryp Macarena Hotel to explore the city’s vibrant streets. Crossing into Portugal, we cruised to Faro (Hotel Faro) and then Santiago do Cacém (Hotel Albergaria, now Dom Nuno), before arriving in Lisbon for two nights at the Hotel Lisboa Plaza.

Back in Spain, we rode to Zafra (Hotel Huerta Honda) and Cordoba (Hotel Macia Alfaros), then looped back to Málaga (Tryp Guadalmar Hotel). The adventure continued with the Hispania Tour’s Andalusia Especial: from Málaga to Cabo de Gata/Las Negras (Hotel Cala Chica), Las Menas/Bacares (Las Fuentes Hotel), and Cazorla (Parador de Cazorla Hotel), where we did a scenic round trip through Sierra Segura. The final stretch took us from Cazorla to Granada via Sierra Pozo (Hotel Vincci Albayzin), then over the Sierra Nevada back to Málaga. After one last night at the Tryp Guadalmar, we flew home to Boise via Amsterdam and Minneapolis. Two weeks of twisty roads, stunning vistas, and Iberian charm—pure motorcycle bliss.