Motors, Bikes… & MV

ESP – ENG

“All cyclists are the same…“
“Motorbikes should be banned…”
“They are ruining Montañas Vacías…”
“We will never agree…”

These are quotes I occasionally see around. Peace, everyone…! I disagree with all of them.

For one, bikes and motorbikes share more common ground than differences. However, finding those common areas usually requires more energy and intention than continually focusing on what separates us.

Generally speaking, outright prohibition is not a good tool. Cyclists are the first ones who dislike these prohibitions; we have examples in the Sierra de Guadarrama, Collserola, etc. Again, reaching agreements and regulations that cover the widest spectrum of needs usually requires a higher caloric expenditure than prohibition.

And, of course, not all cyclists are the same, nor are all motorbikers—thank goodness!

I. VALUES

I have always preferred to see motorbike enthusiasts (and I could include 4x4s) as companions of two wheels (four for 4x4s), rather than as enemies to be avoided. Throughout all these years, I have had great encounters and conversations with motorbikers on some of my trips, both within and outside MV.

I also have a few good friends in that world, some of whom are passionate about bikes and travel. That is why I can say that motor lovers who are drawn to the MV philosophy share a love and respect for nature as great as many of ours. There’s no need to focus on the exception. There are also imbecile cyclists, lathe operators, lawyers, or councillors—that is not the problem.

It’s something I’ve always corroborated when consulting local businesses and inhabitants along the route: “Ernesto, the one who is drawn to your project comes with values, they come with awareness, whether they arrive by bike or motorbike…”

Values, that is the important thing. I’m repeating it constantly lately—in every article, every interview, every opportunity I get: I will not invest more energy in growth, but in values; not more visitors, but visitors with a higher level of consciousness.

II. ENDANGERED SPECIES

Just as any diving or climbing enthusiast can understand managing or controlling their activity in an environment where, for example, an endangered species lives, I believe that in our case, in Montañas Vacías, it is vital that the real value of these territories’ acoustic richness gradually permeates society.

The Iberian Lynx, the Pyrenean Desman, the Capercaillie, the Black Stork, or the Spanish Imperial Eagle are all animal species in grave danger of extinction. We must understand once and for all that the Natural Silence of our forests and moorlands is another one of them, necessary for human beings. A vital organ of our natural system.

For this reason, the way we relate to the territory must change—the way we access it, what we are, and what we do when we travel through it. That is why I believe it is more important to raise awareness than to prohibit. There is no other path as effective for advancing this necessary change.

Proof of this is that quite a few motor enthusiasts have written to me in recent years to convey their decision to postpone their visit to Montañas Vacías to change their means of locomotion, leaving behind noisy vehicles to prepare their journey by bike or e-bike, and to experience it with the full magnitude of this land, with all the depth with which it was developed. Let’s not forget that in 2024 it became one of the few routes on the planet with Quiet Trail certification, a guarantee of its enormous acoustic quality.

It should also be noted that this project was not originally designed to be ridden by motor vehicles, which can cause certain inconveniences, as I reflect in several sections throughout the website, or on all route download platforms:

As I mention in that message, we must not forget that a very important part of the route is subject to specific regulations that may affect these types of vehicles, regarding access rules, minimum width of paths to be travelled, maximum group size, or speed limits. It is very important to take these rules into account, as compliance is usually monitored by the competent authorities. This is particularly vital when using unofficial tracks that have not necessarily been checked either by me, as the project creator, or by any administrative entity, so my general advice in these areas would be not to follow any track that is not officially downloaded from the Montañas Vacías website or profiles. This recommendation is also valid even if you come by bike or on foot—better not to trust them.

III. About the Free Refuges in Montañas Vacías

I also do not want to miss this opportunity to address another issue that often causes some confusion: the use of free refuges. The free refuges are one of the greatest treasures of this route and this area. They are key to a safe experience and are part of a heritage that we must all look after. There are certain unwritten rules based on companionship, mountaineering philosophy, and, above all, common sense.

Therefore, if you coincide with other users in a refuge, the priority is simple:

1. First, always emergencies: If someone needs urgent help (an accident, someone sick, or rescue teams), their use of the refuge takes precedence over any other user.
2. Afterward, those arriving via non-motorised means: Considering the essence of this philosophy, in the culture of the refuge, preference is for those who need the refuge as part of their journey on foot or by bicycle. Among walkers and cyclists, the priority goes to the walker.
3. If you are in a motorised vehicle (motorbike or car): You always have the lowest priority and must yield space for use by those who have walked or cycled to get there.

Be that as it may, remember the basics: Use it in silence, always leave it clean and tidy, and if you have used firewood, try to find more for the next users. May the next person who arrives find it the same or even better than you did.

IV. Honeypots

That said, am I concerned about the presence of motorbikes in Montañas Vacías? Given that motorbike travellers from all over Europe were already riding these areas long before this project existed, what I have paid, and continue to pay, close attention to is not the flow of motorbikes itself, but excessive growth in general. Those who know me know this has been the case since 2018. That repeated comment always gives me the chills: “Be careful, Teruel could become the Girona of bikepacking”, or closer cases, such as the uncontrolled massification in honeypots in this area, which have led local people to stop visiting emblematic places like the Hoces del Río Ebrón in El Cuervo, the Barranco de la Hoz in Calomarde, or the Silent Route trail itself. These are all cases of permitted explosion in search of a newspaper headline with a disproportionate number of visitors received, published as a trophy, but which in reality is nothing more than the symbol of poor management, far removed from what our villages truly need.

V. In Silence

In short: The current numbers are far from worrying, but as I always say, it is easier to try to do things right from the beginning. Prevention is better than cure. Local inhabitants and businesses currently convey calm on these issues, but this continues to fuel my motivation to keep caring for this little creature. To keep planting seeds. So that more and more of us know the real value of this territory and approach it in a consistent, conscious way, living it for a few days, and giving life to those who live in it all year round.

That’s why I’m clear. I cycle it, I walk it, In Silence.

(Please share your opinion on the Spanish version of this article.)

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