... 3 weeks to go..

..With just less than 3 weeks to go.. I really ought to be thinking about packing.... and I really must scale down what I take... but how !!  I have a small sleeping bag (it should be warm in Spain so a 2 seasons bag should do), I have a smaller tent but  still looks too much.   But I still favour the Khyam Biker tent....   I read the other day that you should pack for 3 days whether your going for 3 days, 3 months or 3 years .....   I will have to think about that ???

I have decided to take the lockable top box for the security it gives..  Not a lot left to do - the bike is in for a service the day before we go... the paperwork is done .. the euro have been got.. the euro card loaded... the stove fixed (I hope).. ah well hey ho...

A sort of a Dry Run.....

The ride to Tewkesbury was good and the road clear until we got to the Air Balloon roundabout - the rain was very heavy at times. Camped at the Red Lion pub - had a meal and a few ales to assist sleep?   Slept OK until 5am - I cooked the breakfast - although Colin was determined to incinerate something in the confines of this own tent.  We were on the road by 8am - still bloody raining....

Nigel on the Sunday morning - had been awake since 5.30 !!

David with is brand new Triumph 1200 Tiger Explorer - hence the big grin..

Colin at Rhayader checking the map before heading of for a spin over the Brecons

Nigel - and yes we did have a few minutes of sunshine...

Rui packing up in the rain - but not wanting to get his knees wet !!

Rui preparing for the speed test over the hills...

Rode to Rhayader via Hereford and stopped at the Honey Cafe for a coffee and cake.   Arrived in very good time and the guys decided to go for a spin over the Brecons and Sennybridge. I am taking a break as this bloody cough is making me tired..



Off to the Eagle Pub this evening for a hot meal and another chance to put the world to rights..

The storm hit Wales at about 1am on Sunday and carried on through until the morning -  then rained all of Sunday - it was still pouring down and blowing a gale when we packed up to ride home.    Not a very comfortable ride home at all - the bike was very unstable in the high winds - lots of trees down and debris on the roads.   

Got to the Severn Bridge and we were informed that the bridge was shut to high-sided vehicles and motorcycles due to the high winds.   Hints were made by the local constabulary that a way over the bridge was the cycle path on the outside edge of the bridge so we decided to give it a go - managed to get 100 yards on to the bridge and disaster - the wind was so high that I had to stop riding - and having done so the wind hit me and over I went - bugger.  Other than a broken mirror there was no damage.   With assistance from the lads we manage to pick up the bike and re-trace our steps back off the bridge...  then travelled home via Cirencester and Marlborough.   Again a very uncomfortable ride in the high winds - the others did not appear to be as effected by the high winds but I was - it's your f***ing panniers I was advised by Colin... they are more like sails apparently.   We stopped a couple more times to have coffee and tied to thaw out our hands and feet and deposit gallons of water onto cafe floors at various locations.  Rui taking an opportunity to change his socks in a cafe..

We all went our own ways home just after Tidworth.   All in all a good but very wet weekend...  just the preparation we needed for our up and coming trip to Spain - A very strange sort of dry run......

Ace Cafe Adventure Travel Day

What an excellent day out - bloody cold but well worth it... Met with some great people and saw loads of wonderful bikes.  Had a great breakfast too.   As usual I managed to buy another book "The Long Ride Home" by Nathan Millward -    http://www.thepostman.org.uk/ Australia to UK on a 105cc Honda called Dorothy - excellent.  Such a nice chap - go buy the book - please - you will love it.

Lots of XRV750s to look at... Just got to sort out this GS.. 

My planning is still going on - having a shakedown trip to Cheltenham and the Brecons in April...  must remember to take some beer tokens.....   Still just the three of us going 17th June out and 1 July back - Spain - Portugal - Andorra - France and the chunnel home....  and I must remeber more Kodak Moments and the Blog....

Photo with the compliments of Ian Harper..




Nigel chatting to Nathan Millward





... Still planning not to plan too much

Dear Blog.....

Us Virgonians just find it so difficult to be spontaneous....   I have looked up a route for the trip and found a few camp sites from the ASCI database - I just love the planning.   It's good to know where your going - isn't it!!! 
The problem is that having only a limited holiday and not having the luxury of an open ended trip... one just has to be real about it.   I can't just get off a boat into Spain and bimble around Spain-Portugal-Andorra-France without knowing when I am going to arrive at the Chunnel to catch the train.   I certainly don't want to be in the position of having to blat across Spain and France on the motorways when I run out of time...

Met with the guys for a trip-chat last night... all very positive..  Will now have to arrange a date for a shake-down weekend and beer or two.  Still no decision of "Big Tent v Small Tent....  the war goes on..

Boat ticket is booked and return chunnel ticket booked.  Still too early to start packing !!!

The bike is booked in for work on a small oil leak in February and I will need to keep an eye of the tyres too.

I am still looking at XRV750s but can't take a loss on selling the R1200GS - so will have to live with it for a year or two.............

All Sorted

Hi each - All back to normal now - the plan for 2012 to visit Spain / Portugal / Andorra / France is now a joint trip with 3 riders..    The initial plan is the travel from Plymouth to Santander and return via Andorra and France and finally the Chunnel.   We are planning not to plan too much and just have a general idea of a route etc ....  I will try my best to NOT plan too much but might just have a detailed look at places to visit....  biggest decision will be which tent - large or small......

Post Whoops

Hi each......

Two weeks since I fell off - the ribs are healing slowly but surely... still can't lay down in bed - and sneezing is extremely painful.....     I might try a spin out on the bike tomorrow - prior to maybe riding to the NEC on Monday for the Bike Show.

....Whooops

...  It was a slow corner on a very narrow road - the last left hander - just me and a Transit Van making for the same piece of road ...... I moved left and headed for gap between the van and the hedge - rear wheel locked and slide on the leaves- the rear wheel stepped out to the right and then found grip - slow speed but it still hide-sided me into the gap.....   or as a friend recently put it - "I got tossed-off by a big German" ??  The result was two broken ribs - Ooooouch.................  Would loved to have put a copy of the x-ray here but... 

PS - the bike is fine.............LOL

and it's September already...

Nigel approaching Abbotsbury

How time does fly... September already...  Lots of miles still and the bike is running well, it's hard to believe that I have had it 5 months already - 11,550 miles since I picked it up.  Still keeping an eye out for an Africa Twin or even an 1150 GSA!! 

Not too much happening on the travel front since Ripley.  Last weekend was the Annual SAM Camping trip to Dartmoor - it was a good weekend and it stayed reasonably dry during the day.  15 people altogether - a good turn out for SAM.  We have a good time - good roads - good company - and visited the Adrenalin Quarry again - and thanks goes to Will for the discount price on the Zip Wire.

We are all Doomed...

The meals in the evenings at Betty Cottles were great and Colin appears to have found a liking for Doom Bar ale.... and for setting fire to his food !!!

Stand back - nothing to see here.....

Impressed are you Mike......

I am not sure what was happening here Jennet but Mike Barringer looks impressed !!!  Looking forward to next year's trip - possible Mid Wales.... or even a week France... who knows..  Thanks to all those that ventured to Darkest Devon and Cornwall and especially to those camping virgins for giving it a go.  Don't forget that Horizons Unlimited 12th Annual Meeting will be taking place in July next year and they are already taking bookings   http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/meetings/UK2012.php

So quiet ...... for July

Still not really "bonding" with the BMW GS... and was looking at another XRV750 on the www. It is very low mileage and excellent condition !
Not a lot happening at present - lots of miles being done with Observing for SAM, and also me getting to grips with my own standard of riding by receiving some additional tutoring.
Still planning for Spain/Portugal but keeping options open for other destinations..

Sent from my BlackBerry wizzything

What a busy June...

Hi Blog....  Is is now July... the Adventure Film Festival has gone and the HU Event at Ripley too...  Both were excellent events and I did enjoy myself.    Such good people (except the drunk that was so very loud after and at the bonfire - prat)...

Had some interesting insights into travel and especially planning for next year.... The options are either solo or two up to Spain / Portugal or even Italy.   We did discuss the possibility of 4 bikes going to Morocco - small bikes, lightly packed - either DRZ  or Tenere - will have to think about that - would have to be second hand....   So many options - ride down - drive the bikes down in a van etc etc.  The whole thing sounds good but maybe a little costly - buy a bike - drive down or fly down - not camping (but rooms are meant to be cheap)....  I do feel that the BMW 1200GS is not the right bike for me still - will have to see.  Maybe trade it in for something else...

L to R - Dave Charlton - Mick O'Malley - Stewart - Carel Wall - Nigel Grace
on a expidition to the Army Surplus store in Ripley !!!

I can see why so many people go solo !!  Planning is so much easier...   I was looking at the option of getting a train from Holland down to Livorno in Italy and then riding around the coast line... or stick with the original plan of a boat to Bilboa and ride through Portugal and around to the Pyrenees etc... 

Mmmmmm Should I ride Morocca with these gentlemen !!!!

Ahhh well back to reality - bike needs a service now and new tyres... and I will need to gather some funds ready for next year...   Photos to follow