... 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

Off I go again….

Set out tomorrow for the 2011 Horizons Unlimited Annual Meeting in Ripley Derbyshire…. and the weather does not look too promising …

It will be a good event – they always are… such a lot of nice people to meet and chat with… and Mick O’Mally will be there to share a few stories with and even glasses of beer….

By the time I get back the bike will be ready for it’s 6,000 service – that’s 6,500 since mid-March (average 2600 per month) bugger…… and of course that will mean new tyre too in July..

I have managed to bugger my back over the last weekend so I am struggling a bit to get on and off the bike too…




 

Taken by David Charlton at Portsmouth - ready to depart for France May 2011

Catch you later

.. The First Adventure Travel Film Festival

.. last weekend I attended the inaugural UK Adventure Travel Film Festival held at Appledore in Devon – it was arranged by Austin Vince and Lois Pryce. Absolutely brilliant…. All the films were excellent, the location was great and the weather sunny and hot (well Friday and Saturday anyway)… A link to the event can be found over to right of this blog…


I met so many interesting and nice people - the location was perfect – and the beer was chilled.

This is going to be a must for next year – as well as the Horizons Unlimited event later this month at Ripley. Here are a few photos…



This is Mick - such a nice chap....




And a good night was had by all.... bring on the next film



Austin Vince - doing what he does best..



It's not all about bike you know........





Viw from the river



Off again...

Hi Blog.....        Away from next Friady at the Adventure Film Festival in Appledore near Bideford.... see link over on the right... leave Friday morning and back on Sunday - it's going to be great.....  later...

Then in June it's the HU event at Ripley - also see over to the right.... 4 days --- yippee....  oh how work gets in the way....   I need a job doing this sort of thing all the time..... or travelling....  Nite Nite

...... And there's more and the end

.... Dear readers: For the benefit of new readers and anyone that stumbles across this Blog - This blog was actually created for me....  but if you feel the need to read it please do - you may even become a follower - fill your boots as they say,,,,,   I normally never go back and edit my blogs - on the understanding that it was what thought or felt on the day !!!! Due to the problems with internet connectivity on the last trip, and problems with the spell checker (yes I have already had complaints! - tarts) - I will, over the next week or so be reviewing the blogs and adding the essential photographs ...... And possibly a link to all the photographs from this mini trip .......

Nigel

I am in the tunnel under the English Channel ..........

PS for a better view of the Photographs in this blog - just double click them for the Hi Res version....

Nigel and the Max Reisch's 1933 bike that he (Max not me) rode to India in 1933
Many thanks to Peter Reisch for the visit and your hospitality

19th May on my way home....

Woke at 7am and the weather was dull and overcast.... so decided to pack up the toys and take a slowish ride to the Chunnel.... Hit a small patch of rain in the Somme (the Men of Mud would have approved).

Found a McDonalds for lunch and a final go at getting the Wifi on the Blackberry to work..... One Big Mac and a coffee and lots of "try this" and "try that" and it worked... so off went the back log of Blogs and in poured to many many Emails that I have been pleased not to receive....

Pleased as punch that they had gone it was back on the bike and away... the weather still over cast but getting brighter as I got nearer the coast...

.. and now I am here at the Chunnel having got the Chanel 5 perfune for my wife for putting up with me and... another coffee to keep me going - I deliberately picked a later train so that I could have a break they must have heard me as they cancelled it and there will be a 1 hour delay.....

The sun is warm and we are now set fair for the final leg.... except for the Stelvio Pass I had achieved all that I wanted to do... if I had known I was going to make such good time of the second half I could have ventured further into Croatia but not a problem... I am happy with the trip... and the new bile ran well - it would have been good to do it on Mugabe ... I am sure it would have done the job...  Still not convinced that the BMW R1200GS is the bike for me.....
The thing about sitting for hours on a bike is that you get a lot of time to think... and I have.... some questions that are always on the table are:

• Is it better to travel solo or as two bikes, three or four.....?     AV voting would go Two, Three, Four and One
• The problem is that time is always a factor; stopping and visiting towns and stuff, would be good but that all takes time.
• I did take more photos this time...   and they can be all be found at
•  http://nigel-grace1.magix.net/album under My Albums - 2011 Slovenia...
  another question is about the kit:   was the tent right or too big....   probable too big !!
• what stuff did I take that I didn't use...  half my clothes....
• what didn't I take that I should have....  a working laptop !!!
• did it all work - the laptop Wifi for example...

All of these questions will have to be answered after a long hot soak a bath and a bit of a ponder........

As for the riding- well, other than too long in the seat... it was good... and I suppose that the IAM Training has a lot to do with it... The French and Italians are looney drivers but they all drive like that and after a while they are predictable..... and allowances can be made - more to follow got to catch a train......... and there are three drunk Brits by the bike...........................  Welcome back Nigel...

The ride from Folkestone to home was horrid - the British roads are so full - too fast - and the car drivers, well frankly they are aweful...  two weeks away from this lots has been a blessing....
 

Days total was 345 and the fial trip total was 3326...

Wednesday 18th May

Had a sensible start at 9am this morning and the weather was sunny and dry.... made my was through the miles and miles of vineyards in this region. And over yet more hills the last I believe...Had a pleasant ride through the small villages and on to St Die and also managed to circumnavigate Nancy - not an easy job (bit of an office joke there)...

After having lunch at a road side picnic area it was onwards to Verdun the problem was that no matter what I did Gertie would navigate into Reims.... and bugger me we ended up going through the middle of the City at 4.30pm...... Last time I was there I was trying to get a puncture repaired some 6 years ago...

I finally got to visit the French Memorial at Verdun and it's very big - it commemorate some 15,000 French troops lost to the battles of 1914-18....

Left Verdun and then an motored into Reims (bugger)  after that the roads were so clear and empty I just rode on and on and on...... Thought I would try for Soissons but the miles were clicking up and my arse was now in such pain..... Time to stop I think although I had promised myself a stop at a camp site near Verdun....

I did stop at a McDonalds in Verdun and trying to connect to their free Wifi with the Blackberry but alas the same thing  finds the network says it's connected but nothing..... nice burger though...

Rode on until Laon and the Municiple Camp Site - they are uch good value...

I am now going to cook something and have a coffee then.... Shit Shower and Shave ready for bed....

Miles today a shameful 302 and the total is now 2891...

I will now have a look at the map whilst cooking and see if I can make the chunnel tomorrow I could do with a soft bed....... !!!!!!

17th May In the Alsace....

Will have to type fast as I have fading light and battery. What bloody long day and it's all my own fault... In future I will have to stop riding solo as I never listen to the good advice I can give and I always ride on instead on stopping... and today was no exception.... I left the site at 9am over three steep passes in order to get to the long on the Stelvio.... and bugger it was closed what a sod...

What to do will ride over a few more even more difficult.... most of the little3 passes are more difficult because they are steeper and twistier... The Stelvio is just more open and picturesque.... Then I found myself crossing into Switzerland and, by way of a Welcome they asked for 12 euro to go through the first tunnel - as if you had a choice............. up and up and colder and colder and it started to rain very cold rain... stopped to put on thermals and a fleece to ride over the top on Mount Toblorone.... Then stopped for lunch of pizza and coffee..... Swiss style...

Then back over the mountains for more twisties... and shit this one was a bugger... very tight turns and very steep..... I was still cold so I hoped onto the Motorway to avoid Zurich and Basal ( and for Chris in the office I saw Federa coming out of a mucky book-shop at a motorway service area)

Having decided not to listen to my advice and slow down and stop I continued on through the home-time traffic and finally gave up at 7am near Colmar in France.... Tried to find the local Municipal Campsite bugger all so I gave up and called in at a B&B Motel with free WiFi... got to the front of the queue and S*** all full up....  probably the Dutch again..

Back on the bike and asked Gertie to another campsite and she found this one in Kayselsberg very nice a quiet and yes you guest it full of the Dutch I can't help but wonder who is looking after the Netherlands at this time.............     Well it's nearly 9pm and the light is fading fast time to hit the sack.... can't even be bothered to cook tonight......

I am only a few miles short of what was to be the stop at St Die so I am two days ahead of myself....
Miles today 293 Total trip 2679...... nite nite

Note the socket and cable inside the top-box from the socket on the bike -   used to charge up the laptop etc works a treat so will run it again tomorrow....

15th May Trento Italy

Hi each.... I was awoken at 6am this morning with the sound on rain against the tent and an it was Hissing it down... quick dash for the early morning ablutions and back into the sleeping bag... by 8pm it was obvious that this rain was set for the day.... pack up as much as I could from inside the tent and donned the riding gear and the wet weather gear... packed up a soaking wet tent and muddy by the end..... and hit the road at 9.30 note: a brilliant camp site and the facilities were top grade......

Rode for about 2 hours and it was still raining very hard... had to stop and don the heated waistcoat as the temperature was getting low.... the waterproof gloves arn't and my hands were wet and cold... decided that as the rain was so hard and the visibility so low that it was a waste of time going the planned route over the passes... so hit the motorway and froze my tits off from Udine to Venezia and Padova and came off at Vicenza and headed up the A31...... At the end of the A31 then we had fun.... I put the Autostrada ticket in the machine and nothing... the lady in the control room kept shouting instructions in italian and still nothing..... soon a dipstick arrived to explain that I need to put the ticket in the machine...

I tried to explain that I had..... he opened the machine and said I had not.... and started to rant and rave a little... then off he went... came back and asked where did I join the Autostrada... and so I told him and he asked again where was the ticket... in the f***ing machine was the polite english reply.... He open the machine again.... nothing... I was now asked to park up and pay over 56 euros. Bollox to that said I.... So I dismounted and returned to the pay booth..... Then as luck would have it a very attractive young mum arrived with kids and she spoke a little english... and she then translated for me....

We all returned to the scene of the crime and opened the machine yet again... nothing he said..... wait said I... just like Nigel with one of his photocopiers at work... the ticket is in here somewhere.... ----  I and stuck my head into the back of the machine and Hey Presto (that sort of Itelian) there was the bloody ticket; a little wet and crumpled in the in-feed of the machine.... arrrrrrhhh they all said... and after much back slapping and thanks-you's to the young lady - I was invited to I pay my 10 euros and I was on my way.... (20 mins wasted with Mr and Mrs Jobs-worth) the weather had brightened up a little so up and over the mountain pass it was... and then ended up in Trento and not the planned site.....

On the way I had promised myself an overnight stop in a Motel and a soft bed and hot bath and big meal..... I arrived in Trento and thought better of it what a whimp I thought; one night of rain and all things change..... no you don't.... I asked Gertie to find a campsite for the night and ended up at the Camp de Lido with a fabulous view over a lake and the mountains in the background .....  excellent choice..

Tent now up and drying all the kit out and drying and a wonderful hot shower.... and now sitting in the bar writing this blog entry with the assistance of a 2nd beer..... and the view is excellent mountains all around and the sun going down over then..... and a large bird of prey circling over head. Going to pop across the road for a pizza now..... Tomorrow is the visit the th Max Reich motorcycle ... in Belzano...  then on to the last camp site in Italy... then the Stelvio Pass and Switzerland..... possible......

Today's mileage was about 270 and the total is about 2300...... but now heading home... Well west anyhow

16th May the Tyrol Mountains....

Follow an excellent beer and a big pizza I slept right through until 8am - mind you I had to get up in the night and don more clothes get cold up in these mountains... I hit the road towards Bolzano to meet up with Peter the son of Max Reisch... most will not have heard of him but I suppose he is the father of Motorcycle Adventurers having ridden across the Sahara in 1932 and from Austria to India in 1933 (with a pillion) on a 250cc Puch (pictures to follow)... and many other exploits on motorcycles and cars...


I meet Peter at this private museum a 1pm and was shown around the motorcycles and other vehicles.... and the highlight was that I was allowed to sit on the actual bike that Max used to ride to India: (the Book is one of the other ones translated into English - India The Shimmering Dream ) and it is available from Amazon... I was allows to take photos and Peter took some of me on the bike... We sat and chatted about his father and his Grandfather too he was great biker too..

Peter now has his very Vineyard and a fabulous view from his house over the mountains and the town of Bolzano. I said my thank you's and hit the road again for the second set of twisty passes that went on and on for hours.... imagine zig-zag hill in Dorset but over and over again for about 3 hours and you will be getting close. I managed to stop of few times and get photos.



I arrived that this site at about 4.30pm and whilst it is very pretty it does have a raging torrent running through it... I can hardly hear my self think here it will be a beer and earplugs tonight.

Tomorrow we (bike and I) head for the Stelvio Pass and then Chur which is apparently pronounced Kwa.... The blackberry is still able to pick up WiFi from across the river at reception so I should be able to update soon....  turned out that the Camp WiFi system was not working well but would be fixed by 10am tonorrow..



Todays total is a time consuming 109 and the Trip total is 2382

Day ?? What ever.... watch says Friday 13th

Had a good nights kip and started early leaving Venice at about 7.30.... and made good progress towards Trieste on the small roads... Gertie had a touch of heat stroke near Trieste and put us back on the road to Udine (auto route at that)... bugger... got th next junction and came off and confused all the staff at the toll booth because we got into the wrong lane !!! I think she said she would open the barrier and I was to come to the cash desk.... off like a rabbit we were....


 Got within 10 miles of the next camp site and it was still only 11am... so an executive decision was made to ride to the next site in Croatia. We crossed into Slovenia and just transited through into Croatia - instant change of scenery from the drab Southern Italian landscape to the very green and extremely scenic Slovenia and Croatia.... by the way the Croatian border police/customs hardly looked up from his playboy magazine to wave me through.....

Then after climbing the hills we could see the coast line absolutely fantastic and we continued to ride down the coastline.... had a water break at Crikvenica by the boats and was welcomed by a Brit and silly shorts and pressed shirt leaning on his Jaguar XK convertible.... and after the normal good afternoon how are you etc.. he proceeded to tell me about how many houses he has in Croatia and various other places...blah blah.....what an arse.... so we moved swiftly on to Senj heading left into the hills again and up and up and up.... twisty roads here have the sign Serpentine..... well "no shit Sherlock" comes to mind and we finally arrive at 5pm at Camp Slapic just north of Generalski Stol......(bugger that's 9 hours riding again this has to stop). and guess what; the site is full of Dutch again... better dressed but there are hundreds of them.... all in big trailer vans and caravans with Statalite Dishes and all..... nothing like getting away from it.....

Now that I am again a day ahead we will have to decide how to use that I think I will wait and see what Bled is like first....

Note to self -when you hide the money (Croatian thingie and Swiss whatevers) try to remember where it was you hide them .. still can't find it.... now off to cook something... maybe


Miles today was 295 and the total is 1863 miles.....
PS found the money next day....

14th May Sunday I think..

Another early start and on the road by 7.30 and straight away into the hills.... bend after bend after bend.... dropped down into a the town of Somewhereski.... and low and behold a Lidl store.... lunch was now sorted... Yoghurt and fruit...

More very pleasant roads and more hills up and down.... not too much traffic either. Very few places to stop and take photos shame.....


Arrived at Bled at about 1pm (yes short day).... found the site and before I had unpacked a British couple had offered me a beer excellent..... yes you guessed it; the place is full of Dutch and Germans.....

I still can't get this machine to connect to the internet... even though there is Wifi So I might have to change it up and transfer the blogs to the Blackberry which is connecting... I have reloaded the Realtek Wireless adapter but it still will not run I am sure Richard in the office could fix it with minutes but....

I am now off to take photos of the lake..... chat later.....

Now sitting by the lake typing this.. try to get them over to the Blackberry to send...

Supper tonight will be Pasta, Mushroom sauce and two bottles of Bacardi Breezer.....

Nite Nite

...Somewhere just South of Venice..

Managed to get a early 8.30 start today once I had found the lost bike keys.... I try to wear them around my neck but can't remember to... Made good time on this leg as it was meant to be a long ride.... so I took 10 euros worth of Auto Strada to get my well away from Milan and the morning traffic. Then took a route south to Alessandria, then left to Piacenza, Cremona and Mantova, and then onto the smaller roads. The scenery in this part of Italy is just not as good at that in France (sorry Italians but someone had to tell you).. and there driving is crap too. I am not sure that they understand that mirrors are for seeing behind you and not showing you how cool you look whilst driving...

I meet a Swiss couple at the last camp site and they were pedal cycling from Switzerland to Rome and off-roading to boot... bugger that they hope to get there for June !! Hand a nice beer at the reception and watched the sun go down as I hopped onto their Internet connection the wireless on this net book has gone so I will need to re-instal the driver or recover the system from the last restore point. Will need to have a mains connection for that....

Back to today ride started off slightly overcast (had some rain over night) but the further I got east the hotter it got... The camel-back ran out and I was gasping for a drink saved by a Lidl store with a very nice English speaking assistant.... drank 1 litre and filled up the camel-back.... off again the roads here are either featureless or they look like you driving through an industrial estate... on and on..... arrived at the campsite just south of Venice.... you can actually see the new Venice Barrier being built in the distance.. My pitch is right next to the gate to the beach... alas a little way from the WC's so a quick morning dash will be required..... (I know too much information).. They have some extremely posh Toilets and Showers here it's even got a large flower bed in the middle...


The site well if you ever wondered where all the old Dutch and Germans go to get very brown and wrinkly well it here.... the place if full on them or wandering around in ill fitting kit or very small budgie smugglers (speedos)...... some even peddling around on upright bikes at low low speeds.... have not see and children here yet... maybe they are banned !!!!

I will have to wait for the sun to go down a bit before cooking some pasta.... and turning in for the night just thinking of the joys of packing it all back onto the bike again in the morning and riding to the next site near Triste....

Nite nite

Wednesday 11th May.... Somewhere in Italy

Good morning – had a good start from Roybon this morning – it has it's own fuel stop and shop – so all fuelled up and a picnic purchased; it was off...

The weather was good and all was well until Grenoble – I missed the ring road and battled through the middle of town... Once away from centre of town the views were great and the mountains got higher.. and up and up we climbed... will above the snow line... and up and up again.... all the way the Briancon – then left towards Torino – well into it actually – we missed the exit again and nearly went into Torino – Gertie was looking for a roundabout but they have changed them into slip roads – bugger.. got to sharpen up on that...  good job I don't have to rely on a paper map... !!!!

Lots of small roads and small villages ( all look like Mafia places to me) and found the site at 4.15... that was 240 miles and that's enough in this heat.. Bloody hot again today – except in the tunnels which were bloody freezing inside... I am not complaining believe me....

Just had a walk by the lake and the obligatory Ice Cream – now I am trying to decide what to cook for supper …..  but still too hot..... May just go for a beer and think about it.... and see if they have Wi-Fi... now one speaks English so this should be fun...

Looking at the route for tomorrow and it's going to be a tough one.... may have to jump on a motorway and make up some time..... Next stop is Chioggia just south of Venezia (Venice)

Today run was 240 miles and the Trip total is 1301....