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....

..What a long day ...Tuesday Southern France

I had the tent and bile all packed by 7.30 – just had to wait for Reception to open at 9 to pay the bill.. Rode out on some fabulous road – lots great scenery and flowing bends.. then some very small roads over the very big hills – I thing we got to just over 1200m. Te weather was excellent and hot but it did get a bit chilly on top of the hills..

Did a lot of traversing over the hills on narrow roads and through forests... when I finally got back down and checked the map I could see that it was 4pm and the estimate for arrival was now 7.30pm...... bugger I thought – so punch the destination into Gertie and that changed it to 6.50pm So off we when – unfortunately as Gerties had chosen the major routes and it was late afternoon; we his loads of home going traffic and road works in town... one set of road works was not even signposted and me and 15 other cars were trying to do U-turn in a narrow street – the man in the JCB digging up the middle of the road was non-plus about the whole thing....

Having collected my ham roll and drink from a shop I then found a very good spot to sit and chill for 20 mins.... I had a couple of moments today when I nearly dropped the bike either doing U-turns (I blame Gertie) or trying to put the bike on the stand...oh god is it heavy..... once it starts to go there not much to stop it.... full concentration in future I think.

This Campsite at Roybon is very very quiet, Tent now up, supper cooked (well a tin of Big Soup that my mum gave me...just the job. All washed and showered and it's now 9.15 and time for bed.

Tomorrow is only 217 miles but looks like another 8 hour day --- next stop Italy... North of Torino

Today's Total was 352 miles (Should and been 279) and the trip total is 1061...

Day 4 (I think)....

Monday .. Lost track of the days now... Set off at 9am and god was it hot all the way.... just roasting... Now major problems with Gertie just the occasional misunderstanding...

Stopped off to get supplies and then had a very pleasant lunch in the middle of Champagne country..
Rode through some brilliant roads and gorges - even tried the Helmet cam.. will have to see how that come out later....

  

Excellent facilities and showers here and I am the only guest today.... I have the whole place to myself..

Am now sat in the bar at the Moto Camping in the Dordogne.. had a couple of lagers and a cooked meal (so cheap).... BUT can't get connected to the Wi-fi here - bugger again. I have managed to send a couple of Blogs via the Blackberry (it can connect but I can't get the Net book to connect even though it has an excellent signal !!!

I have a long ride tomorrow to near Grenoble.... so will try for an early night again... I have remembered to stop and take pictures where I can.. and managed to keep the speed down today...

I will have to add the photos to the Blog later sorry....

Now 8.45 pm and it's time for a small beer.....

Miles today was 231 and the trip total is 709..

Day 3

Rain Rain and lots of sunshine.


It is now 8pm on Sunday (Day 3).I left Dave and Trish's place in the poring rain and it just got worse as the morning progressed.....lots of very pretty villages and miles and miles of almost empty roads...filled up with fuel a couple of times and thankfully the new Eurocard was working OK. Rode over a fabulous bridge at St Nazaire I stopped to take a picture on the hard-shoulder so it will be interesting to see is that came out OK. A sore arse meant it was time for a stop for a pee and I found a charming little village at Pays la Achard with a little square a big church and a war memorial.

I arrived at a camp site just outside La Rochelle... hardly anyone here but the sun was out and was too hot really so I set up, made coffee and read a chapter or two.... I had to put socks back on to stop my feet being sun burnt and to keep the evening mosquitoes away. The kids were in the pool but appear to have gone now (good) and it is very quiet. Cooked an evening meal and have now washed up and showered ready for bed. Remembered to spray DEET sprayed in the tent just in case. I am sure it will be too hot for the sleeping bag !!! The reception does not open until 9am so it will have to be another late start, but it is an easy run tomorrow to the Dordogne... I will try to slow it down as the miles are going too quickly... will try to potter along at just 70mph tomorrow... I know they have WiFi there... so will post the Blogs...

Miles so far just 478...

Day 3.......

Good morning it is 6.30 on Sunday morning as I sit in a very warm bed in annex of Dave Perry's house is Southern Brittany. But I and getting ahead of myself..... I arrived in France on the boat and an still feeling tired after a lousy nights sleep... I wandered down to the car deck and re packed the kit on the bike and was ready to go as soon as the doors were opened...

I rode off the ship and without any customs at all I was on the road across northern France..... I took a little time before I noticed that I had not changed the clocks to French time .. I rode some very empty roads along the coast and finally stopped at the port of Paimpol for a coffee.. very pleasant view over the boats in the harbour... By the time I got to Guingamp the sky had darkened at the rain looked imminent. So I re-set the Garmin and headed south to Perry Maison (Dave's humour there)....

Arrived in good time... to finally meet up with Dave and Trish I have not seen Dave since 1986 and Trish since 1973 (ish)... too long ago for all of us... and so after much when was that - what year was that and do you remember so and so - like a couple of old sods on a bench we changed and popped into town for a few well place beers (a couple at an old Abby and then a few more in the town square we also took on the locals at table football and I am glad to report that England won again.... we returned to the house and continued to re-live past days until I really had to get to bed... overnight the rain has persisted and it looks like a wet ride down to La Rochelle and the first Camp Site - The time is now 7am and time for a shower and repack...

The bike is handling well considering the stuff I have packed... Must log off now as the rain is coming down quite hard now........ bugger

Miles so far 221
Sent from my BlackBerry wizzything

....at sea at last

.

I arrived at the port with time to spare - only to find out that the boat would be sailing 90 minutes late -such a good start
The good thing was that Rui de Costa and David Charlton turned up to see me off - how wonderful was that...   Parked and secured the bike on the deck - one of the desk-hands managed to knock a step ladder over onto my bike ...idiot…    Meet Ian Mutch from MAG (the Editor of The Road) on the boat – nice chap – I remember him from the HU event at  Ripley and I have read a couple of his books.  I had a bit to eat (ham salad – without the normal Mushroom Soup....  Nite Nite

It’s now 5.30 in the morning and the night passed as expected – an uncomfortable seat and lots of weird drunks dressed in shorts, scarfs and flat caps !!  They look  like a breakaway group from the young farmers or something out of Monty Python…..  Next time I will take a cabin.

I will try not to become another grumpy old man during these blogs ( I have just read the book and some of it has definitely rubbed off on me)…  Now let go a sort of the tribe of roaming french kids that can neither sleep or talk quietly ……..

Nearly time to go...

The Castle at Bled

... Now the hard bit... waiting...  I think I have most things covered now - except how to pack light !!!   was never very good at that....  You would have thought that I should be able to get everything into 2 big panniers, a big top box and a tank bag !!!   prepare to unpack it and start again...   not to mention the large Ortlieb bag containing the Tent....

The plan is to do a normal day at the office on Friday 6th and then ride down to Portsmouth for the boat, and that sail at about 8pm - then it docks at St Malo at about 7am - I have a route planned that goes along the north coast of France to Morlaix and then I turn south towards Lorient and the first stop. 

The second night will be at La Rochelle and the 3rd night will be at the wonderful bikers campsite at Camping Moto in the Dordogne.... http://www.motocamp.com/ after than it;s travel east into Italy and overnight near Venice (night 6 I think) and then over to Slovenia and Croatia.  Having got that far;  I then turn inland and journey over to Bled for the night of the 15th May - I'll buy the beers if you turn up..   Then continue west through Italy again and call in at Bolzano to visit a private Museum featuring the actual motorcycle ridden by Max Reich (the book is - India: The Shimmering Dream: The First Overland Journey to India by Motorcycle in 1933)  http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Reisch  

After all that it is back into France and pay a visit to the War Graves at Verdun and then back home via the Chunnel... 

 ...... now back to the packing................... remember if you don't need it don't take it... !!!

...Somewhere in deepest Somerset

..... Well and truly in the Mendips - arrived at the 2nd site very early I so may even get a chapter or two read of  "Grumpy Old Men" ....... Haven't found anything I disagree with yet - Maybe at near 60 I am a GOM. ........... Yes I know I am!   but I didn't get any of the book read in the end but we two Grumpy Old Men sat and "grumped" a bit and put the world to rights....  before popping over to the bar to make a list of all the things I needed to sort before the two week trip in May.  Another bloody cold night and heavy mist and fog in the morning.....  had a light breakfast this morning - could not eat a cooked breakfast every day .... will have to get youghurts and fruit I think..... or end up a fat BMW rider after two weeks of eggs, bacon and suchlike....

Things that didn't work were - USB lead to charge phone and free loader battery, the power cable to the heated waistcoat and the air mat (which had sprung a leak)..  things to sort were - install a power lead from the bike to the 240v inverter so that the phone and net book could be charged inside the top box while riding...   Note:  never assume you can leech into the mains power supply at a pub - just could not find a socket anywhere at the 2nd site....    Here is a picture of David with his mini tent that folds up and fits in a match-box.....

The new bike was fine and I hardly noticed the load on the back - the acceleration is still impressive even when fully loaded...  I must remember that on a BMW when accelerating hard that the fuel gauge is connected direct to your bank account.....  I was not happy with wearing a small backpack - so strapped it onto the top box.....

The following morning had a very late start and left the site at 10am and headed through the morning fog for coffee at Compton Abbas airfield and arrived in glorious sunshine...   Then off to Ringwood and for Dave onto the A31 and M27 and home.

After about  3 hours - all the kit was dry and repacked, the bike cleaned, washing into the washer, cables sorted for the charger and inverter, and I renewed the cable to the heated waistcoat.   Just going to have a look at the Garmin track to see just how close I was to getting the route right !!!!!

All in all a good weekend and a needed exercise before the Croatia trip.....  many thanks to David for joining me - good riding and good company - it was a bugger that Colin and Graham could not make it but I managed to get away with just two pints a night... with them I am sure it would have been more and the pace a little faster too....

Arrived at Upton-upon-severn

Just arrived and the weather is still dry - now were is the Tea ......... we had arranged to meet at Upton-upon-Severn and very pretty little town on the river....   Poor Dave arrived having had great problems with his SatNav..

 

 

Original site turned out to be a pub under construction and definitely not serving any beer... so called on Gertie Garmin to find another and as if by magic we ended up at the Red Lion pub and campsite just a few miles away at Wainlode Hill, Norton in Gloucestershire...  I laid out the contents of the tins and tried to figure out why I had so much stuff !!!   Then it was time for a beer, food and then bed.....

mmmm.... a bit nippy in the night and woke up early(ish),  got up I thought I would wonder over to the showers - turned out to be 5.30 am.... bugger.  Back to the tent and ready as early breakfast - for which we now had company...   all sorted and on the road for 8am for a short ride over to the Severn Bridge to Somerset...  had intended to stop at Tintern Abbey for coffee but made a total arse of it and ended up riding down via Offers Dyke and missed the Abbey altogether... then trying to avoid the motorway we ended up in the outskirts of Bristol..... with diversions and all sorts...  finally broke free with our lives intact and arrived at the 2nd campsite just about lunchtime.... 

Good weekend.....

Hi Blog

At last the "tins" from Touratech have arrived 7 days late !! Spent this Saturday fitting the rack and tins... and also adapting the old top box to fit the new rack.   Took a few hours on Sunday getting stuff packed for this coming weekend's trip to Herefordshire and Somerset...  Two others are joining me at Upton-on-Severn; (Colin Hitchcock and David Chalton).    Have found a couple of sites within the grounds of pubs !!

Just a few things to sort for the trip to Slovenia and Croatia:  Green Card Insurance and Currency and to sort out what to pack and where? I usually end up taken stuff "just-in-case"  mmmmmm less than 3 weeks now ......  The first night will be on the boat - I have booked a 'reclining seat" so will have to take sleepbag on-board; second night will hopefull be at Dave's Perry's house in France and so the tent will not be required until night 3 at La Rochelle..... Nite Nite

Mr Mugabe has gone...

The end of a very good 3 year relationship with an XRV750 Africa Twin - 50,000 miles and lots of regrets.


Mr Mugabe in Andorra 2009

 Would loved to have kept it but I am no mechanic and things were starting to go wrong, wear out and others bits falling off or not working as they should - just like me - and I'm 60 in September!!  Did not really like to seeing it going - it has been a great bike and I will miss it...  I still think the BMW is too clean and new for my tastes...

Well, having had a Dutchman come and look at it - and having said he would buy it on the phone - changed his mind on the day - I then re-advertised it on EBay - I put it on at 16:11 and it was sold at 16:14 ... bugger..  Two Polish lads called to collect it on Saturday - handed over the cash and off they went .....  Better than the Dutchman who wanted it for parts !!!

I had CW Motorcycles fit the Autocom and the Garmin power cable to the BMW as this Can Bus thing doesn't appear to like tampering !!   Ordered some better panniers and of course they have been delayed - is nothing simple anymore..

Due to go for the first camping trip of the year on the 15th ... so they had better be here by then....  Thought I would try sites in Herefordshire - near Ross on Wye and then a 2nd in Somerset - and why not...  will keep and eye out for another old bike ........  shhhhhhh

Well the deed is done....

...Last Saturday I moved closer to the dark side and took delivery of a 2005 BMW R1200GS.... a very clean machine indeed.... with only 11,500 on the clock...



The initial thoughts on the bike are that it looks good and is very easy to ride and I had forgotten what it feels like the travel at speed  ---- BUT it isn't the GS Adventure and looks a bit in the "too clean" side for me  ....  time will tell.  The plan is at present to take the BMW on the next trip (Croatia in May) unless of course I find a GS Adv in the mean time -  !!!!!!

Plans for the trip are still a work-in-progress and am just looking at the shake-down trip in April....   Packing my stuff on the BMW will be interesting !!   Bye for now

PS Mr Mugabe (Honda Africa Twin) still being used.... still love it... shhhhhhhhhh don't tell 'er in doors

59,000 miles and counting…

This week saw the arrival of 59,000 miles on the clock for the Africa Twin…  and following the events with the fule pump and the rear brake calliper – this week saw the leaking from the left radiator – bugger again…. Good job I had a spare 2nd hand one sitting on the shelf.. (well done Ebay)

Still looking around at other bikes – the BMW1200 GS, Boxer 800 XC, BMW 800GS etc … most of the GS Adventure bikes are either too expensive for my budget or have loads of miles on them… Looks like I will have to settle for a standard BMW 1200 GS ( not that I was ever intending to ride over the really rough stuff – well not yet !)

Will then have to decide what to do with Mr Mugabe… mmmmm I think management will have an opinion on that too….. it’s taxed and MOT’d…. !!!

Wed 23 Feb 11...........

Dear Blog

Finally got around to writing up the Blog. Since we last blogged Mr Mugabe had to go back to the workshop as the rear brake callipers were binding badly – but it’s OK now.

I have been looking at a few options with regards to bikes – these are the BMW1150 or 1200 GS A, the new Triumph Tiger 800XC and also the BMW 800GS….. just can’t make up my mind. Maybe a visit to the Bank Manager may help !!! of course I could and will probably stick with Mr M until it becomes too knackered to ride but it only has 58500 miles on it and should go on and on – unless something major gives way. It just looks and feels so right..

Spend last Sunday at the Ace Café Adventure Overland Bike Day – excellent day out. Plenty of bikes there to view, a good selection of trade stands too. Sam Manicom, Austin Vince and Gerald Vince were in good form selling there books and videos. Lots of old friends and familiar faces to chat with. Had a good look at the Tiger 800XC and Metal Mule was selling a used BMW800GS with loads of add-ons for £8000 – so tempting….. I still think the 1200 GSA is too big – but if Debs wants to travel on the back it may just have to be…

Next is the Shake Down trip to ??? possibly Herefordshire and then Somerset – I have found a couple of campsites (with pubs attached). Travel Insurance sorted for Mat trip as is the general route (version 15). Time marches on and it will be March next week..

... and life goes on....

… Still not a lot going on…. Bike now serviced and running well thanks to the time and efforts of Lee Stace the Honda wizard, but Mr Mugabe will need one more visit before the off just to make sure all is well.

Planning for the next trip well under way – mostly just waiting for the right time to re-new my IDP (International Driving Permit), get Travel Insurance, getting Green Card etc. The outward boat is booked Portsmouth-St Malo and the return Chunnel Ticket also sorted.

I have also booked up to attend the Adventure Travel Film Festival being organised by Lois Pryce and Austin Vince for early June in Bideford Devon - http://www.adventuretravelfilmfestival.com/2010/schedule-uk/ 

and also the 4 day Horizons Unlimited event at Ripley in late June http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/meetings/UK2011.php

So as you can see it is all happening but later… I still haven’t decided on the destination for the pre-trip shake-down weekend but it will probably be mid-Wales / Hereford way in April. Nor the location for the proposed SAM Camping Weekend on the first weekend in September but there is time…

One thing that is happening very soon is the Ace Café Adventure Overland Bike Day on the 20th February http://www.ace-cafe-london.com/ so I may see you there…. Sam Manicon, Austin Vince, Lois Pryce and many more will be there… as well as Mr Mugabe and I.

I don’t know if anyone else has seen the new Bike magazine and website http://www.adventurebikerider.com/  - it is very good – please visit and subscribe to the magazine too – very readable….

.. and another 4,000 mile service..

57,500 service done and next is the MOT.   Nothing too major on the service but apparently the drive shaft splines are on their way out.... that an enfine out job - will have to wait until April for that..

The weather is certainly get brighter but still cold - drove the car in for the last two days whilst the bike was in for servicing... warmer but not so much fun...

Still running over the routes - trying to avoid the big towns like Milan etc and the Auto Strada...  and selecting the scenic routes with some places of interest.   Must stay off the Motorway if I can.. and have many more Kodak Moments...  Had a reply from the Camp Site in Bled and they are happy for anyone to arrive without booking as it is still "off peak" in May..   So if anyone is in the area on May 15th - see you there   http://www.camping-bled.com/ . 

Must away now and collect the bike this evening.    Still looking at BMW 1200 GS A but shhhh don't tell Mr Mugabe.........

Horizons Unlimited

Go to Horizons Unlimited, the website that's all about motorcycle travel. Travellers Community, Bike Travel information on the Bulletin Board, free Monthly Motorcycle Travel E-zine, Travellers' Stories, and plenty of tips and info!

It worked - Sent direct from Mobile

Dear Blog .....  Just a brief update (from the Blackberry) just to prove
it works.   Planning for Croatia going well - Ferry booked for
outward leg and Chunnel booked for the return.   Bike has a minor
problem with the side stand switch - which has decided to stay on
(albeit just a glow) - I have now disconnected the switch until I can
get another - had to short out the wire to ensure that the engine cut
out doesn' work !!!!!

Will hit 57,000 tomorrow !

Sent from my BlackBerry wizzything

... On the road again

... Dear Blog - Well we are back on the road again..  I stripped out the contact set from one pump and installed it on the other pump...  Bugger nothing - stripped it out again and re-fitted it - BINGO.... all running OK now.  The new pump arrived today - so we are all set for the next problem !!! Mugabe is fast approaching 57,000 miles and so another service coming up !!

Will get back to planning for Trips now:
April -     Shake down weekend to Wales or Lake District
May  -    France-Italy-Slovenia-Croatia-the Alps (incl Stevelio Pass)
June  -    Adventure Film Festival in Devon
June  -     Horizons Unlimited long weekend in Ripley
July  - SAM Camping Weekend

Bugger and more bugger..

....Dear Blog - having not ridden the bike over most of the Christmas period and now having a chance to get out for while - off we went - then after about 2 hours...  putt putt putt the bike comes to a silent stop on the Romsey Road .... no warning just power off....   I suspect that it is the fuel pump again.. so, after a while I managed to get it started and head off for home with fingers crossed.  Bugger me it ran fine all the way home...  

I stripped out the fuel pump and installed a spare that I had on the shelf from the last time (but with a new contact set).... finally managed that fitted and tried to start it but it turned over twice and blew the 10 amp fuse - replaced the fuse and tried again - pop same thing... bugger again.  Disconnected the pump and it started fine with the residue fuel in the carbs..

I have now ordered a full replacement fuel pump at the inflated price of £180.   Thrice bugger..  I will attempted to change over the contact set from one to the other pump tomorrow and see how it goes - but running out of 10 amp fuses....  So will now have to wait until late next week for the pump....

..... Cold Cold and even Colder

.. still not too much going on at present...  I did visit the NEC for the Motorcycle show - it was good but extremely cold travelling on the bike !!!  I do believe it was -7 when I rode up on Monday morning about 05.45...

I saw the new Triumph Tiger 800XC it looks good and the proposed Honda Cross Tourer - Still not sure about that one.... and of course there were some BMW 1200 GS A's there.... I will just have to pray for a lottery win..   Met with some friends I had not seen in a while - one is off RTW in April - lucky lad...

Planning for next year is still going on - just looking along the route for places of interest and trying to miss main roads and the autostrada's in Italy.   I have hopefully equalised the riding days to something less challenging..  some days were 8+ riding hours.....  which I don't mind but I do need to slow the pace down and have many more Kodak moments... 

Quite a lot of nothing going on…..

Apart from riding in this awful weather not too much is going on… Mr Mugabe has now had its service and two new front brake discs (now 55,000 miles on the clock) – that’s 45,000 in the two and a half years that I have had him. It won’t be too long before we clock up 100,000 !!! This month I have had to put on two new tyres as the previous ones were squared off – but about 12,000 on one set is good. The BMW would only give me 7,000 at best on Bridgestone’s.

Spent a few hours last weekend putting in a new pukka fuse box – to manage the multiple items (heated grips, Autocom, aux sockets and Garmin etc).

Went to see Austin Vince and a presentation on Mondo Enduro - at Wimbourne - an excellent night - and I managed to win myself a very smart Belstaff Jacket in the raffle...

I passed a few hours last night looking over the route for next year and re-routing to avoid large cities like Milan and keep off the Auto Strada’s. Once that is sorted then I will look at each leg of the trip to see if there are places of interest nearby. I did find a brilliant looking set of roads in Southern France.. near Cognin-Les-Gorges and Malleval. That should be a interesting ride – sort of a warm up for the Stelvio Pass in Italy….. ah well onwards and upwards… Dreaming of Living the Dream…..

… That was a weekend – that was…

Started out late on Friday due to a technical hitch with Rui and his nose – but that’s another story.

We eventually left Winchester at 1240 and headed for Andover / Marlborough / Swindon / Circencester for a coffee break at Greasy Joe’s Café

The onwards and upwards to Stroud / Gloucester / Hereford and then a well deserved coffee stop at the Honey Café.    I was due to meet Graham there – as he had travelled up from Tenby (Graham was one of the guy’s I rode with in South Africa on Enduro Africa 2008).  It was so good of him to hang on for us and no sooner had we arrived; when the “fast” team arrive – they had set off from Ower at 1300 and had taken the quicker route  – must check there Garmin tracks !!

Then on to the camp site in Rhayader and pitched the tents in the dark..   All sorted and stowed away and off to the Eagles Inn for a “Planning Meeting” and debrief from the days events.  Enough is enough and it was head torches on and 10 mellow souls making their way in the dark -  back to the site.



Some view

 Following some heavy overnight rain we made an early start with a full cooked breakfast and lashings of hot coffee.   We divided into two groups – Brisk and Steady (150 miles) for a  trundle through the valleys and Full On group on some of the best reads on Mid Wales and I think they took in some roads in North and South too (300 miles)

I can only write about the Brisk and Steady ride – on which the scenery was stunning and the very small country lanes were very demanding in their own way – narrow, wet, slippery, muddy and covered in leaves – but apart from that…….  One section was extremely testing with very steep descent and slippery tarmac – this prompted Rui to comment that his arse had been “sending Morse code” for the last 20 minutes !!

Cream teas at Devil’s Bridge and then vegetable soup at a log cabin with a rather warm wood burning stove somewhere North East of Abergwesyn were very welcome.

On one lovely stretch on forest road we saw and shoot – lots of dogs on the right and the “guns” assembling on the left – all tweed and gaiters…  another 100 yards along the road we saw at least 20 pheasants sneaking across the road and hiding in the bushes; with that ‘You ain’t seen me – right’  look on their faces…

All arrived back at the Camp Site in time for a repeat of the previous evening with a slight variation on the menu.  Mark Haydock had now joined us for the evening having ridden up on his brand new BMW 1200RT.   I wonder if he had wished he had stuck with the GS after some of the lanes.

A later start back on the Sunday – again a fast group seeing how many miles they could cover before crossing the bridge – and a less progressive group seeing more of the countryside and even some more slippy lanes !! Whoops sorry..   Stopped for coffee the White Monk Café at Tintern Abby and then across the bridge and across country before yet another tea stop at Laycock Abby.   And then home…

Mid Wales in the autumn is stunning…  and I would highly recommend getting out and seeing it.

Thanks to all those that attended – good company – good biking – good food – good coffee – what more could you ask for ----- Stop that……..

Same again next year… probably…

... We are off again

... Well on Friday morning - I am off again into Mid Wales - Not enough rain last time so we are going back for more - there will be about 12 bikes there is time.  Might as well get a cold one in before the snow sets in.  Taking a long slow route up via Hereford.

Will try the new tent for the first time and see some more of the great countryside around central Wales and might even have a pint or two...

Will definitely be trying the Kangaroo and Crocodile steaks this time....

I have now given up trying to pack lighter and lighter - too much hassle that....  photos to follow...

.. A Sad Day



Godwin Calafato

 Today saw the furneral of an old friend Godwin Calafato - he died on the 6th Oct from cancer.

It was a nice service at Farley Chamberlyne near Braishfield...   

RIP old chap..  good to have known you

Just an update.....

Hi.... 
Been a while...  update is - We are off the Mid Wales again at the end of the mouth - a total of 11 bikes so far...    Last Sunday was spent at the Weymouth Beach Races - total mayhem on the sand...  Good to watch but there is now way that I would even try !!! 

Planning for next year is still progressing - destination is still Croatia and I am still travelling solo

The bike is now overdue for a service - have now covered 43,000 miles in the last 2.75 years... 

Camping Extreme

Off again - A return visit to Mid Wales in October - let's see if we get any more takers this time !!!!

Weather should be cooler and probably wetter.....   The call of Kanagroo or Crocodile steaks !!!

August's Mid Wales run..

Friday 27th August – off the Mid Wales

 … Left the office at 12.30 and enjoyed a very casual ride up to Wales via Swindon, Gloucester, Ross-on-Wye and Hereford. Arrived just in time to meet Colin at Reception on the Camp Site.. Just to two of us then…


We set up the tents and departed for the local town in search of some food… the first pub we found proved to be excellent – the beer was cold and the food varied and well cooked… http://www.eagles-inn.co.uk/ and what a menu it was..

 Including locally grown Water Buffalo, or Crocodile / Kangaroo Steaks:  Too good to miss – so I had faggots and mash with thick Gravy and Colin settled for the Pheasant !! all supplemented with ample pints… another good evening.



Saturday 28th August – off to the Dams

… Rode out of the camp site at 9am and travelled up the Elan Valley to see the dams and the lakes http://www.elanvalley.org.uk/dams-reservoirs

We travelled over some beautiful scenery, very twisty and narrow roads – just relax and enjoy the views.

The route took us North West to Devils Bridge – where we stopped for a coffee at the Hafod Hotel. A very nice chap there made us very welcome even though they were not actually open.

 Refreshed we moved on to the Coast and Aberystwyth for Lunch – a typical Bank Holiday – wet and windy on the prom. Not a lot to recommend it !!

Onwards and south to Lampeter and then back onto the narrow roads and to more lakes…. The plan was to find a view, stop and brew up.  But having left to kettle back at base camp; we quickly gave up on that and found a nice Visitor Centre in the woods – more coffee with some wonderful carrot cake. By the time we got back to camp it was 5.30p, and we had covered about 150 miles.

So a vote was taken and we cleaned up and retreated to the Eagle Inn for some more excellent wining and dining ….  Venison for Colin and Moroccan Chicken for me..

The morning brought some more rain but not for long and following yet another good breakfast cooked by yours truly; we made a good start at 8am … The route home was planned by Colin and consisted of some fine bikers roads – north to Newtown, then South to Crossgates, Crickhowell, Abergaveny and Monmouth. We stopped for coffee at the Honey Café at Bronllys near Brecon, in the foothills of Pen y Fan. An excellent tea stop.

Then across to Tintern Abbey, and over the bridge at Chepstow, and back through Bath and Warminster before going our own ways at Wilton. Brilliant roads and I know Colin enjoyed then….

All in all a brilliant weekend, even with the occasional downpours of liquid sunshine. Thanks for the company Colin.  The campsite was good, although very busy. Now to start thinking about the next trip….. mmmm where – when -----

26 Aug 2010

........... You can tell it's about to be a Bank Holiday weekend - it raining.............   Having got totally drenched yesterday - I have now managed to get everything dry ready for tomorrow's trip to Mid Wales... trying out a new tent in the rain appears appropriate somehow...   I will be travelling up via Swindon - Gloucester - Hereford and Ross-on-Wye by way of a change and on Saturday I have planned a 125 miles route around the Lakes and Dams using mostly minor roads - I must remember to take the stove and a brew kit with me...

The return trip will take me down the valleys and then to Monmouth, then south to Tintern Abby and over the bridge... 

Pray for dry weather ......

16 Aug 2010

... Time is certainly marching on - it's now mid-August - the evenings are getting darker and before you know it it will be winter again...   Not a lot happening at this time,  - although I will be taking a weekend run up to Mid-Wales - I suspect it will rain again - usually does there ...

Still planing for trip for next year - but attempting not to plan too much - the general route is done just to give me an idea of how far (about 3200 miles) and many days (16 days).... that is the problem with just having two weeks to fit in a trip...  One day it will be open ended....    Having read about a rider in Switzerland that got fined stupid money for speeding I may well plan to bypass their little country... Now looking for particular places of interest on the way and for interesting routes - like the Stelvio Pass.   I will hopefully be calling-in on friend on mine that I haven't seen for over 25 years - now living in France and will then drop into the Camping-Moto site in the Dordogne http://www.motocamp.com/motocamp.nsf/Home.htm on the way through - nice lager there ....

Have just got version 11 of Garmin Maps and this now includes coverage of Croatia - how very handy...

Later