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....

..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

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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