27 June - near Cluj-Napoca

MotoRest cabin in Slovakia and local buildings in Romania.

26 June - Czechoslovakia still

After a night of worry I arrived at the Bike Shop and waited from them to arrive. Nice chap Martin (my hero) arrived and I unloaded the bike a placed it in a wonderful workshop. Yes, new chain required as the front sprocket was moving on the drive shaft causing the chain to hit the casing.... bugger.
But worse was to come the front sprocket was not secured to the drive shaft and I was able to just pull it off... bugger again. New drive shaft and gasket set, new front sprocket needed so I might as well have a rear sprocket too .... but only the chain in stock - but all could be order with only a 10 day wait.

So new chain fitted and off down the road to the welding shop - great guys - the sprocket and drive shaft at now one - should hold until back in the UK. Welding free of charge. Chain etc just €142 - a bargain.

I got back on the road at 11 and rode till I had had enough of Gertie who refused to go where I wanted but insisted on road 14 with lots of twisties and then refused to go on the southern route , so the north route it was - nearly into Poland and close to the border with Ukraine !! But the views of the Capathian mountains were fabulous - even the view from the petrol station was stunning.

Just a thought - this week I have seen:
. Elephants by the side of the road with a circus
. I saw a fight as a man ejected from a tram by the police in Prague for openly drinking beer.
. I met the wonderful Martin at All4Moto in Trencin.
. Some wonderful welders who would not take payment.
. Some true bike roads and brilliant country side.

I am now at a MotoRest in Branisko (€14 a night) and €4 for supper. Now off the bed... a long day again tomorrow - heading for Hungary and maybe Romania....

25 June - Czechoslovakia and Slovakia

Why do all my short days turn out long !!
Started out at 8am but got very bogged down as Prague wanted to get to work and others were bumping into each other and causing major delays.

Headed for Brno and then to Trencin. I have a problem with the chain and was trying to locate a motorcycle shop or garage.... I thought my luck was it when I saw a huge sign so I followed it only to find out that it opens at 2pm : and it was only 10:30am... bugger. I hope it last until I can get it sorted!!

Gertie is still being a pain as this morning I discovered that all my music had disappeared along with my planned routes.... bugger I thought.

Anyway I made it to the camp site only to find it closed as they were having a music festival - back on the road and found another site in the town - next to the river and with a view of the castle. So hot now so I took a cabin which was cheaper than last night campsite. The only problem is it is infested the noises teenagers screaming and running around.. I pray for a quiet night.

24 June - Prague

Good afternoon reader

I collapsed into the sleeping bag at about 9pm and apart from the mad Dutchman next door who decided to reposition his caravan at 10pm, it was a quiet night.

The inter web here is not too good - photos and alike will have to wait a while.

This morning I was playing the Tourist - I don't like touristy places and I am not very good at sight seeing. But I wandered about in the heat and took a few photos etc. It is very hot here at present and there are far too many people about.
The main fun was had trying to catch a bus and Metro at 7.30am and pay for them... luckily there was a young lady at the bus stop who was very helpful - I ended not paying for the bus ride and just about managed the underground.

 And I found my way back to the camp site too....

I really don't know how those Iron Butt riders do it - two long days and my back is buggered. It should be a short run tomorrow down to Brno and then into Slovakia.

Germany and Czechoslovak

Dear reader ,

What to say about today - well it rained all night, so it was a wet pack up this morning. I got on the road at 8am - I found it really hard to get out of bed this morning - too much time in the saddle yesterday. I knew it was going to be another long day today so I just had to get a grip and get going.

Found a nice road side cafe for breakfast and saw these two on a trailer ....

Cochem

Cochem

22 Jun - Luxembourg and Germany

Dear reader,

A good start deserves fresh socks and pants. As expected today was a very long day. Rode out early from that excellent campsite and within 10 minutes we were in Germany. Lots of twisty roads and highlands and valleys. We finally reached a hotel after about 5 hours riding, in the woods and stopped for a coffee and a bun. Lots of speedy bikes about as we were near to the Nurembergring. A lot more back roads and Gertie was determined to send me through every town that had road works. Lots and lots of Umleitungs (spelling?). Never did find that place!!

About 3 o'clock it started to rain and it just got heavier and heavier... until I arrived at the campsite, drenched. Found the pitch and a nice German couple helped me pitched the tent in the rain.

There was a country and western evening on at the site, with beer, currywerst and chips. I met up with the friendly Germans and we had a laugh about biking and Brexit !!!

I am now stood in the gents toilet charging my phone as I type. It has been a long hard day and there is another tomorrow as I head to Prague and the plan is to stay there for two nights - Monday's are non-riding days - I need to get some washing done.

Nite nite

Belgium, France and Luxemberg

Good evening dear reader,

After a good meal and just the one beer I slept surprisingly well.  After packing up I had an early start at about 7:30.  For the first 30 miles it was all good and then the navigation went to pot as usual - we ended up heading the the middle of Lille…. So a quick escape saw us on a very busy motorway - with stop and start for about 10 miles due to road works….  Good job I don't mind filtering….  And I must remember not to do it in Germany.

We finally broke free of the main roads and back on the quieter back roads and ended up in Mons.   I worked at NATO SHAPE  for a few years - not a lot to see these days as the fences are so high and deep.  We rode on to Soignes where I used to live and the building is still there and looks quite good considering its age.  The town has grown so much, they even have a Lidl and a McDonalds - its amazing how thing change in just 40+ years (?)….  So it was back onto the highways and byways of Belgium and France and finally into Luxemberg.  Some would say its a bikers dream with so many twisty roads ?? I am not sure these days.

The camp site is great and I have a pitch next to the river and the sun is hot - what else could I ask for.

Tomorrow is into the Rheinland and hopefully as far as Mannheim and the southern Rihine although judging by today performance I think that might be a little to long in the saddle..

Nite Nite

Look it’s sunshine ....

20 June - France and Belgium

Good evening dear reader,

I had a very casual ride down to Folkestone and the Chunnel.   No sooner had I boarded the train then we were off.  Lots of bikers on board - not very talkative or interesting, mostly going to some sort of rally or a cannonball type event down to Nice.   Lots of wheelies on arriving in France (no me) - I just parked up and let Gertie Garmin sort herself out and and off we went - very little traffic, empty back roads to Ypres and the campsite.   I must sort Gertie out as Belgium appears to have disappeared from the screen??

Arrived at "Camping Ypra" - a very nice and clean campsite.  All sorted and now in the Reception having a Le Fort beer (Belgium tea) with a very noisy group of Belgians.  It is very sunny and warm and once I have had this beer it back to the tent to cook supper.

 

Tomorrow I am going to have a cruise around Mons, Casteau and Soignes - I served there with NATO way back in the '70s.  Then onwards and upwards to Luxemberg.

I will remember to stop and take photos - honest.

Nite Nite

So far so good.....

HU UK 2019 - Day 2

HU UK 2019 - Thursday

Good morning dear reader,
It is now 5:30am and it has been heavy rain here for the last 12 hours... TIW (This is Wales).

Early morning ablutions done I am going back to bed !!!

A quick ride in Llandovery

.... over the mountain to Pandy

.... after the tea at Abergavenny I rode up to the Honey Cafe a Bronllys.... spent some time chatting the another biker. Then left the cafe and ended up riding over the mountain, through some very narrow lanes and onto the clear land at the top - just me and loads of sheep......

Now back at Pandy Campsite and a well deserved pint...

Now at the Honey Cafe Bronllys

More tea....

A quick trip to Wales

I thought I would take advantage of some good weather, so I rode up to Pandy near Abergavenny in bright sunshine.  Got to the pub/campsite only to find that it does open until 5pm.... their not going to catch any passing trade that way.   So I rode further on into the town, got some fuel and I am now having a pot of tea in the sunshine....

Tomorrow I will be heading into the valleys and reservoirs of the Ely Vally....  more later....

Adventure Overland Show - Stratford upon Avon

Dear Reader,
It is now 8pm on Saturday and the weather has been consistently crap since yesterday. The rain mainly stopped over night and gave way to cold very high winds all day. I have now retired to the tent to get warm. The tea is on the boil and here I sit.

Despite the weather is has been a good day following a merry drink in the beer tent last night, with much merriment and singing of all things... A good group on people ( mostly the bikers that turned up in numbers due to it being a free camping event ). As expected there are lots of BMW GSs and a surprising number of Enfield Himalayan's ... a popular machine by all accounts and only 2 XRV750s on site....

The band has just started up and the kettle has now boiled ... the plan is to rise early and ride home by noon. There is only so many times you can walk around the trading stands... Hopefully a better sleep than last night....

Good night

Sammy Millers Motorcycle Museum - Adventure Bike Day

I think I have been hacked - so testing with this old picture

Whoops - now that was close

M25 near Heathrow.   Watch the white car ahead.  The car up ahead of him in the lane to his right moves into my lane right in front of the small white car ahead of me....  then brakes hard because he wanted to take the slip road that he had missed.... the white car had no chance... at least I was able to move to the right... just...  too close for comfort....

Overland Winter Warmer event - Chipping Warden

I spent a brilliant weekend with David Charlton at the Overland Winter Warmer event that was held at Chipping Warden.   Lots of fog, sunshine, tea and a very cold Sunday morning.  Some excellent presentations and we met up with many really nice people.   I was so glad that I took my ex Army Artic Sleeping bag.....

Plan for Main Trip of 2019

Dear readers, Looks like I will not be getting to USA Overland Expo 2019 in Flagstaff.  Maybe I should plan to return in 2020.   Having looked at the maps of Europe there are so many countries and places that I have not yet seen.  So, as of 29 March 2019 I will be a foreigner when visiting Europe (thanks to those idiots that voted in 2016 for us to leave the EU).  

So riding my trusty 22 year old Honda XRV 750 Africa Twin and clutching my new UK passport, UK driving licence, International Driving Permit, Green Card Insurance, Foreign Travel and Medical Insurance and book of maps, I will be doing a 6,000 miles trip around Europe and Eastern Europe in June and July.

The plan is to pass through and maybe even stop a while in the following countries (in no particular order):

• France
• Germany
• Austria
• Luxembourg
• Montenegro
• Poland
• Belgium
• Croatia
• Bulgaria
• Serbia
• Slovenia
• Slovakia
• Albania
• Hungary
• Greece
• Turkey
• Bosnia & Herzegovina
• Czechoslovak 
• Italy
• Switzerland
• Austria
• Kosovo
• Romania
• North Macedonia

Ah well - back to the maps.....

Too cold to ride - this Polish Guy wouldn’t agree

I am stuck at home with broncitus and something nasty.....