http://www.hogeuropegallery.com/hog-videos/watch/20th-european-hog-rallycroatia-harley-days/
As I can't go back - at least not yet, all I can do is start the countdown to Cascais 2012.
(And hey, maybe I'll even get to make my own video of it if i play my Christmas list right...)
Monday 27 June 2011
Saturday 4 June 2011
Home again
Home again
3000 road miles, plus 3 sea crossings (roughly another 500 miles), far
too many gelati, croissants and local red wines later, I'm back on the
left side of the road, reminding myself that the signs are in miles
already and the speed limit is only 70.
Oh, and the car drivers understand what I'm shouting at them - which
is probably not a good thing. (although I suppose there is a vague
chance it might teach them to look and/or indicate before changing
lanes and cutting me up).
The border crossing at the tunnel was very slow, with customs being as
thorough as Croatia (who were pretty diligent). I must look innocent,
despite the noisy pipes and overstuffed baggage, because I got waved
past the sniffer dogs in Croatia and past the team pulling random
vehicles to pieces in Calais.
But I'm back now. Until the next time...
3000 road miles, plus 3 sea crossings (roughly another 500 miles), far
too many gelati, croissants and local red wines later, I'm back on the
left side of the road, reminding myself that the signs are in miles
already and the speed limit is only 70.
Oh, and the car drivers understand what I'm shouting at them - which
is probably not a good thing. (although I suppose there is a vague
chance it might teach them to look and/or indicate before changing
lanes and cutting me up).
The border crossing at the tunnel was very slow, with customs being as
thorough as Croatia (who were pretty diligent). I must look innocent,
despite the noisy pipes and overstuffed baggage, because I got waved
past the sniffer dogs in Croatia and past the team pulling random
vehicles to pieces in Calais.
But I'm back now. Until the next time...
PS: pics are now fixed. I hope. Don't know what went wrong there but
seems to be a mac/pc language issue. Much like me/Europe.
Sent from my iPhone
Pics
Pics
I'm told there are viewing problems with the photos I loaded to this
blog. I shall repost them asap.
Thanks
I'm told there are viewing problems with the photos I loaded to this
blog. I shall repost them asap.
Thanks
Sent from my iPhone
Friday 3 June 2011
PS
It must be said, in fairness, that despite the rain and wind and cold, the road to mont blanc was stunning. The clouds drifted between the snow-tipped mountains, making castles in the air of the buildings lower down. If my hands had worked, I'd have taken pics.
Thursday 2 June 2011
Penultimate ride
Penultimate ride
Thursday dawned overcast and positively wintry. I still felt cold from
wednesday's mountain madness, so got dressed in windproof thermal base
layer, shirt, jeans, thermal socks, still damp boots, jacket with
inner and winter buff. And then needed three coffees and fresh from
the oven croissants to feel humanoid.
But it cleared and warmed up, and we found, quite by chance, that the
D971 through Champagne is a lovely little road.
Reluctantly returning to the peage at half-four, we have found a hotel
in Reims with a very nice restaurant next door (yes, it's a roadside
set-up, but this is France, so the food is actually very good and so
is the pays doc house merlot: you know you're in France when the wine
list of a roadside grill runs to four pages).
Hard to think the trip is nearly over. I want to turn around and head
back to Croatia, but I'll have to settle for planning next year...
Thursday dawned overcast and positively wintry. I still felt cold from
wednesday's mountain madness, so got dressed in windproof thermal base
layer, shirt, jeans, thermal socks, still damp boots, jacket with
inner and winter buff. And then needed three coffees and fresh from
the oven croissants to feel humanoid.
But it cleared and warmed up, and we found, quite by chance, that the
D971 through Champagne is a lovely little road.
Reluctantly returning to the peage at half-four, we have found a hotel
in Reims with a very nice restaurant next door (yes, it's a roadside
set-up, but this is France, so the food is actually very good and so
is the pays doc house merlot: you know you're in France when the wine
list of a roadside grill runs to four pages).
Hard to think the trip is nearly over. I want to turn around and head
back to Croatia, but I'll have to settle for planning next year...
Sent from my iPhone
30 miles to France - a farce
30 miles to France - a farce
So we awoke in Riva del Garda at the top of lake Garda halfway between
Venice and Milan and the rain had arrived.
At first it seemed to be stopping, and we set off down the lakeside
with fingers crossed. After 40km, we pulled into a side tunnel to put
our waterproofs on.
And the wind came up and the rain came down all the way to Milan. We
stopped at the services and decided on the shortest route to France.
Then we hit the motorway again. Let me say now that Ancona is not the
only place in Italy that could use a lesson in signposting. And for
what they cost to use, Italian motorways are a rip-off given the road
surface. Eventually I successfully negotiated the Milan/monza/Turin
junction (Italy loves its pasta. Every junction appears inspired by
spaghetti).
Lynn's tires aren't happy in the wet, and the rain was pelting so we
were relying on my non-existent italian and purported sense of
direction. Let's just say it turned out to be something of a scenic
route.
As I followed the signs for monte bianco and Geneva, I kept converting
the kms to miles to make myself feel better - soaked and frozen as I
was by the time we reached the alps.
Then the rain came down and the wind came up. You try cornering a
heavy, loaded bike through a hairpin over potholes in the driving rain
and a contrary cross-gale, OK?
We stopped for espresso because we were both too cold to feel hands or
feet (very heavy in wet boots, which makes riding and walking rather
difficult). The gent behind me in the coffee queue looked at me and
struggled not to laugh, which was very polite, given that neither of
us could shiver for giggling.
And with every lovely dry tunnel up the mountains I told myself "30
more miles to France".
Mont blanc itself is lovely. Expensive but for that you get nearly
12km of heated dry tunnel in which to ride in your own personal steam
cloud as you dry/thaw a little.
France of course, was dry. Viciously corkscrew down 60% gradients, but
dry.
We had planned to peage it to beaune near Dijon but couldn't stand the
cold or wet so stopped just inside the Franco-swiss border at a place
that spoke English, but had no food other than mcdonalds. Luckily my
teeth were chattering too much to chew. (and at least they do coffee
these days).
So we awoke in Riva del Garda at the top of lake Garda halfway between
Venice and Milan and the rain had arrived.
At first it seemed to be stopping, and we set off down the lakeside
with fingers crossed. After 40km, we pulled into a side tunnel to put
our waterproofs on.
And the wind came up and the rain came down all the way to Milan. We
stopped at the services and decided on the shortest route to France.
Then we hit the motorway again. Let me say now that Ancona is not the
only place in Italy that could use a lesson in signposting. And for
what they cost to use, Italian motorways are a rip-off given the road
surface. Eventually I successfully negotiated the Milan/monza/Turin
junction (Italy loves its pasta. Every junction appears inspired by
spaghetti).
Lynn's tires aren't happy in the wet, and the rain was pelting so we
were relying on my non-existent italian and purported sense of
direction. Let's just say it turned out to be something of a scenic
route.
As I followed the signs for monte bianco and Geneva, I kept converting
the kms to miles to make myself feel better - soaked and frozen as I
was by the time we reached the alps.
Then the rain came down and the wind came up. You try cornering a
heavy, loaded bike through a hairpin over potholes in the driving rain
and a contrary cross-gale, OK?
We stopped for espresso because we were both too cold to feel hands or
feet (very heavy in wet boots, which makes riding and walking rather
difficult). The gent behind me in the coffee queue looked at me and
struggled not to laugh, which was very polite, given that neither of
us could shiver for giggling.
And with every lovely dry tunnel up the mountains I told myself "30
more miles to France".
Mont blanc itself is lovely. Expensive but for that you get nearly
12km of heated dry tunnel in which to ride in your own personal steam
cloud as you dry/thaw a little.
France of course, was dry. Viciously corkscrew down 60% gradients, but
dry.
We had planned to peage it to beaune near Dijon but couldn't stand the
cold or wet so stopped just inside the Franco-swiss border at a place
that spoke English, but had no food other than mcdonalds. Luckily my
teeth were chattering too much to chew. (and at least they do coffee
these days).
Sent from my iPhone
Venezia to lago di Garda
Venezia to lago di Garda
We went through the Dolomite mountains. They are spectacular. And full
of twisty corners on various gradients. These are not my favourite
things, especially on a downhill. The only times I've dropped a bike
have been on tight corners, so I'm slightly panicky about them and
tension is the last thing you need to corner well.
I also get distracted by scenery: note to self - do not drive over the
edge and down the ravine. No really don't.
Having twisted all the way up to the Swiss border, we twisted back
south on a spectacular motorway to lake Garda (which hosted the HOG
rally a few years ago, which I missed).
The wind was picking up and thunderstorms were predicted, so we
twisted along the lakeside to Riva del Garda, a town lousy with hotels
and restaurants. On the map, it was the last stop till Salo, 80km away
at the bottom of the lake.
We stopped, checked in and waited in vain for the storms. We got
drizzle but no drama.
We went through the Dolomite mountains. They are spectacular. And full
of twisty corners on various gradients. These are not my favourite
things, especially on a downhill. The only times I've dropped a bike
have been on tight corners, so I'm slightly panicky about them and
tension is the last thing you need to corner well.
I also get distracted by scenery: note to self - do not drive over the
edge and down the ravine. No really don't.
Having twisted all the way up to the Swiss border, we twisted back
south on a spectacular motorway to lake Garda (which hosted the HOG
rally a few years ago, which I missed).
The wind was picking up and thunderstorms were predicted, so we
twisted along the lakeside to Riva del Garda, a town lousy with hotels
and restaurants. On the map, it was the last stop till Salo, 80km away
at the bottom of the lake.
We stopped, checked in and waited in vain for the storms. We got
drizzle but no drama.
Sent from my iPhone
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