|
Shadowing Usurper.
I am having breakfast on the Pont Avon, only few hours from Santander. When I get off, all the booked parts are done and dusted. From now on I will just look on my old map... Choose a likely looking place, choose 'no motorways,' and press the GO button on the zumo 550... It sure finds some weird places ;-)
My route is to trace (very loosely) the sea going route of HMS Usurper, a RN submarine, which was lost with all hands around the 3rd Oct 1943 somewhere around the bay of Genoa. My grandfather, Leonard Jackson was lost too. Obviously I never knew him but apparently he might have been a bit of a bugger, so he sounds OK to me http://www.wrecksite.eu/img/wrecks/usurper_1943.jpg This is mainly for family to keep tabs but feel free to join in, especially if you have knowledge of submarine ops in the Med in WW2. I am aiming to camp mainly, so WiFi will be patchy, and 3's europass doesn't include tethering (the swine). But then again Leonard couldn't contact home on his last trip either. Potes has been recommended so I'm headed to Potes. Shortish ride to get me zeroed in. https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/phot...eat=directlink Pete |
I like your intention to follow the sub but you have posted this 3 times in total - maybe I will follow your ride report if you can settle down to one or other of your postings!
Bon voyage!! |
Tks Dave- fixed
|
My apologies.... The WiFi on the Pont When, and fat fingers on a nexus 7 are to blame.
Hopefully better this time. Yesterday was my first days riding in Spain, and as intended camped just outside Potes. Fair to say I packed too much as usual, probably half a pannier of 'wotiifs' that you can never do without but never use. I blaming it on the need to cope with the Alps on the return leg, which could be a bit chilly. (It better be, or the electric jacket I'm carrying will be a waste of space, as will the log burning stove... And I'm just kidding about the stove) What to say about the Picos mountain area? If you've been, you'll know... If you haven't, then do go. I cut through them with all motorways banned on the zumo. Hardly saw any other bikes, and only a few cars. I'll try to get some pics up... But it might be an edit when I get home and have a PC to fool with, as my inability to function here on the tablet has been mentioned already :-P Tonight residing in a hotel, 25 euros..... If the bike is still there tomorrow I will continue.... |
After Potes, I stopped in Salamanca. Th was the 25 euro hotel mentioned before. It wasn't my choice, the zumo was taking me in ever decreasing circles trying to find a campsite and I chanced up the hotel. Once I had wrestled the young lady from her card game, and demonstrated my total stupidity at speaking Spanish, an air conditioning unit came along with a room.
The 'restaurant', which the young lady was at pains to point out was a 'separate business. Asked for a menu.... Got blank looks in return.. There was no choice. But, a salad to start and omelette with cheese and peppers.. 11 euros.... Including 2 beers.... Mustn't grumble, as the boss tells me. Anyway, the Strom was there, so after lugging all the stuff back from the room to the bike and working up a right old sweat, I couldn't find the sumo. Mucho panico (see the Spanish is improving already ;-) ) Unpack top box....Unpack both panniers... Repack both...look under bed.. In cupboards... Start thinking how you report theft to the Spanish police.. Then find it under my bike jacket... I wonder what the Spanish is for dork... Hit the road, and did some miles. Have seen some beautiful scenery, brilliant roads, from smooth curvy, sinewy roads, to little more than tracks. Like I say, Garmin... Four those out of the way places. Spain is such a great country to ride in, great roads, and the people generally have friendly vibe so far, even if we can't understand each other :-) Tonight I'm in Portugal, although never noticed a border. Zumo took me to a campsite that is having some kind of exposition going on,, so no camping again. This hotel is 13euros... I have asked a few times if that's right.. But I'm told it is. Hopefully no nasty surprises tomorrow. My helmet is causing me some grief.... That's my BMW flip up helmet. Something is pressing against my cranium, which it appears is not as soft as some people say! Quite localized pain, about an inch above my ears. I'm pressing the polystyrene in,,trying to stop the pressure. Time will tell. I have seen places today that I would have liked to linger, but couldn't. The route today was partly 'the route of castles' and there were some, although lots were derelict. I can see me going back to explore these places another time,... Time to learn some oif the lingo. Should reach Gibraltar tomorrow, but with no camping, and little in the way of hotels on the web, it might just get bypassed... |
So, 13 euros see sounded too good to be true, and it was! It wasn't a massive surprise to see 30 euros. Still a good nigh rest is worth the money. Apart from a fellow guest seeming to be tapping out Morse code on the pipe system for half the night, and what sounded like two drunk women going to bed.. The loudest one being the one that was telling the other one to shhhhhh!
Departed under grey skies and a spit of rain in Portugal. Good roads back to Spain, still avoiding the motorways, and as usual they were pretty much empty. I am loving it here :-) Took an off road excursion (deliberately).. All went OK. If the Strom can cope in my incompetent hands its doing OK.. Great roads, great weather, but I screwed up by letting the satnav take me too far into Seville before I realized motorways would have been better. An hour or so wasted there, and almost as long wasted on garmin 'fictitious' hotels meant a late hotel find somewhere in.... umm .. Spain. It will tell me where I am on the receipt in their morning :-) Had to buy a USB charging look lease today to charge the drift camera. Chinese supermarket where the seemed to sell everything, and talk any language, excerpt English.. Getting used to this now though :-) Would write more but knackered, as and the 3 beers are not helping me Really want to camp tomorrow for a couple of nights. There's a rawness in my draws, needs a rest ;-) Pete |
Locations of camp sites
I'm not clear why you have struggled, a bit, to find campsites - maybe the time of year, with some of them being closed after the end of the season?
Anyway, you might find this website useful for your trusty Zumo:- ARCHIESCAMPINGS |
Thanks for that. Its saved for future use. I guess the routes I'm taking are off the beaten track. Garmins standard offerings were few and far between. But, I'm not fussed. I like camping but will take whatever. The next 2 nights I'm in a bungalow (Shed) on a campsite on the southern most tip of Spain. From the campsite beach I can see Gibraltar, the straits, and Africa. I'm told you can see the lights from Africa at night, and I'll go and look later. Might even be a sunset soon.
I stood earlier, and looked out to sea and found myself thinking about my Grandad and ALL his comrades who could not have known what a beautiful country they sailed around to get here. The saying of what they gave so we could live better lives hits home now. We are so lucky to be able to travel on a whim like this, without let or hindrance. There's a pill box built into the foreshore here. I have no idea what the Spaniards response to belligerent shipping spotted during the war as it headed for the straits. Takes a pot shot? Look the other way? The roads today have been awesome. Off the beaten track (re-enabled blocking motoreways and toll roads..) I have gone through national parks, and whole expanses of rural idyll. The bike has hardly been upright all day, The roads vary from racetrack standard to 'a bit feckin' bumpy, to say the least. In the park area, some had given up clinging with tarmac fingertips to the side of the hills and slid away to oblivion (or just 10 feet sometimes, but it's hard not to get poetic). No attempt is made to rebuild usually, they just cut into the hillside and add another curve. :-) I was thinking, you wouldn't want to ride a sports bike on the bumpier bits, as you'd end up with an internal seat.. but then I went past 3 of them... Just like that :-) They had stopped for refreshment actually, and secretly I hoped they weren't going my way to ruin my riding god ego, which was taking on ridiculous proportions. While stopped for lunch, I made user of Google earth, to suss out tonights stop. Also peeked at tomorrows weather. Possible thunderstorms. Gadzooks!! This has no affect on my choosing a she'd over the tent. The bloody great big ants wandering about didn't either :-) Bits of me need a rest anyway, so I'll chill here for tomorrow, and head northeast on Sunday I thought today, that I should include some facts about HMS Usurper ( P56) too.. So, Ill add one a day. She was built in Barrow, which is not unusual (or wasn't then). So far, she is the only vessel to have the name Usurper. By the way.. It's a nice shed.. All mod cons. Pete |
It rained last night, absolutely threw it down. I had cause to venture out to get some silence at 3 am from the drunks in the camping field and had to walk through puddles and puddles. Of course.... You then think, 'did I put the side stand puck down...' The ground was rock hard when I parked but may not be when waterlogged. And did I put the little rubber shield over the garmin cradle electrics? As it was, all was well. Me worrying about nothing as usual ..
With no alarms set, I slept till 11am. Just lazed about on the beach, watching the kitesurfers....looks like fun, but also a bit like flyfishing for sharks... With time to think, I realise I have some miles to do in the next few days... Might need some motorway to keep on schedule, not that its mega critical... Today's Usurper fact. She was adopted by Stroud during the war, during 'warship week'. |
Woke up nice and early, tidied the shed, and started sweating as soon as the bike gear went on. Was unbelievably muggy, and just as soon as I was ready it started to rain. Just little spots n spits. Decided to head off anyway, without the lining in the jacket, or the leggings on. Wrong move! Before I knew it I was headed up the curves with nowhere to stop, and it hoofed it down. Roads felt a bit slippery, guess no heavy rain recently, but finally found somewhere to pull OK her where 2 Spanish police, 2 cats, and 2 tourists, watched me curse as I unpacked the aforementioned waterproof items, and headed onwards. Original route was to close to all the coastal areas and realise I really was making no real progress.
Decided to hit the motorways, both free and toll ones. Even their motorways have plenty of curves. It appears that drunk drivers are obviously BAD, drunk road designers are good :-) Pressing on again, I pushed to make one more town. I'm trying to recall the name of the place where I saw a modern hotel, but elected to carry on as it shared the plot with shops such as toysRus. Within a few clicks I was to regret it. On one of the few very long straight road, I discovered why the are is teeming with wind turbines. As the biked bucked about in the gusting cross wind I did consider maybe toysRus are not so bad after all. I have been in worse crosswinds before, but on a K100RS, which seemed to handle it better. Or maybe I was younger and braver..... Then, just ayer the road turned, so I was getting a tailwind, the hue black storm clouds appeared. For a while it seemed I could reach the garmin hotel just as it started to rain. The first drips hit me as the garmin reported 1km to the hotel. The place was a ghost Town, with no sign off the hotel. I sat in the rain for a second before heading back to the round about I'd left the main road from.the garmin was inciting on a different route now, no doubt through all sorts of backstreets etc. This is why she is sometimes called 'the bitch in the box'.. Any way... Found another one, although it appears to be some kind of health farm. Hundreds of fat old Spaniards wandering about. Did have a laugh with the young lass at check in, as i caused a huge queue while we unsuccessfully tried to understand one another. But eventually got a room for 39 euros, including dinner, breakfast and a bottle of wine. In fact 2 bottle of wine, but can't drink both and ride tomorrow, and nowhere to carry it .. Looked at weather forecasts for where I expect to be on each day, and wished I hadn't :-( Usurper fact... During early workup trials she had a pop at a German sub off Norway, but missed. She only managed to sink one ship before she was lost, and that was a French one. The Vichy French, that is..... |
Enjoyed reading your posts. Some pics would be nice.
|
Yeah, come on Pete, more pics.... Oh hang on, not more... Any?
|
Quote:
Damned if I could be bothered to type so much on such a keying system!! :funmeterno: |
Was doing well
Can someone tell me why it won't load up I get a message says 'token expired, use back button and reload window' I do that and lose everything I spent ages tapping in. Going to bed grumpy lol |
Quote:
I've no idea what that message means but maybe your internet connection at that time was weak?? I know you can't save data to a stick, or similar, but can you save to the "cloud" (my knowledge ends at this point :innocent: ) |
Monday, the second one of my trip
I had my breakfast with the couple of hundred or so old Spaniards, I imagine its not too dissimilar to bike week at butlins ;-) For a health resort they sure had more unhealthy options than healthy. I bought the bike down from the car park to load right outside the front door.. This was good spectator for the collected people outside the front door of course. What an infernal racket ensued with the mob jabbering away in Spanish like machine guns. The only one who actually approached me was a pretty good Walter Matteau look alike, but muck grumpier looking.. Very quickly I worked out the gist of his gestures to be 'You ... Gringo, is gonna get wet' with a knowing saggy face pointed to the heavens. I nonchalantly smiled, and did the shoulder shrug as if I didn't care.. (Hiding the fact I really don't like getting wet when riding) To add to the illusion, or delusion... I left the liner out of the jacket, and the leggings in the top box. I wasn't expecting too much of the days ride to be honest, but within a few miles, the smiles were back. Curve after curve laid out before me like an invitation to misbehave. And it would have been rude not to. It only lasted an hour or so, but even the motorway (free) that followed had curves like Marilyn Monroe. I may have gone past a camera at one point without slowing down, but only time will tell. I used the motorway even when the buggers started charging for it, as I just wanted to get to France. The motorways were now, noisier, busier and far more unpleasant in the race for the border. As soon as I entered France, I bailed from the motorway before having to go through another toll booth, but the scoundrels had another one hidden there! Went round a bit till I escaped, and elected to camp, as it was a nice evening, and one was close by on the zumo. Found it OK, but immediately decided against it The whole site (by a river), was swarming with midges. I am already blotchy all over, like I have bubonic plague, and the itching drives me nuts. So, instead, I let the zumo, take me to a hotel that just did not exist, them a closed one, a one so bad even I wouldn't stay there, then finally it found one. It looked a bit grand at first, and the price on the door backed this up. I was about to start the search again, when a Frenchman leapt out, imploring me to stay... 'Ze moto, 'e will be safe here, look' and pointing towards a Yamaha super ten, parked in full view. I resisted pointing out that it couldn't be totally safe just code it was on French soil. So, into the hotel, to do a possible deal on price. The lady with an out of control cleavage tried to seduce me into paying the posted price by flashing her shirt potatoes, but I was having none of it, and my look of haughty disdain led to dinner and breakfast being thrown in. And amazingly dinner and breakfast were excellent. The smoky smelling room was not so excellent. But this IS France. |
Tuesday was going to be a motorway blat until I got on that the east to west route across from France to the bay of Genoa. Looking at the map made me realise how far I'd come. Once off the Autoroute's the zumo took me to some VERY rural places. Good weather, good roads. What could go wrong? I was pondering this as I ran along on fumes... The zumo having taken me to a petrol station that was no more... Quickly putting in the next fuel station it was a carrefour one, so that must be there. So, I rode softly, squeezing every drop out. Cross the junction, down the hill into town gridlock. No way through, horns were a blaring, temperatures a flaring. Looking on the zumo screen, there was another route into the town a click or soup the main road. So, I went for it. Turned down the next road, and they had dug it up and closed it. How happy was I? Again it seemed true zumo knew another route in, so I followed it,only to end up at the same 'Route Barre' place. I must have looked a sorry sight as I sat there wonder in if an early stoop was the answer when I spied a young mademoiselle walking up the barred route towards me. Mustering my linguistic skills, I tried 'do you speak English, but I got not only a pitiful smile and a 'non', but a not so young madam leapt out the car behind me, do defend the young lass from such unwelcome attentions. Tired out to be her mother, who also didnt speak English, but was game for a laugh :-) After Potes of both of us explaining we could not understand each other, and having now caused a bit of a jam, she indicated I should follow her and the daughter. Before anyone gets excited, it was just to another fuel station that a wasn't on Garmin. What a wonderful thing to do. I'm sure they saved me running out.
So, I rechecked the map. And then I realized I was going to die...... Or Die to be more precise. Once I saw it on the map I couldn't resist it, just had to go there, so I could crack the joke. And it worked out just right . A municipal campsite had nothing but RVs and didn't appeal. A hotel was input, but due to some festival traffic couldn't get to it, and therefore neither could I. I found another, with a garage, set menu again for a reasonable price. I should have said, the whole area ohas grqt roads, again, fast and flowing, surfaces, challenging at times. I ate, drank and crashed in my bed. And chuckled that I would crack the 'knew I was going to die joke :-) ' |
Wednesday....
I did go to Die, but it didn't do it for me :-) Today I was traversing mountains left to right, starting in France, crossing into Italy, at which point, because some jokers kept on about wanting more pics, I removed my Panasonic camera from its case and put it in my pocket for easy, snappy access. I then rode off leaving the case on one of my panniers, and now it gone... Did get lots of pics too, but these will wait. Its hard enough just typing it up. The roads and the weather deteriorated markedly at the Italian border. The weather because of the mountains, the roads cos they were covered in overbanding, and animal shit. I never saw an animal up there (unlike in Spain, where I thankfully cruised a bend in the Picks mountains to find a Spanish version of Daisy just standing there, unimpressed by us all.) My theory for Italy is that these poor creatures are in abbatoir trucks and know their fate, and are trying to share it with us... It all seems to be on the entry or exit of the hairpins. But homicidal they may be, they are nothing compared to your average Italian driver. Their govt could slash spending on road signs and road painting, because not one takes the slightest notice. Check mirror as often as you like they will catch you unawares at some point, and stick to your tail like a limpet mine. It really is a free for all, and the scooters are by far the worst. But I found a hotel a hundred yards from the sea. Technically in the bay of Genoa, but not as far round as my lack of planning intended :-) Tally glad I stopped there. A sea view, AC in the room, although the girl on reception obviously thought I was abnormal to need it in October. Actually had to ask for the controller and you get given the TV remote on checking in too. Still needed batteries though. Quote:
|
If someone else wants to fix that feel free... I'm way past it today...:funmeterno:
|
headed home - Friday 4th
Although headed home, there are still mountains to cross (or go through), and initially anyway the route took me to Genoa anyway. Riding the Riviera was fun, reading busy here and there, but lots of p people still all going about their business in a very Italian way. (Fast and loud :-) )
Genoa was the busiest, and I cursed the zumo for not avoiding the jams, but again, travel is not just about all the really good stuff. Is also about how they live. When it decided to take me northward, it was the usual loads of twists and turns and hairpins to get some height, but this was right through a village, or community. Surface was challenging to say the least, the way I like them to be honest. As I neared the top, I passed one of those 'tour de france cyclist types'. He looked a bit shagged out to be honest which was good, as I wouldnt want the bugger coming past me on the downside ...... I had it on good authority that Lake Como is one of the most beautiful lakes on the planet, so headed that way to investigate. I would say it is, when not being viewed from inside one of the many tunnels, and you have to com off the main drag to see the towns, which I did at Varenna. I must go back sometime, a truly beautiful little place could spend a weekend there exploring and hopping on the Ferries to explore the other shores. Stayed for an hour or so before hitting the road. Then just followed the road. The only other choices being splattered against the hillside, or drowning. I saw a nice looking hotel and decided, as the sky was getting menacing, and the dark clouds were sliding down the mountainsides. This was not the time to bag a pass. Anyway thought I, an early stop will be good. As I was starting to unload the bike, a family returned to the hotel. Turned out the guy was a Swiss Harley rider,so we swapped tales for about an hour.before I even got unloaded. I wandered the town, but was swayed by the promise of 'excellent home cooking' at the hotel. And the food was excellent . The home part being you more or less ate what was out in front of you. The ambience was friendly though, and you really did feel at home there. The only thing that spoiled it was a family that came to eat, complete with a child that had been brought up to scream about anything and the other gave everyone that ' what can I do look,....' I had a few ideas, none legal, so elected to take my final beer up to my room. I was not the first to do so.. Can't recall if I mentioned that I don't like tunnels. Not tiny little damp unlit ones, not big lit ones full of other people's exhaust fumes, hopefully be less of the damn things tomorrow.... |
Quote:
|
Into Switzerland
Leaving the hotel, the owner's son had told me I MIGHT get lucky with the rain, but it would be wet up in the hills. The father of the swiss biker had told me that visibility would be so bad, hinting I should not be up there... Ominous warnings....
I skirted west a little but then hit the hills. It actually wasn't so bad. So I killed any motor a way options as well as pay routes, and ended up on a twisty, well surfaced road that twisted and turned about the motorway. Especially enjoyable as the motorway ground to a half as I shot along 'at some speed' Just after the motorway jam, the road I was on headed for the sky, literally. The road was climbing, and this was a main road. Hairpins, sharp bends and then the rollercoaster! The weather had been quite good, and the mist descended, just as the road reached out into the sky on concrete legs, and went into a long tightening curve. I don't mind admit saying out loud that ' I don't like this much'. Other curves, had half a turn in the sky, but a whole turn was something else. I seemed to get a break on the other side of the 'hill and the weather was lovely. I came to a junction and stopped to choose my route. I could carry on, or I could hang a left and go over Furkapass. I ask... Who could resist that name. I couldn't. I should have...... The first half was great, I got to about half way I up before the signs of things going seriously pear shaped first showed. Some kind of classic car thing was on, all on coming to me. I started noticing raindrops on the cars. And the change was as good as immediate. Rounded one bend, and hit a fog bank. Could see nothing. Thoughts flashed through my mind of how you turn around a Vstrom on not much more than a goat track. But almost as quickly came the rain. Before I could safely stop, my jeans were soaked, glass's were steaming up if the visor was closed, and covered in droplets with the visor open. I wondered when it had last rained here. I find going down hill harder in the mountains than going up for some reason, and now with the rain lashing down and running in rivers across the roads, the wind had picked up and it was now I had to start to descend. I would lover to say I was flicking it from left to right,overtaking everything in sight, but I was pathetically just wanting to survive it. It was as low, tortuous descent,and I was not enjoying it one little bit. The closest thing to joy was the occasional maniacal laugh of a surely doomed man. A lot of cars had pulled over, but somehow, I'm thinking they would not have let me in to shelter with them. The vstrom is fitted with the Anakee2 tyres, and I have to say, apart from the odd bit of wet over banding, they performed brilliantly. Far better than me. Eventually, I came across a hotel called the Grand Glacier du Rhone or similar. Very old, and very posh. I squelched my way through until I found a somewhat haughty woman, who luckily handed me on to some other chap who was far more helpful. It was as expensive as it looked, but in the discussion the guy mentioned the rain would be worse the day after, and that it might even snow. I decided to carry on, especially as he said the road to Brig was much better. He just meant lower. Rain still washed across the bends, wind was still a bit gusting but the mist was gone. I should say, after the initial fog bank on top, the mist did come and go. Slowly the mountain roads changed to long Swiss valleys complete with picture postcard views. The rain stopped and I got sunshine. Heading west it was right in my face now, and the BMW helmets internal sun visor was flipped down. Unfortunately, the earlier rain etc, had made the visor impossible to see through so it was used as a sun strip instead. Good progress was made on these roads, and I found myself filling up with fuel at a place called Visp. Also it was past time to look for a hotel. I started to find closed hotels and full hotels.Some kind of festival in town judging by the PA systems blaring. Round and round I went, with some local road changes confusing the hell out the zumo (and me to be fair). I had seen the campsite earlier but discounted it. But sure enough, I rolled in there with half an hour before dark. Talked to the guy in charge, who was helpful but obviously needing to go home. He waved in a direction when I asked for a restaurant. This was found later in spite of his directions, and those of the woman on the ticket booth of the footie club next to the campground. |
Switzerland to France
I had been told to report to the non English speaking guy at the campsite at 9 am prompt to cough up the dosh for a surprisingly refreshing night's sleep. Might have been all the walking along dark paths, underpasses etc to get to town for some food and drink. Only seemed to be one one serving food as all as drink, luckily it was a good one.
Anyway, the clouds still hung to the hills, but it was obvious I would have to risk it, or hit the motorways. The modified roads meant it took a while to be pointed in the right direction. But eventually I started to climb in zigzag fashion, the hill I was on remaining flour and rain free while I could look across the valley, and see the flat bottom of the cloud there. I had plenty of more curves before finding myself riding along the southern shore of Lake Lucerne, passing back into France without hardly even noticing. Before long the road twisted and turned again. The any got much heavier, then it rained. Cold and persistent, I had to stop to put the liner in and the leggings on. Hotels in that are are either seasonal, or bust. That applied to both the ones found by zumo, and those advertised on boards. Point to French hoteliers... If you go bust, take the damn boards down! The end result of this was a serious consideration to putting tent up in some field, where I would no doubt be trampled by cattle, the was s many of them. I was tired,and my headlight was going the wrong way (not an issue much, as there was few traffic on these minor roads. Eventually though I was on a major road, well more major than the minor ones. And after asking in a bar, for a hotel,and then getting though that I didn't think that her place was a hotel, she directed me,with some impatience,it has to be said, to a hotel just up the road. I got the impression that she thought it was obvious where the hotels were. I almost missed the hotel,as it was set back from the road. Parking outside it looked like it might be expensive, but I was past caring. It had a room. It had a garage for the bike which would be well hidden behind a fairly ancient looking trifold wooden door. The young lady from reception opened 2 doors to tease me, but when I asked about the third one, it was a'non monsiuer'. Also,the road I was coming from, was a bad angle, and the concrete ramp was made to use the part of the door that wouldn't open. Had I been less tired I might have been more sensible. But I've read 'adventure bike' books, and RTW, and everyone has these moments where they have come to the conclusion they have to 'gun it and go for it' Poor sap that I am, this went through my addled brain and I 'gunned it' and'went for it'. The vstrom powered over the ramp and crashed into the garage. Unfortunately, more or less ripping the door that wouldn't open right off its hinges, having caught the edges of the middle part with the top corner of my right hand pannier lid. Now, I'm not one to advertise for other people, but these cases are made my ARD cases, and I can safely say, they are no better or worse than any other panniers for carrying 'stuff', but should you feel the need to crash through old (probably antique French garage doors, these are the kiddies :-) https://picasaweb.google.com/1075177...063873/DropBox Picture the scene, French receptionist standing in the garage, probably wondering why I'm so hesitant to try with only 2 does open, then the door and her world, to an extent, come crashing in. The look on her face, and the shriek she made was noticeable even as I struggled not to fall over. With the bike safely on its stand, we wear the door. It was buttered, but had been busted before, as the immovable door seemed to be screwed to the door frame. Well, to be more precise, it was, She informed me she must call the owner. I could only imagine the torrent of abuse I was about to get from some Frenchman, who would scoff at my lack of skill, before sleeping me with a huge repair bill... As it turns out the boss man was a woman, and was more concerned about the bike than the door. She came out, we closed the door with some brute force (me) and 4or5 bungees. Apparently hotel inspectors had told her a month previously that the door not opening want good, and she said it needed replacing anyway. Had I known that, I could have charged for demolition :-) The hotel had a bath AND a lift... Bliss! The restaurant was exceptional. Really nice end to a trying day :-) And i just put to the back of my mind that I had to get the bike out again in the morning... |
uploading pics using picasa ???
Any advice welcomed..... As I'm doing the same as I did for the Usurper pic, which was on the web and worked great.
Presently I'm in Ypres, and have had a few strong beers, and intend a few more :-) so keep it simple, in case I get a reply by the time I've got back to the house hotel :-) |
Who put a house in the hotel??? :-)
|
I am assuming the other two pics I uploaded, apart from the Usurper, show as broken images for everyone... Not just me???
|
I really was comfortable in that hotel. Well looked after by all the staff. Especially the Madame of the establishment, although I hope that's an acceptable term in the circumstances.....
Getting the bike back out the garage wasnt easy, both boxes needed to come off.. Parking outside the entrance of the hotel put the bike onsuch an angle I thought it would end up on its side as I loaded it. It was OK, of course, but I had to wheel it down the slope before I could mount it.. That day was cutting across France on the the D roads. I love the look of rural France (even if it is shut half the time :-) ) I love the empty roads, and the fact you are 'quite' likely to get flashed by oncoming motorists, of any gendarmerie with their radar guns out.... I stopped for fuel. Thought I might have the old jambon or fromage sandwich, but the indifference and the potential servers lack of interest and hygiene persuaded me to roll. As I was putting on my helmet two Mirage Vs suddenly roared overhead. as a bit of an aircraft nut, this was a bit of a bonus. A ragged take off (but then again, it wasn't the RAF...) They formed up eventually. (It was lunchtime,after all :-) ) I had planned an early stop today, but was thwarted by a technical hitch.. Before the trip, I had the bike serviced. Proper Suzuki dealer of course. Mentioned I had seen oil on the crankcases and could they check it on the service. Their conclusion... The only slight leak was from the clutch. I asked if it was going to be OK for nearly 4000 miles. 'No problem' I was assured. So today, I had to stop to purchase a bottle of dot4. Luckily I stopped at a garage which was also a peugeot garage. Topping it up wasn't a massive problem, although arguably unnecessary if the dealer had looked after me properly. The no 2 screw sheering off was.... International negotiations were required to elicit the supply of another screw (much too long) and then a number of spacers (look just like spring washers)... This delayed me. The Zumo continued to search of closed hotels, so I looked for a cluster of 'well known hotels'' some 15 klicks west, and ended up in an ibis . There were Brits there...business type Brits. I pretended to be french..... |
Quote:
You've done well to get to Ypres - there's good beer there of course. I guess you have been to the Menin gate for 8pm. |
Another day of hacking across D roads, making good progress until the zumo took me to another non existent fuel station. Not usually so bad, but by the time I found this one, or not, I was on fumes. A local guy told me there was indeed a fuel station in the next village, about 5ms away. But it was closed. Shut at 12, opened at 2pm. ? It was 12.05 when in pulled up. The 'La poste' driver turned up at the same time. She tried to raise the lunching laggards, but to no avail... I found a restaurant in the village and proceeded to have a 2 hour just like the locals.
One of the customers spoke enough English to let the waitress know whats a cheese sandwich was, and i sat down with a bottle of Perrier, and a baguette with soft cheese inside... Yum... It was wrapped in clingfilm. Maybe she thought I wasnt staying. How wrong she was, I outstayed every other diner, and all on a cheese baguette, a perrier water and a coffee. :) Eventually, 2pm came and I made my way to the fuel station which opened to give me the fuel so badly needed. Actually, this is what I intended, long lunchbreaks lounging in sunny roadside cafe's being fed by fit french waitresses in the lil french maids outfits. All I got was the 2 hours... |
Quote:
Once the rain cleared, and I saw that it was only 30k or so from the motorway I was drying out on, I put in the hill 62 location , headed back down the way I had come for about 5 kms, then off to good old Belguim, home of, well.. beer mainly :) I did do the Menin gate at 8pm, October and still about 300 peoples there.. |
I am home now, having encountered some atrocious weather conditions on the way.
I will sum up the last few days briefly, as Im sure you feel as well as I do that the main (important part) is over, and I'm now just filling up space for no real effect. I stopped one more night in a hotel, I was late booking in by virtue of the extended lunch break I had after finding a garage keeping French 'rural' lunchtime of 2 hours. :wacko: The hotel was good, the food was good, the lack of a lift, and being on the second floor meant some stuff stayed on the bike for the night. The toilet here deserves a mention, it was some kind of electrickery supplied device that must mash everything up before squiting it down a small bore pipe, in effect the reverse of what Id just spent hours doing to the food :rofl: But the racket!! Never heard so much noise... The whole hotel knew everyone's business so to speak :clap: I ate dinner, and wandered the street after. Apart from a dodgy looking Kebab shop, and a church, there was no other signs of life. There was either a service in the church, or choir practice, but it did sound nice. And so to bed. Waking the next morning, I heard the person in the next room showering.. for ages and ages. The I realised, it wasnt a shower, but rain hitting the flat roof just outside the window. Looking out, it was heavy and persistent, and a mist was rolling towards me, actually swallowing up the trees and buildings as I watched it. Realising there was bugger all I could do except scowl and bear it :rain::rain::rain: I elected to have a leisurely breakfast and stretch departure time to the limit, defying the french hotel tradition of the room maids forcing you out as early as they can.. (Ive never found this to be true, but in our family we never let the truth get in the way of a good story.. apparently :cool4: It was a wet ride, but the delayed departure initially looked like a good plan, but I soon caught up with some really heavy stuff. :rain::rain: So heavy, that I rode with the visor open, in order not to steam up. The dual layer on the BMW system helmet was OK, although Im sure not all the water got in underneath... worst thing though was that my glasses would steam up inside the somewhat damp helmet. Was ok , but a bit annoying. This was when I realised the N roads i love, are a whole new prospect when wet, the mud and :9898: gets spread about a bit, and harder to see, so speeds come right down. Thats when I decided to hit the motorways and make it to Calais. When it stopped and I dried out a little, as I said earlier, a quick check on the zumo told me I was close to my original planned stop of hill 62 near Ypres (or even Ipres, apparently), so I changed my mind again (still loving the ability to just change my mind all the time :clap: ) and headed on over. I wandered the museum, got into the tunnels and trenches, and had a good look around. As the weather was good now, and it was 5pm, I decided to find a hotel, and see one of the min craters the next day. I found a hotel right by one of the craters, and rest my head there. Went out that night into Ypres, asked the hotel for a taxi, and some guy that worked there did me, I mean the trip, for 10euros. I dont know if thats good or not, I dont use taxis much. So, I went.. ate a meal, drank another beer, and watched the Menin gate ceremony of the last post, which they do at 8pm every day, and have since 1928. 300 people turn up on average. It was brief, but poignant. I then found a bar called the Times. Decided to try that one out very British sounding. I was the only Brit in there though. What a selection of good strong Belgian beers :) After a very strong one.. and a not very strong one at only 9%, bier I decided I needed to head back. So, off to find a taxi. Well, if they have any taxis in Ypres at 10pm or so, they keep them very well hidden.. The sensible thing was to ask. But there is a mathematical link between alcohol consumed and the ability to walk distances in no time at all :smartass: So.. in my boat type shoes (pack down well) I walked the 3 or 4 km (depending who you asked) back to the hotel. The blisters on both feet, will go soon, and the slightly twisted left knee from kicking a coke can a few times and then giving it a really big kick and missing the flaming thing should settle soon too :rofl: And yes it rained on the way back too.. but not too much Slept well, in a beery sort of way. Awoke to thunder, lightning and very heavy rain. Another looooong breakfast, and a delayed start. As it turned out, didnt save me at all lol This was not a day to be in the bottom of a huge bomb crater, unless you were in swimming trunks! So it was a case of maximising the time I had in the room, then heading for home. Even loading the bike was wet, I would wait for a lull in the really big drops, run out, load a bit, and then back inside when the heavy stuff re-appeared. Hitting the road, the thunder and lighning were gone, but the rain and wind were fierce all around. I dont recall such a miserable, and frankly, dangerous ride as that up to Calais. At one point coming off the motorway for a break, just because I really could not see where I was going, the rain was that hard. Changed gloves as the first pair were drenched (not waterproof gloves to be fair, not even proper biking ones), The proper biking ones kept out the water for less than an hour. Got to the tunnel and bought a ticket. 110euros for a single, 72euros for a next day return. Obviously not paying 110euros, but I'm told they may come after me for any unused part. What kind of sharp practice is that I'm thinking? The only good thing about the tunnel, was no wind or rain inside. Plenty on the other side though. Should have been first off, but pressing the alarm fob produced no flash of the indicators signalling could start the engine. In the end I turned the key and off went the alarm !!! Let the other two bikes go, and then paddles the bike out of the train carriage, where it started no problem.... Good old UK, windy, (although not wet) and so cold. Stopped at the services at Thurrock to put on my electric jacket, which I had carried with me for 3 weeks and never used. But it did feel food now, the medium setting just cooking me nicely .. |
Things I learned
And I found places I want to go back to. Spains Picos mountains, and the route of castles (my translation, so i hope its right), The mountains around the French Italian border, and Ypres. |
HMS Usurper
1 Attachment(s)
As for Usurper. I have no idea how close I got to her resting place, or even her route. The southern most tip of Spain was probably the closest I got, but who knows?
And Leonard Jackson, perished with his mates, like so many people did, an do in War. I'd like to say I felt I know him a little better, but obviously dont. There is just not enough information. It was, in all honesty, a reason for a long ride. But I am glad to have followed the route as best I could, and had someone connected to me to provide it. I did feel relief, and like it was a good thing to make it to the Bay of Genoa, for the assumed 70th anniversary of her sinking on 3rd October 1943. And the stainless disk, although a tad 'heath robinson' is a memorial of sorts. R.I.P. Grandad |
Quote:
I've also learnt these type of things over years of riding; but for your number 1 - I have learnt to live with a full face. |
Full face...
Yes, I can see the benefits, and I'm thinking maybe one of the Shark lids where the chinguard flips right over the back might be a solution... Bit weird looking though lol.
BTW. I did upload pics to picasa, but it doesn't want to work. I'm doing something wrong. And it's embarrassing cos every one else sends to have it sussed Lol. Pete |
Quote:
You'll never finish with number 6 in your list. doh |
Hms usurper
Quote:
Please note HMS USURPER has been sonar-located off TABARKA , Tunisia. Full dossier available from missonjp@hotmail.com |
| All times are GMT +1. The time now is 21:22. |