Yep, we are all trapped atm.

Though when compared to other times in the past when the populace has been ‘trapped’, our lives are pretty easy;

1914- bang bang, stab stab

1918- cough cough, die die

1939 - stormtroopers - mushroom clouds



It will pass - soon enough.

I got away in 2020, to the Colombres old bike Rally in Northern Spain, being at end September COVID numbers in both the UK and Asturias were very low. it was great to get away, being cooped up in the ferry was a bit uncomfortable and in Spain everyone wore masks when outdoors and is was obvious that the Rally wasn’t that popular with the locals. Numbers were maybe a tenth of the usual. Endured the 14 day self isolation in the UK.

Booked for 2021.







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Charles CCM450, BMW R90/6, BMW R50
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f1...a/027_27-1.jpg

You didn't have any concerns about Covid when you decided to go? I know Sept was a low point but it stopped me going to the French HU meeting. I'd guess if the numbers at the rally were low others must have looked at the same set of facts and come to a different conclusion.

The main constraint was insurance.....we were able to get travel insurance to cover us for non COVID medical, expensive mind you, and we could have used our ECHIC (?) cards for COVID medical, no cover for cancellation of course.

There were a lot of rally participants who decided not to come, not that surprising given the demographic.

In terms of conversations with partners we were lucky that Asturias had the lowest level of COVID of any area in Spain and we were coming from Bristol which also had low levels and we felt that we wouldn’t be adding to the pandemic by participating.

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Charles CCM450, BMW R90/6, BMW R50
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f1...a/027_27-1.jpg

Trapped is a state of mind, unless you're in jail or similar of course. I can certainly imagine all of us on this board are pretty frustrated, after all the thing we have in common in throwing a leg over a bike and riding it to faraway places. And those of us (like me) who are retired and hoping to spend some time doing this are pretty bored as well. But in many ways we are lucky, we have the money to do this (or a job to earn it), we have our health and we have places to live with nobody shooting at us.

If we really wanted to go out and travel, we could. Border crossings would be tedious, it would be hard to find hotel rooms and we might experience some hostility from locals and police. So, most of us prefer to sit tight and wait, because we are in a position to be able to do so. It's easier to come to terms with this from a moral perspective as well, would you want to unknowingly be the one who gives covid to a bunch of others? Not to mention an element of self preservation - are you confident that if you caught it on your journey you'd be all right in the middle of nowhere?

Spare a thought for people who have lost jobs, or homes, or the lives of loved ones, or who are living with long covid, who have no prospect of being able to afford a long motorcycling holiday. They're the trapped ones. We, on the other hand, are fortunate that sometime in the next year our pause should come to an end and we can get back to doing what we love.

I have been touring around Europe during covid. Currently in Malta enjoying the sunshine. Accommodation has been dirt cheap. Stayed in a 4 star hotel in Rimini (Italy) for 150 bucks a week.

I toured all the way down from Finland to Malta. Over 3 months or so - there hasn't been anyone stopping me at any border or at any point at all. Everything is closed in Europe, so it's not exactly a vacation. But I do get to ride my bike and enjoy some of the epic empty roads of Europe.

When it comes to the virus: I don't really socialize much. Always wear a mask when not on the bike. Haven't caught it. Probably more isolated that most people.