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.

This is the low point Ted, darkest before dawn and all that.

Winter (More miles on the ***ing ******d spin bike this year than the real ones), projects finished (the CL350 now needs running in), the tightest restrictions yet.

My film cameras and the odd Airfix kit are keeping me sane (er).

Thing is, they can't go again. We have the vaccine . The real non-government economy is stuffed. Only the Mumsnet crowd who love lockdowns will believe a sixth will work after the first five failed. They know come the summer they either let us out or use the Army to keep us in.

I have to have a week off in March. The 350 is getting insured and the run in started even if I have to do it 5 miles at a time with a pint of milk in one pannier and a print out of the legislation in the other.

Andy

Nice one Andy . Mind you be careful what you wish for I did a shopping trip and delivered prescriptions to my folks today on the bike . Tomorrow is the painful bit....washing all the bastxxd salt off of it !!
On a more positive note.....sat on the new multistrada at work yesterday.......its very nice and a massive step up from the previous version . Lot of money.....but as most will be on pcp

Salt is why I'm walking to the Old Boy's place. No point buying from California and riding on PDRoWY rot powder!

One of the manifestations of lockdown is certainly new bike fantasy. I bit in July, bought 6 months sooner than planned. I am now trying to avoid thoughts that a CT125 would be a really great start to post virus freedom. Think about Tigermoth interplane struts and Caffenol, that's the answer, cheaper

Andy

I'd happily travel on any bike Andy . I just baulk at the cost of some bikes.....20k and northwards . That's alot to pay and still get wet