Monday, 11 July 2011
Sunday, 10 July 2011
Things I'm looking forwards to doing:
. Sitting with Beth & watching the final episode of Game of Thrones.
. Getting Noah to make coffee at home now he's an expert!
. Snuggling up with a cat on each side and watching the bike racing I've recorded!
. Catching up on 3 weeks' comics!
. Washing 9 countries' (!) dirt off my bike.
. Opening my locked pannier (key broke a week ago)
. My own bed!
Homeward bound
What a day!
I left Frankfurt at 9.30am, safe in the knowledge that I could take my time because I didn't have to be in Rotterdam till 7.30pm. However, while sneaking past the hotel's car park barrier I caught it with my handlebar and knocked the barrier off its hinge! I quickly jury rigged it back on and did a runner!
I was making good progress; passed the new arena in Frankfurt - still under construction, but what a stadium! However, approaching Cologne the Autobahn was closed and left my GPS floundering. In the end I went right through the middle of the city - what a stunning place, dominated by the cathedral (where Martin Luther nailed his edict) on the banks of the river. I wish I'd stopped and taken some pics, but you can look up some on Google Images if you're intetested...
Anyhoo I got headed back on the road into Holland where the real fun began. Just over the border the Autoroute closed for repair and sent me away god only knows where. I tried to head towards Eindhoven but that seemed to be a no-go area for some reason. I kept getting redirected south and east - and Rotterdam was north-west! Time was getting tight, too - I had to get to Europort far across Rotterdam by 7.30!
I bit the bullet and headed north along backroads towards Nijmegan. This turned oug to be a good plan for three reasons:
1. It got me going in roughly the direction I needed,
2. It kept me off the Autoroute, and hence away from roadworks, and
3. It took me through several beautiful small Dutch towns and villages I'd otherwise have missed.
I picked up the Rotterdam Autoroute near Nijmegan and hammered it towards Europort, including missing a turnoff in Rotterdam and having to circle round and find my way back on track.
I eventually made it to the ferry with 8mins to spare!
Phew! Shattered and on my way back to Blighty!
Friday, 8 July 2011
Frankfurt Skyline
Not the prettiest of German cities; more business than bohemia.
On to Holland tomorrow and the ferry home!
Wilkommen!
Guten tag! The germans have the best roads, outstanding scenery, perfect weather and wonderfully polite and helpful multi-lingual people. I'll be back!
The run through the Black Forest was absolutely fabulous - an unexpected treat of wide, open corners, mountains and lakes; a beautiful part of the world. I'm more comfy with the language than Italian too, so maybe that helps.
PS I was passed by a convoy of military vehicles heading south towards Austria. I'm just saying...
Bye bye Alps
Some observations about the Swiss:
1. All men under 30 wear man-bags
2. Everyone queues 3m apart for the trams.
3. They all start work at 8am. Barbarians!
Thursday, 7 July 2011
Wrong snails...
Dining in a Swiss restaurant tonight, with some menu translation issues:
"Wrong snails with beef, and herb butter." Wrong snails? Slugs?
"Chicken Karma" The same as chicken korma, I suppose, but the chicken had it coming...
Pic: my pudding (before).
Basel!
Rooming near the Rhine on the Swiss-German border.
The rain let off 30mins after I left Lovere and headed towards Bergamo. It was overcast but dry as I sped through Milan towards the Alps.
As I reached the Italian Alps it hammered down and I got a bit wet - very low visability too. It cleared up as I entered Switzerland, so much so that by the time I stopped and took this picture I had dried out.
Some of those alpine tunnels were 15km long, downhill all the way and searingly hot inside; I don't recommend it for claustrophobic bikers!
They wanted 300 quid a night for a room in Zurich, bloody cheeky gnomes! So I kept going here to Basel where it's much less expensive.
Germany tomorrow! (Note to self: don't mention the war.)
Choices...
Storm abated for now; normal rain only. Will not be going over Stelvio Pass in next few days, so if the weather stays like this for the next half hour, I'll set off along the safer route via Milan & Lucerne.
Rider on the storm?
Woke up to terrible weather - thunder, storm force winds and torrential rain. Will try to wait it out until mid morning to see if it goes.
Wednesday, 6 July 2011
Mountains, tunnels and lakes...
... I've seen them all today.
I'm safely ensconced in the Hotel Belvedere in Lovere on the north shore of Lago D'Iseo at the foot of the Italian Alps.
Some of the tunnels today were a few km long, very steeply downhill and very dark - tricky to retain one's composure while impatient Italians revved 1m from my back wheel - and I was already 15kph over the limit!
Is it the temperatures that make them impatient? Are they like this in winter too? Ah well, such are the habits of Johnny Foreigner and his rum ways...
Over the Stelvio Pass tomorrow!
Pic: my own lakeside terrace.
Tuesday, 5 July 2011
Homeward Bound tomorrow
Well, that's been Tuscany; tomorrow I set off home, north over the Stelvio Pass into Austria, through Switzerland, into Germany, along the Black Forest Highway, into Holland then the Rotterdam ferry to Hull on Saturday night. Phew!
More postings from The Road as they happen over the next 5 days...
Tuscan Cave Adventure
We visited the spectacular caves near to us today. I say 'near' - the sign said 12km, but it took about 45 mins along the mountain hairpins!
It was worth the visit, though; plenty of spectacular spelunking was had, although the woman leading the tour had such a thick accent that most of the time she sounded like a goose farting in the fog...
Monday, 4 July 2011
Sunday, 3 July 2011
Our latest view...
...from the 2nd Tuscan farmhouse of the holidays.
It's ok, I suppose, but it's no Broxburn bing!
That was worth the journey!
Cracking Moto2 race, wirh Bradley just missing out on the win.
The main race was dull for the first half as Stoner did his usual job od taking off at the front while ol' 46 made his way through the pack from 12th to 6th. Good work by Lorenzo and Dovi to hunt down and pass Casey, but the amazing crowd had only one question on their mind - is the Ducati too bad a bike for even the great Valentino to tame?
Go on lad!
Marquez leads Bradley into the Materassi chicane at the end of the first lap of the Moto2 race.
Made It!
I can't believe I'm actually here in Mugello! It's been a long road, and was raining during qualifying yestetday, but it is warm and sunny today - bring on the racing!
Know it all Morton
...strikes again. 125cc race was corker, and I called the last corner tactics with 5 laps to go.
Saturday, 2 July 2011
A day in Florence is a day well spent...
... according to Dougal.
What a beautiful city! A wondetful mixture of the ancient and the ancient-er. And it's hot (did I mention temperature yet in this blog?)
Beautiful people, beautiful architecture and beautiful art in the birthplace and heart of the Italian renaissance.
I biked it in an hour and a half from Castelnuovo de Garfagna wearing shorts, t-shirt, trainers, helmet & gloves. It was dark when I got back but I still wasn't cold.
Boing! Time for bed.
When in Rome...
...or Genoa, really. Piaggio Scooters & big Ducatis fly past me and the other traffic, dodging lane to lane like high speed sharks, each with world's thinnest and least dressed girlfriend on the back. Now there's an image for you.
It wid fair put ye aff yer porridge, so it wid.
Still, it's heartening that Italian service station staff are just as surly and full of joi de vivre as their Scots counterparts. I just wish they wouldn't fill up my tank with a lit fag dangling from their lips...
Welcome to Italy!
A beautiful run along the coast into Italy. Still bleedin' HOT, though. Stopping every hour for a break & drink takes long but makes it more bearable.
Saturday, 25 June 2011
A French village, today.
Jeez but it's hot! Distance-wise I only travelled a few hundred km today, but because of the winding mountain roads I travelled at half the speed.
I had to take many stops to rest & drink, which meant today was my longest day in the saddle.
Sore, tired and very hot, but glad that I made it to the Med, and that Beth, Noah & co arrived safely in Italy. Hopefully I can join them tomorrow.
Only 400km to go!
Ciao!
View's ok, I suppose...
Stunning scenery & fantastic alpine roads on the N85 Route Napoleon between Grenoble and Gap.
Friday, 24 June 2011
Grenoble, I am in you!
Sunny and warm (but not too hot) down here in Grenoble.
A bit of a dull jorney from Nancy, but a spectaular last 35km down through the mountains into Grenoble. The picture is the view from my window!
Tomorrow the Route Napoleon and the Mediterranean!
Bon soir ma leetle cheroobs.
Little details (1)
On the INSIDE of the bathroom doorframe: what I can only describe as a beer bottle opener. Quality hotel.
Thursday, 23 June 2011
Long day in the saddle
Phew! Got a hotel in Nancy, so I met my first target stop.
I could've gone a bit farther if I a) hadn't taken a 50km round trip looking for fuel, and b) didn,t have such a sore throttle hand. May have to get swept bars for the VFR!
Got caught in the rain a couple of times; nothing major until I got to Nancy where I got caught in a torrential downpour!
Belguim and Luxembourg earned their reputation by being utterly featureless and forgettable, albeit with considerate drivers. And why does 120km/h seem so much faster than 75mph?
Going for something to eat now (in bike gear since all I have to wear is long shorts, a t-shirt and flip flops!)
Hope to reach Grenoble tomorrow, where the trip really begins.
Bon soir!
Carefull, Tiger
I stopped to fill up across the road from this - that's a real WWII German Tiger Tank!
On the road
Belgium is very like Holland: flat and with lots of windmills. Am I in the right country?
Wednesday, 22 June 2011
All aboard!
Sailing at 6.30pm. Came on board with this huge gang of reprobates who (going by the '46' stickers) are headedcto the same place as me! I shall enquire over dinner. I paid for mine in advance, so I shall expect a seat at the Captain's table.
I have the cabin to myself so no need to supply roomate with ear plugs...
Ahoy!
And you're welcome to it!
Rain let off around the time I got to Lauder. Drizzle here at the border.
Thanks to the Dynamic Doyens Alison and Lindsey I managed to get my rain gear on before I left!
Things I realise I've forgotten (part 1): footwear (apart from flipflops) and Mugello MotoGP Tickets! Bbbbbbeeeeettttthhhhh!!!
All dressed up...
... And rarein' to go!
Had to go into work to photocopy docs for journey. Going to put rain gear on then I'm off!
Tuesday, 21 June 2011
Away tomorrow
As if things weren't bad enough, I've been so busy at work that I forgot to take my bike documents to photocopy! I may have to leave early tomorrow and pass by work to do it...