just found these pics on a memory stick i'd forgotten about
Dover ferry port with a bunch of germans returning from TT
Abbeville
La Rochelle marina
Chateau du loir. N138 between Le Mans/Tours
These were taken June 2007.set off in rain,rained most of day 1 and first half of day 2.superb weather after that.spent a week around france 1,700 mile,bike ran faultlessly
Gary - again - I have to say that is one fine looking bike - best 1100s I've seen!
Did you go by yourself to France? I'm contemplating doing that aswell next year as I my Dad's packed in biking and my best mate can't get a full week's pass due to childcare issues.
stoney,went by myself last year for the first time,i usually like you go with my mates but they couldn't make it.i have booked this next trip for me and the wife on the dover/boulogne fast ferry(speedferries).£15 each way for bike and 2 people.fantastic value.wife keeps changing her mind whether to come or not so may end up going alone!.booked on the sat afternoon boat 21st june and returning sunday morning 29th june.
ps.thanks for the compliment on the bike.!
I'm aiming for the Stelvio pass - as seen on Top Gear a few weeks ago. I think I'm going to do Hull Zeebrugge (beleive it not Zeebrugge is closer to Stelvio than Calais). Then over the Alps and back through France.
If anyone has done similar tips would be appreciated.
Andy - when Ann & I went to Lake Como back in 2001 I took the bike down and Ann flew to Milan. I had approx 6 days either side of the week at the Lake to 'do my own thing' and had a wonderful time.
There's something quite liberating about being on one's own in Europe with the bike - I camped in Interlaken (perfect for doing the Grimselpasse etc etc) on the way down and used that as a base for 4 days. Then on the way home camped in Belfort in France which is surrounded by incredible roads (the road up the Ballon d'Alsace has to be seen!). Fortunately it was pretty much wall to wall sunshine for all that time.
You always end up meeting folk, and it actually restored my faith in the fact that we as humans can be quite sociable when put in the right situations.
Very sorry to hear your dad won't be riding again - and hope he's making a good recovery.
i agree with you gromit.travelling around europe on your own is a strangely fulfilling experience.i found it a lot easier being able to go where you want and when you want without having to please any one else.no matter how good friends you are with your
fellow travellers are there is always a point on the trip when you dont fancy doing what they want to do.plus there are normally bikers to have a chat with every time you stop.
I went down to Garmisch on my own this year and really enjoyed the trip. You tend to get talking to people more than when you are in a couple or group. I made some new friends down at Garmisch and I'm hoping to meet up with them again next year. Previously, I had always travelled with the (ex) missus and whilst I really enjoyed it we did tend to keep ourselves to ourselves.
Stoney, how about incorporating Garmisch in your trip down to Stelvio? If you want some company on the way or just to meet up at the biker meeting give me a shout I know some good routes across the alps.
paulR wrote:I went down to Garmisch on my own this year and really enjoyed the trip. You tend to get talking to people more than when you are in a couple or group. I made some new friends down at Garmisch and I'm hoping to meet up with them again next year. Previously, I had always travelled with the (ex) missus and whilst I really enjoyed it we did tend to keep ourselves to ourselves.
Stoney, how about incorporating Garmisch in your trip down to Stelvio? If you want some company on the way or just to meet up at the biker meeting give me a shout I know some good routes across the alps.
paulR wrote:I went down to Garmisch on my own this year and really enjoyed the trip. You tend to get talking to people more than when you are in a couple or group. I made some new friends down at Garmisch and I'm hoping to meet up with them again next year. Previously, I had always travelled with the (ex) missus and whilst I really enjoyed it we did tend to keep ourselves to ourselves.
Stoney, how about incorporating Garmisch in your trip down to Stelvio? If you want some company on the way or just to meet up at the biker meeting give me a shout I know some good routes across the alps.
paulR wrote:I went down to Garmisch on my own this year and really enjoyed the trip. You tend to get talking to people more than when you are in a couple or group. I made some new friends down at Garmisch and I'm hoping to meet up with them again next year. Previously, I had always travelled with the (ex) missus and whilst I really enjoyed it we did tend to keep ourselves to ourselves.
Stoney, how about incorporating Garmisch in your trip down to Stelvio? If you want some company on the way or just to meet up at the biker meeting give me a shout I know some good routes across the alps.
Andrew S and I went Hull Zeebrugge to the Alps, including the Stelvio this year, but only 1 came back. We met up with Chris, Alan and Peter en route. It was an excellent trip, even if the 4 cylinder monster bike couldn't take the pace .
Andrew has some pictures somewhere.
Cheers
Ian
Motorrad R1250RS SE 2023
Blue R100RS 1980
Suzuki GT250B 1977
stoney wrote:
Sounds perfect...may think about that!
Excellent
My plan at the moment is to get an early ferry on the thursday morning, overnight in France somewhere and then spend a couple of days at Garmisch before travelling on to who know's where - Stelvio, Switzerland etc.
I've mentioned it before but it's well worth popping in to the BMW meeting. It's all free, except for the beer, and it's in a beautiful part of the world.
Bummer, I'd like to do the BMW meeting but its a month too late. I'm travelling down to Stelvio the first week of June with a couple of friends for a few weeks
