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Who do we know like this?

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 17:00:55 +0100

Nieuwpoort 2008

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 19:46:11 +0100

Early start:

Late finish:

With a bit of this:

this:

and this in between:

More pics here

Tour of Europe 2008

Sun, 20 Jul 2008 19:19:57 +0100

Adam, Andy H, Andy M and myself set out on a 10 day tour of the Alps;

July 10 - Colchester to Cuisery, France

July 11 - Cuisery to Bardonecchia, Italy

July 12 - Bardonecchia loop

July 13 - Bardonecchia to La Thuile, France

July 14 - La Thuile to Andermat, Switzerland

July 15 - Andermatt to Bormio, Italy

July 16 - Bormio to Alleghe, Italy

July 17 - Alleghe to Kitzbuhel, Austria

July 18 - Kitzbuhel to Arlon, Belgium

July 19 - Arlon to Colchester

July 19, 2008 - Home

Sun, 20 Jul 2008 14:02:18 +0100

Pictures, then the final 400km home:

On the tunnel for 1520:

Home at:

Day nine

More pictures

Stats:

3061 BMW miles (a BMW mile is about 10% more than a real mile)
271 liters (60 gallons)
51.18 BMWmpg (see above)
£320 of petrol
£300 of hotels
588 photos

July 18, 2008 - Homeward bound

Sun, 20 Jul 2008 13:49:20 +0100

Today was the end of nice roads....here the motorway blast started:

Past a few fast cars on the motorway...stopped at services....general boring stuff.

Out of Austria, into Germany (past Saarloius plant where i use to work) then Luxembourg. Filled up with cheap gas and then into Belgium.

By now it was late...2030 and all the hotels in Arlon were full. We finally found a really posh restaurant/hotel...the car park was full of nice cars. I put on my best smile and they let us stay!!!!

They managed to serve us cheese and salad:

Andy laid an egg:

Adam and i relaxed whilst we waited for his motorcross trousers to be pressed:

Stayed here

Day eight

Day ten

July 17, 2008 - Rain.

Sun, 20 Jul 2008 13:32:59 +0100

We oversleep and leave haeding for Cortina at 10:40. We take coffee in Cortina:

Then head for Kitzbuhel....where the rain starts!!! No pictures in the rain....except when we stop in McDonalds:

Then....when we decide that it will not stop, we pay euro18 each to drive up Grossglockner (Großglockner). It was wet and cold. At the top is a multistroy carpark. We left....once Adam sat a warmed up with his heated jacket on:

More rain...so no pictures until we arrived in Kitzbuhel. Still raining, i was sent off to look for a cheap hotel in the very posh town:

Pension Johanna came up trumps!!

Adam spent time bouncing on the beds:

In town, we had pizza and beers!

Still raining, we walk the town...a spot of shopping and hammering:

BMWs sound like this:

Stayed here.

Day seven

Day nine

July 16, 2008 - The Dolomites

Sun, 20 Jul 2008 12:03:43 +0100

The hotel had a cracking view and balcony:

(the camera lens has two dirty marks on it.....)

Up the Stelvio Pass - unfortunately, the pass was closed on the northen side due to a land slide:

We headed into the Dolomites:

The brakes were taking a pounding:

We stopped to ak directions towards a hotel....the hot police woman was the onyl person we could find!!?!?!:

Adam failed with the police woman, but managed this bird:

We stoped in Alleghe - here:

Before going out, Andy M finally pulled out his travel steam iron!!!

More pizza:

More amerato:

Day six

Day eight

July 15, 2008 - The motorway of passes

Sun, 20 Jul 2008 11:46:24 +0100

A loop around Andermatt on mountain passes that were more like motorways....very fast and sweeping:

Adam:

Andy M:

Lunch was Mad Swiss Daniel who took 20 minutes to produce three sausages and three slices of bread!!!:

Headed back into Italy and stayed in Bormio.

Après biking:

Stayed here

Day five

Day seven

July 14, 2008 - Then they were three

Sun, 20 Jul 2008 11:23:20 +0100

Out of La Thuile and just south of the Mont Blanc Tunnel....where The Hall had decided to head home:

The three of us, Adam, Mark and Andy M - headed up the Petit and Grande St Bernard passes:

And into Switzerland...where you can smoke indoors!!!:

First time on this trip, we went to McDonalds!

Another Mountain pass.....

Then into Andermatt to stay in a 1970's hotel:

It may have been 1970's decorated, but it had the most complicated key system:

Stayed here

Day four

Day six

July 13, 2008 - The Stella Alpina Rally

Sun, 20 Jul 2008 11:06:33 +0100

Andy M and I set off on the ride up th Col du Someiller - not quite making the top of 3020 - made it too 2780:

Said goodbye to Francesco again:

We headed off towards France......Andy giving me another wave:

Up and down the Col de l'Iseran and into Val-d'Isère - where we parked on a roundabout and watched Elvis - all 4 of them:

Onwards, and into La Thuile for the night.

More pizza, Amareto and cow riding were undertaken:

Day three

Day five

July 12, 2008 - Another late finish

Sun, 20 Jul 2008 10:23:19 +0100

The SP1 is patched:

We meet the Italians (well, one of them) - Francesco.

We rode the 'Eddie Izzard' pass - Adam was almost fatality got by a bee:

I took great pleasure zapping him with this.

Up to Col de la Bonette:

This is when the day started to go wrong....up a gravel track that was closed:

Then Andy ran out of fuel....whilst other had to coast down to the only filling station near by.

Another late night....back to the hotel at 2130ish...and out for pizza...again!

Stayed here

Day two

Day four

July 11, 2008 - We're going to Die, then Bardonecchia.

Sun, 20 Jul 2008 09:53:02 +0100

Minor running repairs:

More French motorways:

Finally, after 700miles, we leave the motorways and head for Die....the mountains begin! (andi think a third wave from Mr Hall):

Lots of mountains...and pictures that don't really capture the size of it all:

My rear brake line explodes - luckily next to a bike shop and we head in for minor repairs:

Andy has a minor off here:

We make Bardonecchia, Italy late:

Stayed here

Day one

Day three

July 10, 2008 - To Lyon

Sun, 20 Jul 2008 09:43:04 +0100

Set off at:

heading for Dover and breakfast on the ferry:

plus a coffee in a dirty Calais cafe:

The boys arrive (via the tunnel) and Andy gives us his first wave:

1x R1150GS, 1xR1150GS Adventure, 1xR1150GS Supermottard and 1xHonda SP1.

First fuel stop, and second wave of the day:

We spot Nigel Havers on the way south:

After general straight line riding down the French motorways, we finally arrive at the hotel:

Bikes tucked up for the night:

We head off for beers and food:

Stayed here

Day two

Atlantic Crossing

Sun, 20 Jul 2008 09:21:25 +0100

John (of RTW 2006 fame - here and here) joined brother in law Benny, sister Caroline and cousin Lee for a delivery trip of 'Rock Oyster' back to her home port in Europe.

John travelled light, as he was planning to ride home from Portugal.

Johns kit (for 4 weeks at sea and 2 weeks cycling)

The crew (Lee, Caroline, John and Skipper Ben)

Leaving the dock in Antigua

John pulling the birds (even out at sea)

Bermuda

Road of Bones Bermuda style

Drinks

Washing

Azores

Portugal

The bike

John saying goodbye to the good ship Rock Oyster

Ostend May 30-June 1, 2008

Sun, 20 Jul 2008 09:15:22 +0100

The crew assembled at Levington for 0550 on Friday….a short motor out to the start line and we set off at 0730. A grey day turned into a scorcher as the wind stayed behind us.

Boredom set in and the food came out.

Photos were taken, beers drunk, a dolphin spotted (but not snapped) and there was even some hugging).

The young upstarts on board argued with the skipper about which buoy was the finish line…..but eventually, we gave into 40 years experience and we rounded the buoy 3rd.

Ashore, we headed to the chip café….but things had changed…..shops had closed or been renamed (and mayo was an additional €0.50!!) - an alternate café was found where I braved a 'Bicky Burger', whilst others went for the deluxe 'real meat' Shergar Burger.

Back to the club to watch the other boats arrive, catch up with old friends, listen to yachting yarns (BS) then off to bed….being only 6 bunks on board, I opted for alfresco sleeping on the deck - with the prime seat for watching others decorate the side of the yacht with the deluxe burger.

3rd Haven Handicap, 4th IRC - a classic case of the slower boats coming in on a breeze!! (we are boat Bule Gila).

Bets were made ' I will stay awake all the way to Levington' said Adam.

Food was eaten, and we set off home at 2130 Saturday evening - hot on the tail of Rainbow and Morning Star.

Adam conceded the bet, and had a 10 minute power nap. Demijohn overtook us as we sailed in a very dark North Sea. Starboard tack the whole way - slight deviations for shipping and headers.

0300 I retired to a bunk, whilst Adam remained awake till 0600!! He was then carried downstairs as he fell heavily asleep in the cockpit - only to awake 5hrs later to say 'I only had a few minutes kip'.

Levington at 1200 on Sunday!