Back to reality!

We disembarked on Sunday for a good run up the road, the weather was kind to us, matter of fact the run home was the best weather we'd had all week!! The Commando fared well although it was in some state due to the road dirt and some breathing of oil (to be investigated) the trip was around 1700 miles, petrol in most of Europe 1.60 - 1.70 Euro a litre which is a bit on the expensive side. I had a great week spending time with motorcyling friends and I thank them all for their warm hospitality. Back to work today with a vengance and its dark and raining outside, quite depressing really! Never mind plenty to look forward to for the rest of the Summer.
When I get organised I'll put some more photo's and hopefully a short video of the trip on the Blog.

On the boat.

So thats us on the ferry now. Last night of the trip, just had to endure the usual ignorance from the DFDS deck hands who speak to you like your a piece of crap. A slap around the head would help focus their minds but then i'd be stuck in a jail no doubt. Its been a good trip catching up with loads of good friends but one of rain almost every day. Thats life on the road though, you need to get on with it and enjoy it all , just like life really. Great fun and i wonder if it'll be dry tomorrow!

Back at the ferry.

Well that was a wet and cold run back from Groningen were now at the the port with around four hours to wait on the ferry but its good to get here in plenty time. The forecast for monday here is 31 C so looks like we were a week early.

Groningen

Arrived here today without too much stress. Still raining but showers so it was fine. The Norton exhaust has broken but the bikes rideable thankfully. Luckily Hessel who i'm staying with tonight is a welder so some work later! .

Wet wet wet

That was the name of a pop band and a good description of today. We were late breaking camp which meant the rain had started, from there it was downhill with the motorway awash with rain and spray and having to contend with drivers which are mental. I did have a bit of a moment when the Norton complained and i had to coax it into a service stop on one cylinder. A change of plug cured the problem. We stopped at liege after 120 miles both very wet and fed up. We bumped into one of the Belgian guys we know in the services and after a cup of tea a blether and a change of clothes life looked better. We've stopped in Venlo tonight but in a hotel no camping !

Moving on

Had a good run to today along the small roads in the North of france. Only 5 minutes of rain. Some sun so in a happier frame of mind.. We went to the bar for dinner just now and had a comedy sketch conversation where for the first time nobody understood my french. ! I think they were having a laugh, They only sell food on Saturday at the bar so we got a bag of coal to use in the on site bbq. Some petrol and then the small airbed air pump helped the comedy sketch along. Oh well life on the road, if you can't improvise you starve! Wine at 2 euro 45 a bottle and the food was ok so not a bad result.

Dull, some rain.

We eventually left Geert's house around one after waiting for the weather to clear a bit. We took the small roads across Belgium and then down the French coast for a while until we got to St-Valery-Sur-Somme where we decided to get a hotel. Its a holiday place so a bit more expensive. Nice enough place though. Raining like hell now just like home but a few degrees warmer. Just off to find somewhere to eat and decide where to go tomorrow. We did plan to blast back across France to visit some friends but with the weather the prospect of an extra 400 miles just to say hello isn't appealing at the moment. The Norton also has a bit of a misfire which I think is it complaining about the weather.

Turned out nice.

Good weather nice bikes nice people. Perfect.

Bike and rider re united

Good to see Richard re united with his bike , both repaired following his bad crash in Austria 2 years ago.

Rain

We left Germany at lunchtime and we've had a wet and windy run to this layby just outside Brussels . Stopped for some cup a soup. A godsend when youre on the road.

Eifel

Now settled in at the Dutch NOC rally in eifel germany. No rain today but its threatening now. The wooden hut in the picture is like a bothy with a big fire in the middle and seats all round. A perfect party house!

Late breakfast

Just stopped north of Eindhoven for petrol and a late breakfast. Just got the stove and kettle out to brew up some cup a soup. Life on the read . . . .

Wet but sunny now.

The start of another journey and it was dry for the first 30 miles then my botched speedo drive gave up just as the rain started. It was black as night and the rain was painful it was coming down that hard. Oh well it can't be sunny all the time. The sun is out now as we wait on the ferry so we may get the stuff dried for tomorrow.

Just one day to go

Getting excited now, been in the garage seeking out the rest of my spares and tool mountain, I wonder why every trip I take more and more even though on the whole not much is generally required? Larry, tried to reply to your comments but Google is taking the p*ss. Yep looking forward (along with several other Norton USERS) to the electronic speedo, it may not be standard but hopefully it'll work!!

Getting ready

Out on MVD yesterday to give it a shake down before my euro trip which starts on thursday. The speedo isn't working so back to the shed and i've tried to make a good one out of the load i've got lying around. Why are they so crap? I've ordered another but not a genuine one as they are twice the price and just as bad. Apart from that and getting a good soaking its fine. Getting the tools and spares sorted out today, not travelling with Alex so i need to take everything. What an amount of stuff i have to take. The weight will knock a few mpg off g think. The plan all going well is norton meeting in Germany on friday, back to Belgium for the bba cafe racer meet Saturday and Sunday then France for a couple of days before heading to see my friend Hessel in Groningen in the north of Holland for my birthday hopefully joined by some of the Perth guys en route to the moto gp in assen. Updates on progress as always on here.

Bert's party.

Last night we went to Bert's party, more like a rally in his garden actually. An excellent night and first class bbq. The photo is of Dave clark's cafe racer guzzi. Very nice and looking a lot better than he did later in the evening. Thanks to Bert and Lorraine for an excellent do and for the gallon of tea we had this afternoon!

Its great when its warm.

Suddenly after a few weeks of high winds and low temperature's the heat and sun appeared. The lothian's classic club was heaving with bikes (although not so many classics. ) It was great to stand outside and enjoy the banter in the sun. Even the ride home just after 10pm was in daylight and warm. When the weather is like this its great to live here. Photos show a well sorted custom bike, normally I don't like these but you have to be impressed with the effort taken to create something like this. And of course a brace of Norton's , a 650ss and a 99 dominator.

Classic club

Getting organised for the lothian classic club. The weather has taken a turn for the better so i'll make the most of it.