Vezio 2007 revisited

 Another delve back into the archives this time to June 2007 and a second time for me to visit Vezio. This was where the Norton Rally was held in 1999, my god last century, seems like only yesterday and yet that was 22 years ago. The rally in 2007 followed the wedding of our good friends Hessel and Silvia, we had a couple of weeks off so after the wedding headed the 700 miles to Vezio. It rained, my god did it rain, all the way through Germany and Switzerland and it was still raining when we got to Vezio, at times Fiona said following the Norton was like following a ship with the big bow wave being created as we splashed our way down flooded Motorways. My Norton started leaking oil in a big way en route (The crankcase has started to split across the main bearing flange and therefore the oil from the crankcase was being blown into the chaincase and then mostly onto me and my rear tyre which is ideal in wet conditions!)

The good thing about lubricating the rear tyre is it keeps wear down, a side effect was the chain was being well lubed so that was a positive. The bike though did get me there and home although it did require a full engine strip on my return.

I still remember vividly that journey in the wet, then heading back over the St Bernardo pass letting Fiona through so she could enjoy the bends as I certainly wasn't with the oily rear tyre. Some of our friends who were at the meeting are no longer with us sadly but if that teaches us a lesson it's get out there and do it, don't put it off, Carpe Diem! 

Just remembered this was my birthday so we had a weekend one at Applecross, set off for Holland for the wedding, then to Vezio for weekend two, met up with our Belgian pals in Kortrik then back to the UK to enjoy my actual birthday at Applecross for weekend three. I miss these crazy trips!

Germany Rain

There is some oil!

350 miles of constant rain does not make any motorcyclist happy

Clearing up

Campsite

Getting Sunny

Everybody was drying gloves and clothes

And helmets

BSA's

Enjoying a beer (spot the vintage Nokia, state of the art then!)

Nice

Good turnout from all over Europe

A local bike and a Rome registered BSA

I like this

Our friend Arno on his roadgoing Manx, he rode this from Austria

Giorgio's bike from Genoa

Our good friend Wolf (RIP)

Giorgio (RIP)

Blinged up Commando

When was the last time you saw a Sunbeam loaded up for camping?

Collection of bikes

The bar

Great atmosphere

remember parties? BC

The well known Commando of Benoit from France

Maintenance on the way home

plenty oil

Have a wine and forget

Camping in France

Brugge

Leaving its mark in Brugge

Now just a few hundred miles to Applecross and back