Gino's Travels: Sardinia part 2

We arrived in Olba, the main port of Sardinia around 9am, we were expecting chaos and we weren't disappointed. Our Hotel was at the other side of the island and because we had all day we decided to do a North loop of the island. The roads were very busy probably with the people getting off the boat heading to their Hotels or maybe even the beach. Did I mention it was hot? We headed roughly via the blue line (there was no blue line really, I drew it!)

The Map

After a long day we arrived at our Hotel (which was a bit posh for us) at 3.30, first things first, we needed a beer! We had a great week relaxing and riding the bikes, the Road to Alghero (Red line) was great, skirting the coast and not too busy and we also met up with Fi's Mum and Dad just south of Olbia for the day (Purple line) everywhere was at least 2 hours away so 4 hours in the saddle and sometimes more (Did I say it was Hot?) It was good to see Sardinia but I probably won't go back, its too much of a holiday place, maybe a bit like the Italian Majorca? The driving was terrible and although our hotel was amazing there wasn't enough to see or interest us, I thought Sicily was amazing when we went there but although Sardinia is OK it wasn't what I expected. Basically, not enough Italian history, not enough to see and a holiday hell from our point of view really, maybe it was just me ? We did research it but kept thinking it must have more, it didn't, In the words of many of my School reports "Has some potential but needs to try harder"

It was a nice week as the photos show, maybe because we were based in the same place for almost a week? OK you get the idea, £500 for the ferry to see a big beach resort whereas in retrospect there are many other places that could have ticked the box without that expense, glad we went but I'll not put it on my list of amazing places to see.

First stop for water

View from our Room

View from the Hotel Bar

Sunset

Away from the crowds

Interesting rocks just along from our digs

The road to Alghero

Now this was Nice

Old building

Nice church roof

Alghero

Stopped for beer and ice cream

Friendly locals

Night again

Posh dining

Fiona eating Octopus, I felt sick and couldn't look

Nice

With Dan and Jackie

Selfie

Parking on the pavement is normal

2 miles of Dirt Road

Water stop

40+ degrees

Fiona wen't for a walk and took these

This boat is owned by BP, this is where your money is going! Robbing B******

Hiding from the sun

Waiting for the boat back

Once again cheeky people setting up beds in the corridor

Now there are 2 ferries that go from Olba to Genova, they leave 15 minutes apart and obviously get in withing 15 minutes of each other, both are from the same ferry Company and both discharge on the same 2 lanes out of the port at 9 am onto the motorway that goes through Genova, what could go wrong! It was nearing 40 degrees as we exited the ferry and into the chaos, it was very busy and almost impossible to filter although as soon there was an opportunity we took it, after an hour of this chaos we were getting near the front only to see the biggest holdup was two incompetent Policemen causing most of the hassle, Fiona's clutch started dragging and then she had to stop saying that was it the bike had broken, the two idiot policemen told me to move out of the queue however I was hot and ready for them, I told them to get away (quite strongly) and that it was there fault , they had caused the chaos, I marched towards them, one started covering his gun and telling me to back off and calm down but I had had enough, I gave them as much swearing as I could and then the truck driver behind us started on them as well, then everyone started with the horns. In the Chaos I managed to adjust the clutch and we both made our escape.

If anyone buys a v85 then I suggest keeping an eye on the clutch adjustment, looking back it probably wasn't right when we left the shop and since then Neutral is no longer a hassle. I intended to go and see our pal Steva but with all the stress and heat we decided to head for Rocchetta which was about 2 1/2 hours away. We stayed in and around Rocchetta until Thursday visiting and chilling out which the pictures will explain better.

Just arrived and helping Bruno with his Morini

Dinner in Dolceaqua

Rocchetta town square

It hasn't changed much

Vino back at the digs

Bikes back at the digs

Annual visit to see my Dad, in the cemetery

Waiting for our beer and dinner

We stopped in Camporosso for fuel and had a coffee in the attached cafe, the owner (who mechanics in this workshop) asked about the Guzzi's and sent us through to see his pride and joy, very tasty

Ventimiglia for essential supplies

Fiona looking good on the V85

In the village square with a stone in my sock

Home sweet home

Posing

heading for the car park

Our last evening with our new friends

We left at 6am to try to get up the road a bit as the forecast was saying it would reach 44 degrees before Lunchtime. After Ventimiglia we stuck to the main roads, past Monaco, Nice, St, Tropez and eventually headed North at Marseilles and Avignon ( Sorry Christopher, maybe next time) Then the hell that is Lyon, the motorway goes right through the centre and we usually avoid it but we were kind of forced into it. A lunatic in a very small car took a dislike to us in the Tunnel and was trying to shout abuse and try to run us of the road, still don't know why but we eventually shook him off. We were very glad to reach our hotel at Macon, we were looking forward to some air conditioning after 3 nights sweating in Rocchetta so imagine our joy when the girl explained that the air con wasn't working! She did offer us the fan from the check in so we took it, not sure how everybody else got on. We had a couple of beers to celebrate our 400 mile day!

We used the small roads the following day with some toll roads and stopped for lunch at Brienne-Le-Chateau so called because it has a Chateau, allegedly a chap called Napoleon stayed there a while, well before Brexit I believe. We headed to Chalons en champagne for our usual stop, once again they had a band in the square and once again it was shit.

Some famous guy who stayed here (Not Napoleon)

Braw weekend retreat

It was hot (again)

Outside our Hotel (no secure parking this time)

Church

Must be hard up for entertainment here

Our last full day in France, some small roads then the motorway to Coquelles (which is actually a nice wee town) We passed a Guzzi with Sidecar and he pulled into the same gas station as us, we spent a pleasant hour talking nonsense and he gave us his number if we ever have problems in Normandy ( you meet the nicest people on a Guzzi)

Sunday we got the Chunnel, we had read about the chaos over the weekend but our direction was OK, we saw all the trucks and queues on the English side, it looked horrific but why does everyone go on holiday the same day?

We had a warm run until just after Leeds where it got cooler and then rained a bit, we stopped at a hotel on the A66 which was very cheap (seemed to be a wedding venue so Sundays are quiet ) It rained overnight, traffic jams on the A66, welcome home!!!