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said :-
Yes, Pompy is a bit full on. We did it in a previous life.
But Ian I fear the Herculaneum ship has sailed on this trip. We will be heading towards the heel tomorrow before riding up the East Coast. Or that's the plan.
Rode around Etna today, about a three hour trundle and only 95 f's. Er'Indoors said she wanted er lining out of er coat. I obviously refused, she'll catch er death.
The roads were surprisingly smooth and flowing, the coffee and cannolis good and the views quite magnificent. The steam was rising probably a couple of thousand feet before turning East to the toe.
Upt.
27/09/2024 18:23:00 UTC
said :-
Ay up me ducks.
Just checkin in, here yesterday from Italy but not today and tomorrow Belgium.
Pfffffffft.
Oh yes this is Le Bourget du Lac.
And can someone turn the thermostat back up please.
Pfffffffft.
Upt.
03/10/2024 22:04:34 UTC
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
Let me offer you a piece of sage advice Upt'. DON'T COME HOME!!!
I went away from England in late summer, I came home to England 10 days later to find we'd skipped autumn and gone straight to winter. If you're thinking southern France is a tad cool you'll be hypothermic if you go home to Wooler. Turn around and head south. Might I suggest southern Spain or perhaps heading down through The Balkans to Greece.
Don't come back, it's not wurf it man, it's just grey and cold and wet and dark. SAVE YOURSELVES!
04/10/2024 08:11:25 UTC
ROD¹ said :-
Yes I agree Ren.
Don't come back to the cold and damp Upt'.
04/10/2024 12:11:36 UTC
said :-
Now in Belgium and we saw sun and 64 today. Tried a French N road for size. Wished I hadn't.
I need some chain lube, please overnight some to Big Lad from Wooler, now in Belgium.
Ta.
Upt.
04/10/2024 17:03:29 UTC
said :-
IT DIDN'T Arrive!
Pfffffffft.
Upt.
05/10/2024 07:00:09 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
What was wrong with the N road? Most I've used have been very pleasant.
05/10/2024 10:23:25 UTC
said :-
This was the N2 North to Mons Ian.
It went a bit like.
Slowest 2CV left in France followed by 100's of trucks.
Road closed.
Tractors.
Combines.
A long Deviation route.
But thankfully the Garmin saved us in the nick of time and deposited us near Tournai via some less used routes.
I think it's just like everywhere else, too many cars, not enough roads.
The run up to Ghent was pleasant enough today and 70 f's for good measure.
Here for two nights.
Chain lubed and adjusted.
Upt.
05/10/2024 15:58:58 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
Much as I love France in general, the north east and particularly the pas de Calais leaves me cold. A quick shifti at the map shows a more or less parallel D967 from Laon to Valenciennes which probably would have been nicer. Some of the Routes Nationales have been designated as EU through routes (identified by an E number) and they're ones to avoid in my experience. Although I don't think the N2 is one.
06/10/2024 10:20:12 UTC
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
Are you crossing the channel for home today Upt'? It's rather unpleasant here.
07/10/2024 07:56:37 UTC
said :-
Woke up in Belgium, now on board the good ship, "Bob Up and Down".
Tomorrow Blighty.
Today was a very pleasant 68 with a firm breeze.
I'm expecting tomorrow will be shite.
I was looking at The B on the dock and thought it looks almost as dirty as Eds. Almost.
Piccy out the Cabin.
Upt and Er'Indoors.
07/10/2024 15:27:45 UTC
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
Home yet Upt'? Enjoying the weather?
Cabin on a boat, so you're not crossing at Calais to Dover. You'll be going to Hull I reckon... Rotterdam to Hull? It's a damn posh cabin if you've gotten a window... at the FRONT! You've gotten too much money boyo.
08/10/2024 07:36:11 UTC
Upt'North ¹ said :-
I'm sure they put us in the wrong cabin Ed, I mean, a butler!
From Ijmuiden to Newcastle.
The ride home was thankfully short but predictably shite.
I now need a new chain and sprockets.
I'm thinking of going up one on the front to 16T and a heavy duty DID jobby. Probably JT cushioned front sprocket.
The OEM chain spat its o rings out all over Italy.
Pffffffftttttt.
Upt.
08/10/2024 16:01:11 UTC
ROD¹ said :-
Apart from obviously needing shaft drive, how did the 'B' perform on the trip?
08/10/2024 16:56:33 UTC
Upt'North ¹ said :-
Rod,
I haven't had a good look at er yet but I think mechanically other than the chain she did very well. The oem chain appears budget but it got us back, so I'll forgive it.
The tyres appear to have taken the abuse well with plenty of tread left, I haven't checked the mileage yet but the trip will be well over 4000 miles.
Comfort was exceptionally good, the seat and peg work paid dividends.
The screen protection was as good as it gets, the screen and flip killed thousands of mossies but my visor probably caught half a dozen in 4 weeks.
I will look er over in the next few days, get the chain done and probably put the newer tyres back on. The Italian Autoroutes were dire, if you've never experienced an Italian bridge join, try not to.
Imagine hitting a good pothole at 80 miles per hour a few hundred times a day. No, I'm not exaggerating.
I think the abuse they've taken may lead to an early retirement, the others only had an easy 1500 miles on them.
So yes, as far as I know The B has delivered in buckets.
Upt.
08/10/2024 18:34:11 UTC
ROD¹ said :-
That really confirms what people have been saying for years. The v strom just does the job.
I watched some YouTube of a couple going around the world on a 650 v strom, they certainly gave it a hard time including regular drops when off road.
The bike made the trip with very little trouble.
09/10/2024 08:58:52 UTC
ROD¹ said :-
Winter has arrived Daan Saaf.
The handlebar muffs went on yesterday, and the winter linings are going in today.
11/10/2024 08:14:23 UTC
nab301 said :-
Cool in my part of the world too with a few 2°C mornings , hands got properly cold for the first time this autumn even with winter gloves but temperatures are forecast to rise this week so I'll hold off on the winter linings and muffs for the moment!
Nigel
13/10/2024 12:30:10 UTC
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
Yip there's definitely a nip in the air now, winter is coming. I can tell, Sharon's changed from her summer 3 layers of clothing to 5 layers, soon it'll be 7 or 8 layers and a lot of grumbling about the bike getting dirty.
14/10/2024 08:14:11 UTC
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
Test - just checking :)
17/10/2024 13:27:21 UTC
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