....since I last got into my leathers and sat on a bike, about two years to be more specific, which is way too long, but today I have a date with a very nice man and a very big bike!
This one shows much more promise than some of my previous 'encounters' but given my recent experiences with men let's just say I'm not holding my breath, things could 'go to pot' just as quickly as they seem to have developed but I can't help but be a little excited this time, try as I might not to be.
Whatever, a day out back in the saddle is going to be fun, I've missed it, I can't wait and the fact that the man is passionate about good coffee and good chocolate too is something of a bonus and a half decent start! :)
We will see....
Showing posts with label Motorcycling. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Motorcycling. Show all posts
Sunday, 11 April 2010
Wednesday, 24 June 2009
Friday, 29 May 2009
News we all fear
As a biker you know it happens, it's all your worst nightmares rolled into one but somehow you manage not to think about it too much, because if you did you would never ride a bike again or ultimately go outside of your front door for fear of some catastrophe befalling you... and you just can't live life that way.
That doesn't however alter the impact when it happens to someone you know well or are very close too.
I got news last night that my ex husband's identical twin has been horrifically injured in a motorcycle accident. Believe me, you don't want the details, it's as bad as it gets.
I haven't slept a wink, I can't get it out of my head...I know it happens, I've known it happen to others around me, you can't ride a bike all your life and not know, but very rarely, if ever, have I known it on this scale of devastation.
You are in my thoughts M.
That doesn't however alter the impact when it happens to someone you know well or are very close too.
I got news last night that my ex husband's identical twin has been horrifically injured in a motorcycle accident. Believe me, you don't want the details, it's as bad as it gets.
I haven't slept a wink, I can't get it out of my head...I know it happens, I've known it happen to others around me, you can't ride a bike all your life and not know, but very rarely, if ever, have I known it on this scale of devastation.
You are in my thoughts M.
Wednesday, 18 March 2009
Where I wish....
.....I was right now!
Somewhere in the Dolomites.
*Excuse the ever elegant 'helmet hair'...unfortunately unavoidable after weeks on the road living in a tent!
*Excuse the ever elegant 'helmet hair'...unfortunately unavoidable after weeks on the road living in a tent!
Saturday, 7 February 2009
Women drivers and mad bikers!
Nothing has made me laugh so much as this first video for along time, albeit it does nothing for the defence of women drivers. Watch to the end for the previously mentioned (here and here) Cambridge rising bollards!
And this one is for anyone who has ever ridden a bike. Again, watch to the end or you'll miss the gtrulydemented best bit....and hold on to your hat, or should that be helmet!
And this one is for anyone who has ever ridden a bike. Again, watch to the end or you'll miss the gtruly
Friday, 9 January 2009
The JW interview
Following on from the 'interview meme' of a few days back my good friend and blog-buddy JW decided to invent a new one....this one has twelve questions but you only have to answer those you want to. For more details go here, you don't even have to have a blog to join in.
So....verbose as ever, I'll try and do all twelve, here goes!
1. If you could change one piece of legislation, national or inter-national, what would it be and why? Would you just kill it or amend it?
Can I say the 'no smoking' legislation or is that too shallow?
Ok, more seriously, politics and law aren't my forte so I can't come up with one specific piece of legislation but any legislation that is forcing us into a namby-pamby nanny state instead of individuals with responsibility for ourselves should be revoked in my opinion.
Oh....and those bloody speed cameras! They can go.
2. If able to remove all mention of one individual from all media, who would it be and why? I have already done Simon Cowell, Bruce Forsyth and Michael Winner.
David Miliband, why? Because his ineffectual excuse making and ability never to answer the question have the ability to anger me almost before he opens his mouth these days.
3. What has been your most memorable meal and why? Was it the food, the company, the occasion celebrated or – what?
The meal Fletch and I had at a Chinese restaurant the night before we flew to Andalucia (see answer to question 10)...why? I was soooooo excited and I got to fulfil a small dream I had held for a long time.
4. You may go on vacation to anywhere you choose. Where, why and with whom?
Easy. Fletch and I had a two year round the world motorbike trip planned down to the last detail a year or two back. 55000 miles beginning in Dover, ending in North America and going via all but one continent en-route - ex-China, who wouldn't allow our bike in unaccompanied. It was almost fully financed and completely scheduled but circumstances conspired against us and the project was forced onto the shelf indefinitely. So...if I could go anywhere, I would go everywhere, we still have all the plans, the routes, the legalities in hand, it's ready to roll if you're providing the finance and the time out.
5. Ignorance of the law is no excuse. Do you believe that? If so, why do we have appeal courts?
Correct, ignorance of the law is no excuse, though of course there maybe in very occasional situations some extenuating circumstances.
6. Boy friends or dogs – which are the most loyal and loving?
Can I add 'Cats' here??
No brainer....dogs! But cats even more so....that said, boyfriends are pretty cool too! ;o)
7. If doing good resulted in personal danger or inconvenience, would you still try?
Yes, where the outcome for me was purely inconvenience of course, however if I was putting myself in real danger I would attempt to weigh up the odds before making the decision to help, though under extreme circumstances my adrenaline kicks in and I tend to act/react and think of the possible consequences later.
8. Who had the most influence on you during your growing up period? Mother, father or A.N. Other. Why?
I'm not sure I can choose one person, both my mother and father had a huge influence in shaping who I am now, each of them gave me different strengths. My mother instilled in me what I hope is some understanding of people and emotional issues along with a quiet strength, which whilst I might not always display it is an excellent 'model' to follow and from my father I got my cussedness, determination and sense of 'fair play'.
9. What will you do tomorrow that you would not have done this time last week?
Nothing! By that I mean I will do nothing I don't want to or have to....the last few weeks have been hectic/stressful, tomorrow is for chilling! Despite not working, weekdays I still have a 'work day' mentality, there is still stuff I have to do, chores, look for a job etc. etc. Saturdays I try to allow myself not to think of any of that, usually it doesn't work but tomorrow it will! ;o)
10. In your life to date, which were the best of times? Why?
My early childhood, why, because I felt completely safe and secure and life seemed simple. Yes, I can remember back to about age 1!
Latterly the first holiday Fletch and I took together, a week in a very posh villa in the hills of Andalucia. We hadn't known each other very long and it was like every girls romantic fantasy but for real. Walks on the beach hand in hand, long nights under the stars, days out exploring the Moorish architecture and Andalucian mountains, the heat, the sun, skinny dipping, fantastic food and fantastic company!
(My apologies, can I offer you a sick bag?)
11. Burial, cremation, leave body to science?
Cremation, though if those I left behind felt strongly that they would prefer another way I would be happy for them to make that choice.
12. What on earth made you buy THAT dress/pair of trousers?
A moment of madness and probably the momentary belief that I would actually have the courage to wear it in public!
Your turn now!
So....verbose as ever, I'll try and do all twelve, here goes!
1. If you could change one piece of legislation, national or inter-national, what would it be and why? Would you just kill it or amend it?
Can I say the 'no smoking' legislation or is that too shallow?
Ok, more seriously, politics and law aren't my forte so I can't come up with one specific piece of legislation but any legislation that is forcing us into a namby-pamby nanny state instead of individuals with responsibility for ourselves should be revoked in my opinion.
Oh....and those bloody speed cameras! They can go.
2. If able to remove all mention of one individual from all media, who would it be and why? I have already done Simon Cowell, Bruce Forsyth and Michael Winner.
David Miliband, why? Because his ineffectual excuse making and ability never to answer the question have the ability to anger me almost before he opens his mouth these days.
3. What has been your most memorable meal and why? Was it the food, the company, the occasion celebrated or – what?
The meal Fletch and I had at a Chinese restaurant the night before we flew to Andalucia (see answer to question 10)...why? I was soooooo excited and I got to fulfil a small dream I had held for a long time.
4. You may go on vacation to anywhere you choose. Where, why and with whom?
Easy. Fletch and I had a two year round the world motorbike trip planned down to the last detail a year or two back. 55000 miles beginning in Dover, ending in North America and going via all but one continent en-route - ex-China, who wouldn't allow our bike in unaccompanied. It was almost fully financed and completely scheduled but circumstances conspired against us and the project was forced onto the shelf indefinitely. So...if I could go anywhere, I would go everywhere, we still have all the plans, the routes, the legalities in hand, it's ready to roll if you're providing the finance and the time out.
5. Ignorance of the law is no excuse. Do you believe that? If so, why do we have appeal courts?
Correct, ignorance of the law is no excuse, though of course there maybe in very occasional situations some extenuating circumstances.
6. Boy friends or dogs – which are the most loyal and loving?
Can I add 'Cats' here??
No brainer....dogs! But cats even more so....that said, boyfriends are pretty cool too! ;o)
7. If doing good resulted in personal danger or inconvenience, would you still try?
Yes, where the outcome for me was purely inconvenience of course, however if I was putting myself in real danger I would attempt to weigh up the odds before making the decision to help, though under extreme circumstances my adrenaline kicks in and I tend to act/react and think of the possible consequences later.
8. Who had the most influence on you during your growing up period? Mother, father or A.N. Other. Why?
I'm not sure I can choose one person, both my mother and father had a huge influence in shaping who I am now, each of them gave me different strengths. My mother instilled in me what I hope is some understanding of people and emotional issues along with a quiet strength, which whilst I might not always display it is an excellent 'model' to follow and from my father I got my cussedness, determination and sense of 'fair play'.
9. What will you do tomorrow that you would not have done this time last week?
Nothing! By that I mean I will do nothing I don't want to or have to....the last few weeks have been hectic/stressful, tomorrow is for chilling! Despite not working, weekdays I still have a 'work day' mentality, there is still stuff I have to do, chores, look for a job etc. etc. Saturdays I try to allow myself not to think of any of that, usually it doesn't work but tomorrow it will! ;o)
10. In your life to date, which were the best of times? Why?
My early childhood, why, because I felt completely safe and secure and life seemed simple. Yes, I can remember back to about age 1!
Latterly the first holiday Fletch and I took together, a week in a very posh villa in the hills of Andalucia. We hadn't known each other very long and it was like every girls romantic fantasy but for real. Walks on the beach hand in hand, long nights under the stars, days out exploring the Moorish architecture and Andalucian mountains, the heat, the sun, skinny dipping, fantastic food and fantastic company!
(My apologies, can I offer you a sick bag?)
11. Burial, cremation, leave body to science?
Cremation, though if those I left behind felt strongly that they would prefer another way I would be happy for them to make that choice.
12. What on earth made you buy THAT dress/pair of trousers?
A moment of madness and probably the momentary belief that I would actually have the courage to wear it in public!
Your turn now!
Thursday, 18 December 2008
Back in the saddle soon
It's been over a year since we were out on the road on Eloisa, (for those of you new here Eloisa is our much loved bike, tech. spec. etc. here, an XRV with the full on and off road touring kit) this is not a good situation but time and money meant that she has sat, along with the VFR, outside the flat, falling into a state of disrepair for all that time. This is not good either!As anyone who has ever tried leaving a bike out in the elements long term will know, they don't much like it and as a result, the bill to get them back in working order is going to be pretty horrendous and likely to make it into four figures. Yet more which is not good.
However, we have finally managed to gather together the necessary cash and this morning 'Mr Nicebikefixingguy' should arrive with his truck to take both bikes away and restore them to their former glory so that this coming year we can 'go out to play' again and not have to suffer the indignity of holidaying on four wheels instead of two! Yipeeeee.
In actual fact we have no intention of keeping the VFR, once that is fixed it's up for sale (anyone wanting to buy a nippy sports tourer please apply here), it rarely got used and became just another expense we can well do without. Eloise however, she is a whole different story, she is part of the family and has been very sorely missed. Hopefully all the work will be done and she will be back home again by soon into the new year and then, with a little luck and a prevailing wind, we can start to plan our next trip and rejoin the ranks of those who prefer not to be stuck in traffic in a tin box!All we have to do now is try and stop Fletch working 24/7 so we actually have the time to get out there and then see if I can still manage to squish myself into my leathers!
Tuesday, 26 August 2008
Wednesday, 5 March 2008
Blown away!
Remember this post a few days back....the howling gales overnight and all that? Well what we didn't realise until the following day was that both bikes, that's Eloisa and the VFR, had been blown right over and were lying forlorn and broken on their sides.
The parking spaces here can't be seen from the flat and so it wasn't until we returned from a shopping expedition that we noticed something amiss....handlebars looking skyward, handlebars aren't supposed to do that!
Sure enough, closer and rapid inspection revealed both bikes had been blown clean over. The sight of a bike on it's side is always a bad one, somehow it's always a sight that seems very wrong, damage to man or machine is usually the result and this was no different, though thankfully under the circumstances of course, only damage to machine resulted.
That must have been some wind! Eloisa is getting towards a quarter ton in weight. She of course escaped almost unscathed, tough as she is, only a bent pannier, the VFR however was another story presenting badly scraped fairings, a snapped brake lever, bent peg, broken indicator and a distinct lack of petrol left in the tank!
Ugh!
It's amazing how easily and quickly you can pick up something so heavy under the 'Oh shit my bikes down' scenario!
But it could have been worse, both only missed hitting the car parked next to them by inches reducing the repair bills or any insurance claim significantly.
The parking spaces here can't be seen from the flat and so it wasn't until we returned from a shopping expedition that we noticed something amiss....handlebars looking skyward, handlebars aren't supposed to do that!
Sure enough, closer and rapid inspection revealed both bikes had been blown clean over. The sight of a bike on it's side is always a bad one, somehow it's always a sight that seems very wrong, damage to man or machine is usually the result and this was no different, though thankfully under the circumstances of course, only damage to machine resulted.
That must have been some wind! Eloisa is getting towards a quarter ton in weight. She of course escaped almost unscathed, tough as she is, only a bent pannier, the VFR however was another story presenting badly scraped fairings, a snapped brake lever, bent peg, broken indicator and a distinct lack of petrol left in the tank!
Ugh!
It's amazing how easily and quickly you can pick up something so heavy under the 'Oh shit my bikes down' scenario!
But it could have been worse, both only missed hitting the car parked next to them by inches reducing the repair bills or any insurance claim significantly.
Saturday, 1 December 2007
The short way round!
Today saw Fletch and I heading off early for Birmingham and the N.E.C....to the bike show of course, an annual 'must do', though it's probably 20 or so years since I last actually managed the pilgrimage! On that occasion things didn't go too well, it was April, I was camping overnight and a freak heavy snowfall caused my tent to collapse spectacularly at two in the morning....leaving me no option (I was on a bike remember) but to spend a cold miserable night holed up in public toilets for a little shelter! Ugh.
This visit went more to plan, we made the journey easily, the roads in were remarkably clear and the N.E.C as ever has the whole queuing/parking/paying malarky sussed, no problem, relaxed and easy, none of the usual bunfight gaining access to these events often is.
The show was as these things are, excellent if you're into two wheels, probably boring in the extreme if you're not....so I won't, bore you that is! ;o)
We enjoyed it thoroughly though, all the things we wanted to see/achieve were achieved and the place was only comfortably full (thank God for the Christmas shopping rush and the need for many to hit the high streets).
For me there was one most definite highlight, seeing Claudio von Planta (and his bike of course) of The Long Way Round fame.
He might not have been the one to attract all the publicity at the time but this guy was the un-sung hero who not only had to ride with Messrs Boorman and McGregor but also had the task of filming the whole thing single handedly!
As ever I am with these kind of individuals, I just gazed at him and his machine in wonder....this guy had actually, really done one of the things I would most like to do in my life!
Ok....so he did it with a support team and on a BMW (maybe you have to be a biker to understand why that is mentioned) but he did it and that mere fact is enough to more than make him a hero to me! :o))
Other than that there was the usual 'sitting' on various bikes in the hope that someday, someone might just make an adventure bike low enough for a five foot female, I have to say here that BMW (for all we deride them) make the nearest thing too it but still the only thing I can comfortably get my feet down on is a Hog, ugh, just not made for offroading is it with all that chrome!
For those taller and for we dreamers there is however this:
...assuming of course one can get it to go the distance in one piece!
Did I say I wasn't gonna bore you? Ooopss....sorry! ;o)
This visit went more to plan, we made the journey easily, the roads in were remarkably clear and the N.E.C as ever has the whole queuing/parking/paying malarky sussed, no problem, relaxed and easy, none of the usual bunfight gaining access to these events often is.
The show was as these things are, excellent if you're into two wheels, probably boring in the extreme if you're not....so I won't, bore you that is! ;o)
We enjoyed it thoroughly though, all the things we wanted to see/achieve were achieved and the place was only comfortably full (thank God for the Christmas shopping rush and the need for many to hit the high streets).
For me there was one most definite highlight, seeing Claudio von Planta (and his bike of course) of The Long Way Round fame.
He might not have been the one to attract all the publicity at the time but this guy was the un-sung hero who not only had to ride with Messrs Boorman and McGregor but also had the task of filming the whole thing single handedly!
As ever I am with these kind of individuals, I just gazed at him and his machine in wonder....this guy had actually, really done one of the things I would most like to do in my life!
Ok....so he did it with a support team and on a BMW (maybe you have to be a biker to understand why that is mentioned) but he did it and that mere fact is enough to more than make him a hero to me! :o))
Other than that there was the usual 'sitting' on various bikes in the hope that someday, someone might just make an adventure bike low enough for a five foot female, I have to say here that BMW (for all we deride them) make the nearest thing too it but still the only thing I can comfortably get my feet down on is a Hog, ugh, just not made for offroading is it with all that chrome!
For those taller and for we dreamers there is however this:
...assuming of course one can get it to go the distance in one piece!
Did I say I wasn't gonna bore you? Ooopss....sorry! ;o)
Thursday, 4 October 2007
Tuesday, 18 September 2007
Just Don't Do It!
Right so we all know about Global Warming right, (CO2 build up in the Atmosphere blah blah blah)... But have you ever considered why there’s so much C02 up there... Cars? Manufacturing? Energy Production? All contributing factors I agree, but the real reason... You & Me... Think about it... We breath in Oxygen and Exhale Carbon Dioxide... (You're with me now aren’t you? No your wrong it has nothing to do with rain forests! ;o) )
But don’t worry I have a cunning plan. Lets all stop exercising! Makes sense, No? The more we exercise the more CO2 we produce… So just stop it, take your Motorbike everywhere instead (or car if you must, yuck horrible things…)
And phase 2 of the plan... Shoot all Joggers on sight... (FFS their killing our planet!).
And by no means just restricted this to Joggers, we can use this plan to eliminate all those sanctimonious ‘keep fit’ types that really annoy us with their musilli cererals and High Energy Drinks.. (Get a life!). In fact any sport that involves more than just walking should be banned... (So the English Rugby Squad are still OK to play!)
And Lads the good news... Sex will be reduced by law to only quickies... (No more of that "Do that, do this, more of that, some of that, a lot more of that and don't stop until I say so!") ;o)
So today’s moto... Just Don't Do It!
And Lads the good news... Sex will be reduced by law to only quickies... (No more of that "Do that, do this, more of that, some of that, a lot more of that and don't stop until I say so!") ;o)
So today’s moto... Just Don't Do It!
Makes perfect Sense to me...
Take it east Boyz and Girlz... :o)
Ciao Ciao
Fletch
Confused From Cambridge
I BLOG Ther4 I Am
(Guest blog entry as requested by Gemmak!)
Saturday, 15 September 2007
Enduro!
I know it's taken me a week but finally I have got around to blogging last weekends antics in the Lake District.....an enduro weekend with Eloisa and Fletch courtesy of the XRV.org a forum on which Fletch currently spends much of his life and that is dedicated to those who are the utterly demented proud owners of an XRV (Africa Twin).
A rough translation of this would be along the lines that 60-70 mad men (and three women) got together in the Lakes for some very muddy and mad off-roading, a little tarmac fun and probably way too much interest in late night revelry....though this had to be somewhat controlled given that we all had to be legal and on the ball for the daytime riding!
We had a ball.
Fletch rode up on the Thursday morning, I, given that my wonderful employer only allows me 2 weeks leave a year and I didn't dare take another sickie was left with the options of driving up after work on Friday(ugh in my small car) or taking the train. I opted for the latter and was soon to regret it. I remembered almost immediately why I haven't used a train for literally decades! This delightful mode of transport allowed me less room that an economy flight, was hot, noisy and having only travelled 30 minutes of a 3.5 hour journey we met with unexplained 'delays', resulting in a 40 minute loss and my missing my connection! FFS!
Eventually I made it though and was duly picked up at Oxenholme station by Fletch, who had taken my gear up with him to save me lugging it all on the train. This presented a small problem, there was nowhere to get changed, so it being dusk and quiet there was only one thing for it, get into it all on the side of the road....getting undressed and into leathers in a hurry is no mean feat but I managed it with some degree of decorum.
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The camp site was in Dent, a lovely little village in Sedburgh, we made it through the lanes by 11.00 pm where I was met with a field full of tents and bikes and a proper dinner!
One of our number it turned out was an excellent camping chef and had knocked up a really good meal on one ring late at night for the three of us. This was to continue, we had our own personal biking chef for the weekend! :o)
Fletch and the gang had done most of the offroad stuff on the Friday, I was sorry to have missed it but as it's not a game that is easily (if at all) played carrying a pillion the timing was good and as Fletch managed to turn Eloisa rubber side up on a couple of occasions (fair comment off road incidentally and at least not anything like as painful as on road!) at least it meant I didn't have to clean my leathers!
Saturday we split into smaller groups (see, thoughtful bikers not creating a mass hazard on small roads) and went on various ride-outs. Ours was destined for Wastwater and Hardknott Pass. Having just ridden umpteen passes in the Alps we were a little complacent about this but we were to get our comeuppance.... Hardknott was damn hard!
Ok, the risk to life and limb was not the same, there weren't 300 meter drops to fall over if we came off but the terrain and road surface added to the extreme incline on bends made it a real test! One of course that Fletch was equal too, though there were moments when we though we might lose it and end up in an ungainly heap.....as some did! ;o)
*Note to car drivers, please don't misjudge the bends and bounce your vehicle off the sides to within a foot of my thigh!
The Lakes have long held very difficult memories for me and to be honest I wasn't completely enthralled at having to be there again but I have to say that whilst it will never really be a place that 'does it' for me, it is a very beautiful area and the fun and madness we had kept the memories at bay.....mostly :o)
Amazing weekend, amazing group of people and amazing riding.
The images are not all mine and those that are came only from my phone so apologies for the quality, I was too busy trying to stay on and run the video camera to take many pictures!
A rough translation of this would be along the lines that 60-70 mad men (and three women) got together in the Lakes for some very muddy and mad off-roading, a little tarmac fun and probably way too much interest in late night revelry....though this had to be somewhat controlled given that we all had to be legal and on the ball for the daytime riding!
We had a ball.
Fletch rode up on the Thursday morning, I, given that my wonderful employer only allows me 2 weeks leave a year and I didn't dare take another sickie was left with the options of driving up after work on Friday(ugh in my small car) or taking the train. I opted for the latter and was soon to regret it. I remembered almost immediately why I haven't used a train for literally decades! This delightful mode of transport allowed me less room that an economy flight, was hot, noisy and having only travelled 30 minutes of a 3.5 hour journey we met with unexplained 'delays', resulting in a 40 minute loss and my missing my connection! FFS!
Eventually I made it though and was duly picked up at Oxenholme station by Fletch, who had taken my gear up with him to save me lugging it all on the train. This presented a small problem, there was nowhere to get changed, so it being dusk and quiet there was only one thing for it, get into it all on the side of the road....getting undressed and into leathers in a hurry is no mean feat but I managed it with some degree of decorum.
.jpg)
The camp site was in Dent, a lovely little village in Sedburgh, we made it through the lanes by 11.00 pm where I was met with a field full of tents and bikes and a proper dinner!
One of our number it turned out was an excellent camping chef and had knocked up a really good meal on one ring late at night for the three of us. This was to continue, we had our own personal biking chef for the weekend! :o)
Fletch and the gang had done most of the offroad stuff on the Friday, I was sorry to have missed it but as it's not a game that is easily (if at all) played carrying a pillion the timing was good and as Fletch managed to turn Eloisa rubber side up on a couple of occasions (fair comment off road incidentally and at least not anything like as painful as on road!) at least it meant I didn't have to clean my leathers!
Saturday we split into smaller groups (see, thoughtful bikers not creating a mass hazard on small roads) and went on various ride-outs. Ours was destined for Wastwater and Hardknott Pass. Having just ridden umpteen passes in the Alps we were a little complacent about this but we were to get our comeuppance.... Hardknott was damn hard!
Ok, the risk to life and limb was not the same, there weren't 300 meter drops to fall over if we came off but the terrain and road surface added to the extreme incline on bends made it a real test! One of course that Fletch was equal too, though there were moments when we though we might lose it and end up in an ungainly heap.....as some did! ;o)
*Note to car drivers, please don't misjudge the bends and bounce your vehicle off the sides to within a foot of my thigh!
The Lakes have long held very difficult memories for me and to be honest I wasn't completely enthralled at having to be there again but I have to say that whilst it will never really be a place that 'does it' for me, it is a very beautiful area and the fun and madness we had kept the memories at bay.....mostly :o)
Amazing weekend, amazing group of people and amazing riding.
The images are not all mine and those that are came only from my phone so apologies for the quality, I was too busy trying to stay on and run the video camera to take many pictures!
Sunday, 2 September 2007
Sleeping in the saddle
So back to the recent around Europe biking travels and an aspect that seemed to intrigue/amuse a few of you....how do I sleep on the back of a bike?.
The answer is this: Easily, if I'm tired I sleep it's no big deal really. Bear in mind that I have been on a bike for most of my life it's almost as natural to me as walking is and after thousands and thousands of miles the movement and noise is almost soothing. Add to that I know from experience that I'm not gonna fall off in some odd fashion and if the bike is loaded there is no place to fall anyways.
All that remains is to have absolute faith in one's rider, to know he/she won't take unecessary risks or try for fun to 'put me off the back' from a standing start (no Fletch, this is not an invitation to get on the back wheel), take way the fear that bikes hold for some and hey presto, sleep :o)......and as an added bonus, should the worst happen, if one is asleep one's body is way more relaxed and as a consequence likely to sustain somewhat less severe injuries than tensed up......well that's the theory!
Really, no big deal.
The answer is this: Easily, if I'm tired I sleep it's no big deal really. Bear in mind that I have been on a bike for most of my life it's almost as natural to me as walking is and after thousands and thousands of miles the movement and noise is almost soothing. Add to that I know from experience that I'm not gonna fall off in some odd fashion and if the bike is loaded there is no place to fall anyways.
All that remains is to have absolute faith in one's rider, to know he/she won't take unecessary risks or try for fun to 'put me off the back' from a standing start (no Fletch, this is not an invitation to get on the back wheel), take way the fear that bikes hold for some and hey presto, sleep :o)......and as an added bonus, should the worst happen, if one is asleep one's body is way more relaxed and as a consequence likely to sustain somewhat less severe injuries than tensed up......well that's the theory!
Really, no big deal.
Tuesday, 28 August 2007
About this holiday then ~ Part 4
The end.....I promise!
One damp night and poor-ish meal in a restaurant later, we departed Grimsel and the pretty grim kind of woman manning the local campsite (in a beautiful spot mind you) and moved on northwards via
Interlaken to South East France and the Alsace region....only about 200 miles this time which gave us time to play on the roads through and forest close to Colmar. This though had a sobering moment when we came upon some World War 1 cemeteries, the area having been on the front line.
Due respect and a quiet moment were given and we carried on the Xonrupt-Longemer and a campsite at the edge of a lake...amusingly called 'camping Du Lac'! heh.
We were knackered, it was raining, the site was nice and it was fun trying to communicate with the girl running it, who spoke a similar amount of English to our command of French, so we stayed put for a day of rest that mostly consisted of eating and hibernation from the rain in the tent with a book or two.
The feeling that we were near the end was setting in and knowing we had to be back at the hook of Holland for Saturday and our sailing home we set off again, wet tent packed, hey, we got used to being wet and got packing our 'temporary home' down to a fine art in any conditions!
We had decided that our last night and morning should be spent in Amsterdam, a nice hotel, good food and one final blast, sex and drugs and rock and roll....and all that.
The journey through Luxembourg and Belgium could best be described as 'utility', on motorways, hot and without stopping, that was until we hit our first traffic jams for two weeks trying to get into Amsterdam....where we came to a shuddering halt and had to re-think our route.
Once into the city we found a lovely hotel that 'sadly'
Amsterdam was good, way better than I had expected, it has a kind of chilled, laid back, anything goes vibe about it that I loved. We could happily have spent a few days there but we made the most of our few hours, an evening and a morning, and though one feels in Amsterdam that one should do the whole sex and drugs and rock roll thing in our state of tiredness it was somewhat beyond us ....sex was a quick beetle around the red light district, drugs we don't do (even when cheap and legal) and the rock and roll....well we chose to chill in a bar after an excellent dinner, that had a guy playing 'easy listening' on a piano, hardly rock and roll but very enjoyable!
The morning came and with it our penultimate ride, to the Hook of Holland to sail back to the U.K. It was uneventful and we boarded and sailed on time. Again we had a Captains cabin so we made the most of it......and slept, finally docking at about 22.00 hours and then riding our final 100 miles home to Cambridge. In typically British style we were treated to a dull, dismal, rainy and misty ride for the final leg....... Welcome back to England!
I hated coming back, this holiday had been such an adventure and I loved the lifestyle, a challenge in parts yes, but the challenge was part of the fun and the experience. I discovered stuff about myself that I didn't know and learned some stuff, good and bad along the way but most of all I could have just carried on living that life forever, riding from one country to the next, pitching the tent, eating what was available, trying to communicate in different languages and marvelling at the world around me and what it has to offer. Oh, and the company was pretty respectable too! ;o)
I truly never believed that the world was such a beautiful and interesting place until now.......
When does the next ferry sail?
*All images can be found HERE if you prefer not to trawl through all this!....more added when I get a moment.
Wednesday, 1 August 2007
Around Europe in 16 days!
So what is it that has had me away from my computer the last few days and kept me so busy that I have barely managed a blog post at all?
Trying to plot, plan and pack for a holiday is what it is....this is no ordinary feat of packing though, none of the 'stuff a few things in a rucksack and hit an airport' stuff.....nope, this required a little more organisation, ok, months of organisation to be more precise because on Friday Fletch and I will set off for 16 days touring Europe on Eloisa (a big adventure motorbike for those of you not familiar with her).....and I can't wait, in fact it seems like I have been waiting for months but finally, at last, it's almost the allotted departure day! :o)
'Eloisa'
Packing for two adults, camping on a bike, is somewhat challenging from here and there but we have the right gear and having had some practice in a past life we finally got it all together last weekend, all I have to do now is be patient until Friday night.
Patience is not my forte!
So, the plan? Well there isn't one really other than to hit as many countries as we can without arriving back home more knackered than we left! We sail from Harwich late on Friday night (after a days work and a 120 mile ride) and arrive in Holland about 8 hours later, after that it's 400 or so miles hard riding to Germany and the Black Forest and then who knows....we could end up anywhere, though looking at Italy's current heatwave I'm somewhat dubious about going too far south in leathers!
We have one or two 'must do's' along the way, Stelvio Pass on the Italy/Switzerland border (see picture) is one of them, the second highest road in the Alps. Ok, a bitterriying scary but there's not much point in having a big off road bike and only doing the Autobaan now is there?! Aside from that Europe is our oyster for two weeks....bliss, new places, new countries, a good bike, good food, a good man and no work....what more could a girl ask for?! ;o)
Stelvio Pass
I have no idea if I will manage another post before we leave or if I will make it to a cyber cafe somewhere along the way but if all else fails I'll be back in 16 days to bore you with way to many photos no doubt!
Only 50 hours to go....not that I'm counting! ;o)
Trying to plot, plan and pack for a holiday is what it is....this is no ordinary feat of packing though, none of the 'stuff a few things in a rucksack and hit an airport' stuff.....nope, this required a little more organisation, ok, months of organisation to be more precise because on Friday Fletch and I will set off for 16 days touring Europe on Eloisa (a big adventure motorbike for those of you not familiar with her).....and I can't wait, in fact it seems like I have been waiting for months but finally, at last, it's almost the allotted departure day! :o)
Packing for two adults, camping on a bike, is somewhat challenging from here and there but we have the right gear and having had some practice in a past life we finally got it all together last weekend, all I have to do now is be patient until Friday night.
Patience is not my forte!
So, the plan? Well there isn't one really other than to hit as many countries as we can without arriving back home more knackered than we left! We sail from Harwich late on Friday night (after a days work and a 120 mile ride) and arrive in Holland about 8 hours later, after that it's 400 or so miles hard riding to Germany and the Black Forest and then who knows....we could end up anywhere, though looking at Italy's current heatwave I'm somewhat dubious about going too far south in leathers!
We have one or two 'must do's' along the way, Stelvio Pass on the Italy/Switzerland border (see picture) is one of them, the second highest road in the Alps. Ok, a bit
I have no idea if I will manage another post before we leave or if I will make it to a cyber cafe somewhere along the way but if all else fails I'll be back in 16 days to bore you with way to many photos no doubt!
Only 50 hours to go....not that I'm counting! ;o)
Monday, 16 July 2007
National Motorcycle Week
Yes I know, it seems to be 'national somethingoranother' week every week but this time it just happens to be one close to my heart, National Motorcycle Week.
The aim is to promote the positive aspects of motorcycling (though the government might have you believe there are no positives), to make it safer, to make it accesible and to highlight to those who aren't involved what the 'biking' malarky is all about.
I am not about to bore you further with the bike thing, it's just one of those things you love or you hate but I might ask you, if you have a few minutes spare, to take a quick look at THIS, which perhaps brings home quite starkly one of the biggest problems those of us on two wheels face. That is not to denigrate those in 'tin boxes', for I too belong to that group and have been guilty of a lack of concentration myself but maybe, if we just take a second or two longer and try to do as the clip says the likes of myself can breath a little easier out there and make it into old age!
The aim is to promote the positive aspects of motorcycling (though the government might have you believe there are no positives), to make it safer, to make it accesible and to highlight to those who aren't involved what the 'biking' malarky is all about.
I am not about to bore you further with the bike thing, it's just one of those things you love or you hate but I might ask you, if you have a few minutes spare, to take a quick look at THIS, which perhaps brings home quite starkly one of the biggest problems those of us on two wheels face. That is not to denigrate those in 'tin boxes', for I too belong to that group and have been guilty of a lack of concentration myself but maybe, if we just take a second or two longer and try to do as the clip says the likes of myself can breath a little easier out there and make it into old age!
Wednesday, 11 July 2007
Walk? What do you mean walk!
I don't 'do' walking, I do cars and motorbikes but not feet!
Yet again yesterday afternoon my ever failing car was deposited in the garage, this time to have some bearings replaced. Now usually in these circumstances my father chauffeurs me to work but this morning he was feeling a little 'inclement' and so other arrangements had to be made.
Bear in mind here that I live almost two miles from my place of white van torture and I have the pleasure of having to start at the un-godly hour of 06.00 hrs.
So the options were considered....and they were few, just two in fact, take a cab or walk. Well I would be damned if was going to pay a cab, I don't really know why I won't take a cab other than they seem to border on a form of legal extortion and oft times have less than savoury characters at the wheel but a taxi for just two miles I didn't consider an option, so I was left with using my 'own steam' as my only other choice. There are no buses at that time in the morning.
I was up with the lark (or something) at 4.45, and ablutions and breakfast dealt with I hit the pavements at 5.30 and you know what.......I really enjoyed it! So much so in fact that I decided to take a somewhat convoluted route to avoid any kind workmate passing me and offering a lift!
Mornings are not my best time to put it mildly, if a day is going to be a crap day it will have been decided in my head within two hours of waking but very unexpectedly the 'walking business' set me up for a better day than many, it was really good, it kind of cleared my head, gave me something else to concentrate on other than my usual worryings and there were birds, lots of them fluttering and tweeting, cats returning from a night on the tiles I could pass the time of day with and even a fox to keep me amused as I pottered along humming to myself. As I passed through the town centre at that early hour the market traders were setting up for the day and as ever the cheery bunch they are they all greeted me as I walked by with various forms of 'good morning'..... as opposed to the usual 'head down and don't meet anyone's eye' attitude it seems people later in the day prefer.
I arrived at work 15 minutes early having also managed a little window shopping along the final stretch of my journey, and sat on a wall for a while watching the town gradually wake up to the sound of the nearby underground, the traffic slowly coming to life and people beginning to emerge from front doors...... yup, very surprisingly I quite like this early walking malarky, ok, so probably I won't be making a regular habit of it but now and again I think I might just leave the car behind on a nice morning!
Yet again yesterday afternoon my ever failing car was deposited in the garage, this time to have some bearings replaced. Now usually in these circumstances my father chauffeurs me to work but this morning he was feeling a little 'inclement' and so other arrangements had to be made.
Bear in mind here that I live almost two miles from my place of white van torture and I have the pleasure of having to start at the un-godly hour of 06.00 hrs.
So the options were considered....and they were few, just two in fact, take a cab or walk. Well I would be damned if was going to pay a cab, I don't really know why I won't take a cab other than they seem to border on a form of legal extortion and oft times have less than savoury characters at the wheel but a taxi for just two miles I didn't consider an option, so I was left with using my 'own steam' as my only other choice. There are no buses at that time in the morning.
I was up with the lark (or something) at 4.45, and ablutions and breakfast dealt with I hit the pavements at 5.30 and you know what.......I really enjoyed it! So much so in fact that I decided to take a somewhat convoluted route to avoid any kind workmate passing me and offering a lift!
Mornings are not my best time to put it mildly, if a day is going to be a crap day it will have been decided in my head within two hours of waking but very unexpectedly the 'walking business' set me up for a better day than many, it was really good, it kind of cleared my head, gave me something else to concentrate on other than my usual worryings and there were birds, lots of them fluttering and tweeting, cats returning from a night on the tiles I could pass the time of day with and even a fox to keep me amused as I pottered along humming to myself. As I passed through the town centre at that early hour the market traders were setting up for the day and as ever the cheery bunch they are they all greeted me as I walked by with various forms of 'good morning'..... as opposed to the usual 'head down and don't meet anyone's eye' attitude it seems people later in the day prefer.
I arrived at work 15 minutes early having also managed a little window shopping along the final stretch of my journey, and sat on a wall for a while watching the town gradually wake up to the sound of the nearby underground, the traffic slowly coming to life and people beginning to emerge from front doors...... yup, very surprisingly I quite like this early walking malarky, ok, so probably I won't be making a regular habit of it but now and again I think I might just leave the car behind on a nice morning!
Monday, 25 June 2007
Ride your world ~ part 2
For me the weekend was invaluable, not only was it fun to be back under canvas (or in this case rip-stop),amazingly well catered, sometimes in torrential rain, courtesy of the 'Fletch school of haute camping cuisine'
and the evenings highly amusing (I'm even learning the alcohol thing after 20 or so years tee total) but to meet and mix with so many like minded individuals touched some kind of chord in me. People who in the first instance don't assume you must be a hells angel or a thug if you are dressed in leather and sporting a very fetching 'helmet hair-do' and who secondly don't assume you must have completely lost every vestige of sanity to even consider ditching your life (what life? I hear you say in my case) and leg it to some distant parts on two wheels for a time. Like minded individuals who maybe just want to perhaps experience another kind of life and who in many cases have done it.
I suppose up until now, despite having some loose plans to travel, the whole issue seemed in some ways ratherfreakin' scary big and unwieldy, maybe too awe inspiring to really believe it might happen or that I would be able to cope with all it's demands but one session in particular dispelled all of that for me. I attended a 'women only' presentation which whilst it spent a degree of time on information regarding 'womens things' in in the back of beyond, also provided information on woman specific safety and the various traditions that one needs to respect in different parts of the world, Muslim countries in particular.
But most of all it was an opportunity to talk to women who have acually done it, not only with a companion or in groups but entirely alone and to hear their stories and experiences and to realise that they are just flesh and blood like me, not superwoman, was a real eye-opener. One in particular was an amazing inspiration, Lois Pryce. Lois rode over 20000 miles across the Americas completely alone!. She has a great deal of grit, courage and tenacity, way more than I could ever muster but the fact that she was so approachable and 'normal' gave me some confidence that it really is possible.
But hey...let's not get carried away here, first stop Europe in August, as many countries as we can hit in 16 days....it's a start! :o)
(Can I go now please?....I can't wait!)
*For Fletch's take on it all go HERE.
and the evenings highly amusing (I'm even learning the alcohol thing after 20 or so years tee total) but to meet and mix with so many like minded individuals touched some kind of chord in me. People who in the first instance don't assume you must be a hells angel or a thug if you are dressed in leather and sporting a very fetching 'helmet hair-do' and who secondly don't assume you must have completely lost every vestige of sanity to even consider ditching your life (what life? I hear you say in my case) and leg it to some distant parts on two wheels for a time. Like minded individuals who maybe just want to perhaps experience another kind of life and who in many cases have done it.
I suppose up until now, despite having some loose plans to travel, the whole issue seemed in some ways rather
But most of all it was an opportunity to talk to women who have acually done it, not only with a companion or in groups but entirely alone and to hear their stories and experiences and to realise that they are just flesh and blood like me, not superwoman, was a real eye-opener. One in particular was an amazing inspiration, Lois Pryce. Lois rode over 20000 miles across the Americas completely alone!. She has a great deal of grit, courage and tenacity, way more than I could ever muster but the fact that she was so approachable and 'normal' gave me some confidence that it really is possible.
But hey...let's not get carried away here, first stop Europe in August, as many countries as we can hit in 16 days....it's a start! :o)
(Can I go now please?....I can't wait!)
*For Fletch's take on it all go HERE.
Sunday, 24 June 2007
Ride your world ~ part 1
I'm back at last and so I had better enlighten you as to what all the bru-ha-ha and need for time off work was about....and it definitely wasn't Glastonbury, oh no, this was a far more (um) select bunch of muddy and wet souls that I spent the weekend with.....to be more specific something in the region of 500 hard core bikers who's dream is to travel the world (or at least large parts of it) on a motorbike.
The venue, a field/pub in Ripley, Derbyshire, the occasion, the Horizons Unlimited 2007 rally. Horizons Unlimited is an organisation set up by a Canadian couple, Grant and Sue Johnson, to share information on their round the world travels and has grown into the most respected source for all things related to long distance motorcycle journeys.
So we, that's myself, Fletch and Eloise (get your mind out of the gutter guys, this was not a menage a trois, Eloise is the bike) remarkably, given the prevailing weather forecast for the weekend, managed to arrive in the dry and even got to pitch our tent before the heavens opened....and they did!
We spent better part of the next 48 hours assailed by torrential rain.....and it was wonderful, what's more it was a good initiation and test for the new tent, if this thing is ever going to see us any distance it's going to need to withstand some pretty testing conditions and it passed with flying colours. It should do, it's a damn good Hilleberg 'residence'but all the same it was good to have evidence that it was up to the job.
We had looked forward to this event for months but I have to say hadn't anticipated such a well organised, informative or enjoyable time, we had a blast. The information available was amazing, there were three conference rooms running lectures, shows, forums etc. etc. etc. almost back to back for the whole three days covering every aspect of 'large scale' traveling by bike, from safety and security to obtaining a carnet or changing a tyre on the side of a dirt track, hey, I even attended and hours 'yoga for bikers' session, normal yoga but concentrating on the parts that hurt most after hours in the saddle.....all the people involved were amazing, dedicated, knowledgeable and inspiring and the yoga was so relaxing I could happily have fallen fast asleep in the middle of the floor!
None of this was obligatory, we chose what we wanted to attend, including photography (Grant Johnson was previously a professional photographer), a talk by Austin Vince, he of 'Mondo Enduro' fame, the 'how to change a tyre in five minutes malarky', hell he made it seem so simple!,.......
......and of course the only obligatory event, the evenings hours spent in the bar!
*Part 2 to follow
The venue, a field/pub in Ripley, Derbyshire, the occasion, the Horizons Unlimited 2007 rally. Horizons Unlimited is an organisation set up by a Canadian couple, Grant and Sue Johnson, to share information on their round the world travels and has grown into the most respected source for all things related to long distance motorcycle journeys.
So we, that's myself, Fletch and Eloise (get your mind out of the gutter guys, this was not a menage a trois, Eloise is the bike) remarkably, given the prevailing weather forecast for the weekend, managed to arrive in the dry and even got to pitch our tent before the heavens opened....and they did!
We spent better part of the next 48 hours assailed by torrential rain.....and it was wonderful, what's more it was a good initiation and test for the new tent, if this thing is ever going to see us any distance it's going to need to withstand some pretty testing conditions and it passed with flying colours. It should do, it's a damn good Hilleberg 'residence'but all the same it was good to have evidence that it was up to the job.
We had looked forward to this event for months but I have to say hadn't anticipated such a well organised, informative or enjoyable time, we had a blast. The information available was amazing, there were three conference rooms running lectures, shows, forums etc. etc. etc. almost back to back for the whole three days covering every aspect of 'large scale' traveling by bike, from safety and security to obtaining a carnet or changing a tyre on the side of a dirt track, hey, I even attended and hours 'yoga for bikers' session, normal yoga but concentrating on the parts that hurt most after hours in the saddle.....all the people involved were amazing, dedicated, knowledgeable and inspiring and the yoga was so relaxing I could happily have fallen fast asleep in the middle of the floor!
None of this was obligatory, we chose what we wanted to attend, including photography (Grant Johnson was previously a professional photographer), a talk by Austin Vince, he of 'Mondo Enduro' fame, the 'how to change a tyre in five minutes malarky', hell he made it seem so simple!,.......
......and of course the only obligatory event, the evenings hours spent in the bar!
*Part 2 to follow
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