I am back after a busy week in the workshop and having just about enough energy & time, to post few short comments on here.
Apologies for the delay in further Trip Reporting.
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Le'ts rewind a little to the night before...
...Friday night ride to Beauville was interesting from my perspective. Following stopping to take a few pictures of the riders, I have caught and overtaken those whom have been riding at a particularly slower pace to the leaders of the pack, once caught up with the faster riders, I happens to notices an elder fellow, who was sat astride his 1200 GSA LC, whilst waiting at the junction, Ive nodded and gave him a Europen V sign as a greeting. Said fellow was from memory wearing Shorts and If I recall correctly A BMW jacket without any sleeves attached. A bit different, I thought and assumed he was a local 'Frenchie'. He followed behind me, to the next junction, I turned and so did he, same junction after junction, all the way to Beauville.
Interestingly, said fellow has offered to stuff my Rukka jacket into his pannier, saving me carrying it about. I sure was thankful for his kind offer and gesture.
I later learn from my fellow traveler, that said gentleman, is called Rob. He's an expat, now living in France for the past 9 or so years, and that he is organising a ride out around local area taking in some amazing roads and scenery at 11:00 o'clock on Saturday morning. Excellent!!! I though, I am game.
Saturday morning:
I slept in my MSR palace like a log, waking up just short of 07:00 o'clock, I get out my palace to greet a beautiful sunny morning, mooch around for a bit then set about making my morning coffee. I don't do instant coffee, I just find it vile and the aftertaste is just plain disgusting. So I on my camping trips, always take a bag of ground coffee and my French press style
Zilyss coffee mug*. I spectacularly fail to have any breakfast, seeing as I haven't really picked anything up from the shop, and despite me having some nuts and grapes from the day before. Being a newbie at Sid' and not knowing the "schedule" I somehow ignored the breakfast, to be honest it simply has escaped me**.
Skid woke up a short while later, I made him a fresh coffee and he had his cereal. Yet again, I am sure he would've shared it with me, but I just haven't bothered...
We chat, various bods and immediate neighbours starting to climb out of their "palaces" and coming over for a chin wag. Before we know it, it is fast approaching 11:00 o'clock and rob is due to be arriving shortly to lead us on a ride out.
But first things first
.
My newly fitted drivetrain, has bedded in and chain has stretched a fair bit, resulting in a bit of a clunky ride for the last 100-120 miles to Sid'. This as to be addressed if I am to enjoy my day out on ht bike.
I ask Sid if I may possibly be able to borrow his torque wrench to tighten the spindle nut, once the chain has been adjusted, to which he has kindly replied that yes I may, while verbally guiding me through his garage and tool chests.....
I wonder over with my toolkit to the main barn/garage and set about tracking the much needed torque wrench... I must confess, I got distracted for a while, completely forgetting that I have an 11:00 o'clock ride out to get ready for, not least as the bike needs fettling with, I mean who wouldn't be distracted
Good lord!!! ohh wow!! ok boy focus.... I find one of three tool chests, follow drawer labels down until I read "Torque wrenches", and hey presto, I have one in my hand. I have a one more quick look above the tool chests, pwoaaaaarrrrrrrr! and move on...
Chain adjusted, it has stretched by 11-12mm, hence the clatter and the feeling of it skipping about. Plenty of folks watching an engaging in banter whilst I attempt at focusing on what I am doing. I return the torque wrench back Sid' tool chest, and have one more pwoaaaaarrrrrrrr! moment
Pack my selection of bike related toys and head back to the tent city to get myself changed whilst nabbing a croissant of the tray whilst traversing the dining area.
Rob, does turn up some half and hour later, I can't recall what, but he has forgotten something, so needed to turnaround to head home and fetch it.
Skid06 and Rob.
We set off on a ride out at around noon. We take the back roads and lanes to the nearest big town of Montayral, where ewe all refuel.
the group consisted of our leader, Rob, Ex-Call Centre Chimp (Bill), oddjob, (forgive me , but I believe it is Jan), Skid06, (Steve), Stevie4Scoops (Steve), Paul Young and the main chap Sid on his Harley.
Once refuelled we are headed on some stunning roads and arrive a the to medieval looking village
Biron. Biron is dominated by the
Château de Biron, which overlooks the village and was a bastion in medieval times...
...from where we take a short journey and are headed for the gorgeous old town of
Monpazier, where we have a coffee outing the main square whilst Stevie4scoops....
Whilst Bill was chomping on a sandwich and sat all on his own
Coffee stop done, Sid does decide to head back to the house. and the rest of us are riding further east into Dordogne region, when eventually we arrive via the countless stunning roads, at the hilltop town of
Domme. It is a gorgeous place, and naturally it is full of tourists. What else do you expect, when the entire Europe is on holiday during the month of August.
The following image is a still grab from a video I took. We managed to get a little wet from that passing cloud on the right...
... so to avoid getting soaked, we beelined for cover inside the ice cream shop**. Stevie4scoops was very happy again. As was I and everybody else.
It is now a tad moist, and we learn that our ride leader is 78 years of age, whilst indulging in some rather delicious ice cream.
As a group we set off on now very wet roads and chasing after the cloud that has just made them so. I follow Rob for some time and he's not hanging about at all despite the wet roads, in fact I watch him rise up from his seat, and corner throughout the soaking bends as if he is on rails at speeds, well in excess of triple figure. It is as if he's 22 again and roads are bone dry.
Eventually it does become a little to much "enthusiasm" for odd job and Ex-Callcentre Chimp pulls up beside Rob, to inform him and the rest of us, that he will stick around with Jan for the remainder of the journey back to Sid', whilst giving the rest of us a green light to go and enjoy our ride.
We do get wet casing after that cloud that we have encountered back in Domme, but I am loving it, despite only wearing my mesh suit. It was great and refreshing!
We arrive back at base at around 16:30. with Jan and Bill trailing behind by only some 15-20 minutes. The bikes are filthy from all the detritus picked up from the wet roads. But what a ride!
I get back to Tent City, and share with Skid a quick leftover late lunch, of a second veggie baguette, that I have been given back in Périgueux, when we had stopped for lunch the day before. It was still fine, as I kept it in my cooler box. This would be my first bit of some decent food today. I am hungry and fail to recognise that I am probably dehydrated**. seeing as I haven't drank anything since I've mad that coffee at circa 07:00am.
One of seven Sid' and Ann' cats has decided to swing by an dot park herself on my lap.
I still fail to drink liquids, barely having a sip of remaining water in my travel bottle.
I yet again, take an easy option, and dunk myself in the swimming pool, before getting ready for the main Saturday night event.
I grab my choice of delicious Veggie food and the last of white wine**. Sit down with my fellow comrades and enjoy some chit chat, whilst recalling the days events out riding.
an hour or so later , I go back in the house and fancy another glass of chilled wine, unfortunately there is no more white, so next best choice is Rose. I simply don't drink red. Then another hour does go by, and lovely (Emma?) does her round asking if anyone in our group was up for another drink. I request another glass of the same Rose, which did indeed arrive a little while later.
**something I come to regret later on.
I am not a big drinker, but I do enjoy a gentle social drink (more like a sipping session), I am feeling relaxed and naturally slightly pissed up, whilst engaging in some conversation with Simon (Leadfarmer) and his wife Claire.
Early hours of Sunday Morning:
Eventually I wonder over to the adjacent tent, where Wedgy, Flipfly, Icedfusion and co sat, enjoying their conversation. I happens to mention that there was no entertainment tonight, as apparently it is the highlight of the weekend, this is when Phill (Flipfly) does ask for the guitar to be Brough over and the tunes start to be rolled out. We sit an enjoy the tunes. when eventually, I somehow end up with a glass of red wine, I do not recall how, when or where from it has arrived, as I was to busy enjoying the music. I have been having little sips of it in no different way to my previous drinks. some 20 minutes later, I feel very hot in the face. my mouth is watering, so I get up quietly and make my way out into the darkness to get some fresh air. I feel better so I return to pick up my phone, and am yet again feeling same way, hot and dizzy. My lack of food intake and hydrating throughout the day has caught up with me. now consumed 4-5 medium glassed of wine, are't helping me to stay hydrated and in fact making me feel worse.
It is clear to me, that remains people are now making their way to their nigh accommodation, so I wish them all a good night and make my way to my tent. under the cover of darkness, I feel unwell. Bugger, I had such a great evening, and now this. I clean up, and get inside my tent, only to be out again some 5 minutes later for a round two. Eventually, I fall asleep short of 03:00am on a Sunday and wake up at just before 08:00. I feel rough, nursing a splitting headache or more commonly known as a hangover
. I fetch some water, but dare not take any meds on a literally empty stomach. I feel low on energy and shivering despite a relatively warm August morning. My Tog24 down jacket makes up for a more comfortable situation as I wonder over to the main house in search of a breakfast. I am offered a coffee which I am great full for, I was hoping for a nice fried egg sandwich, but that was no,t to be as I did not want to trouble anybody with my special requests seeing as the eggs were being fried on same hot plate in bacon dripping, so ive chosen to have a cheese sandwich instead, which simply did not want to go down. So here I was attempting to interact with the rest of the group, whilst enjoying my breakfast. Instead I fail miserably and my headache got en more worse, so I've drank more water. and headed back to the tent, seeing as we were meant to be leaving at 09:30-10:00. No way that is happening. It is now gone 10:00 and I am yet to pack a single item. I sit down In my camping chair and decide to take some meds. No sooner than few minutes later, I am on all fours wrenching and feeling seriously hot. Skid takes a video of me and sends it to our WhatsApp group.
I clean up and with a brave face start packing my kit. Skid offers me some electrolytes that he did bring with him. I take his offer and mix the powder into my 1L drinking bottle. I take periodic sips whilst packing.
It takes aaaaages, as I am conscious of not moving to fast or making myself to hot in the process.
More later...
*Other options available, such as aeropress....
No such thinking is going through my head, as if Locals are happy to swim in it, then I am happy to dunk my kit in it too.
. A lucky & nervous giggle later, it all got strapped up under the myriad of bungie cords and a cargo net.
.
) stuffed inside the depths of the panniers.
