Bad Oberdorf and Home
We have some good friends in Bad Oberdorf which we always manage to combine into our trip plans, so this was our destination today.
Timmelsjoch was also in the plan but the weather was unfavourable and I find no fun in paying to do zero visibility passes in the rain.
We came into Bavaria at Garmish and then a flowing cross country run past the Linderhof Palace.
This run takes you in and out of Austria/Germany. i have been caught out previously not having a vignette (my fault
) by the Austrian plod, but this time they were really taking the piss. On the road from Reutte to Oberjoch there were 2 hidden speed traps. Both times I was warned by the oncoming traffic, but the last one was a complete joke - it was set up shooting across from behind a building!
Having done plenty of riding through Austria I only see this enforcement activity on the borders which just makes it completely opportunistic
One last stop at Oberjoch and the posh Panorama hotel.
This was funny
There were roadworks on the access road with the road actually closed below the hotel. We were sat outside having a beer when the sound of another bike got our attention. It was a couple who we quicky understood to be British with no comms equipment
"WHAT THE FUCK HAVE YOU COME DOWN HERE FOR?" whispered the female pillion.
"I'M FOLLOWING THE FUCKING SAT NAV" was the measured response from the guy holding the bars.
I nearly spilt my Weisse beer
Descending the Oberjoch Pass we arrived at Hotel Hirsch, our usual skiing destination. The economics of the region are changing. The winters no longer guarantee good snow and alternatively the summers do always bring the sun. Additionally getting staff is not easy.
Manfred the owner of the hotel has seen the writing on the wall and has done a deal with the Royal Marines for his hotel to become their Bavarian training home.
Here's Manny with his wife Doris being congratulated by Vice Admiral David Steel CBE.
Works were well underway to convert the house for the needs of the Marines. The basement garage is being racked out to accommodate skis/kayacks/bikes etc.
So we had one last day which, other than a quick game of tennis where we were the targets of blood sucking horse flies, was mainly spend in beer gardens
The penalty for such largess was a 550 mile trip back to Rotterdam
As has been said on other threads the roadworks are bad across Germany. Frankfurt was particularly bad with 10 miles of stationary traffic, fortunately for us in the other direction.
We managed to make a pit stop window for a McD's stop in Holland to discover Ronald's latest innovation. Bored of queuing for your food? You can now walk over to a terminal, tap in your order, pay by card and then wonder over to the fast pass where your fodder awaits you.
So that was it. A great experience completed and only the roll home from Hull to Leeds in the morning to go. This was when the problems started
Queuing for customs I realised the left hand controls were dead. No access to the menu, no indicators etc. Bugger. I know this is a common fault and I consoled myself that it had happened right at the end of the trip.
We cleared customs and set off through Hull when I realised something did not feel right. I has been using a sling bag to keep my camera handy, as well as housing binos/ipad/chargers. I had left it behind on the ferry deck when packing the bike
I now must pass on my thanks to P&O. Within 10 minutes of returning to the ferry terminal I had the bag and all it's contents back in my mitts
I'm now counting down the three weeks to go before I'm back on the ferry for the lad's week away
