First Euro Trip

[yoyo]

After breaking my leg a couple of weeks before our planned trip last year Ali and I have finally got on the train to Europe.

We stayed in the Premier Inn yesterday which was a god send after a 33 degree ride from Swansea.

The first night is booked in Belgium but thats it. Thanks to those who suggested hotels in a previous thread, we'll look those up as we go along.

We're planning on the Black Forest and maybe a couple of days in Colmar with some ride outs from there.

There'll definitely be some stops for some lake swimming.

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[Posh Pete]

We ate here in Colmar a couple of years ago. Excellent menu de jour. If you stay in Freiburg then visit here. You might need to book, it's popular with locals. We stayed here, a very decent 3 star ish hotel with parking for the bike which is overlooked by your room (but ask for it) and invisible from the main road. Breakfast is dear, we thought, so we had coffee etc at the supermarket on the other side of the tram tracks. Speaking of which, use the tram to get into town and while you're there use the seilbahn in the centre for a great view of the city.

 

[LOLGEOFF]

Loved you in Bad Santa. Have a great trip and watchout for cold water shock.

 

[Greg Masters]

First Euro trip?

Drive on the RIGHT!

 

[richardbd]

Loved you in Bad Santa. Have a great trip and watchout for cold water shock.

He was better in Landman

 

[yoyo]

The family keep going on about the similarities but I cant see it!

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[yoyo]

First Euro trip?

Drive on the RIGHT!

Had a nice easy day through rural France into Belgium to settle us into it.

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[Greg Masters]

Had a nice easy day through rural France into Belgium to settle us into it.

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I’m glad it’s going well!

I don’t say ‘drive on the right’ with any humour. All too often, maybe towards the end of a long day or after a fuel stop, I’ve seen folk drive on the left and go the wrong way around roundabouts.

Take care and have a great trip!

 

[Santa-2512]

Loved you in Bad Santa. Have a great trip and watchout for cold water shock.

Just thinking billy bob Thornton lol

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

I’m glad it’s going well!

I don’t say ‘drive on the right’ with any humour. All too often, maybe towards the end of a long day or after a fuel stop, I’ve seen folk drive on the left and go the wrong way around roundabouts.

Take care and have a great trip!

I did it a few weeks ago in a Mosel village, coming out of a one way system (which skewed you to the left on exit)

Carried on in l/h carriageway on a 2 lane road for a 100m with a German car coming towards me at a rate of knots - lights and horns blaring
Easily done and we’d already done 1000 miles on the right

 

[Oldrat]

I think that we’ve all made the wrong side of the road error at some time even for a moment.

When touring abroad in me van I wrap an elastic band around the indicator or wiper stalk, corresponding to the side you drive on.

This reminds me, in those rare instant WTF moments of doubt when you get brain fog - normally first thing in the morning on an empty road.

On the bike I use a bit of tape on the mirror stalk.

It’s especially useful when, the first few days of being home when you stop thinking about which side is which.

Have a great trip.

 

[Doc]

Yup I did it when I was in the Faroe isles. Was badly lost and set off and wondered why a car was flashing it's headlights coming towards me.
Thought what's the problem until I realized.

 

[EVskiy]

Loved you in Bad Santa. Have a great trip and watchout for cold water shock.

I think he’s not to bad in Landman either.

 

[ymfb]

I left a site nr Swindon having been riding in Europe, driving on the RHS, the HGV coming towards me soon alerted me to my error. We have all done it, leaving petrol stations probably the most common. I try and use filling stations on my side of the road or off a roundabout.

Enjoy those quiet smooth Euro roads

 

[yoyo]

Left Nivelles heading towards Vianden in Luxembourg, I used MRA to plot a scenic route which worked ok until my phone switched itself off, when it reconnected to my Carpuride it tried to start the route again diverting us to the start. I need to have a look at the settings. The back roads in Belgium have the same level of road repairs we see in Swansea, the was a significant improvement when we crossed the border.

A mate recommended the Hotel Belle Vue in Vianden, have only dropped the bags off but it seems OK, bike parking is in the garage and it has a pool, its a bit dated but it'll do.

Had a walk out and took the chair lift to have a look at the town, impressed as Ali is scared of heights. A couple of well earned Weissbiers.

On to Baden-Baden tomorrow.

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[Guru Gora]

Good stuff Bad Santa

 

[yoyo]

A couple of days behind on this, we're learning as we go and will do thing a bit differently next time.

Had a decent stay at a cheap deal Holiday Inn Baden-Baden, then headed south, called into the Alternative Wolf and Bear sanctuary, its great to see the life they've given these rescued animals but walking about in 35 degrees was hard work!

Continued on various roads to Hotel Ristorante & SPA Salinensee, the pool was a welcome sight but why we felt the need to go in the sauna I'll never know, it was the same as being on the bike! The food in the hotel restaurant was excellent and good value, the ice cold Weissbiers hit the spot nicely.

We've headed to Austria having an ice cream break in Zugspitze, we're staying in Hotel Reitzer Hof, one of those unmanned ones, a bit dated, apparently breakfast is staffed in the morning.

The sorting things as we go along is ok but not great, we didn't have enough of a plan of what we wanted to see or do, booking hotels on the fly can be really expensive and limited availability.

We've booked Monday and Tuesday near Lake Titisee, the plan being to ride in the morning and bum around the lake in the afternoon.

We've got a hotel booked in Calais on Thursday night so we'll find somewhere between titisee and Calais for Wednesday crossing the Vosge mountains.

Just need to work out where to stay tomorrow night, we had a quick look at Switzerland but what's available is mental money!

Loving it so far.

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[Redboots]

Just need to work out where to stay tomorrow night, we had a quick look at Switzerland but what's available is mental money!

You have to pay extra for the surly service

 

[EVskiy]

A couple of days behind on this, we're learning as we go and will do thing a bit differently next time.

Had a decent stay at a cheap deal Holiday Inn Baden-Baden, then headed south, called into the Alternative Wolf and Bear sanctuary, its great to see the life they've given these rescued animals but walking about in 35 degrees was hard work!

Continued on various roads to Hotel Ristorante & SPA Salinensee, the pool was a welcome sight but why we felt the need to go in the sauna I'll never know, it was the same as being on the bike! The food in the hotel restaurant was excellent and good value, the ice cold Weissbiers hit the spot nicely.

We've headed to Austria having an ice cream break in Zugspitze, we're staying in Hotel Reitzer Hof, one of those unmanned ones, a bit dated, apparently breakfast is staffed in the morning.

The sorting things as we go along is ok but not great, we didn't have enough of a plan of what we wanted to see or do, booking hotels on the fly can be really expensive and limited availability.

We've booked Monday and Tuesday near Lake Titisee, the plan being to ride in the morning and bum around the lake in the afternoon.

We've got a hotel booked in Calais on Thursday night so we'll find somewhere between titisee and Calais for Wednesday crossing the Vosge mountains.

Just need to work out where to stay tomorrow night, we had a quick look at Switzerland but what's available is mental money!

Loving it so far.

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Looking good!

Winging it however in the middle of summer (where accommodation concerned) doable but either crap or mega expensive.
You can get away with it at the beginning or the end of the season, whilst still carrying certain amount of risk in not getting what you want for the money you are willing to part with.
In my own I’d try to wing it, but if in the group of riders or even worse with my other half, I’d hear no end of complaint and/or foul language.

 

[wessie]

Just need to work out where to stay tomorrow night, we had a quick look at Switzerland but what's available is mental money!

head to Imst and over the Hahntenjoch (as long as you have a bike under 95dB, all boxers are okay) then up to Kempten. Hotel Peterhof and Hotel der Furstenhof have garages. It's a regular stop for me on the way to/from Austria.