France, Belgium & Germany - Friends Hopping Tour 2008

[Pumpy]

Thank you all very much for your nice comments, hugely appreciated!

@ Johnnyboy: I didn't use my GPS that day, just an old-fashioned map, but I drafted something for you in Autoroute:

I basically had to ride from A to B but if you are more flexible I would keep further south - maybe start in Soest, a beautiful medieval town with most of its city wall still intact and lots of picturesque buildings.

Follow the B229 to the Möhnesee reservoir and then head either east to the Arnsberger Wald and Warstein (where they make quite a nice beer, I've heard... ) or go even further south to explore more of the Sauerland and the adjacent low mountain ranges: Lennebergland, Homert, Ebbegebirge, Rothaargebirge, Bergisches Land, and, and, and... Oops, got a bit carried away - there is so much to see and ride and one bend after the other...

Just get yourself a copy of the 'Generalkarte' (scale 1:200.000) and follow the little wiggly lines, preferably the green (= scenic) ones.

@ Rich: Yep, that's my one and only sis, who can't wait to be introduced to the sights and delights of Bristol and Portishead...

@ Anne: Sorry to make you feel unsettled... I will continue with a rather grim chapter, ok? How long will you have to wait for your next biking holiday?

And now back to the keyboard and the next episode...

 

[Ash]

Great Report as always

i agree

 

[johnnyboy]

Thank you all very much for your nice comments, hugely appreciated!

@ Johnnyboy: I didn't use my GPS that day, just an old-fashioned map, but I drafted something for you in Autoroute:

I basically had to ride from A to B but if you are more flexible I would keep further south - maybe start in Soest, a beautiful medieval town with most of its city wall still intact and lots of picturesque buildings.

Follow the B229 to the Möhnesee reservoir and then head either east to the Arnsberger Wald and Warstein (where they make quite a nice beer, I've heard... ) or go even further south to explore more of the Sauerland and the adjacent low mountain ranges: Lennebergland, Homert, Ebbegebirge, Rothaargebirge, Bergisches Land, and, and, and... Oops, got a bit carried away - there is so much to see and ride and one bend after the other...

Just get yourself a copy of the 'Generalkarte' (scale 1:200.000) and follow the little wiggly lines, preferably the green (= scenic) ones.

@ Rich: Yep, that's my one and only sis, who can't wait to be introduced to the sights and delights of Bristol and Portishead...

@ Anne: Sorry to make you feel unsettled... I will continue with a rather grim chapter, ok? How long will you have to wait for your next biking holiday?

And now back to the keyboard and the next episode...

Thought I recognised some of the towns you had mentioned as I went to school in Hamm (Windsor Boys School) when I was a youngster. Don't know if you have heard of it; it did have a bit of a reputation; but I must admit it was a great place to live. I remember doing a Duke of Edinburgh orienteering course in the Moehnesee area, unfortunately I only remember the bottles of wine we managed to smuggle into our tent for a midnight session!

 

[forry]

Great report Ela

Please could you finish it before Friday night got to nip down to the Pyrenees on Saturday

 

[louisdut]

Great report Ela

Please could you finish it before Friday night got to nip down to the Pyrenees on Saturday

Hope you both have a good one

sorry to Hi-jack just tuned in to catch up looking forwards to next episode

 

[forry]

Hope you both have a good one

sorry to Hi-jack just tuned in to catch up looking forwards to next episode

We'll try see you at the East Mids on the way back

Sorry Ela

 

[Pumpy]

No probs, you two,

I was just about to send you a text, Forry, and enquire if you were already gone. Have a great holiday in one of the best trail riding areas of Europe (hope my maps are of use).


Ok, on with the report - guess I can't procrastinate the grim chapter any longer...

The next morning promised another beautiful day in the little Hessian village - the bumble-bees were buzzzing...

The kids were enjoying the freedom of life in the countryside

... and I took a few more pics of the old farm's heritage: here a yoke that can be variably used with two and three oxen

Then it was time for me to leave for Northern Germany... A last view over the fields towards Homberg/Efze

Originally I had planned to take the scenic route and follow the river Weser from Hannoversch Münden (where the headstreams Werra and Fulda merge and then continue as Weser) to Hameln (the town with the Pied Piper)...

But the weather did'nt look very promising...

And yes, as soon as I reached the basin of Kassel, the heavens opened and after a few kilometres on slimy slippery country roads and near to zero visibility I deviated to the Autobahn.

I rode for hours through rain, rain and more rain, and when I finally came to a halt it was not entirely deliberately...

I have to admit that I'm not 100% sure what happened: around Hannover I wanted to fill up with fuel and far before the junction the right-hand lane of the three-lane motorway became the slip road. That lane carried on for ages and when it suddenly branched off it came a bit as a surprise to me. It didn't help that the warning arrows normally signalling a sharp bend were temporarily missing from the latter. I must have either braked too hard, hit the white arrow on the tarmac or some diesel - anyway, the bike went down on its right and we were sliding along side by side for a while until I was stopped by a lamp post. The GS landed a bit further down on the hard shoulder...

We were extremely lucky - there was very little traffic about, both bike and rider skidded into relative safety zones and the Wunderlich crash bars as well as the Stanton head guards certainly did their job.

Three cars stopped immediately and the drivers offered moral and physical support: a young couple from Eastern Europe with kind words and big hugs, a trauma surgeon who wanted to take me to the next hospital for a check-up (apparently ruptures of kidneys and spleen are quite common in bike incidents ) and a former BMW rider who helped me lifting the GS and pointing me to the nearby dealership.

At that point I was just running around like a headless chicken, shaken from the crash and deeply moved by the helpfulness of complete strangers: "Thank you for stopping for me, you are so kind, sob, sob, I'm ok, I think, sob, sob..." After calming down a bit I examined my baby and, finding her still ridable, headed for the BMW dealer.

Although it was already after their closing time, the few members of staff still on the premises were extremely nice and helpful. They still sold me some spare parts that had been damaged (like the new indicator I had just replaced before setting off... ) and offered me drinks and a chat in their lounge. I was and still am hugely grateful and can highly recommend the BMW-Motorradzentrum Hannover.

The damage to my gear was surprisingly minor and - apart from me being really lucky - showed again how important ATGATT is...

Although it was gone 7 pm by now and I still had about 100 miles to cover, I had to do some comfort shopping before carrying on. Yeah, yeah, I can hear you say: women and their shoes...

I don't need to tell you that I continued the rest of the day's journey at a slightly slower pace...

T.b.c.

 

[Ash]

lucky girl
[cracking read]

 

[Nemo]

Been There Done That

and it hurts so I'm glad you are in one piece.

 

[Duchess]

By Christ Ela, I wasnt expecting to read that !

Pleased to hear you're ok.

 

[Deleted account 210609001]

This is a brilliant write-up!

Sorry to hear of your little spill, but glad you're ok.

(Re Dambusters: a few years ago we took a week to visit the three dams (Mohne, Sorpe and Eder). The scenery and roads in the area are great. We didn't make it to the Eder due to serious rain. Plus, it's a reason to go back. I'd recommend the area to anyone. )

 

[forry]

Glad you're ok Ela I'll catch up with the rest at Tina's tomorrow night

PS Maps packed

 

[tinatrim]

Jez Ela, I never expected to read that either , glad your ok and the bike only has historical charactor additions! (plus new boots look good)

Great pics and report.

 

[Jon]

Yeah, yeah, I can hear you say: women and their shoes...

Nice report

Are those the Daytona Trans Open Gortex that everyone raves about?

 

[Pumpy]

Thanks everyone for your kind words.

Not my finest hour, I have to say - considering that I've been riding for almost twenty years now pretty much every single day and should know how to 'read' a road...

Are those the Daytona Trans Open Gortex that everyone raves about?

No, they are the Lady Stars - perfect for the vertically challenged...

The Trans Open look like this

Next episode to follow tomorrow - have a lot of house work to do and need some distraction...

 

[Ash]

were waiting.

 

[Popeye]

You're a funny girl, I thought the comfort shopping would have been for chocolate

Glad to hear you're still in one piece Ella.

Loving the story so far ...............

 

[Hairnet600]

...

bedankt

excellent as said

will be doing belgium in january (again) - love northern france and belge

youve given me some new ideas

glad to see the off wasnt too serious

 

[Hairnet600]

///

just read this again (reading all the western europe ride reports)

hopefully dong lobbach heidelberg and sinsheim and speyer in the summer