Plan
Arrive Calais early Thursday morning and have a nice ride down to Strasbourg avoiding motorways and book into pre-arranged Hotel that evening.
In reality…
Arrive Calais and GPS (TTR… yes I know
) not powering up from bike and about 10 mins juice left in onboard battery. So it’s out with the map and autoroute to Strasbourg and hopefully purchase charger there (having not packed my original charger). What else can go wrong?
About 50kms from destination and pissing down with rain, bike handling like a pig on roller-skates (having had two previous CX500s I know what that feels like). Pull into lay-by and notice that rear tire is flat, bugger…
No problems just reach for tyre repair kit under seat, which isn’t there… bollox!!
After two hours and numerous phone calls a flat bed truck turns up.
No sniggering at the back from you 1100/1150 owners thank you.
Turns out to be a 2inch screw. Bastard
Bike taken away for the night and next morning returns with a Michelin Pilot Road 2 rear tyre (not normal fitment to a 12 – but never mind) and a bill for 200 euros.
Making up for lost time we motorway it to Garmisch and arrive Friday evening.
After such a stressful experience I diligently book myself into the nearest bar and as if by magic the tent erects itself.
Nice view from the tent (it pays to turn up late).
We have a good look around the next morning and this baby was the pick of the bunch. An Afrika Korps combo circa 1941-43
This year (for the first time) the cable car ski lifts were open and we took advantage. Going up...
From the cable car we also spotted Chris Pfeiffer's office.
At the top Julie headed straight for a 1200 Adventure. At 5ft 2inch she might be a bit small for it.
With no 'head for heights' I needed a few of these to get back into the cable car for the decent.
Nice traditional tunes from some local kids.
After a few beers 'at the top' got a bit freelance with the camera...
Cow
Alpine porn
Ready for the decent...
We left Garmisch on Sunday lunchtime (in glorious sunshine) and within 10 mins hit a thunderstorm of biblical proportions. Undeterred, we pressed on to Lake Constance and stopped in the little town of Hagnau, just as the rain stopped...
After a quick shower (why
) we went out to explore.
Boats and water.
Swan Lake
On our return the bike had turned into a shrinking violet
Monday morning arrived and time to head home. Our overnight was to be in Verdun. Having already visited the Somme and Flanders this year I was keen to visit this historic town with it's series of forts and seen of the terrible battle of 1916.
To finish on a lighter note, prior to our stop in Verdun, we met Kevin and Julia Sanders (of Globebusters fame) also on their way back from Garmisch. Julia kindly posed for photo's and signed my DVD of 'The Ride' purchased at Garmisch.
Arrive Calais early Thursday morning and have a nice ride down to Strasbourg avoiding motorways and book into pre-arranged Hotel that evening.
In reality…
Arrive Calais and GPS (TTR… yes I know
) not powering up from bike and about 10 mins juice left in onboard battery. So it’s out with the map and autoroute to Strasbourg and hopefully purchase charger there (having not packed my original charger). What else can go wrong?About 50kms from destination and pissing down with rain, bike handling like a pig on roller-skates (having had two previous CX500s I know what that feels like). Pull into lay-by and notice that rear tire is flat, bugger…
No problems just reach for tyre repair kit under seat, which isn’t there… bollox!!
After two hours and numerous phone calls a flat bed truck turns up.
No sniggering at the back from you 1100/1150 owners thank you.
Turns out to be a 2inch screw. Bastard
Bike taken away for the night and next morning returns with a Michelin Pilot Road 2 rear tyre (not normal fitment to a 12 – but never mind) and a bill for 200 euros.
Making up for lost time we motorway it to Garmisch and arrive Friday evening.
After such a stressful experience I diligently book myself into the nearest bar and as if by magic the tent erects itself.
Nice view from the tent (it pays to turn up late).
We have a good look around the next morning and this baby was the pick of the bunch. An Afrika Korps combo circa 1941-43
This year (for the first time) the cable car ski lifts were open and we took advantage. Going up...
From the cable car we also spotted Chris Pfeiffer's office.
At the top Julie headed straight for a 1200 Adventure. At 5ft 2inch she might be a bit small for it.
With no 'head for heights' I needed a few of these to get back into the cable car for the decent.
Nice traditional tunes from some local kids.
After a few beers 'at the top' got a bit freelance with the camera...
Cow
Alpine porn
Ready for the decent...
We left Garmisch on Sunday lunchtime (in glorious sunshine) and within 10 mins hit a thunderstorm of biblical proportions. Undeterred, we pressed on to Lake Constance and stopped in the little town of Hagnau, just as the rain stopped...
After a quick shower (why
) we went out to explore.Boats and water.
Swan Lake
On our return the bike had turned into a shrinking violet
Monday morning arrived and time to head home. Our overnight was to be in Verdun. Having already visited the Somme and Flanders this year I was keen to visit this historic town with it's series of forts and seen of the terrible battle of 1916.
To finish on a lighter note, prior to our stop in Verdun, we met Kevin and Julia Sanders (of Globebusters fame) also on their way back from Garmisch. Julia kindly posed for photo's and signed my DVD of 'The Ride' purchased at Garmisch.
Excellent......Yep Ive had that good luck bit and also the same bad luck bit as you....
That was one big mother of a nail in your tyre 
