This isn't a detailed write up. Just a brief synopsis.
Twizzle threw open the offer on UKGSer of the use of his house in Brittany for a long weekend.
The offer was exclusive. You had to be on a Harley.
So after an initial flurry of enthusiasm ( funny how it's so easy to type euthanasia instead of enthusiasm) and 12 peeps showing an interest it was all systems go.
As the departure date got closer and peeps realising it clashed with their pension days the attendees dropped down to six.
Five of us were on the thursday night crossing from portsmouth to St malo, departure 6.30pm, arriving 8.30am.
Theoneandonly (baldrick) one was on the 11pm crossing from newhaven to dieppe, arriving at 4am in the morning. He was on a mission to visit Paris, somewhere else (i've forgotten where as i fell asleep as he was telling me), and ETA at twizzles house on the friday evening, an approx mileage of over 500 miles, on a Harley
. And carrying his friend* who originally owned the Harley.
At was the Le Mans GP over the weekend, so the port was packed out with bikes.
Including some real adventure riders, on jazzed up scoots.
We all met up onboard, had a meal a piss and then to the bar.
We were the last to leave the bar, they wanted to close up so we were sent on our way back to the cabins.
Up at 7.30 for breakfast, with heavy heads.
Let me introduce you to the mild bunch.
Twizzle and Melch.
Finally got off the boat, after being held up by all the delicate sports bike riders who couldn't push or move their bikes due to their clicky plastic racing boots not gripping too well on the wet metal decking.
Twizzles house was about an hour and half ride from the ferry, so we stopped at a bar for a coffee and a piss in the small town near the house.
Five Harleys all lined up in a small french street.
And a strong coffee with 8 sugars that i can still taste.
Arrived at twizzles house, sorted out the sleeping arrangements and then all had a piss.
And then went out for lunch. We took no pictures of the three course meal laid before us in between having a piss. Just accept that the scallops were gorgeous.
Then had a walk around the town in the drizzle. Which made us all feel like having a wee.
Melch, twizzle and codcutter
Rode back to the house, stopped off at a supermarket and loaded up with food and drink.
theoneandonly arrived at 8pm, so we all settled down to talk bollox, drink and eat and have a piss, in that order.
The next day were had a plan. To ride to a custom show that happened to be on over the weekend, about 80 miles away.
It was being run by a backpatch club, we were doing our bit as the tenna pad outlaws.
Theoneandonly and twizzle
And the Harleys all lined up for a photo opportunity
We arrived at the custom show, which had custom bikes, rain, ornate wood carvings, outlaw hardarsed biker types ( so we fitted straight in), rain, and more food plus some rain.
Twizzle eating.
They had a BMX stunt set up. Here's a picture of a french bike riding stunt.
Oh, and did i mention the rain ? Didn't bother me, as i had an umbrella.
(picture courtesy of melch)
Later in the afternoon the mild bunch headed for home, via a quaint french harbour somewhere, where we stopped for coffee, a piss and more photo opportunities.
We had an entertaining ride back home, GPS, who needs em.
Stopped off at a supermarket and loaded up again with food and drink, and spent the night talking bollox, eating, drinking and having a piss, plus following chelsea winning the champions league
Next morning tidying up and leaving for home.
Twizzle, DaveG, Codcutter and Melch all heading for cherbourg for the afternnon crossing back to portsmout, theoneandonly heading for dieppe and the crossing to newhaven, me heading for normandy and a couple of days of riding aimlessly around.
I couldn't let anyone know at home as i'd forgotten to active my mobile for european roaming, so was phoneless.
Packing the bikes before leaving the house
Biblical rain while riding for most of sunday.
I stopped on the normandy coast, at a natural beauty spot. The view from my penthouse suite.
But i did find a nice restaurant, and chanced a meal of lightly curried squid.
Up and away the following morning and can't help but be enchanted by the unspolit beauty of this part of the french coast.
* theoneandonlys friend is in an urn. He takes him on trips so he doesn't feel left out. theoneandonly is a bit of a billy no mates so it's understandable.
Twizzle threw open the offer on UKGSer of the use of his house in Brittany for a long weekend.
The offer was exclusive. You had to be on a Harley.
So after an initial flurry of enthusiasm ( funny how it's so easy to type euthanasia instead of enthusiasm) and 12 peeps showing an interest it was all systems go.
As the departure date got closer and peeps realising it clashed with their pension days the attendees dropped down to six.
Five of us were on the thursday night crossing from portsmouth to St malo, departure 6.30pm, arriving 8.30am.
Theoneandonly (baldrick) one was on the 11pm crossing from newhaven to dieppe, arriving at 4am in the morning. He was on a mission to visit Paris, somewhere else (i've forgotten where as i fell asleep as he was telling me), and ETA at twizzles house on the friday evening, an approx mileage of over 500 miles, on a Harley
. And carrying his friend* who originally owned the Harley.At was the Le Mans GP over the weekend, so the port was packed out with bikes.
Including some real adventure riders, on jazzed up scoots.
We all met up onboard, had a meal a piss and then to the bar.
We were the last to leave the bar, they wanted to close up so we were sent on our way back to the cabins.
Up at 7.30 for breakfast, with heavy heads.
Let me introduce you to the mild bunch.
Twizzle and Melch.
Finally got off the boat, after being held up by all the delicate sports bike riders who couldn't push or move their bikes due to their clicky plastic racing boots not gripping too well on the wet metal decking.
Twizzles house was about an hour and half ride from the ferry, so we stopped at a bar for a coffee and a piss in the small town near the house.
Five Harleys all lined up in a small french street.
And a strong coffee with 8 sugars that i can still taste.
Arrived at twizzles house, sorted out the sleeping arrangements and then all had a piss.
And then went out for lunch. We took no pictures of the three course meal laid before us in between having a piss. Just accept that the scallops were gorgeous.
Then had a walk around the town in the drizzle. Which made us all feel like having a wee.
Melch, twizzle and codcutter
Rode back to the house, stopped off at a supermarket and loaded up with food and drink.
theoneandonly arrived at 8pm, so we all settled down to talk bollox, drink and eat and have a piss, in that order.
The next day were had a plan. To ride to a custom show that happened to be on over the weekend, about 80 miles away.
It was being run by a backpatch club, we were doing our bit as the tenna pad outlaws.
Theoneandonly and twizzle
And the Harleys all lined up for a photo opportunity
We arrived at the custom show, which had custom bikes, rain, ornate wood carvings, outlaw hardarsed biker types ( so we fitted straight in), rain, and more food plus some rain.
Twizzle eating.
They had a BMX stunt set up. Here's a picture of a french bike riding stunt.
Oh, and did i mention the rain ? Didn't bother me, as i had an umbrella.
(picture courtesy of melch)
Later in the afternoon the mild bunch headed for home, via a quaint french harbour somewhere, where we stopped for coffee, a piss and more photo opportunities.
We had an entertaining ride back home, GPS, who needs em.
Stopped off at a supermarket and loaded up again with food and drink, and spent the night talking bollox, eating, drinking and having a piss, plus following chelsea winning the champions league
Next morning tidying up and leaving for home.
Twizzle, DaveG, Codcutter and Melch all heading for cherbourg for the afternnon crossing back to portsmout, theoneandonly heading for dieppe and the crossing to newhaven, me heading for normandy and a couple of days of riding aimlessly around.
I couldn't let anyone know at home as i'd forgotten to active my mobile for european roaming, so was phoneless.
Packing the bikes before leaving the house
Biblical rain while riding for most of sunday.
I stopped on the normandy coast, at a natural beauty spot. The view from my penthouse suite.
But i did find a nice restaurant, and chanced a meal of lightly curried squid.
Up and away the following morning and can't help but be enchanted by the unspolit beauty of this part of the french coast.
* theoneandonlys friend is in an urn. He takes him on trips so he doesn't feel left out. theoneandonly is a bit of a billy no mates so it's understandable.
I have just PMSL thanks.
