Round 2: Another European Sortie

[Roberto]

Wow indeed! Great pics and report keep it coming

Corsica is among my favourite places I've ridden a bike, would like to go back at some point and maybe see a little of Sardinia too.

Ta You can't go wrong here.. and if you make it to Corisca its only 50mins to Sardinia so well worth a visit..

Overnight ferry, in that wind? Ooffff, hope it went well. Didn't realise it was an overnight ferry to Savona, I've only ever gone from Nice, though some friends went from Livorno which was much cheaper, even including the 4 hour drive from Nice

From talking to folks seems its really worth doing the research as the price variance can make it really worth it. The only thing I'd say is though it was a little short (6hrs) for an overnight if that makes sense as time I'd had a small ale and got to bed it was time to get up again...

And the wind.. it was very bad.. but I'm good on boats, there were a few people looking a shade green though..!

Still enjoying this report though, keep it up. Note to self, get back to Corsica and check out Sardinia. Might have an out of season weekend over there....

Now I'm jealous..

 

[Roberto]

Savona to Besançon

Well, the tryre is still up this morning, so that's a relief, Giuseppe hasn’t done anything to the bike and there have been no other catastrophes

We're woken by announcements at 5.45 that the breakfast is being served in the Spaghettarea, no thanks very much, covers pulled over the head. They ask for cabins to be vacated shortly after, but I hang around and relax. It's not until just before 7 that they announce you can head to the car deck, so I nip out late- that saved a lot of waiting around in a stairwell.

Getting ready for the off. Be sure not to ride into the forks of the fork lift truck they've conveniently left in the way. I'm sure someone will come a cropper with that.

On to the bike, down the ramp and off for a few pre flight checks before getting underway. Nothing to be found on the tyre, so again good news.

I decide to go North, and in the interests of covering some ground take to the Autostrada. I stop at the Autogrill for a cappuccino and so I can engineer a fancy stand to check the oil. Ah, I need this..

Fancy paddock stand- levitating bike, tied to a post.

Not cheap.. And an extra bob a litre just to have someone serve it to you too. I'd never noticed that before.

Just North of Turin we hit traffic. As usual, the Italians don't want to let you filter. I select the 'Fun' compilation on my Zumo and play out some music for them, the pick being Joe Dolce's 'Shaddap a your face', which was added just for such an occasion. It works: they pull over out of curiousity to see what's going on, and through you go.. And I can now forgive Joe Dolce for keeping Ultravox's Vienna off of the Number 1 spot.
I think I got a bit carried away though, as I think the fuse has blown now. Aw well, thems the breaks, casualty of war and all that.

So it was 25 Euros in tolls from Savona up to Aosta Cor lummy.. I don't know how Italy has any national debt at all with these prices.

Just stopping to smell the flowers..

I head over the Great St. Bernard Pass and enjoy a splendid climb in lovely cool sunshine..

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I don't stop on the Italian side for pics as I have the video on, but its much nicer than the Swiss side. I stop for a pricey Spaghetti lunch in Martigny and pay with some silly coloured money.

Reminder to best steer clear of these guys whilst I'm here..

I toddle around Lake Geneva, through Montreux and Lausanne, up to the French border. All very pleasant and relaxing. No motoring dramas which makes a very pleasant change. Cross the border and then an excellent evening run to Besançon where I haul up..

+++

 

[ncpierce]

Corsica

Nothing beats looking around a continental shop. No jaffa cakes here though.

Ah but the Pim's Raspberry "Jaffa" cakes take some beating

 

[franco]

Hmmm, whatever was in the empty space below them was obviously more popular
Cracking report, keep it coming.

Rob

 

[Deleted account Cooperman]

Great report but - Joe Dolce can never be forgiven

 

[Nutty]

So when are you back in the UK Rob? Then where next?

 

[Roberto]

Besançon to Calais

A leisurely start to continue the journey North. The bike was stored in a garage last night, so there's minimal messing around to get to the road. It rains for just a couple of minutes once I'm out of town, but it's that light 'just enough to clean your visor' sort of rain, and then it clears and I'm heading towards blue skies in the distance.

I keep going on about how good it has been and again another day of riding that doesn't disappoint. Hitting the Vosges..

Covering ground in rural France is easy. It's easy to achieve motorway speeds; I'm plotting my way around the bigger towns and there's a total absence of traffic.

I'm heading North and wondering what to do today. Current course is off towards the Luxembourg sort of way. Time is getting on a bit. As I'm cruising and contemplating where and what the bike stutters a couple of times, as though it was kind of jumping out of gear, but wasn't. There's a disco light show on the dash and I get the yellow triangle and Brake Failure lights. I stop, have a look round; can't see anything untoward. Start again, and about five minutes later same thing. A secondary inspection shows nothing again. Not good.
I now just get the red 'Brake Failure' without the yellow triangle. I got to extinguish one of the lights I suppose. Result.

Lightshow..

So now I figure what to do. Stay here? Keep on? I feel a bit worn down and get a sudden sort of feeling that home is calling. Let's see then.. So about 280km from Calais. I do a few more running tests and decide to go for it. If I can get across to the peage, then a cruise on the motorway won't be so bad.

An hour or so later of biking without braking (I kid you not) aside from briefly testing them, I'm on the A26 bound for the North Coast. I do an hour and then have a break. I have another look at things. I can't find any of the issues that I was looking for, but I do find my oil leak now and it doesn't look too clever. Bother

So now it's getting dark and I'm doing exactly the opposite of how I started the trip. Getting dark, going back up the A26 towards Calais. Funny.

The oil level is still OK so it's another little top up on that front, and back to the action for some gentle 70mph motoring to nurse the horse home. A couple of stops and leg stretches a ham and cheese flan and some emergency crisps, off we go refreshed.

 

[Roberto]

Dover to HQ

I get to Calais and get sorted for the 00.30 crossing, which ends up being 45 minutes late getting away. I make a cup of tea in the queue, that's handy.

LAMPF, Sat Nav with a fecked screen, Oil leak, Brake Failure indicator on, tyre pressure mystery. Seat is well and truly knackered and other non essential items include music going for a burton, oh and there's a buzzing from the Autocom.
And my toe hurts again. Sigh. Time to go home for a bit.

Eventually we make it on to the ferry and tonight is a DIY tie down. The P&O bod stands with his hands in his pockets doing as little as possible. But that's fine, I'm in a chipper mood all considered and pleased to be here

I get my stuff put down on the sofa in the lounge; Funnily enough it's exactly the same sofa I reach on exactly the same ship that I came out on last month. I go to grab a coffee and return to find some fat woman shifting my gear so she can sit her posterior in my spot. Before I get a chance to intervene, another lady approaches her who has seen this and says 'Excuse me, you can't do that, there is someone there already', which was rather a good thing to do. At this point I reveal myself and tell the fat woman to push off and she is sent her away with a flea in her ear. Not even back in the UK yet and I'm annoyed by a fellow Brit. Mind you, she was a scouser, and as the helpful lady said 'lucky she didn't go through your bag whilst she was at it'. Her words, not mine

Ferry in and time to drive on the left. Just joining the M20 by the tunnel it starts to rain, so I stop at the services and put my rain jacket on, the first time I have done so on this trip. Welcome home? My arse.

The rain clears and I follow a Romanian registered Mercedes that's doing a steady 70mph all the way to town.

I'm tired and a bit hungry so I stop off at The Food Bus by the Dartford Bridge. Tonight there are no potential future feature stars of 'Police Interceptors' milling around as there was before on the way out; just two lads on their night shift grabbing lunch. I have a bacon and egg french bread stick and a sugary cup of tea which hit the spot, and a good chat with the lad working there.

Another fifteen minutes and I'm home again. It's 4am and I'm dog tired.

All is fine at HQ. My brother has sort of done a good thing by thinking of me. I have a note on the kitchen counter 'There are two pork pies in the fridge if you want them, they are going over the hump'.

I know how they feel mate, I know how they feel.

 

[Roberto]

So when are you back in the UK Rob? Then where next?

Home now

Was hoping to do the Carry on Cotswolds do on Friday after picking up the bike from service at our own very Mr Motoscot. Guess it now depends on how bad things are with what needs sorting

If all goes to plan it'll be Sunday.. ¡Viva España!

 

[Roberto]

This.. and ten minutes of 'Celebrity Big Brother'...

... got the map out already

 

[David Lee]

Great Read Rob,

Really enjoyed it. Well done for making such an enjoyable yarn.

Hope tum and toe are in good shape for what is to come

 

[russ996duke]

Oh No, dont tell there is no more! Enjoyed this report so much ...thanks, what a great D) trip!

 

[Count Pikey]

Sorry that the trip is over......... a very enjoyable read, well done mate, nice to know you got back safely.

 

[Mr K]

That is how to get home... with the feckin bits dropping off behind you.

"We counted them out and we counted 'em back in...slightly the worse for wear"....

 

[Nutty]

Welcome home. Roll on next week eh?

 

[chad]

welcome home , she may have issues but she still got you home

hope the fix's are easy and your back out there asap

 

[franco]

Thanks for taking us all along on your adventure Hope the bike gets fixed without too much hassle
Looking forward to the next trip already

Put yer sore feet up for now...

Rob

 

[neilflash]

"watch those pies or another jippy tummy"
Really enjoyed reading your reports and looking foward to the next adventure keep living the dream

 

[carl8gs]

its all been said above this post,welcome home and i cant wait to read your next ride report

 

[The_Big]

A very well written and entertaining ride report, which has certainly got me twitching and reaching for the atlas.

Well done, welcome home and thank you for the inspiration......

Big