HG Departure
No problem sorry you could not make it, unfortunately work get in the way at times!
Graham
No problem sorry you could not make it, unfortunately work get in the way at times!
Graham
Long Way in a Day
- Thread starter grayinthestores
- Start date
Long Way Report
It all started at our local watering house, where many a good idea and bad have been born. 1000 miles in 24 hours for charity a challenge we had been mulling through our minds for around 12 months. We had just had our first get together since riding to Berchtesgaden which was 720 miles and also done in one day. The destination of the challenge was Martin’s idea Budapest and Peto. This was chosen as my daughter Molly had been to the Peto school for children with special needs the previous year and as I am a committee member of a local charity Heart. As the weeks counted down to the big off we arranged with Hein Gericke Leicester for a send off, tea, coffee and doughnuts were laid on and fellow bikers and friends came along for the send off. The Bikes were stickered up with our logo and sponsors, with thanks to John Wills for the logo.
We left Hein Gerick and travelled down to the Chunnel for our train to Calais where we were to stay over for a few hours till 2 am Sunday 28th June the departure time. We passed thru the barriers even Lloyd managed it (barriers across the world hate Lloyd). It was while we were waiting for the Train that I noticed a huge nail wedged it to my back tyre.
Calamity now, the tyre was inflated but I was not keen on riding 1000 miles on it but we could not delay the trip. When we got off the Train I rang Carol Nash for assistance, they promptly sent us to the local car garage! Fortunately the chap I was speaking to informed me in pigeon English that there was a BMW garage around the corner.
Let me introduce the bikes at this point I ride a BMW 1200 GS, Martin a BMW R1200RT, and Lloyd a Suzuki V-strom.. After a frantic plea in two different languages, they agreed to fix the puncture at around 630pm. Lloyd and Martin went off to the hotel and I joined them later, a quick bite to eat, a shower and off to bed with a revised start time of 4 am!
4am Sunday 28th June
The alarm went off at 3.30am read bulls partaken and the bikes are loaded and at 4 am the clock started ticking. France and its toll roads first we had a routine of straight thru the barrier gloves back on and off reducing any delays.
We stopped after about one and half hours every time to fuel up, stretch and take fluids on board. The miles started to pass with the Speedo clocking up an average of 80mph, the country side was whizzing past and dawn was breaking. At this point we were in such a rush to get ahead that we missed an opportunity to get a great picture as the sun was rising and the dew created a spooky mist over the countryside. Next stop was a quick fire breakfast croissant and coffee to go at one of the pleasant service stations on the way. All 3 bikes were performing well with us rotating point duty and rear gunner with plenty of banter flying across the airwaves of our starcom units. (be advised to buy a good radio with these we found the cheap ones to be useless) Next stop Germany and the Autobahns! The derestricted parts were where time was made up throttle open head down watching the fuel gauge drop, apart from Martin with is on board tanker. Each fuel stop became a well rehearsed routine taking no more than about 25 minutes including the small snacks we ate usually muesli bars, although Lloyd had a top box full of well, melted chocolate bars! With the miles quickly passing it was time to think about vignettes, the mini tax disc which we got at one of the petrol stations near the Austrian boarder, about 5 Euros bought a pass which was proudly stuck to the front shield after removing what seemed like the entire population of Germany’s bugs. The 3 of us set off to the boarder and just like the French / German one there was nothing to distinguish other than the sign saying welcome to Austria. Once again the routine set in, until the dreaded rain set in first it was drizzle then faster, a stop to add extra gear and a stretch and we were off in the increasing rain showers. Then the rain stopped oh joy, short lived though. Martin was leading at this point when the heavens opened up and even with the huge bow of the RT ploughing thru the water it was time to stop for safety sake.
We pulled in to one of the rest areas with a coffee machine, and toilets, where we managed to get the bikes slightly under cover. We were held up for about an hour. Two hundred miles to go, another boarder crossing to navigate, the one which we thought might hold us up. We pulled in to a petrol station just before the Hungarian boarder for petrol and Vignettes, but found out that you have to buy them at the boarder crossing. Onwards again to the boarder, slip road to a small booth lit by a neon sign in the darkness a bit like you would see in a Tarantino film and £2.71 later we are on our way to the boarder. The road was straddled with the remnants of cold war communist check points derelict and boarded up, straight thru and away no problems. The roads in Hungary were most excellent, smooth and no road works to be seen, the light was fading and suddenly the battery went on my radio, not bad for almost 900 miles on one charge, giving us the whole day to insult each other. Now the end was in site 100 miles to the capital and on to the hotel, and a beer. We exited the motorway and started the bizarre journey to the hotel. Lloyd’s Zumo was taking us route one on some bizarre back roads. We were travelling through wood in total darkness the film American ware wolf in London sprang to mind “Keep to the path” We came to what could only be described as a dirt track, around we turned and this is what we seemed to do for the next hour going around in circles. Arriving at the hotel we were greeted with you don’t have a room booked!!!!!! After ten minutes of debate we had our room and the mini bar provided us with the celebration drink at 1 am.
Out Side Peto
At Peto With Zsofi
Thanks to all the support and a great weekend of fundraising at the East Midland Bash!!!!!!
It all started at our local watering house, where many a good idea and bad have been born. 1000 miles in 24 hours for charity a challenge we had been mulling through our minds for around 12 months. We had just had our first get together since riding to Berchtesgaden which was 720 miles and also done in one day. The destination of the challenge was Martin’s idea Budapest and Peto. This was chosen as my daughter Molly had been to the Peto school for children with special needs the previous year and as I am a committee member of a local charity Heart. As the weeks counted down to the big off we arranged with Hein Gericke Leicester for a send off, tea, coffee and doughnuts were laid on and fellow bikers and friends came along for the send off. The Bikes were stickered up with our logo and sponsors, with thanks to John Wills for the logo.
We left Hein Gerick and travelled down to the Chunnel for our train to Calais where we were to stay over for a few hours till 2 am Sunday 28th June the departure time. We passed thru the barriers even Lloyd managed it (barriers across the world hate Lloyd). It was while we were waiting for the Train that I noticed a huge nail wedged it to my back tyre.
Calamity now, the tyre was inflated but I was not keen on riding 1000 miles on it but we could not delay the trip. When we got off the Train I rang Carol Nash for assistance, they promptly sent us to the local car garage! Fortunately the chap I was speaking to informed me in pigeon English that there was a BMW garage around the corner.
Let me introduce the bikes at this point I ride a BMW 1200 GS, Martin a BMW R1200RT, and Lloyd a Suzuki V-strom.. After a frantic plea in two different languages, they agreed to fix the puncture at around 630pm. Lloyd and Martin went off to the hotel and I joined them later, a quick bite to eat, a shower and off to bed with a revised start time of 4 am!
4am Sunday 28th June
The alarm went off at 3.30am read bulls partaken and the bikes are loaded and at 4 am the clock started ticking. France and its toll roads first we had a routine of straight thru the barrier gloves back on and off reducing any delays.
We stopped after about one and half hours every time to fuel up, stretch and take fluids on board. The miles started to pass with the Speedo clocking up an average of 80mph, the country side was whizzing past and dawn was breaking. At this point we were in such a rush to get ahead that we missed an opportunity to get a great picture as the sun was rising and the dew created a spooky mist over the countryside. Next stop was a quick fire breakfast croissant and coffee to go at one of the pleasant service stations on the way. All 3 bikes were performing well with us rotating point duty and rear gunner with plenty of banter flying across the airwaves of our starcom units. (be advised to buy a good radio with these we found the cheap ones to be useless) Next stop Germany and the Autobahns! The derestricted parts were where time was made up throttle open head down watching the fuel gauge drop, apart from Martin with is on board tanker. Each fuel stop became a well rehearsed routine taking no more than about 25 minutes including the small snacks we ate usually muesli bars, although Lloyd had a top box full of well, melted chocolate bars! With the miles quickly passing it was time to think about vignettes, the mini tax disc which we got at one of the petrol stations near the Austrian boarder, about 5 Euros bought a pass which was proudly stuck to the front shield after removing what seemed like the entire population of Germany’s bugs. The 3 of us set off to the boarder and just like the French / German one there was nothing to distinguish other than the sign saying welcome to Austria. Once again the routine set in, until the dreaded rain set in first it was drizzle then faster, a stop to add extra gear and a stretch and we were off in the increasing rain showers. Then the rain stopped oh joy, short lived though. Martin was leading at this point when the heavens opened up and even with the huge bow of the RT ploughing thru the water it was time to stop for safety sake.
We pulled in to one of the rest areas with a coffee machine, and toilets, where we managed to get the bikes slightly under cover. We were held up for about an hour. Two hundred miles to go, another boarder crossing to navigate, the one which we thought might hold us up. We pulled in to a petrol station just before the Hungarian boarder for petrol and Vignettes, but found out that you have to buy them at the boarder crossing. Onwards again to the boarder, slip road to a small booth lit by a neon sign in the darkness a bit like you would see in a Tarantino film and £2.71 later we are on our way to the boarder. The road was straddled with the remnants of cold war communist check points derelict and boarded up, straight thru and away no problems. The roads in Hungary were most excellent, smooth and no road works to be seen, the light was fading and suddenly the battery went on my radio, not bad for almost 900 miles on one charge, giving us the whole day to insult each other. Now the end was in site 100 miles to the capital and on to the hotel, and a beer. We exited the motorway and started the bizarre journey to the hotel. Lloyd’s Zumo was taking us route one on some bizarre back roads. We were travelling through wood in total darkness the film American ware wolf in London sprang to mind “Keep to the path” We came to what could only be described as a dirt track, around we turned and this is what we seemed to do for the next hour going around in circles. Arriving at the hotel we were greeted with you don’t have a room booked!!!!!! After ten minutes of debate we had our room and the mini bar provided us with the celebration drink at 1 am.
Out Side Peto
At Peto With Zsofi
Thanks to all the support and a great weekend of fundraising at the East Midland Bash!!!!!!
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