Offski on my Todski

Arrived at the chunnel early even after the usual "must drive a pointless loop around car park" to get to the front of the queue. Boarded early only to be held back due to technicals.


Landed safely in Calais and started my route. Schoolboy error saw me do a fantastic outlap only to arrive back at the Coquelles departure check ins. Quick reshuffle on the waypoints and offski again. I booked a 'hotel' based more on distance and time riding than on preferred location and it did not pan out the best! Room was fine but in 37C heat, foregoing the air-conditioning was dumb. It had a verandas though and company cars for staff






Short stroll through the forest to get dinner in the town said the receptionist.






6 mile round trip and all that was open was a Pizza Kiosk and Kebab shop. Kebab shop won. Salad was involved somewhere and no I couldn't finish it all.


Hirson is a real covid 1 horse town. Not on my list to visit again.



Day 2

Great ride from Hirson to Bitburg. Perfect morning cool and empty


Joined up The Ardennes Massive route and the ride guide route from Montherme to Bitburg.
Oh my joys. What a brilliant route, up, through, around the Ardennes, then following the Route Des Legendes. https://www.visitardenne.com/fr/les-routes-touristiques/route-des-legendes#/




Lunch stop was around the Bouillon area and samoy ? Valley.





Very quiet. Then through Larochette and the Colmar Berg road. Luxembourg was also very quiet on the scenic twisty roads and arrived to a nice air conditioned room, Bar and restaurant on site.

Supper was pork Schnitzel, potatoes and salad. Not bad considering I don't speak German and their menus don't have pics or any translation. And the young waitresses were rather run off their feet..
Nice little town with a few restaurants to choose from.




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Good man Donovan...enjoy & take care


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Great start Im in

Great post! Ride safe and have a super trip.

I might be mistaken,

Lux is on the C19 Quarantine list - if you have stayed / visited there, your in 14days QT on your return - thats is if you can enter any other country

Nice one Don.

Yeah, Luxembourg is definitely on the list. We were there last weekend in Vianden and came back on Tuesday just before it was added.

BTW...6 mile walking round trip for a kebab!!

Bounce said:

BTW...6 mile walking round trip for a kebab!!

Click to expand...

With bones, by the looks of it.

The Nutty Duke said:

With bones, by the looks of it.

Click to expand...

Preparation....Tangfastics, protein bars & cereal bars for 'little' emergencies

That 'bone' @ the bottom of the kebab picture looks like a finger

Bounce said:

Preparation....Tangfastics, protein bars & cereal bars for 'little' emergencies

That 'bone' @ the bottom of the kebab picture looks like a finger

Click to expand...

We’re professionals. Training will commence when Donovan has arrived back home.

The Nutty Duke said:

We’re professionals. Training will commence when Donovan has arrived back home.

Click to expand...

Yo diggidy

Looking fwd to the next thrilling instalment, perhaps with the "run of their feet" waitressess

Yep. I’ll do 14 days quarantine on return, no problem. Just add it on to my 5 months of not working holiday teacher gets increase list ! Lunch was Penne al Arriabata. Not sure why they gave me a knife in Vianden.


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Day 3

After breakfast stroll. Told you it was a quiet town (apart from the noisy boys)



Even it’s own small library






Love all the history and old churches. Makes me wonder who was zooming who way back when they had funds to build these things. Who had the money to build one in each ickle village?


Most of the roads were very empty.


Some of the little towns were dead. Gets hard to find a coffee stop when looking as most houses have taken to putting up big red umbrellas, not dissimilar to what you’re looking for when you fancy a brew.

Went on a loop west of Bitburg today.





Belfort Château I think. An FJR and an oil head sidecar pulled up with a daughter in the sidecar. Mom was driving. Dad was on his FJR. No pics as it would have meant having a conversation!




Some more historic things


Diekirtch I think


The bigger or more popular towns were probably operating at 50% even with the local BMW club pulling in. Brand loyalty is strong here it seems
Came across a poor name choice for a village


just before I nearly missed a turn when spotting the lesser known Bison staring at me from under trees




Very good sculpture. Heard of gnomes and lions and eagle statues but a full size Bison!

On the way came to this section and sat nav had a nice wiggle to it, so what would you do? Pin it or bin it?
Yep. Pin it.
And so to a quiet beer. There is no real place to sit and get a quiet beer and people watch. No people but mainly as you have to sit, but seats are at a premium as owners rather sell food! Obs. Also not many 1 man tables. I am going to eat but just not right this freaking minute! Like forcing a man to buy cheap beer and drink in his hotel room!

Oh well so I offered to pay so he could rather serve 3 guests and he gave me the beer free. Best find a smaller less ( even possible?) bar.
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Day 4
Used the ride guides circular route of Trier towards trier and then some.
Lovely roads and empty again.


Nice touring route to start as opposed to twisted hooning. Nice long ride along Mosel


and through picturesque villages


Big ship/boat. You choose

Onwards




Started to get a bit wet so stopped off at the aviation museum. Doh. The displays were mostly outside






Big engine!
Ok more photos when I get to the delights of adding them through the clunky ukgser website as tapatalk monthly limits of uploads reached. Bastards.
Thought for the days was that so many of the houses were so well painted and in tip top condition. Very neat finished well in great pastel shades. But I never saw anyone painting so I guess they either paint in winter? Or their paint lasts much longer. Maybe they should introduce the manufacturer to BMW Motörrad.


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This should keep me going for a bit Have fun Donovan.

Time for an update.