Gael warning in Gallia Celtica

simondippenhall · Mar 29, 2022

A bit less substantial, and certainly less planned, than Jim or my trips in Africa and thereabouts……but I have a ticket on this afternoon’s ferry from Portsmouth to Caen (no, not P&O!) for the ‘wing and myself. And couldn’t resist the Gael/Gaul link

There is no fixed itinerary , other than the luxury of an Ibis Budget room outside Caen tonight (the boat gets in around 22h00) and a visit to old friends near Limoges tomorrow night. My plan is to avoid tolls and indeed autoroutes where possible, following a cross country route of RN and D roads - the 80kmh limit on Routes Nationales will no doubt help fuel economy if not my patience.

A bit of old fashioned planning (on a 20 year old map as I am not interested in newer motorways):

After that I will be scanning the weather forecasts, and working out whether I can get to Andorra (a place I have never visited) and possibly onward to Cataluña and south. (Or even head east across Southern France….who knows?)

The bike is ready and awaiting departure, loaded with far more stuff than I shall probably need but probably missing something essential

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Rich C · Mar 29, 2022

Excellent....Nice to see someone out n about on tour.... I'm still chained to the desk however.... Never mind my time will come...

Bon Voyage... :thumb2

barak666 · Mar 29, 2022

Nice one, Simon....have a brilliant trip and I look forward to following your new adventure. :beerjug:

Phil

Posh Pete · Mar 29, 2022

Have fun!

simondippenhall · Mar 29, 2022

I left shortly after noon, having been warned by Brittany Ferries to be at least 60 minutes before departure

So after a better than expected ride down the A32 (in that the drizzle came later and less than expected

) I checked in - just a passport and Covid pass check and an enquiry whether I had my French formal declaration ready for arrival. I was the only motorcycle waiting to board

And waited and waited…..along with two cyclists from Caen

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Jockser · Mar 29, 2022

Good man Simon, delighted to see you on the road again

Stay safe & keep ‘er lit :aidan

simondippenhall · Mar 29, 2022

Eventually we got on first, after the posted departure time, and left 75 minutes late….so a late evening into Caen I think (we’re still 2 hours away).

At least it’s nice and empty

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gspod · Mar 29, 2022

The white whale rides again, ‘thar she blows’.
Good man Simon, thanks for posting

brut33 · Mar 29, 2022

This was parked next to my bike at Portsoy and made it look like a portable ditch pump.

Enjoy your trip Simon and i hope the weather's good for you. Bon voyage. :thumb2

Atomic84 · Mar 29, 2022

Safe travels. Looking forward to the updates

ShakeyBMW · Mar 30, 2022

I fear you may find Andorra to be a great “dish of ointment” (R. Barker esq). The one time I went there I assessed it as a valley full of tax free shopping and exhaust fumes. We couldn’t get served in a cafe so ended up in McDonalds :barf

Other than that, Bon Journee

simondippenhall · Mar 30, 2022

So I am sorry to report my first equipment failure, discovered even before the belated boarding of the ferry.

When I took my jacket off as I waited, I realised my back was damp and was dismayed to discover my Klim water bladder (not inexpensive and little used) was leaking .

The culprit:

At first I thought it might be the connector but further testing shows it was a leak in the bladder or the ‘tap’ coming out from it. So a stern letter to Mr. Klim is in order, upon my return. Fortunately it’s not a tour in hot weather- far from it, at present - as I rely heavily on regular sips of water.

Any way, once aboard I decided a celebratory drink was in order:

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simondippenhall · Mar 30, 2022

It was a very pleasant crossing with lots of space and a chance to have a kip and relax. We eventually arrived about 22:30 local time and went through the customary long queue at Cain with no opportunity for a cheeky motorcycle to filter to the front

.

Despite this , it was a good, dry and short ride to Caen and my Ibis Budget. Importantly I had remembered the booking number which had to be entered into the computer by the front door so it could then give me my room number and a different number, the PIN to access the hotel and my room.

Delighted to have navigated this technology challenge at this late hour and advanced age, I entered my budget room to find it very clean and comfortable and with a lovely hot shower. Even better, I could park my bike within sight and hearing.

So all good so far

And even better,

I woke in the morning to find the bike was still there! I had not bothered to out the disk lock on as I reckoned the Honda alarm and my proximity should keep it safe

.

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simondippenhall · Mar 30, 2022

I decided to go for the Ibis breakfast and it did not disappoint with a variety of stuff for €6.80 and some good lunch- making materials. Today’s ‘on the road’ menu was to be a cheese sandwich with excellent brown bread, accompanied by a croissant and pain au chocolat and washed down by café noir.

My route was to be on Routes Nationales and Departmentales - pretty much a straight line from Caen to the depths of rural Berry:

As I was interested in learning the Wing’s drinking habits at more moderate speeds, I selected Econ Mode

I’ve also gone all Continental and measured litres per 100 km. I am now going to go off and tañry to work out what the result for today (4.6) means in mpg and should be back shortly

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simondippenhall · Mar 30, 2022

So for the trip so far I am running at 61.2mpg which I am very pleased with, especially as I started using Tour mode this afternoon when I got slightly tired of always running in 7th gear (even though the Wing has buckets of torque to do so).

Some sights of the day

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Rich C · Mar 30, 2022

Good stuff.... weather definitely taken a chilly turn back here in Blighty.... snow flurries oop North... Pleased to see the famous flask back in action also!

Ride safe

Shiny side up...

simondippenhall · Mar 30, 2022

Cheer guys for all the support

. Tonight’s lodging slightly upscale from last night

I shall hope to sleep well tonight after a day juggling the panoply of speed limits: often 50/70/50/80 in short succession and sudden changes from 80 (national limit for single carriageway I think) to 90 where Departments have said ‘Up yours!’ to Paris

. So somewhat overworked brain tonight (along with a solitary flash….76 in a sudden 70…let’s see what comes in the post

).

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simondippenhall · Mar 31, 2022

With breakfast to match. The benefits of staying with friends before the normal budget regime returns….

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MikeS · Mar 31, 2022

simondippenhall said:
I shall hope to sleep well tonight after a day juggling the panoply of speed limits: often 50/70/50/80 in short succession

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I had this same problem last October, it was not the nice relaxed drive I had hoped for.

Hope the rest of the trip goes well.

Deise · Mar 31, 2022

Bon voyage - perfect steed for the job in hand. No, not jealous

Gael warning in Gallia Celtica

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