A blog about Peter's motorcycle trips to various places in the world ………….
In my previous posting I mentioned Rayan (on the right). He was going to come to Portugal with us – but couldn’t make it in the end. But he did come to Scotland and has now moved there!
He and Andy are doing a track-day at Snetterton in 2011 and Rayan is wearing my old leathers (I was ‘banned’ from track-days by Mrs F after ‘low siding’ my gorgeous Aprilia the previous year). Neither Andy or Rayan go fast enough to damage their bikes ………
Since our Italian trip Andy and I have continued our travels. To Scotland with a friend, Rayan, in May 2015 and then in June 2016 to Barcelona, Spain (where we spent the weekend at a Moto GP), via a long wet trip through France. However the return trip via the Spanish Pyrenees (again) was great fun and the weather good.
This year we are going to the USA! I’ve talked Andy into flying to the east coast – well actually Chicago, where we’ve already booked a couple of Harley Davidsons and will ride down to Washington DC and then through a few Civil War sites etc etc. We have yet to finalise the route but will be away for three weeks on the bikes. More very soon.
In June 2014 Andy and I went to Italy. We decided to try the ‘AutoSlaap Trein’ from Den Bosch in Holland to Livorno in Italy and then back from Alessandria. Must admit this was quite a relaxing way to travel beyond getting the bikes onto the train – no headroom – and the fact the ferry from the UK arrived late so we only just made the train.
Italy was OK. What didn’t help was the heatwave it was experiencing which made dressing up in biking gear tiresome and sweaty. Plus Italian drivers were a pain – both driving very slowly (really!!) and tailgating each other (which made overtakes difficult). And Italian speed limits were comical – changing constantly and for no discernible reason. But the people and the sights were great.
We went to Rome first and then up to the Ducati museum/factory in Bologna. Then Verona the Dolomites and back across the North to Alessandria. Good fun.
Recently went to look at this trip and found the site had gone tits up. I’ve now repaired it and have just enjoyed a pleasant hour or two remembering a memorable trip. I hope others may look again too?
FYI I’ve done a couple of trips to Europe since going to America. One last September when I rode with my pal Andy to see the MotoGP at Aragon. We rode home spending a few days in the Spanish Pyrenees. The weather was great.
Andy and I also did a trip to Portugal via Spain earlier this summer. The Portuguese coast roads down the Atlantic coast were awful – but we found some great roads inland coming back from seeing the World Superbike race at Portimao.
And the Portuguese hospitality and prices were superb.
Italy in 2014 ………….
Cheers – Peter.
It’s 5.05 pm Pacific time and I’m sitting in a pretty empty airport departure lounge in America. In two and half hours time the big bird in the sky will fly me back to London. Today has been a day of goodbyes: and while I have ridden with some nice guys, I’m not so sure I’m going to miss them greatly. I’ve now got quite good at parceling up these trips – and the people in them – so that when I go home it is a memory of the past. An enjoyable memory but not one that confuses or upsets my real everyday life. You’ve got to do such a trip to really understand what I’m getting at. Any-case, I’m very much looking forward to getting back to the UK and doing some ‘normal’ stuff at home – including planning my next trip. I’ll now watch a film on the laptop to pass a bit of time ……..
Yesterday was my last day in the saddle. Again I rode with John and Symon (Gordon was staying in the USA for another three weeks and started to ride east on his own) and we decided we’d ride back to Santa Rosa rather than have another night on the road. Our logic was that we’d be able to have all of Saturday sorting out our gear and the bikes before parking them at the local BMW agent: they get shipped back on Tuesday and we fly back (on different flights) on Sunday.
While our ride was seventy five percent on an interstate (to get the mileage done) it was interesting enough as the main road went through some pretty Californian countryside and the last bit of the ride was on a lovely twisty hilly road which allowed us to end the ride on a high – albeit the roads got busier and busier as we neared the more populated areas of California. In the evening we went to a very traditional American steak house where I had a giant sirloin which, yet again, was of a far higher standard than the Brits usually see – and relatively cheap, less than £20 including a beer and a glass of wine!
I’ll miss America in many ways and my ability to feel at ease here was summed up when I went to the supermarket last night and found myself not only automatically looking the right way when crossing the road etc but feeling very confident to shop for what I wanted and to chat to the checkout woman about how she was going to give me a ‘members discount’ which she did. Doesn’t sound like much but I remembered going to the same supermarket when first here and feeling like an alien in a different country – confused about products, money and the way they spoke. Indeed once you realise that almost all Americans like talking to you and each other and their politeness isn’t just an act, it really is difficult not to relax and join in – they also like to joke, which suited me.
I’ve also decided I won’t do any more ‘long mileage/change motel every night’ trips: They’re far to tiring. Medium mileage and spending at least two days at each stop seems far more sensible. Off to breakfast now before finishing of the blog and uploading a few more photos over the next day or three: Bye.