Back down to two.

The not so good new's is that Steve has now got other thing's on his plate and has to pull out. As far as I can make out he's brought his side of the trip forward by a few week's, So he still get his European trip and still make the opponent that is book in June. I suppose that's life.

So now it's down to just me a Richard who where the first two who kicked off in the beginning. Got the bike ready and have been packing up a few thing's, or more to the point get them out on the spare bed. You know what it's like. Some thing's in and some thing's out. Then the out thing's go back in. It's really now just waiting for the time to fly by.

I was out this week end to a rally near by. Just to test out the new lap top. In down loading film and picture's. That all worked fine. So I have no problem's with that. Getting the first day's run all worked out and have the paper work fixed in the map case. So that should go alright. I can't think of anything else to say.

So it's a case of wait and see if I can get on here when I'm in France to say more. See you lot some time at the week end.
John933

Three day's out.

As it say's I took three day's out to go and see Steve after he asked me up so we could see each other. Well to me all went well. The day started on Wednesday the 4 of May. Riding up from my place in King's Lynn to Wetherby where Steve live's. Isn't Goggle map's great. he gave me his address, then I had a look in the picture section. Picked his house out straight away. So knowing what I'm looking for it was no problem riding to his front door. The weather was one of them glories day's, where the sun shone all the way there. I stop half way at Newark for a cup of coffee and a smoke. Broke the journey up just right. Arrived early in the day enough to get a drink and Steve then took me out to Squire's cafe. As I had never been there before. Was surprised by the amount of bike's that where there. Even meet other people I knew from other club's I belong to. So all in all it was a good ride out. Alison Steve's wife made us dinner that night and stayed in that night and had a good old chin wag. The following day was another ride to Bridlington to see the sea. With another lady called Lilette or something like that. And was she a hand full. A smile a minute. Grabbing breakfast on the was back. I was getting to looking forward to my bed that night. Pete Lilette husband pointed something out on the bike that will need looking at. If it was not for him I would have missed it altogether. So that's another job to add to the list of fixes to be done before we go.

Friday was the ride home. After a well get together and know you type of trip. I think we will manage to get on for the three week's we are away. The ride home was done in one hit. Started off on an over cast day that looked like rain, but turned out to be another one of the sunny day's. So all in all every thing went well. I have meet both of the people I am going with and they are both what you could call good egg's. Every thing is only three week's away now. So next week I'll be getting the bag's down from the loft. Putting them on the spare bed, ready to start packing. As I pack in a crazy fashion. Something goes in and then something come's out. I'm not in to taking the kitchen sink. If I've missed something then I'll buy it over there. It's not as if only the UK has shop's.

Since I have been back I've been checking the camp site's in Athens. And something is niggling me about the one I have picked. So to day I've e mailed the tourist board in Athens asking for a list of camp site's. I think it will be well to have someone, with on the ground knowledge before we go. And I hope a list in my pocket.
John933

Are thing's picking up ??

Had a phone call to day out of the blue. A chap called Steve who I know has been looking at the web posting on the Hub. Called to say he would like to go. So now it's wait and see if he book's a crossing. I've told him the time's date and crossing company. So it look's like three of us. It's all about waiting for the day to arrive. That's all I seam to do is wait. The weather is getting better every day.

One of the thing's I do find hard to understand is. What I find interesting to do. Ride round Europe, other's bike owner's aren't banging my door down to join. Could be the timing's are too long. It can't be the cost, As I'm not charging anyone any thing. The up side is I have all the time in the world to do what I want. Being retired you can do that. This is not touring by number's. I.E. Must get to the next place by the next day. What I have found is that by day three you are usually on the route track to where you want to go. But the day's or time's have changed. Sometime you have time in hand. And on the other hand you have to make time up. You stay longer at some place's because you like where you are. Other time's you move on as it's not turned out as well as you expected.

Next month it will be servicing the bike and making sure every thing is how it should be. I've brought a new back tyre to put on for the trip. It's the front that I'm not sure of. There is enough on it to do the trip, or just about, So do I bin a tyre that has 3k mile's on it, or replace it before I go, or if it get too bad replace it on my way round. I think I'm going to go for the replace it on my way round. How hard can it be to get a replacement tyre? And if it last's change it when I get home.
John933

More pice's in place

At last some of the start piece's are now in the jigsaw. Leaving here on the Friday to stay over night in Dover to catch the early Saturday crossing. Have now the room's booked. And also the ticket's paid for. Crossing 08.15 on the 28 May. Another piece is we ( me and Bridget ) went to Norwich to do a bit of shopping. Found a book shop. That had a Europe map book, Most of them only do one country at a time. Just what I was looking for, is one that cover most of Europe more than one country at a time.

The other up side is my old car has moved on. And I picked up a new one on Friday. I liked the old Mondeo, So got another one. That why we went on a trip to Norwich to try her out.
John933

Dover crossing.

I may have this sorted. I hope so. After playing around with the booking site, and no one like's being riped off as both these company's are doing. I find the there is a price change not so much when you go but more to do with what part of the week you travel. In short if you travel at the week end. You pay through the nose. Go mid week and it's more than a third less. If you cross on the Wednesday it's £43 cross on the Friday and it £45 cross on the Saturday and £60. Now Richard the chap who is traveling with me can't go mid week so that's the Wednesday and Thursday out. But doing a Friday crossing, Will make the crossing about £20 cheaper. So let's see what he say's.

Sea France and P&0

As I said, I've been looking for a crossing price that was close to last year's crossing. So I tossed off a couple of e mail's to both company's telling them the cost of last year's crossing and this year crossing. Seeing if they have some kind of offer they could make me. And then I went on to say about car's get some kind of discount, but bike's don't. Both company's said they would look in to it for me. So I wait a few day's, What do I get back a short email saying that I should go on line and book my crossing there, Giving me the link to where I have been looking any way. So it's seems it's a case of pay our price's or don't go.

All I can do is keep looking at there wed site and see if there is any change. I knew I should have grabed it when they where selling ticket's at £44 for the crossing. That will teach me to be a tight azz.
John933

The meet.

Got to see Richard to day. That's the chap who is coming with me. As it was raining and the bike's are on a SORN I took the car. The night before I looked at a route in Goggle map's. Then got the sat nav out and set that up. so all I had to do was switch it on and the thing would be away. Mid day in Northampton, tesco entrance, then something to eat. Tesco in Northampton don't have a eating place. Just one of the Costa crap coffee house's. The run was not too bad two house's to get there and then nearly that to get a parking space. Well more like quarter of an hour driving round to find a parking space.

First thing you notice with Richard is he is a tall man and thin. Someone who's going to stand out in a crowd, Your not going to lose him. We talked about what we where looking for in the trip. And what we hope to do. All nod's from Richard as it seamed that he was looking at the same thing as me. The two main place's are writing in stone, as we both want to sen them, The bridge in Greece and the death camp's in Poland. The second division stuff is the D day landing site's in France and Le Man race track on the way. We even talking about a fly drive trip to Marrakesh , either latter this year or next year. The idea is we ride dawn. And his partner and mine fly there. Have two week's holiday. The lady's fly back and we ride back. Looking at a month away.Any way that's in the pipe line and let's get this one out the way first.

I like the way we jelled together quite well. he the type of person I can get on with. How he will get on with me I have no idea. An old man with his two front teeth missing. And a hair cut that make me look like a Axe murder of king's Lynn. All he is waiting for now is his new bike to be delivered. And then run it round for a few mile's to iron out the snag's. Then it's away.

One have problem's I have got is that the crossing price last September was £33. trying to get a crossing price now and I see they are asking for £57 for the same crossing. Some price hike. But if that's the price then I'll have to pay it.

Any way I can't think of any thing else to say so I'll close now. Post when there is something new.
John933

New tent

Got my self a new tent. Well a new one to me. One of the, brought unseen job's. There was an auction near by. Tent in a bag who will give me a couple of bob. Any way I ended up with it. As I said brought unseen. Now after putting it up in the garden. This is a web picture, I find it is too big for my need's. Any way it look's like I'll be going with my old one.
John933

New Map.

Rome



Not so much a new map more in the way of a change as mentioned in the last post. But more in the way of a small  change to get over the insurance problem of non EU country's.

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=209414193245900737848.00049b4c3f3b26bcee37f&ll=43.452919,12.65625&spn=20.367148,30.19043&z=5

Make our way from Dijon to Geneva. Which will get us in to Italy, So we will be doing this ride on a Sunday, So I'm hoping the road's will be a bit clear. Then Monday we should press on to Rome. The next ride is smaller giving us time but not much to ride through Rome and get some picture's and have a look round, Tuesday is press on to Naples. Ride the bay, we should have time to spend here as well. So on Wednesday we make our way to catch the ferry. I'm not sure about this bit. As we could take the main road and get to the ferry early. Or cross country and lose time in Naples. So it's a suck it and see. The ferry is not too bad, as if you book and aircraft seat to kip down in the crossing is 54 euros. As you leave at 22.00 hr. Arriving in Greece at 06.00 on Thursday morning. So that will save us one night to kip down.

John933

Could be a change of plan???

I have been looking at the problem of travelling through the non EU country's on our way down to Greece. And I'm getting mickey mouse kind of price's for just a few day's insurance cover. Some companies want to charge for a year some for a month at a time. In in a few case's the price range is no different. Other information is, get it at the boarder when you cross. I have a feeling that is could be rip of time. And as there are three country's of non EU. Three lot's of rip of and this would put a downer on the whole trip. So how do you over come this? I have now found a ferry crossing from Italy to Greece at 45 euros one way to book in advance. I have a lap top that we can use, to book on the road, if we find an INTERNET link, So I am proposing that the route be changed to take this in to account. Ride down Italy cross over to Greece keep with in the EU no problem with insurance.

The crossing is from Bari in Italy, to Igoumenitsa in Greece. If you goggle Bari, and look for port or ferry crossing you can get all the information you need. That's what I did.

So what do you think. Italy instead of the Balkan's?It's a two day change and it cut's out the hassle of insurance. I think it's the better way to go.

For a start
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=209414193245900737848.0004943f895be4bd5ccb9&ll=44.746733,15.205078&spn=21.805739,39.331055&z=5


John933

Leaveing Brindisi harbour in Italy.

Ferry crossing.

This is me. The good looking one on the right.



I have been keeping my eye on the ferry crossing price. Any way last time I went across in September it was £36 return. So I'm expecting the same kind of price. Last Friday when I checked it was £50. Sod that thinks me I'll wait. To day I see the same crossing on P&O is down to £43. That's going out on the 08.00 on the 28 May, coming back on the 18 June at 16.00. Ok so fuel has gone up so has VAT. On the understanding it was £36 last year, I'm thinking anything round the £40 marl is going to be good. I'll wait a bit longer and see what happens.

I use this site to book the crossing. Find it suite's me.

As of to day it looks like there are four of use going Richard, Steve, Ash, and my self.
John933

This is what I am taking. Taken last year on my way to Budapest.

Europe 2001 Athens and more

I'm starting this on a cold wet night in January. Tucked up in a warm front room with the fire going, and my cat stealing most of the heat as she lays as close as she can with out cooking.

I'm trying to find a reason for why I am writing this. As the chance are no one will read it. but at least I have a place to tell my friends whats going on and where I'm at as I start mu journey. This is not the first try at putting something down on paper. The other blog kind of went tit's up. In the manner of I was trying to writ it after the event. Not a good idea. The best way is to write it down at the end of the day when every thing in your mind is fresh.

So what am I try for and why? Map link The map link is where I hope to ride a motor bike in May for three week's. Hoping to come back in June. Why because I am getting older by the day and life is passing me by.If i don't do something now. In a few year's time I wont be able to.A good idea is to get a few like mined people who want to with me. Not as easy as it first sound's. Try asking round a few people you know. And see how many want to travel Europe for three week's. You will get something like it's a great idea. But the wife wont let me. Or I can't get that amount of time off work.Or some other kind of thing. Travelling buddy's are hard to find especially one's you can trust. the place I looked where web board's that catered for people like me. This is one called Horizon Unlimited and another Bike Chat. In the end I get ten people who showed an interest. To day after e mailing them. The number's are down to four, and a few of them are still undecided. I have one chap who sounds promising. So I'm going to book the crossing from Dover to France.

Last year I tried out something like this. But I did was go on holiday wit my lady friend Bridget to Spain. She flew down and I rode the bike. As we stated for two week's. It was a good holiday. And we had a bike while we where there. Got us around and wee seen thing we would not have seen if we did not have transport. The other up side was the picture's and I had a camera fitted to the bike. The down side was I should have taken a lap top with me. That way I could have seen what I had taken on each day. Live and learn.

If your are interested in joining our band, drop me a line. We are making the crossing from Dover on the 28 May and coming back on the 18 of June.

John933

And this is why I'm going. To ride this bridge. Will no doute make a pig of my self and ride it both way's.