Steve_M

Hopp Rider Training (what else did you think HRT stood for?) is a long established training company. Founded by Martin Hopp (RIP) way back, they’re part of the Essex Firebike training programme and run “Better Riding Days” at Cadwell Park. I’ll quickly add here that I have no association with them other than having attended a number of these days and knowing one of the instructors socially. This is not a track day but a day of riding around Cadwell Park track with instructors providing guidance on cornering technique based on “look lean and roll”. Their priority is safety, so there are strictly applied safety rules in place. As a result they’re the only group which MSV allow attendees in bike fabrics and not full leathers- novice group only. I wear my zip together touring kit. Background info over: they’ve published their dates for next year. Highly recommended! Just to quickly add. I’ve taken part with my Honda VFR800fi, Yamaha FJR1300 and my BMW R1200GS. What you ride isn’t important… though probably best not a 125… I would recommend a 400cc bike minimum. HRT at Cadwell Clarification of bike requirements.

Honorary Old-Git?

We also use the ferry - we used to use Harwich to Hook when we lived in Norfolk, Hull to Rotterdam now we’re in Cumbria. For us the advantage over the Chunnel is the fact that you’re on the road at 9am, fresh, a full day ahead to get near to the target touring area and, arguably, saved the cost of a night in a hotel which balances the cost a little. A down side is the fact that we might accidentally hear the entertainment killing songs we previously enjoyed.

Good point about the time of year. We tour in September - it’s usually quiet and the passes are usually open and not too many cyclists in our experience. The passes on that route aren’t that difficult. I’ve been along most of it several times now - it’s hardly the Furka, Grimsel or Stelvio . As I said, it was our first tour as a couple - I’d only toured solo previously, and not much outside of the U.K. by that point.

Not interested in big cities? Good decision Our first trip as a couple was to take in the Route Des Grande Alps, and I would recommend that as a starter. It’s an easy to navigate route, fabulous roads and scenery and avoids large cities. With the experience I have now I would probably head for Castellane and the Gorge du Verdon after the Cime de la Bonnette (the highest paved through road in Europe, I understand) returning northward up the west side of the Alps). Edit: I’ve put a link to the route information. The official route doesn’t take in the Col de la Bonnette. I now recall changing our plans at a B&B in Jausiers when a German rider suggested we ride the Cime rather than the official route. I stand by that choice! You can break up the journey down there by detouring to the Vosges as an amuse bouche to the Alps. Here are a couple of links that might be of help. Driving in France RAC site, and though it says driving, much is applicable to bikes. Old-Gits checklist not definitive but a good start point on which to base what you’re taking. I went to Andorra with this group in 2010: I worked with a couple of the guys for a while, and found the checklist handy. I’ve since refined it on my own spreadsheet. Route Des Grande Alpes

Thanks for the info’. I’m not sure I want to lay out £70 but given that I do find myself in places with no signal to call breakdown (near Loch Etive - yes, I got a slow puncture there) perhaps I’ll buy a few additional CO2 cartridges instead.

Speaking of pumps. I probably need one. Recommendations? Must be compatible with the BMW power take off socket/canbus

This has probably been posted before but it’s such a good one I feel it needs a repost.

Deep Purple at the OVO, Glasgow this evening. They were among my favourite bands when I was a yoof, so hoping they live up to my rose-tinted (or should that be “purple tinted”?) memories.

“I’ve been thinking”, she said. Translation: “I have found even more things for you to do…” Familiar?

Hence the number of “dark siders”.

I had one of those but in the tasteful dark blue

Nostalgic choice - Honda CX500 Eurosport. My 1st “big” bike and a great introduction to the world of motorbikes. I’d love to own a 1998 VFR800fi again, being a sportily comfortable do-most-things well bike.

We’ve restricted this year’s guests to my mum and my daughter.

On a more positive note. All our visitors have gone. Don’t get me wrong, we enjoy having friends and relatives visit and, some, stay but… it ain’t ‘alf lovely not having to make conversation with the ones who are volubly opinionated - for over a week. Mostly I was able to either get out on the bike or find stuff to do (eg. erecting a greenhouse) or I think I may have lost the plot.

We’re doing up our house bit by bit: averaging two “rooms” a year (eg. Hall, stairwell and landing being one room), stripping back to stone each time and replastering in lime ourselves. We’re at the end of year 5 and there’s probably another 18months to complete. There’s been a delay this year with the plaster taking much longer to dry due to the weather and the walls not drying as we would have expected. It’s a commitment we wouldn’t have made had we still been employed. We’ve also blown our budget and contingency despite taking new skills onboard to do as much as we can ourselves - Next year’s tour is in doubt due to those financial constraints. Apologies for the negativity but that’s today’s mood.

My GS has a clutch-less shift system that I use sporadically. It matches the revs as you change gear. It works fine except for the lower gears where it’s all a bit - sudden.

I’ve mentioned this option to my hotel booker. It happens occasionally. unfortunately, the places we like to tour tend not to be cheap even in the out of season weeks we tour.

Tres arty. Thank you. I’m stealing that.

It’s a very photogenic loch. The water was mirror flat and still which helped. It probably could do with a bit of editing to enhance the colours a little but I’m not the one to do that.

I found it …. and a very large chair, Loch Ken and some lagoons all on my little pootle around Dumfries and Galloway and Ayrshire. Not the best weather, but you have to grab your chances when you can.

Does it matter if the hotel has a secure parking area for your bike? Depends. We tend to stop at small hotels out in the sticks well away from the madding crowds in which instance I just slap a disc lock on it. In cities or more populous areas I will check for secure parking - but we do those infrequently. Is it important for you to have a spot to dry clothes or even a small area for minor repairs? No. Do you look for options like late check-in or early check-out flexibility? We use booking dot com on the day of arrival around an hour or two before arriving. Rarely an issue. What about room comfort: is having a shower, a comfy bed, or maybe even a kitchenette something you value? Not the kitchenette but otherwise, essential to feel refreshed. Or are there other factors you always check before booking a hotel? Must have a restaurant serving an evening meal or a restaurant nearby. We don’t want to get back on the bike to go,out for food once we’re settled in the hotel: it’s happened a couple,of times and it’s not our idea of fun.

Not long back from a “last-minute-decision” ride. What a cracking ride it was, too. We’re working towards erecting a new greenhouse - pouring the base (yesterday), preparing the ground for a path (today, mostly) and laying a new path (sometime soon I hope) ready to put the actual structure up. There is the issue that I seem to have developed bursitis in my hip so I have to pace myself and take regular breaks. It was during one of these breaks that I noticed how the weather appeared to be perfect for a bike ride. The Route took me through Kershope Forest on the B6318 to Harelaw, then up to Saughtree on the B6357 (20mph through Newcastleton ) and then past Kielder water to Bellingham. From Bellingham south on the B6320, cutting across to the B6318 and west homewards. At this point the B6318 runs near parallel to Hadrians Wall - past Sycamore Gap - and is die straight but with fantastic scenery and some riding interest due to the blind dips and rises. 90 miles and much to enjoy.

I once bought a Kawasaki ZXR750 after a visit to the Norwich beer festival. I now stay away from all online tech after my first drink.

It looks like you had a great time.