Eifel Mountains 2022

[bonio]

In the old days you could blag your way back into Bligjty without a passport but I doubt it works like that nowadays. So it means a trip to Brussels to pick up emergency travel docs. Or else return home via Ireland. Ive applied for the etds. 

[Gerontious]

The moral of this tale is always keep important documents on your person. Easy for me as my jacket has more pockets than I know what to do with. 2 inner that can be zipped shut. Passport. V5 and insurance for the polizei if demanded. At a random stop, which is always a possibility as they have so much time on their hands.

 

not sure what the protocol is for a lost or stolen passport. But whatever it is. Get on it immediately. Or as soon as practicable. Fortunately the hotel doesn’t demand it so you can get sorted before the return.

[Bungleaio]

I had to show my passport at the Holiday Inn that I'm staying at. No questions about covid vaccinations though, which was nice. 

[Gerontious]

34 minutes ago, Bungleaio said:

I had to show my passport at the Holiday Inn that I'm staying at. No questions about covid vaccinations though, which was nice. 

most hotels do. But the Schloss never have. Though if memory serves the very first time we stopped there they did ask to see my passport. Quick glance then handed it back.

Edited September 3, 2022 by Gerontious

[Yorky]

I always have a copy of all important documents on OneDrive, passport, licence, V5, insurance, travel tickets etc. If I were unlucky enough to loose the originals at least I have a backup as proof.

OK, if I also loose the phone as well then I'm buggered, but it gives me a fighting chance

Edited September 4, 2022 by Yorky

[Bungleaio]

Thats a good idea for your documents. I might have to copy that. I have an extra set of insurance docs as my policy renews on Tuesday. 

 

I've had a great 150 mile ride today. I'll write it up in a bit when I've had a beer. 

Edited September 4, 2022 by Bungleaio

[Bungleaio]

I've found a bar in arnhem that has 100 beers on tap and it's all self serve. @smallfrowneits a good job you aren't here or there would be no riding for us tomorrow 

[Tankbag]

21 hours ago, Gerontious said:

Just stay north of the city. One favourite is the road from dasburg to Vianden that follows to the river.

 

or have a look at this.  https://www.dropbox.com/s/2uunr15px8qccj0/Luxembourg.pdf?dl=0

@Gerontious Thanks for the tip we did this road today & stopped for refreshments at this cafe Cafe with a nice view of bikes riding past.Apparently I need to practice smiling without looking like Lucifer.

[Gerontious]

we really like Luxembourg and generally have a full day there every time we go. usually stopping for lunch at Hotel Huberty in Kautenbach whenever we can.  so many lovely roads and picture perfect villages. and during a normal working week in September pretty much empty of people and traffic. We often call in at Esch sur Sure for coffee and cake. there's a great cafe/bakery there, it has a frite kiosk below it. and overlooks the river. below the three watchtowers.  usually no problem parking either.

 

https://goo.gl/maps/TRoKoHCLBiNf2WEW6

Edited September 4, 2022 by Gerontious

[Stu]

22 hours ago, Bungleaio said:

Apologies for the photos being upside down. I will sort this when I'm home.

 

Sorted them for you  

 

I thought you had got lost and ended up in Australia  

[Bungleaio]

12 minutes ago, Stu said:

 

Sorted them for you  

 

I thought you had got lost and ended up in Australia  

Thank you. There may be some more in a few minutes. Annoyingly the mobile website doesn't have an option to spin them unless I'm missing something 

[Stu]

2 minutes ago, Bungleaio said:

Thank you. There may be some more in a few minutes. Annoyingly the mobile website doesn't have an option to spin them unless I'm missing something 

 

Are you taking an uploading them from your phone? and if so is it an Iphone? 

 

[Bungleaio]

1 hour ago, Stu said:

 

Are you taking an uploading them from your phone? and if so is it an Iphone? 

 

Yeah iphone 

 

Annoyingly I've just written this all out then accidentally selected it all and deleted. There is no undo

 

I'm going to have another go at the long version

 

I had breakfast this morning then head out on a ride sorted by calimoto. I set it to do 150 mile loop heading east. 

 

I needed to get some fuel so called into a shell garage, I noticed just as I committed for the turn that it was on a one way street, it was a quiet Sunday morning and nothing was about so no harm done. Well apart from my wallet. €2.10 a litre smarts a little. It's a road trip so needs must. 

 

Onwards and out of the city, the Netherlands (or Holland?) is flat mostly straight but it is scenic. Inset obligitary windmill picture. 

 

I rode along many tree lined roads through picturesque villages until I got to one which was having a festival. It was only about 10am so not in full swing by a long way. The guy on the road block tried to charge me €12 to get through. I was having none of it and tried to point out via the satnav that I wasnt stopping. He still wanted to charge me until someone else came over and saw sense. "No stop?" No stop "ok" and off I went. It looked like it had the makings for a great day with loads of food stalls and grolsh bars around the village green. I didn't stop though. 

 

I'm using calimoto off line so it doesn't know about road closures etc so I came across this. 

 

Whilst gooogling to confirm this meant road closed some locals went though so I put my gloves on and went round the sign too. 

 

 

It was right though as a major crossroads was shut but as luck would have it another local came from the left and gingerly drove through, over the block paving and into the sand and back out the other side. I know the lads laying the blocks will be annoyed with tyre tracks on Monday but I went though too. Sorry lads. 

 

A few more km later and I was into Germany. The only real sign was thst there was no  cycle lanes down the side of the road. 

 

The first village I got to I was faced with anotger closed road,this time it was closed properly with tractors and police. 

 

 

I thought I'd stop for some water and to clean the flies off my visor, less than 10 minutes later the road was clear again. Got to love German efficiency. 

 

A few more km later I pulled over for some more water. I think this was the roughest road I've been on today,just goes to show how poor the roads are in England. The pylons were impressive too. 

 

 

Getting on for 1 o'clock I was getting hungry. Not a good thing when you're in Germany on a Sunday as it's mostly closeed. I did stumble on a cafe in a random town. Through the use of smiling and pointing I a manged to get a cream cake and a coffee. Not the usual Sunday lunch but it was really nice. 

 

How the cake was the cheap part I have no idea. 

Many more km later and I made it back to the Netherlands. A €1.50 ferry crossing was required to continue the journey. 

 

The roads in the Netherlands are fantastically smooth but I'm not a big fan of all the levys that the roads seem to be on. I completely get why they are there as there's massive flood risk but it would make for an interesting off whilst avoiding all the cyclists and oncoming traffic. 

 

I stopped again and an old lady with a walking frame came over  to say hello. She offered Dutch then German then English,incredible especially when I only have English. 

 

Back on with the final leg and back tk the hotel. 250km covered today. 

 

I went for another walk around Arnham and found an incredible bar which was self service. I had to leave after 3 beers as the cream cake was struggling to soak it up. 

 

 

I had a fantastic pizza (and another beer) then back to the hotel for coutryfile and the antiques roadshow.  

Edited September 4, 2022 by Bungleaio
I put the effort in to do the long version

[Stu]

16 minutes ago, Bungleaio said:

Yeah iphone 

 

Annoyingly I've just written this all out then accidentally selected it all and deleted. There is no undo

 

Yes that is annoying that there is no undue button! 

 

I'm not sure why you are getting upside down pics I can only imagine that the phone's camera isn't always rotating before you take the pics 

 

Anyway fixed the others  

[Yorky]

49.5mpg, jeez, your gobbling the juice up there.

 

Here's mine from a tour of France 2 weeks ago

[bonio]

Never stayed at an ibis hotel before. Found it very comfortable.

Left about 9.30 for a pleasant, mellow Sunday morning ride on back roads through strings of villages, with closed shops and groups of men standing in the sun playing pentanque. Then Belgium and forest roads

 

and back into France at Fumay.

 

From there heading mainly East there were miles and miles of beaurifully bendy road, through places like Forestieres and Ortho. Finally into Luxembourg, the land of Beauriful Tarmac, where everywhere looks pretty and everyone looks beautiful.

 

 

From here the riding goes from great to heavenly. Perfect tarmac. Miles of bends. No traffic. This is why it's worth coming.

Finally Dasburg - the last fuel stop in Luxembourg - and so into Germany and onto the Schloss. Not been here for four years. Nostalgic return.

 

[bonio]

Oh meant to add. In other news, I found my passport. Inside my helmet where I'd stuffed distractedly last night. . Drama over. 

[Bungleaio]

2 minutes ago, bonio said:

Oh meant to add. In other news, I found my passport. Inside my helmet where I'd stuffed distractedly last night. . Drama over. 

Great find. Faffing at its finest

[Bungleaio]

9 minutes ago, Yorky said:

49.5mpg, jeez, your gobbling the juice up there.

 

Here's mine from a tour of France 2 weeks ago

50 seems to be about my average since I've owned it. It's the most efficient vehicle I own 

[Gerontious]

Definitely not jealous.

 

 

 

[Stu]

11 minutes ago, Yorky said:

49.5mpg, jeez, your gobbling the juice up there.

 

Here's mine from a tour of France 2 weeks ago

 

Is that US MPG  

 

Best I have seen is 62 

[bonio]

I used to do about 50 on my GS. Don't think I get that much on this machine. 

[Bungleaio]

Updated to do the long version!

[Bungleaio]

A couple of things I've noticed about the Netherlands. 

 

When you're at a red light thee is no amber then green. It's just red then green, thankfully arnhem isn't London so if you're not away immediately you don't get all the people on their horns. 

 

There is a lot of speed humps! Junctions, straight roads and even out on their national speed limit roads. The thing is of you're going along at the speed limit you just got straight over them, they are profiled for the speed. If you're going above the speed limit then they are a bit more bumpy. 

 

The locals seem to treat speed limits as advisory and ignore whatever the posted limits are. Quite alien to me as I stick to the limits at home. 

 

I love that thay are observant though. Not a single person has tried to pull out on me as I've passed junctions. 

 

Nice to see Hartley riders don't acknowledge others on the road just like at home

[Gerontious]

I can get 65mpg from the Africa twin in Drive mode. Where it’s set up to be as economical as possible. Sainsbury Ashford to Dasburg on a 24L single tank with miles to spare.