Eifel Mountains 2022

[Tankbag]

We're ok for logs here

On 03/09/2022 at 20:21, 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.

[Tankbag]

Sorry @Bungleaio kinda hijacked your thread, I'll post up a separate ride report when I'm back.

[Bungleaio]

2 hours ago, Tankbag said:

Sorry @Bungleaio kinda hijacked your thread, I'll post up a separate ride report when I'm back.

No worries buddy. 

 

I'm up and almost ready for the trip down into Germany. 

 

A museum has been recommended to have a look at on the way so I'm going to call in https://www.oorlogsmuseum.nl/en/

[Tankbag]

8 hours ago, Bungleaio said:

No worries buddy. 

 

I'm up and almost ready for the trip down into Germany. 

 

A museum has been recommended to have a look at on the way so I'm going to call in https://www.oorlogsmuseum.nl/en/

That's 219 km north of us, check out the app ( if you have wifi ) tracesofwar it's highly searchable

[bonio]

Today for me was a quick blast of Luxembourg.

Heaven.

Luxembourg everything a rider could ask for. Open roads rising over soaring hills. Gentle roads that sweep through green valleys. Wild bends and hairpins between cliffs and forests. It has small roads and big roads but almost  no shite roads at all. 

 

Two small problems today. I've yet find the knack of finding a place that serves food for lunch do had to make do with an ice cream instead. Second was the engine has started misfiring - very lumpy at 3-4k revs - after filling up with cheap fuel at Vianden. At first was really bad, but hopefully it will settle down. Went to the Supermarket to find some redex but found @Bungleaio in the parking lot instead.

Edited September 5, 2022 by bonio

[bonio]

Today @Bungleaio and I mastered one of the basic survival skills of modern man: lunch. 

I'd never reckoned that lunch was a skill, or if was, I'd never thought it a hard one to acquire. But the fact is that this is Day 4 of the trip and neither of us has had any success at it so far. Today, we nailed it by heading for Boppard on the Rhine. A cracking ride which took us down to the Moselle three times at three different places and then up into the hills one last time before coming down into the Rhine gorge. The Moselle has to be the prettiest river on earth, turquoise waters fringed with green vineyards and dotted with small towns in pink and white and fairytale castles clinging to the hillsides. No pictures though cos when there are two of you neither really wants to stop. So just these from our lunch stop.

Eatung by the Rhine

Parking by the Rhine

James is good company so we shared some beers over schnitzel for dinner.

 

[fullscreenaging]

You’ve only been there 4 days…

 

 

[bonio]

A quick update on days five and six. 

Day 5. I had an appointment at the British Embassy in Brussels to pick emergency travel documents. Because once you've told an official yout passport has been lost, there's no way officialdom can grasp the idea that it might have been found again. 

Rain overnight meant wet and muddy roads all the way to St Vith, followed by too many towns and too many cameras, then some nice twisty roads before Liege. I left the bike there in a run down parking bay by the station, next to a couple of moth eaten mopeds chained to a rack, aware that my disk lock was not really designed for deployment in this kind of area. Hopped on a train to Brussels Central and was back again as quickly as I could. As proof that miracles do happen I have this: the bike was still there. Stopped by the station to get some lunch. Wowser what a miserable place. Made Lowestoft on a rainy day look cheerful and life-affirming.

Took a different route back through Houfalize and across Luxembourg to get back. The roads were now dry, the sky was, blue, the sun was behind. A perfect route.

As for James, he went off for a spin round Luxembourg unsupervised. But I'll leave the tales of the pizza and the half naked man (the two eere unrelated) for him to tell you, when gets a chance.

Leaving the bike at Liege

On the train back, with the emergency passport

Arriving back at Liege Station. I can see from here that the bike hasn't been nicked.

Edited September 8, 2022 by bonio
For typos

[Gerontious]

Houfalize as familiar a place as La Roche, but with the disappearing tank. First year we passed through there, there was a German Panzer. became a familiar sight and then woosh, it was gone. (and looking at street view is still gone)

 

 

[bonio]

Day 6. Today we headed to the part of the weather map that look least soggy: Saarburg. It had only recently stopped raining when left and the roads were still a bit damp when stopped in a village just along from Piesport in the Moselle valley for tea, coffee, and apple cake.

The Moselle valley

 

We then headed south and the sun came out for an easy, very curvy ride through forests and along river valleys until we reached Saarburg. 

Neither of us had beeen here before , but we'd both go back. It has to be my ideal of what a small German town should be: narrow streets, timbered buildings, expensive shops, a little river and a waterfall. And it even had places to get lunch.

Lunch stop

 

Back on the bikes, we were soon in Luxembourg again, for cheap fuel and that awesome tarmac. No wonder we keep going back. We managed almost two complete tours of Grevenmacher due to the navigator app having a brain fart,  but eventually escaped to enjoy the Grand Duke's roads.

Beaufort, Luxembourg 

 

Finally, though, the rain caught up with us just before we crossed back into Germany at Bollendorf. Time to head for home.

Edited September 8, 2022 by bonio

[Gerontious]

I do like the area round Beaufort, and although we have been there more than a few times, it never gets tired. "Little Switzerland" just to the north east and the wonderful Mullerthal.  And its road paved with silk.

 

 

 

Lunch stops are always tricky. sometimes, mostly, they just pop up, but occasionally they just don't. And it can mean turning off and heading for the nearest larger village and hoping for the best. I guess that's why some places have become firm favourites and we end up gravitating back to there, or its deliberately added to a route only approached from a different direction so it doesn't become stale. 

 

I don't think Luxembourg will ever become stale.

Edited September 8, 2022 by Gerontious

[Mick67]

Will be coming through Luxembourg in a few weeks on the way up to Ypres, cant wait, thinking of detouring a little to go by Bastogne barracks on the way.

Great read guys.

[bonio]

Day 7. James is off to France this morning, starting his journey home. The forecast is for rain so I'm off sightseeing in Trier.

 

I got to the edge of the city and the heavens opened leaving me to find my way through a mist of rain and spray all over the visor. All kinds of road sign on every corner telling you what you must or mustn't do. I'm not always sure if a particular sign is a must or a mustn't, but as far as I am aware the only time I went really wrong was when I turned into a street meant for bicycles only. To me that counts as a success.

 

Found a great parking place next to a bank that had a large canopy, providing a good sized bit of dry pavement, ideal for changing out of the bike kit. Very thoughtful of them. Then I grockeled for day: did the Cathedral, the basilica, one of the sets of baths, all of which go back to the 4th  C. To top off my day of culture, I lunched at McDonald's. 

 

Another heavy shower meant I nearly got soaked in the baths (you're meant to laugh here) and that the ride back was a damp one. But a great day out.

 

So that's it. Tomorrow is meant to be a bit of a slog to get home in a day. Done it before so I know there won't be much to write about, so I'm signing off this report here.

 

Been a great trip. Some fantastic roads, good company, great scenery, comfortable place to stay - all you can ask for.

 

The main surprise for me was to see how the road surfaces in this part of Germany have suffered since the floods last year. There are still one or two sweet patches, but mostly they're patched, ribbed, eroded, and badly  in need of repair. They've got their work cut out to put them back to how they were.

 

 

[Bungleaio]

I got carried away with having a good time so my updates have been a bit slacking. I'll continue now though.

 

Monday - I headed out of Arnhem pretty much going south on the way to the Schloss. On the way I stopped at the Overloon Museum which was very interesting for having a look at loads of WW2 vehicles and munitions.

 

 

Outside the museum I rode past an amazing house. I'd love to live there.

 

On with the ride south and I entered Germany and started to feel hungry. It took me ages of calling into little villages to find somewhere that I might be able to get something to eat, it seems the Germans don't really do sandwich stops or pub lunches so for the 2nd day running I had a coffee and cake.

 

 

I thought I'd risk parking on the pavement rather than the narrow street, my heart was in my mouth when a police car came past slowly then turned around about 20 meters away and drove back up the street. Thankfully he didn't stop for a chat.

 

 

Back on the road, next stop will be the hotel, the urge for a detour was strong though and I nearly turned off to the left but I remained strong and carried on straight

 

 

After loving some of the amazing roads in Germany I had to pull over to take a photo of some of them, I really wish my eyes could take photos. I'll see what I can pull off my Innov cameras but they are set to loop record so I don't know how much footage will still be on there.

 

 

I called into Rewe for some water and bumped into @bonio just as I was leaving.

 

Total distance for the day was just over 320km so a decent days ride

 

 

For food I'd been looking forward to a Kebab at the Saray Grill for years but they now don't open on a Monday so we went to the italian which was good but not what I'd been looking forward to.

[Bungleaio]

Tuesday 

 

Bonio has already covered this but this was a great day.

 

It had rained over night but the sun was out

 

 

The first hour or so was tight and technical as well as damp and dry roads all great stuff which really make you concentrate. After an hour or so we stopped to get a coffee, typically it was closed. Whilst we were there three police bikes rode past giving us a nod as they went by.

 

We continued on managing to get lunch then coming back via different roads. some of them were a little rough but we were treated to some absolutely faboulous S' that felt like they went on for well over a kilometer. If I can find them I'll put a link to them.

 

I could tell the day had been all about the riding as I took no photos. I did remember the mileage for the day though.

 

 

Schnitzel was fantastic, Daniella (the owner of the hotel) too a photo especially for us to send to @Gerontious so that he could feel part of schnitzel night.

 

 

There was also a very generous Icecream with home made sauce.

 

 

[Bungleaio]

Wednesday

 

I remembered to get a breakfast photo today

 

 

The quality of the food is incredible, it's simple food but tastes so so good.

 

As Bonio was off getting a passport so that he could go home I set off into Luxembourg with no real plan, I rode into the city via some incredible roads and then promptly went straight out the other side. I did call into a supermarket to pick up some water and apples as I'd not been getting my 5 a day for a while.

 

Whilst at the checkout the lady in front of me was buying a few bottles of wine and fish fingers, total value of about 40€, she just pulled out a 200€ note and handed it over. The cashier didn't bat an eyelid and put it straight in the till. A £50 note is a rare sight for me so for people to be so nonchalant with a 200€ shocked me a bit. 

 

With no real plan for the day I had time on my hands so I headed off to Belgium to buy some curry sauce. I love this stuff but it's only available in Belgium, I've not had any since 2018 so it was worth the trip to pick some up.

 

 

Back into Luxembourg for the roads after that though, as we all know the roads in Belgium are generally iffy at best.

 

I stopped in Luxembourg to eat my apples and take in the view.

 

 

Whilst I was ther a Dutch guy pulled up and had a chat for a bit, nice bloke but it's a bit weird when he's just there in his shorts and nothing else. No shoes, no socks, not even a watch. He did like to smoke though and went through three ciggys in the 20 minutes we were chatting.

 

 

Anyway back for more glorious roads and to get back to the hotel.

 

 

Another reasonable distance covered in the day.

 

 

 

Edited September 11, 2022 by Bungleaio

[fullscreenaging]

Good write up guys. Looks like you had a great time. 

 

This is where @bonio’s other nickname was born.
 

Edit: The schnitzel was amazing when I went. 

Edited September 12, 2022 by fullscreenaging

[Bungleaio]

Thursday

 

The morning started with another tradition, @smallfrowne will be pleased to hear that the seat came off.

 

 

It was so that I could get to the screwdriver to access the battery and put a couple of psi into Bonios tyre so not the carb off or clutch out that is the proper tradition.

 

As mentioned by Bonio we proceeded to ride more fantastic roads for the day.

 

 

Total stats for the day

 

 

When having a pre dinner beer Daniella asked if we fancied another round of Schnitzels seeing as it was my last night. It would have been rude to say no so as far as I'm aware there has never been two schnitzel nights on one of these trips.

 

 

We were also served a shot of extremely strong home made grape schnapps. It lead to a very good nights sleep.

 

[Gerontious]

Last time we were there as a group (pre Covid) we had schnitzel twice. we also had wild boar. and some of the meats for breakfast were home made, using wild boar.

I think the food is a great part of the popularity of the Schloss as its right up there in the value for money stakes. The only time that was a bit off was one time when the meal involved Sauerkraut. which is a acquired taste, you either love or hate. I think its revolting and make a point now of requesting its not on the menu for the duration. And they are more than happy to oblige. Its the only time I have ever seen a major component of a meal left largely untouched.

 

Im fairly sure Saray was closed last time on the Monday, did we not go there on the Sunday then buy an al fresco meal on the Monday from the Rewe? Cold beers out of the fridge. salad and meats. bread. quiche and so on?

 

Im quite looking forward to going back next year... I have a cunning plan to make it a little more 'special'.

[Bungleaio]

Friday

 

After another hearty breakfast I said good bye to Bonio and set off into the drizzle. I thought I could get away with summer gloves but it wasn't to be so pulled over in Luxembourg to faff and change gloves. the roads were drying but it was noticably cooler.

 

 

Onwards into Belgium on the way to Amiens where I'd be staying for friday night. The roads weren't very remarkable but I kept away from the dual carriageways as much as possible. Getting on for lunch time and I saw a place which seemed to be in a bus so I pulled over and ordered a healthy lunch.

 

 

 

I was absolutely convinced I was in France at this point but no I was about 200m away from the border. Anyway onwards towards the hotel, thankfully the heavy rain that was forecast never happened.

 

 

The roads in france are long and straight so a complete contrast to what I'd been riding for most of the week. I've never ridden them before so it was interesting to see all of the war graves dotted around. It really was quite thought provking.

 

I wasn't planning on going but I saw signs for the Thiepval memorial so had a bit of a diversion and went to the museum. Well worth stopping for some contemplation if you get the chance.

 

 

I got to Amiens and immediately ran into traffic, it took ages to get to the hotel. I made it without incident and even got a nod from a police rider.

 

Stats for the day

 

 

Being a new city to me I went for a wander around, I went into the cathedral, the pub and had a curry.

 

 

I've never had a lettuce served with a curry before!

[Bungleaio]

6 minutes ago, Gerontious said:

Last time we were there as a group (pre Covid) we had schnitzel twice. we also had wild boar. and some of the meats for breakfast were home made, using wild boar.

I think the food is a great part of the popularity of the Schloss as its right up there in the value for money stakes. The only time that was a bit off was one time when the meal involved Sauerkraut. which is a acquired taste, you either love or hate. I think its revolting and make a point now of requesting its not on the menu for the duration. And they are more than happy to oblige. Its the only time I have ever seen a major component of a meal left largely untouched.

 

Im fairly sure Saray was closed last time on the Monday, did we not go there on the Sunday then buy an al fresco meal on the Monday from the Rewe? Cold beers out of the fridge. salad and meats. bread. quiche and so on?

 

Im quite looking forward to going back next year... I have a cunning plan to make it a little more 'special'.

I sadly didn't make the 2019 trip. I would very much like to be part of the 2023 trip though!

[Bungleaio]

Saturday

 

Breakfast started with more bread, not as good as the schloss but the croissant was really nice. 

 

 

I'd picked the hotel based on two things, being in reasonable distance of the tunnel so that I could breakt the journey and also having a garage. http://hotel-normandie-amiens.fr/ There's only 4 spaces in the garage but being on the bike I could tuck in on the side.

 

 

I called in at a Carrefour on the way back, sadly I could pick up a big box of beer, it was so cheap and it's really nice lager though

 

 

On the way to calais I also called into Etaples Military Cemetery, even more thought provoking than the day before.

 

 

Time to bring the holiday to a close though so I headed for the tunnel via the fastest route possible which involved a bit of toll road. I use the M6 toll a fair bit so I was suprised when it was only 1€. 

 

I'm glad I've ridden in northern France but it's something that I'll be avoiding as much as possible in the future. The roads are so boring to ride.

 

When I got to the tunnel I managed to get on a train 30 minutes early. The train was full too so I was lucky to get on.

 

 

Apart from picking up fuel near ashford I did the trip back to leicester in one hit getting home for about 5. This was where I was glad I'd broken the journey up, it's about 500 miles between the schloss and my house which is a lot further than I ever do in one hit even in the car.

 

Stats for the day

 

 

Total for the week

 

 

Overall a fantastic week. Spending time with @boniowas an absolute pleasure. Roll on next time, lets not leave it 4 years though!

[bonio]

It came to about 1730 miles for all in for me. A bit over 400 miles on the last day. Bit knackered on Sunday!

Took new tyres, which are now well scrubbed in

No idea of mpg thankfully. Spent whole days in mainly 2nd and 3rd gears.

[Gerontious]

Ive often been criticised about my attitude to Pas du Calais and Nord. both are tedious beyond belief compared with what's coming up... or you could make a dash to the ardennes and follow the border, but then you have to get beyond Valenciennes and into the l'Avesnois before it gets even remotely interesting. but it also gets quite slow. And the mission is usually to get through the worst of Belgium as fast as possible to the lunch stop at Spy after which its all change and not far at all to where we turn off and head for the tank at La Roche and soon after into biking heaven. Luxembourg. and onto Germany via either Dasburg or Vianden.

 

Im thinking of a fortnight. not bothering with the Alps next June, but instead having a week at the Schloss and a second week somewhere else. or staying at the Schloss if the weather is favourable. From the Schloss its a fairly easy ride down to the Black Forest or across to the Harz, for example. so bring camping gear which we may or may not use. just see how the weather looks.

 

you never know.. even snoddy might come along. He's been banging on about the Harz Mountains for years.

[bonio]

7 hours ago, fullscreenaging said:

This is where @bonio’s other nickname was born.

You should know it mate.
It was something like, "Oi you, Two Soups, shut up and pass the... " don't remember exactly what it was that was wanted.

Happy days!