Good evening everyone, from a rather warm Chinon.

On reflexion, quite a mixed, yet highly enjoyable day.

I spoke too soon at lunchtime, cos when I got going again it really threw it down for a couple of miles. Then it stopped, then it started, then it stopped and started again…but only for a few minutes each time. By Angers things were definitely looking better, by Saumur the sun came out then it got nicely warm….now it’s pouring again, but the riding is over for the day!

283 miles in total, today, yes I know it’s more than google maps says, but I’m not always going the direct route.

Strangest sight of the day was a car parked in the corner of a field, next to a really fast bit of road, but with AV signs on it (French for À Vendre, for sale). It struck me:
1, Why park it next to a very fast road with no chance of people stopping;
2, No phone number;
3, Would you want to buy a car that had obviously been driven across a rather rutted field??????

Mind you this was pretty strange too, in the middle of a roundabout, halfway between Rennes and Angers…

The Loire between Angers and Saumur.

And finally, my hotel…with ensuite Harley outside my room, perfect!

Catch ya down the road tomorrow, long plugging day down the Autoroute to Clermont Ferrand and St. Étienne, stopping just South of St. E, let’s see what I can find on the way!

Dookes

Don’t worry, no link to Rod the Mod!!!

Well, that was probably the worse 25 miles I have ever ridden! Horizontal torrential rain, gusting high winds, standing water everywhere and knob head car drivers with no lights on that wanted to get on the back of the bike! Rant over…..honest.

On the plus side, Harley and I were waved onto the ship like royalty, at least the French crew sympathise with us bikers in this weather.

Tonight it’s the flagship sailing with MV Pont-Aven, which is both really nice and comfortable but also a darn big boat! Actually, that’s like saying that Turner was quite a good painter and Isaac Newton was OK at maths….the ship is MASSIVE weighing in at 41,700tonnes, she is 605 feet long and 101 feet wide and can carry over 2400 passengers.

She has a fantastic à la carte restaurant, as well as two self service troughs plus every facility that a cruise liner boasts.

MV Pont-Aven was named after the town of Pont-Aven in Brittany. The town is famous as the home of a group of artists known as the Pont-Aven School, and the interior décor of the ship commemorates this link.

Oh I nearly forgot to say I’m booked into one of the Commodore Class Cabins, with loads of luxuries, gotta pamper the old bones these days! Also very nice, is that the cabin has a balcony!!! Not that I’ll be using it on account of the hooley blowing out in the Channel!

MV Pont Aven:

Enough of all that stuff, I’m off to get supper and I think I’m going to treat myself to the à la carte…!

Tomorrow, another day and France.

Sweet Dreams.

Dookes

Well, we’ve all just enjoyed an extended holiday weekend here in the U.K. and true to form it rained for most of the time in Cornwall! Which meant no motorcycling; no, I’m not a fair weather rider, it’s just a little silly to risk it on a brand new front tyre…particularly a skinny one like on the front of the Softail.

Being at a bit of loose end, I was very happy to get an invite to spend a day on the wonderful South Devon Railway, and get re-acquainted with the niceties of driving a standard gauge steam locomotive.

What a great day we had on a super little Class Two Standard Loco, number 78019, here she is at Totnes, before setting off on our last trip which, unusually, was a freight train.

So, a big thank you to my very good friend Bledd, for making it all possible and sharing the day with me! Diolch y’n fawr.

Shame that the rain did not let up until about six in the evening, but at least on a steam loco half of you is always dry cos that’s the side nearest to the fire!

A funny couple of facts link this type of loco and a Harley is that they both have two cylinders and are also very heavy for the power that they produce!!

Lets hope that the next post is about Harley on the road!

Dookes

Today saw Harley visiting our good friends at Thor Motorcycles near Bodmin, for a serious pre-trip service. Colin and his gang did us proud as usual. I am always pleased with the excellent work that Thor do for me and how good Harley feels every time I get her back. This time was no exception, and despite having to take it steady on the way home across Bodmin Moor, due to a new front tyre, the old girl feels like new again!

So, thanks again; Col, Beccy and Co. see you when we get back.

For the rest of you, check out Thor’s site here

Dookes

Welcome back friend!

OK, so I guess it’s time to reveal where I’m off to this time……

Well, lets begin like this;

It was 1969, London was swinging,

England had a decent football team,

Wales won the Triple Crown and Five Nations Rugby (again!)

Michael Caine was still young,

so was Twiggy (but she looks better now!)

There were Mini’s everywhere…………..

…………..even in Italy and they had the Lamborghini Miura as well!

Yes folks its:

Click here, for the film intro experience, turn up the volume and ride back to the sixties.

Yep, I’m off to the Italian Alps, to find those roads, they are there and I gotta ride them!

The film intro was shot on two separate mountain passes in Northern Italy, the famous Grand San Bernardo and the lesser known Petit San Bernardo, both not far from Aosta.

I’ve loved this bit of cinematography since the first time I saw it in 1969 and now I’m going to find where it was shot and ride it for myself, come rain or shine!

On the way I’m taking in some of the classic mountain passes of the French Alps as seen on Le Tour de France. It will be interesting to see how Harley behaves at altitude, some of the roads are amongst the highest in Europe!!!

I’ll also make a brief visit to Switzerland, before heading back via Annecy and Limoges.

So what do you say? Are you up for it? Only 13 days to go before we ride!

Rock on!

Dookes

PS Listen to that Lambo engine at 18 seconds in the video, magic!