My European Roadtrip

[pitbull]

I had planned a road trip to France at the beginning of the year but it all depended on my wife's health.

She has osteoarthritis and there's no telling how she going to be from one day to the next. I moved the rear footboards back about 4 inches and this seemed to help, she felt a bit more comfortable on the bike.

We had left the ferry booking until a week before, not sure if I was taking the car or bike. Tina is not only my wife but my best friend and riding partner, and knowing how much pain she gets , I was really shocked when she said "You better book the bike onto the ferry".

The ferry from Dover to Calais was booked for 12:10pm on Thursday 1st September.

We left home 45 minutes late and did the 4 hour ride to the port at a good pace. I had intended to stop at a bikers café just before the port for a late breakfast but didn't have time.
I normally fill up the tank near the port but time was tight and we needed to book in asap, no problems, I could fill up in the town of Calais.

We booked in at the ferry and was told we were too late for our sailing and had to wait for the next one, it was only a 45 minute wait.

When we got on the ferry the bike had to be strapped down, here's my phat overweight ghurl in bondage. It looks like a shiney clean version of Dan's 


It was then time to say goodbye to England and the famous White Cliffs of Dover.



Once we arrived in Calais (France) it was time to find some gas. I headed for the town, as some of you may be aware, Calais has a huge migrant issue.
There is around 10,000 migrants in a shanti town on the outskirts of the port. They hang around in groups in the town and when I was there it actually felt quite insecure.
To me, it felt like I was in an old Charles Bronson film in the Bronx.

Anyway, the tank was full and we headed for Adinkerke in Belgium, only a 50 minute blast up the freeway.
In Belgium, the tobacco prices are only a quarter of what we have to pay in the UK so I always make a detour.

We finally arrived at our overnight hotel stop, we had covered 340 miles and it had taken us just under 12 hours which included multiple stops and 3 hours on the ferry.

In France, most of the "budget" hotels are in industrial areas, but the French industrial areas are very nice indeed.

This is the road through the industrial estate



And this was our "budget hotel" for the night, converting from the French Euro to the US Dollar, the cost was $50 for both of us.

[msb]

Thanks for posting, very cool to see a ride report from abroad. Hopefully more to come

[baldo]

Very cool. I've always envied Europeans having access to all those different countries.

The US is hugely diverse, but in a different way...still great, but different.

[pitbull]

We left the hotel on Friday morning, at 10am the temperature was already 80 degrees.

In front of us lay a 300 mile ride on boring freeways, but the Valkyrie ate the miles. I don't thrash the bike, I like to cruise.
The speed limit is 130kph (81 mph), I kept the bike singing along at just under 90mph on the speedo, 85 on the sat nav.

On French autoroutes (toll roads), there are rest areas every 15-20 miles, they are always spotlessly clean and a pleasure to stop in.

Because of the temps getting warmer, we were having to stop every 45 minutes or 50 miles to take on water and let Tina have a stretch and walk about.
Here's one we pulled into.



Some of the French toilets/ rest rooms still have the traditional French crappers, where you have to stand and squat.
I've always avoided using these because I'm scared I might slip and poke my arm down the hole. Or the "bog monster" will pop up and grab the twins.



We arrived at our second hotel in good time, a good shower was needed before heading out for an evening meal

Our second hotel.



Up and away on Saturday morning to our stay for the week, only a 175 mile ride, mostly on freeways again.

I use a dashcam in my car at home so I set it up on the bike, I took it off when I unloaded the bike and forgot about it for the rest of the week.
I did have some footage on the freeway going through the Mont Sion Tunnel, this tunnel is 3.1km (2 miles) long.

The freeway is boring and flat as you enter but when you exit it's like being in another world, it was a delightful surprise.
Here's the video, because it's a dashcam, the quality of video and sound isn't all that great, no GoPro for me  :'(

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GChtPXND71o

We arrived in the town of Annecy, the traffic was solid, the phat ghurl too phat to filter so it was hard going.
I have a temp gauge on my screen and with some engine heat the temp was reading 110 degrees.

Man it was hot.

We arrived at our campsite at 3pm where we had hired a small French "mobile home". It was a cozy little place and for the 7 nights cost around $250.

Here's our "pad" for the week.

[_Sheffjs_]

Thanks for posting and I always wondered how much of a struggle it is to go to the opposite side of the road that fast?  Been to many parts of the U.K. And once to France. Only saw the cliffs of Dover from our cruise ship on route to Norway. Would have loved to have a bike then but it was not to be.  Love love your f&c and no! No where in America do they make it like in the UK. We were there for 16 days and I had f&c 10 times!  

[Beardo]

Thanks for sharing. Keep them coming!

[pitbull]

Thanks for posting and I always wondered how much of a struggle it is to go to the opposite side of the road that fast?  Been to many parts of the U.K. And once to France. Only saw the cliffs of Dover from our cruise ship on route to Norway. Would have loved to have a bike then but it was not to be.  Love love your f&c and no! No where in America do they make it like in the UK. We were there for 16 days and I had f&c 10 times!  

Sorry Sheffjs, I'm completely lost with the "f&c" , no idea what it means

As for riding on the opposite side of the road, I first did it in 2011, after a few miles it felt natural.

I've now travelled about 8,000 miles in France and only made two mistakes, both at the end of a long day and being tired, and both in 2011.

I tend to make mistakes once I'm back in England. 

[pitbull]

Got up Sunday morning and was in no particular hurry to do anything.

We had a stroll down to the lake and then onto the supermarket for some supplies.

Lake Annecy is 9 miles long of clear blue water, it is supposed to be the cleanest lake in Europe, and looking at it, I don't disbelieve it. Absolutely stunning.

Lake Annecy



In the afternoon we took a short, 45 minute ride to the Gorges Du Fier.
There's a walkway bolted to the side of the gorge, it's not the Grand Canyon but it was definitely worth going, beautiful.





On the way out of the gorge I spotted an old Chateaux perched on top of the hill, it's great having a decent zoom on a camera.



Monday morning we woke up to heavy rain, temps still in the 80's tho.

I decided to wait for the rain to stop before heading out, the bad news was, it didn't stop til 3pm.

Couldn't be bothered to get out on the bike so ended up taking a walk along the cycle path which goes all the way around the lake.

I have never seen so many pedal cycles in my life, and, many many good looking girls on roller blades.
How I wish I was brave enough to take some pictures, I could have had a separate thread for Oss's French auditions.

I did take a couple of photos of the lake

[Valkorado]

Cool report and great pictures.  Funny how the French can even make an old mobile home look quaint!  From your packing job, your bike looks like the UK version of Dirty Dan's!

BTW, get yourself one of these.  You deserve it!

[Michvalk]

Beautiful place to vacation! The gorge picts were awesome! Hope there are more

[F-six]

I think he means fish & chips!

Great report, thanks. Reminds me that I have to undertake another big trip next year. Your pictures makes me getting itchy! Maybe I'll go to the UK next spring... Who knows.

 

[larue]

Sorry Sheffjs, I'm completely lost with the "f&c" , no idea what it means

thats fish and chips brother.
Thanks for the report, great pics

[pitbull]

Thanks for helping me with the f&c's , there's nothing like good old fish and chips.

We got up on Tuesday to some more stonking heat, up in the 90's again.

It was market day in Annecy, so that's where we headed. The aroma while walking the market is something else, there's stalls with meats, cheeses, herbs fruit and veg. The smell certainly arouses the taste buds.

Annecy is a fantastic place, very picturesque.







We hired a small boat to have a trip on the lake, definitely wished it had a few more horses in the engine.
I don't normally post pictures of me, but I'll make an exception for you guys.

Me with my good lady



Looking back at where we got the boat from.



After we finished messing around on the water, we boarded the Valk and took a ride completely around the lake, before heading back for a nice cold shower and an evening meal.

[pitbull]

Wednesday was a special day, it was 95f when we left for Val d'Isere, a ski resort in the Alpes.

We stopped for lunch in the village before the mountain climb.
Tina was a bit nervous as to what lay ahead. The Col de l'Iseran is the highest paved road in the Alpes.

It was a brilliant experience, tight hairpins, sheer drops of the side of the road and totally stunning views.

A day that will live with me forever.

At the top it was a cool 41f with a bit of snow still. The landscape was rugged with only a small church, gift shop and café.





Of course, I had to have a photo of the Valk up high.



or two



To keep Tina's mind off going back down, she took loads of photos.

Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeee or should it be ouiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii



No room for error up there.



A Dutch biker at the top asked me how I managed to get a bike as big as the Valk up to the top, I just said "You need to be brave" 

The turns were quite tight in places



Going back through Val d'Isere you could just smell the money.



On the way back to our campsite, we came across this lake, just had to stop and take some more snaps.

As Joe would say, the money shot.



This is probably one of the best photos taken all week,



Thursday we had to make a decision. Our ride back up through France was 400 miles, 6 1/2 hours in the saddle.
With the temp forecast at mid 90's and with the stops that would be needed the ride would be over 10 hours.
We made the decision to leave a day early and stop halfway in a hotel, we were so glad we did.

So Thursday was spent riding around looking for gifts to take home for family and friends, no photos were taken really.

We left the campsite Friday lunchtime and rode the 200 miles to our "extra" hotel.

Saturday was a more sedate ride to our overnight stop which was the same hotel we stopped at on our first night.
Left there at 8am Sunday morning, arrived at the ferry in good time and had a good meal on board.

The ride from the port to home was pretty uneventful and pulled into our home at 6pm.

Tina coped with the ride fantastically, sore some days, not too bad others. I'm so glad I have someone like her.

Tina was 50 last week, so as a treat, I'm taking her to Rome for 5 days, on a plane. Something I've not done before  , but as she made the effort to come away on the bike, I'll make an effort to leave terrafirma.

[Oss]

Outstanding ride report thread, that trip to the Alps is truly the stuff memories are made of.

We could use more of these kinds of threads so thanks so much Pitbull

Oss

Good luck shopping for hot tub   

[Hook#3287]

Excellent report

[Jess from VA]

Thank you for sharing your ride and pics.   

[old2soon]

The French scenery is STUNNING.  Driving a truck for a living has gotten me to all 50 States 2 Canadian Provinces and Old Mexico. Now I'm trying to add to the States run in on my Phatt Ghurl! Your Photos have awakened the Green Eyed Jeaulosy (sp?)  Monster in me.    RIDE SAFE.

[doc odin]

Hey Pitbull;
Thanks for posting these.  The picture of your bike with the backdrop of the lake is great! Looks like a great trip.
doc odin

 1997 green & cream tourer

[msb]

This is just a great ride report, Pitbull ... I'm thoroughly enjoying following it along. Beautiful pictures, what an experience

[hotglue #43]

What a great trip!  Thanks for letting us come along!!!!!!

[The emperor has no clothes]

Great post  Makes me remember our trip around Ireland. Going to have to check out Mainland Europe now.