4th January 2019
Just back from Xmas & New Year in San Francisco, having stayed with our son and his American wife and our two very boisterous grandchildren. 2 degs C in UK today, I have a rotten cold and am jet lagged…BUT 2019 is here; a new riding year beckons and my mind turns to thoughts of distant locations that will offer some great new adventures 😎
The winter months are the time for research and planning..I’ve been busy and 2019 is taking shape; three biking adventures are already booked, plus one road trip by car with Mrs M!!
February 19 INDIAN Adventure. The British winter drags on for months; so my thoughts turn to riding a motorbike somewhere warm and interesting instead. For the last 4 years I have travelled to the Far East during February and enjoyed some great riding experiences in Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar. For 2019 I think it’s time for a change! In the 1990s I went to India on business and I’ve always wanted to return one day. What better way than to mix some warm sun with motorbikes and curry and go riding in India this February?!😎👍
London to New Delhi 
1500ml tour of Rajasthan
Our tour company 
Royal Enfield Bullet 500
After researching several tour operators in Rajasthan I chose to go with Narendra Singh the CEO of https://www.indianrides.com/. He came over to the UK and had a stand at the NEC Motorcycle Show in Nov 18; it was good to meet him in person before deciding. He is a motor biker himself and understands that we go to ride and sightseeing comes second. On this trip I will be accompanied by 2 Americans…Fred Dion, whom I met on the Thailand trip this time last year; he is bringing a friend, Bo Harper, so there will be 3 of us (all experienced riders) and I asked Narendra to put together a custom package for a group of just the 3 of us and make sure to choose a route that ensures we experience the REAL India.
We will ride on Royal Enfield Bullet Classic 500s, which are now made in India. The trip is approx. 1500miles and takes in everything from desert, to forests, hills and mountains. Rajasthan is known as the “Royal State” and is home to some of the most beautiful forts and palaces..some of which we will be staying in 🙂 We will start in New Delhi on 2nd February and go by car out of the big city to pick the bikes up, then the riding starts and 1500 miles later we finish in Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan. From there we go by car to Agra to see the Taj Mahal (would be a shame not to while we are so close) and then back to New Delhi, 15 days and 14 nights in all. The temperature should be mid 20degsC during the day, but might be chilly in the evening…much better than the cold and grey UK in February…and with curry every night 😎👍 what more could a biker want 🙂
If any of you have watched videos of the total traffic chaos that occurs in the cities and on many roads in India then you’ll know that this trip could be a VERY INTERESTING ADVENTURE…😎..so stay tuned for reports along the way 🙂
May 19..The Highlands of Scotland…with the roof down!When I came back from the 2017 bike trip to Scotland I promised Ann, my very understanding and supportive wife, that I would take her to the Highlands one day. She will not come with me on the GS, but she does like to travel with the top down in my little black beauty, the Merc SLK55 AMG. So we are slipping in a 1300ml road trip to take in the very best of the Scottish Highlands and stay in some nice hotels for a few days. 👍
Scotland 2019 
Its great with the roof down
Late May/Early June 19..WALES & IRELAND Adventure…Throughout 2018 I have kept in touch with the guys I met on the Thailand trip via our WhatsApp group; apart from Fred there are another two Americans, it was mentioned that they were thinking of coming over here in 2019 to visit Ireland. Somebody suggested doing it on a motorbike, then someone else suggested doing Wales and Scotland as well!! So I started researching to see how much we could viably fit in during a 14day period. I have never travelled in Ireland, apart from business visits to Dublin & Cork over the years ..and I had never heard of “The Wild Atlantic Way” until I found a website dedicated to motorcycle touring in Ireland. The route runs around the coast for 1600 miles from just below Cork in the South to Derry in the North. It takes in many of the best known towns in Ireland and most of the spectacular scenery that Ireland has to offer. Make sure to check out this motorbiking video..The Ring of Kerry https://youtu.be/oOwwLd_YqfA
My brief was to put a route together that would enable the guys to enjoy good roads on the way to Ireland; so it had to be via Wales 🙂 We will ride from my house through the Brecon Beacons and Black Mountains to spend a couple of days riding in mid and north Wales; we’ll be joined by Jon & Pete, the other Brits on last year’s trip. Then my American friends and I will get a ferry from Fishguard to Rosslare in Ireland and ride the Wild Atlantic Way up to Sligo, before returning from Dublin to Holyhead and enjoying the best roads in Snowdonia then riding home. All in all a great route with great roads and a chance to enjoy the very best of Irish hospitality on the way..BUT it probably will rain, so better be prepared! 🙂
August/September 19.. Adventure. France to the Pyrenees and back..loved the Pyrenees so much in 2018 our group are coming back for more..but instead of the 24hr overnight ferry we’ll be riding all the way this time. 🙂 The group will be pretty much the same as last year; Bernard, Stuart, Gary, Mike and me, but joined by Steve who couldn’t make it last year.
We will get the short ferry from Portsmouth to Le Havre in France and then ride a D road route down through France entering the Pyrenees near Andorra; from there Bernard has planned a route Westwards across the Pyrenees taking in all the very best roads, and then riding back Eastwards again criss crossing between the French and Spanish sides before heading North on the way back to Le Havre. Only the very best roads with be ridden 🙂
Being retired I have more time available than the others and therefore I need not rush back, so I will leave the group after Millau and take a leisurely route back; probably staying with friends at Rasteau, in the Cotes du Rhone wine region of France and then moving on to the Gorges du Verdon near Castellane, which I have always wanted to ride. Then back to Calais via the Route Napoleon and various non Mway routes passing through Luxembourg and the Belgian Ardennes, in all about 2500-3000 miles in total. Should be great 😎
So, 2019 is already taking shape nicely and I’ll be visiting plenty of new places, experiencing different cultures and riding a great variety of roads and landscapes; for me this is what motorcycle adventuring is all about and doing it with a group of like minded people. One of the main challenges will no doubt be avoiding “Delhi Belly” during the trip to India in February..stay tuned and you can find out how it goes 😎 🙂
Wishing a Happy New Year to you all
👍