Recap of 2019; Some memorable Motorbike Adventures

12th December 2019

I’ve started writing this on election day in the UK; its just 2 weeks to Christmas, its 6degs C outside and pouring with rain. The roads are cold, wet and covered in muck..the GS is sitting in the garage on trickle charge next to a heater to keep it warm :). Time I think to reflect and relive 2019’s adventures and work on the plan for 2020, which is already well advanced.

In 2019 I’ve ridden approx. 11,000 miles covering 7 countries including India, France, Belgium, Germany, Spain, Wales, Ireland and some of the best parts of England.

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The highlight of the year was definitely the trip to India in February to ride through Rajasthan in the North on a Royal Enfield Bullet 500. The trip was guided by Narendra Singh, CEO of Indian Rides and I rode with my American buddies Fred and Bo. We had a great time riding our motorbikes, eating curry, drinking Kingfisher beer, enjoying the wonderful sights and meeting lots of friendly local people in this fascinating country. We finished the trip with a visit to the fabulous Taj Mahal. If you haven’t already, check out my earlier Posts on this great trip.

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The next trip was to Wales in April. 7 of us ignored the weather forecast and set off for the Brecon Beacons. The weather stayed dry for 2 days, although it was rather chilly; we had some fantastic riding in mid Wales & Snowdonia and only on the 3rd day on our way home did the rain make an appearance. A great few days that we all enjoyed; we love Wales 🙂

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The next trip was to Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way at the end of May. I had been planning it for many months and the group included Fred and his cousin Kevin from the USA, plus Jon & Pete from the UK; we had all met up and ridden together on the Thailand/Laos trip in February 2018. John & Pete would join us for the first few days in Wales then Fred, Kevin and myself would head across to Ireland to ride the Wild Atlantic Way from just below Cork all the way up to Sligo. It would turn out to be an eventful trip!

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The rain on this trip started on day one as we rode to Wales..it rained every day for the next 10 days!!! 🙁 Just after lunch on day one the rain must have got into Fred’s VStrom and it stopped in the Brecon Beacons, electrical fault that we couldn’t fix; no option but to get the bike recovered to our hotel for the night in Rhayader. The bike was rented and thankfully Fred managed to get a replacement late on the next day, a Triumph Sprint sports/tourer, and we would be able to continue our trip to Ireland. 🙂

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The scenery was great, but the roads were often narrow and windy and my route planning did include the odd interesting track! Fred hated his Triumph, but the incessant rain, wind and cold was always forgotten in the evening when we had found a nice pub with good beer and music and lots of friendly Irish people 🙂

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We were on our way to Killarney one day, it was wet as usual, and my Garmin had taken us down a particularly nasty muddy little lane with grass growing down the middle of the road. Fred managed to dump his Triumph in the hedge right outside a very friendly and, as it turned out, very helpful family’s house! His bike was not rideable, as one of the foot pegs had been snapped off ! Luckily they had a 4 wheel drive and a trailer to put the bike on and took Fred to our hotel in Killarney. Kevin & I continued to ride the Ring of Kerry in the pouring rain and strong wind. By the time we got to the hotel Fred had “fixed” his bike..he’s an ingenious guy 🙂

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Fred’s fix enabled us all to complete the full ride of the Wild Atlantic Way that we had planned and then ride the motorway from Sligo across to Dublin for the ferry to Wales..it rained and rained (now we know why Ireland is so green); thankfully I had told the guys to bring their wet riding gear!

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Finally when we got to Wales the sun was out and we were able to enjoy a beer in the evening sun. The trip was certainly eventful, but in spite of the rain we enjoyed Ireland and it certainly improved our wet riding skill 🙂

June was taken up with a family visit from my son and our two grandchildren over from the USA and days out riding in the Cotswolds and some great new routes through parts of the East Midlands, Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire. I wanted to do a longer solo trip in the UK to find some great new roads and decided in July to check out Yorkshire and the North Pennines for a few days.

A quick blast up the A1/A1M, then exit at Harrogate and you are in the Yorkshire Dales. I stayed first night in a place called Greta Bridge, just on the border with the Nth Pennines and had a great ride the next day across the moors and then back down into the Dales and a second night at Harrogate.

On the 3rd day home via the Peak District to the South, including the infamous Snake Pass. Great scenery and some good roads, but far too much traffic for my liking as the area is bordered by Sheffield on one side and Manchester on the other. Definitely will do this trip again in 2020; such great roads and scenery further North, but would miss out the Peak District next time.

August was the next big trip to the Pyrenees and then back via the South of France. This was a 4,500 mile trip and I would spend the first 10 days with Bernard, Stu, Garry, Mike & Steve; then head off on my own through France to visit friends in Provence, then ride the Route Napoleon and some other great roads back to the Eurotunnel at Calais.

We spent a week criss crossing the Pyrenees from France to Spain and back again; fantastic roads, brilliant scenery..not a pothole to be seen!! Good food and inexpensive wine as well. No wonder we keep going back each year 🙂

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I parted company with the others in Millau and headed East through the Cevennes and over the famous Mt Ventoux, then down the Route Napoleon to Castellane and the Gorge du Verdun on the way to Cannes. Fantastic scenery again and great roads.

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I rode back up the Route Napoleon from Cannes and peeled off below Grenoble towards Chamaloc to ride a new pass that I had heard about, the Col de Rousette. WOW! this was fantastic..check out the video. (sorry about the wind noise, but it was blowing a gale at the top)

I continued North via Lyon and Les Vosges, then through Germany into Belgium and spent my last night in Antwerp, a really lovely city; then on to Eurotunnel and home. This was great trip 4,500 miles in 15 days through some of the best countryside and roads in Europe. 🙂 But I did have a speeding ticket from our French friends waiting when I got home!!

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A group of us had planned to go back to Wales before the end of the year but the weather was terrible and heavy rain was forecast so we cancelled. However Bernard and I decided to take a chance in October and ride North to Yorkshire and the North Pennines as our last trip for 2019. We did catch some rain but it didn’t spoil our fun on the great roads across the moors; I’m glad we went and we’ll be back in 2020 for sure when the sun is out 🙂

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So that’s it for 2019, winter is here and its time to lay up the GS. It was a great year with some memorable adventures ridden and I cant wait for 2020.

Finally, I’d like to wish Happy Christmas and Best Wishes for New Year to all those who might have read any of my 2019 ramblings and I hope you will continue to follow my Adventures in 2020; I have some great trips planned 🙂