Wednesday 15th January 2020
As we started 2020 it dawned on me that I passed my test and got my first motorbike 55 years ago!! I retired 6 years ago and in 2016 someone suggested that I should start a blog to record the increasing numbers of adventures that I was riding and planning; seemed like a good idea and I only expected family and friends to view it. Since 2016 the blog has surprisingly received literally 1000s of views, with visitors from 26 different countries in 2019 alone!
Up to now I’ve only posted short videos taken on my iPhone, or on bike footage taken by someone else. Well as we start the new decade I think its time for this old dog to learn some new tricks..so I’ve bought myself an Action Camera 🙂
I’ve entered the crazy world of resolution, frame rates, camera mounts, accessories and video editing applications etc. Thank God for YouTube! there is a lot to learn; there are many useful tutorials on how to get started and plenty of advice on how to actually make an interesting video..there is a lot more to it than just fixing the camera to the bike and riding off! My plan is to record some on bike footage and stitch together with photos to give followers a view of the good, bad and ugly parts of my upcoming adventures. I shall keep the blog going as I enjoy recalling and writing up my exploits; I think it will complement the video well to fill in the detail about the trip, whilst the video will help bring it all to life. I did a quick trial video the other day to check out the camera, its on my YouTube channel https://youtu.be/03AXMK021QA This year I have some great trips booked to interesting places which should create the chance for some good video, assuming I get the hang of it…
2020 Adventures already planned and booked
February..Thailand
In just a few weeks time I will fly to Chiang Mai in Northern Thailand to meet up with Fred & Bo, my American buddies whom I rode with in India this time last year.
We will spend 10 days riding Vstrom 650s on all the best roads in the hills and mountains of Northern Thailand. We will ride with a group of others led by Jeff and Duncan from TBB Tours; this will be my 5th tour with these guys https://www.thailandmotorcycle.tours/about/. |Thailand is a great country; friendly people, good food, good beer, great roads AND nice and sunny, 30degsC in February 🙂 Should be able to get some good video footage!
June 2020 – The BIG ONE..Eastern Europe and Romania
I went to Romania back in 2014 with my friend Bernard; this was before I started the blog and in those days we were able to put our bikes on an overnight sleeper train from Netherlands to Slovenia, which saved at least 2 days riding each way. Unfortunately there are no such trains running these days 🙁 but I’ve always wanted to go back to experience more of Eastern Europe and looking on the bright side it means I get to ride some of the best roads and mountain passes in Germany, Austria and Slovenia on the way. 🙂
This is going to be a big trip, 4500 miles over 15 days. I will ride down solo over 5 days to Dubrovnik, on Croatia’s Adriatic coast, where I meet up with Bernard; he will have ridden down a week or so before and spent a few days touring with his wife; she will fly back home on the day I arrive, then Bernard and I will spend the next 10 days riding together. The route I have planned will take us through Montenegro, across Serbia to Romania; we will then spend 5 days riding in Romania, including the famous Transalpina and Transfagaran highways in the Carpathian mountain range. We will be staying at several of Romania’s medieval towns and cities and finally will exit up in the North to ride across Hungary to Bratislava in Slovakia as we start to head home. From there we will hit the motorways through Austria and Germany, into Belgium and spend our last night in Antwerp. From there to the Eurotunnel at Calais and back to UK and round the M25.
I took this photo back in 2014 on my last visit; once you get outside the major towns you see lots of horses and carts and people working with their hands in the fields. Romania is a fascinating place.
August 2020 – The Picos, Portugal, The Pyrenees and France
It seems a group of us now make an annual pilgrimage to the Pyrenees; the roads are so good, scenery is spectacular and away from the touristy areas you can get great value for food, drink and lodging. This time 5 of us will take the overnight ferry from Portsmouth to Bilbao in Northern Spain; we will then ride through the beautiful Picos d’Europa mountains down into Portugal and back across Spain to the western end of the Pyrenees in France. From there we will ride East through the Pyrenees, skirting Andorra and up to Millau. From there 4 of us will ride further east through the Cevennes and into Provence to pick up the famous Route Napoleon. Then North up past Lyon and through Les Vosges to spend our last night in the town of La Petite Pierre, then on to Calais Eurotunnel and home. In all 3000 miles+ over 14 days.
UK 2 & 3 day trips- Wales, Yorkshire & Pennines and maybe Lake District
In between the 3 big trips I’ll be hoping to fit in a couple of short trips; Wales is a must and also back to Yorkshire and the North Pennines; great roads and scenery and would like to do them in the dry this time:)
For those of you who may be wondering, its great being retired and having the time to enjoy my passion for riding; I do also have a very understanding and supportive wife who is happy to see the back of me for a couple of weeks now and again.. and YES I do also make time for us to go away together. 🙂
Finally, writing this post has got me thinking about motorbiking and what it means to me. It made me recall a seminar I went to last year where one of the topics was “Happiness” and took a look at the steps which would contribute to someone’s happiness..I think the top 2 are particularly relevant to me and to other bikers:
1) Have a passion which consumes you when all else fails. Motorbiking is a passion which when everything around you is stressful or not going well, as soon as you get on your bike and ride away your mind clears and the riding consumes your mind and the stresses and strains of everyday life fade away..you are having fun and happy again. 🙂
2) Become a leaf on a tree. This means being part of a network connected by a common thread; a sense of belonging and being with like minded people. Motorcycling is a perfect example of a fraternity sharing a common interest. We acknowledge each other on the road with a nod, or a wave, and its great to know that if something happens along the road, wherever you are, a biker will stop to see if you need help..its happened to me a number of times in UK and abroad. I’ve also helped others.
So thank you for following my ramblings and I hope you’ll continue to tune in to see how my big trips go in 2020 AND to view the videos I hope to produce 🙂
RIDE SAFE EVERYONE
