Finally got some miles in……part 2

I awoke bright and early next morning with the sun streaming thru the bedroom window and the sound of the farmer’s cockerel welcoming the day; I think my text to meJulie was “makes you glad to be alive” I certainly was.

I had a check around the cottage and noted the wasps were apparently still active though there was a lot more dead upstairs than on previous visit I could still hear activity in the roof space, looking up from outside it was confirmed they were still nesting in the roof, three bombs hadn’t done the trick, never mind there was grass to cut and a garden to tidy. I had a walk down the lane to our neighbour Regis where I found him in his garden, he informed me that this had been a bad year with too much rain during the day and no cloud at night so it had gone very cold, it’s usually the opposite here with clear sky daytime so it’s sunny and clouds and rain at night, perfect for farming and growing a small vegetable garden, but alas not this year, he did sort me two nearly ripe tomatoes and suggested I put them on my window sill “they will be ready in a day or two” and sure enough they were, tomatoes, you’ve not tasted tomatoes till you’ve tasted Regis’ tomatoes, I know his secret it’s fresh manure from the farmer but I don’t think about that when I’m eating them, sweet and as firm as they need to be to just bite into them and eat like a piece of fruit, lovely.

Only thing I had to do on this visit other than sort the garden was visit Paul and Rose in Le Dorat, I’d make a nice afternoon ride out of that tomorrow but for today I cut the grass and generally had a tidy, I’ll be hopefully spending more time here next year so want to get the garden sorted so it will be ready for me to start planting some vegetables early in the year, a few thing to sort but with the internet and communication nowadays it’s not always necessary to be where work is.

I got up on my ladder and stuck my head thru the velux window mid afternoon, and using a silicone gun filled under the loose roof tile the wasps were using as an access to the nest, I then spent the next 4 hours leisurely watching them removing said silicone and regaining access to the nest, when I inspected it the next day they had indeed dug another hole thru silicone and were again entering and leaving the nest and doing whatever wasps do in a roof nest. Next trip if they are still active I’ll bore a hole in the roof from inside and spray direct into the nest, that’ll be a blog worth reading, bet you can’t wait?

So Wednesday I visited Paul and Rose, managed to turn the 25 mile trip into 125 just tootling around via here there and wherever, had a couple of small beers and a steady ride home, tomorrow I will be taking it easy, I’ll have to decide whether to travel back thru the night France side to get the train am Friday or leave Friday morning to get late afternoon train and aim to arrive home about midnight.

So after a nights sleep and an early wake up call from meJulie it was decided, as I’ve said I enjoy riding in Europe but don’t look forward to riding in the UK so I opted for the set off early Friday 3am soI’ll be finishing my ride in the UK during daytime.  I also have promised myself a ride over to Llangollen for the 10^th anniversary of the VRCC UK and meeting of friends 3 Saturday, just to show my face and say hello, and ride some welsh hills that I’ve been promising to revisit for a  long time.

So Thursday was a tidy and a sleep on the hammock in the sun, had a late lunch of omelette and salad and a couple of hours sleep before setting off at 3 am for Calais. I’d reckoned 8 hours but if I pushed could probably get that down to 7 or even six, either way I’d make the midday train and as long as they didn’t make me wait for my allotted time I’d be home before dark. The first 150 or so miles is thru open country with roadside signs warning to watch for deer and wild boar as you travel thru the woods, I do slow thru these areas but really if you hit one at 50 or even 40 you’re not going to come out on top, I usually keep my speed down to that and so far have only seen one group cross the road in front on all my trips, first across was a large doe, more out of surprise I slowed but was glad I did when soon after a couple of fawns, big enough to do damage though and hurriedly trying to catch their mother, so far no real scares just means you have to be that little more alert than you might, and today I was again as on the ride down going thru these areas in the dark.

Soon the sun was up and it began to warm, the nearer to the coast I got the cloudier it became but other than a little drizzle as I approached Calais  it stayed dry.

Sure enough I made Calais with time to spare and took the opportunity to fill the tanks at the underground station, I’d switched to reserve at 340 miles and ran out shortly after so had put the spare gallon I carry in a container in the saddle bag in just south of Calais. Gas sorry petrol is no cheaper anymore in France, diesel is, a lot, but petrol is about the same but I chose to fill this side to give me a straight run home when I get off the other. I rode around to check in at the terminal and again was informed I could travel early if I paid an upgrade 20 euro, I could then leave in ½ an hour or I could wait 2 hours it was up to me, just don’t seem right but it’s the way it is. Every vehicle was sniffed at by the dogs at customs and more than usual were undercover being searched, heightened alert given the date, “we will never forget”.

So by 11 am I’m on the train and heading back to England, nice thing about travelling north is you arrive 15 mins before you leave as the clocks are 1 hour behind, see life, as complicated or as simple, I mean how’s that? The sun’s where it was or is both sides of the tunnel, nevermind.

The ride north was slightly more stressful than that south but then I was a lot more tired now, I stopped for a chicken wrap at Watford gap services, by this time the rain that had greeted me in Folkestone had abated and it looked like it would stay dry, so I removed the one piece rain suit and continued my northward trek. Numb bum set in about Birmingham but experience told me that another 15 minute break would only temporarily relieve it and it was probably going to return before too long so I may as well plod on, helped by the distraction of heavy traffic on the old M6 around Birmingham (decided to miss the toll, needed distracting) I continued my weary way. I was soon upon junction 19 at Mere. From there it’s only a couple of miles to home so I pushed on arriving at my destination just after 5 pm. Fish and chips, a cup of tea, a couple of hours in front of the box and an early night, I had to be up tomorrow at 6.30am if I was going to make the VRCC ride out for 9.30, here

As it was I was awake at 6 so got up and after a quick breakfast was ready for the off with time to spare. I was on the road again for 7.30, first stop was the local supermarket to fill the tanks then the nice leisurely ride down into Wales. When I set off it was raining, only just but enough that I thought I better get wrapped in my waterproofs, I was confident having seen the weather report that morning that the weather would break and we were in for a dry day, sure enough after only about 10 miles the rain stopped and the sun broke thru. I stopped at Chester services about the half way stage and took off my wet gear and with a smile on my heart rode the rest of the way looking forward to a nice dry days riding thru Wales.

Arrived at the hotel just after 9 where I found Bobbyvalk in the car park, what he was doing in the car park is his business and I’m sayin now’t, after a quick hello and acknowledgment it’d been a long time he took me into the dining room and introduced me, this gave everyone there the advantage over me as they all now knew who I was but I didn’t have a clue who they were. Walked down to help myself to breakfast and on seeing the fayre on offer I was to say the least tempted, however a strong will reminded me of my diet and I walked away without a plate, long gone the day I’d have filled it and gone back for more.

As organised as these events are it was time at 10am to mount up and head for them hills, there was a lunch stop scheduled at the half way point and Bob said as there was one or two cancelled there would be a spare plate of food so I could help myself, (meJulie’s sandwich would have to wait). As we sat in the car park waiting to leave, the decision was made to put the waterproofs on as though not yet raining it looked a little threatening. Ten minutes into the ride this proved to be a wise decision. That was the story of the day as far as the weather was concerned sunshine and showers, go over one hill and the sun was shining turn the corner and there was the rain. It was a shame really but I have to say Bobs ride scouting this last summer was well worth the effort, he took us thru some beautiful country and re introduced me to an area I had not visited for over 30 years and all only 70 – 80 miles down the road, I’ll go back when the suns shining and further explore.

You know for all I ride on my own (mostly) I truly enjoyed being in the middle of a very long line of valkyries as they made their way thru the welsh hills, looking forward and all I could see was valks and in the rear view mirror all I could see was, yep valks.

We travelled a couple of roads twice, don’t know if it was by design or accident and the sheep we past three times had quite a bemused look on their faces, but eventually we arrived at the venue for lunch, I sat at a table with a couple whose names I don’t remember but did say at the time I wouldn’t and he seemed ok with that, we had a chat about shipping a bike stateside and the cost (if your reading and want to contact I have some information that might be of interest) always happy to help.

So fed and watered I headed out to the car park and joined another group having a cig and a chat under a sheltered table, yes the rain was coming down this time fairly heavy, no really it was teaming down. I made the decision to head back to Manchester and not ride with the group back to the hotel, the ride had been shortened anyway and for me it was getting late, it had been a long week. I said farewell to Bob and watched the car park empty of valks. You know even though I am the owner of one of these fine machines I can fully appreciate the looks of admiration they attract especially when riding in a group, for a moment I was quite jealous until I remembered I was sat astride my Dragon, I pressed the start button and pointed the beast home.

A week riding alone finished off with a day in the rain riding with friends, even if I still don’t know half of them, enjoyed that, thanks.