Decided to scout the Belonga Mick ride in “real” time this trip out, so I set off at 06.30, looking to arrive at the euro tunnel for 11.20, 276 miles and 4 ½ hrs, I’d booked the 12.20 train just in case but would hope to be able to get the 11.20 in October, gives us more time France side to push further south before we have to stop for the night.
Also you may remember from my last trip I’ve been suffering with my knees and wrist so wanted to make sure I could “go the distance”
I just made the tunnel in time to get the 11.20 but to air on the side of caution, think I’ll set off ½ hour earlier in October.
From Calais France France
Gerberoy
From there to Dreux and my hotel for the night, at £17 I wasn’t expecting much but it was clean and close to a Campanile for dinner, again had it scheduled for 18.30 arrival and got there just before six,, I took my time and enjoyed some nice roads. In October we’ll be meeting with some French riders around the Gerberoy mark and riding with them, this will add time to the trip, shaking hands to say hello and farewell when there’s twenty or so can take time but heck we’re in France
Got my usual 9 o’clock call from meJulie, this was not the usual chit chat about our day, this time she had some important news. We put our house on the market a few weeks ago and a couple had come back for a second viewing the day before I left, anyway long one short they put an offer in, 3 actually, until meJulie finally said yes” that’s the figure we’re looking for, we had only chatted the day before about what that figure would be and what it would entail re items left, we were happy to accept.
However, while yes we wanted to sell the house we didn’t expect it to be so quick (within 4 weeks), I had some decisions to make as I took a leisurely ride thru France
When I got up and went out to load the bike I had to do a double take……………..
Hadn’t drunk anything over dinner last night so it couldn’t be the after effects of a good night.
It had been recommended I travel “thru” rather than around some of the towns on my way down, it was just short of two hundred miles, I took my time and did just that, Octobers going to be a great sight seeing tour, beautiful tis all I can say, my fellow Valkers that will be coming down with me then are in for a treat, and you my friends, oh I won’t forget you, I’ll post pics and more then but don’t want to spoil it by doing that before the main event
Passing Blois I was reminded of my last trip and a story I didn’t tell, briefly I filled the tanks in Blois last trip and must have got some bad gas in there as for the next 400 miles the dragon would only run on full choke, problems stated about 5 miles out of Blois and continued, kept topping the tank every 100 and each time it got slightly better, then before I left for home I put about 4 gals in and she once again ran sweat, had me worried I’ll tell you, but that was then, funny how we forget life’s little hiccups, always remember the good time.
Valkyrie 400 mile range
I can now confirm that my Dragon will go 400 miles before I have to put gas in the tank(s). Yes got belly tank and it’s a standard with an interstate tank, but 400 miles and counting is a big ask of a six cylinder being fed by 6 individual carbs.
Way back in 07 I visited Mario moto down in Italy, this guy was modifying the standard gearbox and effectively making fifth gear into an overdrive, short and long, forth gear goes on forever, then whenever you like knock it into fifth and watch them revs drop. I cruise at 70 / 80 and turn 2500 rpm easily achieving over 40 to the gallon, (were talking UK UK UK US
Admittedly to get the best mileage and when I’m touring I usually meander along at the 60/65 mark, comfortable and economical.
There are a few bikes out there with this mod, some I’ll bet don’t even know they are riding it, maybe they are second owners, it does have it’s down sides and takes time to get used to, sometimes I wish I didn’t have it, especially on the twistyies but as soon as I stop to refuel I’m glad I do.
So you say you’d like a bike with a sixth gear or long fifth, it’s been done, might still be available, maybe someone from Italy could advise, is Mario still working his magic?
Been analyzing why I ride and had a thought was reading on FB or someplace people saying what they’d do if they won the lotto, me I’d ride.
Just ride, not to go anyplace not to see anything just ride, I had a choice this year, (lucky man) I could schedule my season anyway I wanted, rallies meets or just ride, I chose to just ride.
Why not rallies with fiends, they have ride outs, don’t they? Yes sure they do but it’s usually a short blast or parade some place and 2 hrs of sitting telling lies then another ride back to base camp, me? I’d sooner spend the lying time riding. Does that make me a funny bugger? Maybe, I just want to ride.
So if I won the lottery what would I do? Ride, safe in the knowledge that when I got hungry I could eat, when I got tiered I could sleep and when I needed gas I could fill the tanks, all without having to look for a cheap diner, a cheap gas station and a flee pit of a motel, that’s all I want to do, ride.
Was just thinking that’s all, different stroke for different folks, me I like to ride.
So that was my trip south to Belonga Mick, arrived to grass that was ready to cut and weather that was going to allow me to cut it, so I spent a leisurely evening cutting grass and grilling on the BBQ.
Next day it was decision time, I had booked to stay 14 days but now with the house sale I couldn’t afford to be away that long so had to return to the UK
I spent the next couple of days finishing the plastering in the end house and not a bad job it was when finished, then a quick visit to Paul and Rose to collect the van and I returned to the UK France
Now where we at,
This weekend is East meets West, hope the rain stays off for that, got some friends staying at ours and will be picking some riders up along the way, be nice if we could see the 20 valk mark at a northern meeting reached. We only started organising local events three years ago, from a usual 2 of us on a meet at the barn, we can now sometimes get into double figures, important to know your fellow enthusiast, especially when the bikes are getting old, we can poll knowledge and resources should we ever have a problem, with continuing support the northern arm of the VRCC-UK will go from strength to strength.
First week of July it’s our annual holiday and although again we have cut it short we will still be touring thru France Italy
More to come, aint life interesting, been thinking about facebook as well lately, (too much time in the saddle), I think it will be the death of social groups, too many people across to many groups, spreads it all a bit thin, maybe I’ll explain more another time, but for now from a VRCC perspective I think the main boards, US and UK need our support, along with others more permanent sites such as VOAI, http://valkyrie-owners.com/SMFORUM/index.php
And wolf clan, http://www.timbrwolf.websitetoolbox.com/
but I’ll save all that for another day, sure I’ve bored you enough for now, check back soon, you never know when I might have something else to share.
And remember
The roads you don’t know……………may become the ones you love the most
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