Wedg1e
They call me Mr. Bodge-angles
- Messages
- 7,739
- Location
- Teesside, England
AND
Don't underestimate the social side of biking,I've joined a few new forums,been on a number of organised rides,travelled to quite a few bike nights etc
Its definetly more dangerous than a car, but so much more rewarding
My mates and I have for several years had what we call The Bombing Run, when we hit the Continent in a mad mile-munching, beer-swilling, pork-knuckle-noshing long weekend (well it started that way, we're up to 6 days now ) usually in late May but last year in early September. The general plan is to take in twisty roads and mountain passes; most of the guys have a vague interest in the Wars so we've managed to include the Arras memorial (to find one guy's grandad), Colditz castle, the Eagle's Nest, the Mohne dam, Arnhem, the Nuremburg courthouse ... and so many Alpine passes I've forgotten but including the obligatory Stelvio, Brenner, Grossglockner, Giovo and the infamous B500... we've tried to ride the road from the opening sequence of The Italian Job... watched Astons testing at the Nurburgring... nipped into the Czech Republic and had lunch in Prague... had wheel-bearing failure in Switzerland, speeding fines in Italy and shredded tyres in Austria... this year we've skipped it and are raiding Scotland instead (if the border's still open ) but plan to 'Bomb' through the Pyrennees next year.
Incidentally I ride a sodding great tourer so don't think this is all about head-down, ****-up Power Ranger heroics; we swap bikes and then spend hazy evenings verbally ripping each other's weapon of choice to bits One year we were based in Garmisch-Partenkirchen (it's a good spot for circular routes) and a couple of the guys fancied a day off so bimbled up the road to Schloss Neuschwanstein, the castle that inspired Disney's, ate ice-cream and took photos.
You probably wouldn't bother in the car...
Not from one of the boys' trips, here's one of the few photos I can find on this hard drive... me rolling on to the Gironde ferry a few years back, it was 32 degrees (Nursy was carrying my lid):
...and somewhere near Cap Cerbere on the Spanish border...