Our company has an annual visit to the Oktoberfest (s) in Munich and Stuttgart, mainly because we are too busy around Christmas to have a celebration, also because it is a lot of fun. My friend (Ron) and I decided that as an alternative to flying, we would ride and make the journey a little more interesting........
I was on the Multistrada, he was on a (Meriden) Triumph Thunderbird.....
The first morning was misty at first light, but by the time we reached Dover the sun was bright and the Channel beckoned........
Except Ron had forgotten both his passport and driving licence, so he went off home to fetch them (a 500 mile round trip!)
We arranged to meet at our first overnight in Belgium.
To the Channel....
Tied down on board the catamaran
Riding alone, I find that I don't stop as often as I might, but the townn square in Ypres (Ieper) was well worth stopping for.......
So on to the hostel in Namur, grabbed a bite and a couple of beers, had a snooze and waited for Ron.........he arrived at 06.30, last breakfast was at 09.30 and we had to be out by 10!
The morning was misty, but clearing fast. We made our way up to the Citadelle, home of the finest motocross track in the world......
The road up to it is pretty good too!
We spent some time chatting to this guy who used to race motocross in europe and is still friends with the great Joel Robert.
He insisted on taking our photo too
From Namur we moved on to Stavelot, close to Spa, there is a museum dedicated to the race track in the old abbey.
Market square
In the museum
Shaft drive bicycles
From Stavelot we went to Spa and got ourselves next to the track at Blanchimont. Luckily there were some historic F1 cars racing, the sound of Cosworth DFV's changing down and banging on the overrun was stunning.
Time was beginning to press, so we had to press on to reach our overnight in Koblenz, Germany, passing via the Nurburgring.
Not too busy to stop for frites though..
The hostel in Koblenz is a great place to stay, it is in an old fort high above the town, directly above the confluence of the Rhine and Mosel rivers
Off toward Stuttgart, following the Rhine along it's eastern bank. Slow progress as there was another photo around each bend.......
Had to get to Stuttgart to meet the rest of the troops for the Cannstatter Volksfest and the odd beer. On checking into the hotel, I gave the bike the once over and
Bugger! We found a bike shop within 200m and arranged for a new hoop for the morning.
As beer and cameras are not good bed fellows, there are no photo's!
A fast and uneventful run to Munich and 4 days at the Oktoberfest.
Taken with a 'phone....
Now this is a Beer tent!
The fairground rides are brilliant (and the official reason we are there)
These travelling rollercoasters
From Munich we headed south into Austria, but the sunshine had deserted us. It rained constantly, until we crossed the border then it became white fluffy rain
So we hit the motorway to Bodensee
And on to Freiburg for our overnight. The next morning seemed brighter so off into the Black Forest for some interesting roads. Climbing a twisty near to Waldkirch it began to drizzle, then the road became a little slippery and then a lot slippery
We thought that we were in deep shit but as we crested the summit the snow stopped and the descent was just wet
An executive decision and back onto the slab to reach Arras, France for the night. Schlepping along the motorway, about 50 miles south of Luxembourg, I saw a cloud of smoke in my mirrors. Hazards on, hi-vis on, take a look. Should that hole be in that piston? Probably not! Sort recovery, ensure all is OK then head off alone to France.
The ever helpful French have closed the hostel for the weekend (good job we had booked then!) Oh well, off to the F1.
On the homeward leg, the weather was again crap but I used my day visiting some 1st World War cemeteries. Very moving.
So off to Boulogne for the ferry - cancelled owing to the weather - so off to the tunnel and home.
2,587 miles and loads of fun, roll on next year!
