Tog Tour 2009

Much drink was drunk
Much food was eaten
Much bullocks was talked.

It was a good one again. Plus, on the way back, I got to be a tourist and
saw the Eiffeltower.

Merci beaucoup, Monsieur ToG

 

I ended up going back via Paris[1] not being able to find the road I
wanted to Chantres. Bike appeared to sue no oil going down or coming
back but about 100 miles hooning a bit following Champ yesterday saw
quite a bit vanish.

ditto

[1] **** me what a tedious slog that is.

 

Yer welcome. And in other
We've added *another* hotel to the list of establishments we've managed
to drink out of beer on the first night. The guv'nor was visibly
impressed.

The neighbouring bar, too: I think we've put their kids through school.

Decent hotel, lovely staff, a lot of serious on and off road lunacy. I
had a great time.

 

Didn't her face change when we came back on Saturday. She was miserable
as sin on Friday but dancing on Saturday.

 

Who left some half digested duck on the car-park opposite the hotel, I
wonder?

 

Dover to home (300 miles) in 3 1/2 hours with 3 petrol stops.

Not bad at all.

I'm utterly fucking knackered, but had a great time & some rather serious
speed

--


Nige,

BMW K1200S
Range Rover Vogue
Aprilia RSV Mille

 

Bastard, you never stopped in for a cup of tea en route past M20
junction 11.

 

Was Crowther among the party?

--
Ivan Reid, School of Engineering & Design, _____________ CMS Collaboration,
Brunel University. Ivan.Reid@[brunel.ac.uk|cern.ch] Room 40-1-B12, CERN
GSX600F, RG250WD "You Porsche. Me pass!" DoD #484 JKLO#003, 005
WP7# 3000 LC Unit #2368 (tinlc) UKMC#00009 BOTAFOT#16 UKRMMA#7 (Hon)
KotPT -- "for stupidity above and beyond the call of duty".

 

AOL

The French Wildlife Alliance tried to take me out with one of their
kamikaze sparrows about 10km from Pithiviers. Little bugger hit me in
the chest and the last I saw of him was a pile of feathers going up
over my visor.
--
Richard

XJ900S
BOTAFOT #138, YTC#18, OMF#12

Email-remove insult to reply

 

Heh. With us, it was a flock of pigeons that suddenly upped sticks from
a field. We missed them, but I dunno how.

Years and years ago, I the same thing happened with a large flock of
starlings as I barreled through on the Ducati. I collected at least
three and Richard Giles (I think), following, said the slipstream set up
a *perfect* double vortex which resulted in two spirals of confused
starlings, whirling in my wake.

 

3h 15m to York. I took it easy following Ant up the M20 and saw a couple of
Plods, M11 seemed clear so ragged it all the way home. F cold for the last
hour mind.

 

I was cold too, the M11 was very busy for me, but the cars just melted away,
shagged i was

--


Nige,

BMW K1200S
Range Rover Vogue
Aprilia RSV Mille

 

Sarah got quite cold over the last hour to home, but that was mostly in
Centigrade.

 

I remember that double vortex, I was one or two bikes behind you at
the time. I think they were sparrows though, but size isn't everything
as Ali tells me. Thanks for organising this one, it was very
enjoyable.We had a 190 mile trip to Dieppe last night and had a nice
evening on the harbour side. Then a 12 mile ride home from Newhaven
this morning having caught the 5am ferry.

 

Not making any rude comments about all the Gendarmerie memorabilia or
her son being a 'flic' probably helped too ;-)

 

wat hij zei

 

+1

If it's any consolation, it's cold and overcast here in Pyrenees
Atlantiques, and the computer has the keyboard all arse-backwards.

Half the trees in les Landes have been uprooted, there are stacks of
logs along the side of the N10 for miles.

 

Seconded (or probably 33rd-ed).

 

Me too.

I'd clocked up over 1100 miles by the time I got home. Even with
nearly 400 being in the UK, that's still decent mileage en France.

I've come up with some awards:

The "Interesting Route Planning" Award
Winner : Ogden
Jesus the route down was tortuous. I started to question its sanity
when were on a single track ribbon of tarmac, especially as Hog was
leading at that point, so we were doing 120mph. And then we lost
Statto. And we took about 4 hours to do the first half of the
distance. But it was bloody good fun all the same. Once we came out of
the boondocks we said **** it, and cruised along a typically deserted
French dual carriageway at 130, so still arrived at the hotel with
time to dress for dinner.

The "Fearless Pillion" Award
Winner: Mark Reid's missus (referred to here as 'A', as is the custom)
For some odd reason (see below) Ogden gave his route plan to me, so I
led off. The roads were 'interesting', and I was having fun, so
wasn't hanging about. As one point we were negotiating 1st gear
hairpins between 110mph straights, and Mark was happily holding
station behind me, with A seemingly happy as larry [1]. Later in the
day we were crusing at 130, and A was equally happy. I don't think
I've ever met a more fearless pillion.

The "Too Blind to Read a Road Sign" Award
Winner: Your Truly
It started poorly, with me getting on the wrong m-way at Calais. To
be fair, I was expecting a sign to say Rouen, or Amiens, or anything
instead of just Boulogne. Anyway, after a 30 miles detour I managed
to get onto the right m-way, and met up with Oggers and Hog. Then,
reading his route map, I missed about 3 or 4 turnings in a row,
leading the crocodile behind me on several u-turns. And I even missed
a fucking sign on the 'leisure' ride out on the Saturday.

The "Unlikeliest Drunk" Award
Winner : Donald (Dozynsleepy)
Like some sort of comic book hero, Donald turns from a quietly-spoken,
mild-mannered chap, to a heroic drinker when there's an open bar. On
both nights I think he was the last to allow the bar staff to take to
their beds. On the Friday, tag-teaming with Higgins, he supervised my
downfall by encouraging me to drink Armagnac. Or 'Almanac' as I
pronounced it at after a couple.


[1] Who *was* Larry, and what did he have to be so happy about?

 

Using the patented Mavis Beacon "Hunt&Peck" Technique, Champ

She's a remarkable lady, but the "fearless" thing is hardly noteworthy.

After all, she's lived with Mark for a number of years.

It really was a very pleasant weekend, wasn't it? Thanks for the
"Weather god" thing, BTW. Sitting getting pleasantly pissed in the
sunshine in Saturday afternoon was... ver' ver' nice.

--
Wicked Uncle Nigel - "He's hopeless, but he's honest"

I have already made the greatest contribution to the fight against climate
change that I can make: I have decided not to breed. Now quit bugging me and
go and talk to the Catholics.