An evening of fun and festivities

Long day in the sun, followed by an evening of socialising may be fine with nothing else to do,  but when we still have  a week of traveling to do,  not so good.

When the big group returned from their ride out yesterday, everyone gathered, despite a wee bit of rain, outside to drink and blether.   
We were all changed into our Tartan, be it kilts or trews and the team Polo shirt,  very smart indeed.  Posed for may "Kodak moments" and then did out Irn Bru line

up, 
Once the Commonwealth Games get under way this might make more sense.

A superb selection of nibbles arrived, however, as they say, if you are not fast you are last, so by the time our squad reached the trays there was little left,  however as we were going for dinner it did not matter.

The evening meal was preceded by speeches, interrupted by speeches and presentations and followed by more speeches !!!   
We were able to present the Italian IPA President with and engraved Quaich and whisky and received a Pennant.

At this point, I chose to leave and head for bed,  however Iain, our accordionist was about to play into the wee sma hours to entertain the assembled body, so I seem to have missed out again.

But,  now about to have breakfast before heading off again on the Steed of Steel, which turned out to be the oldest bike here at the Rally.

The Bells were ringing

Having a quiet day today after yesterday's efforts and to let the back get straightened.
Sun is not just shining,  it is very hot and we have been on  the  loungers on the sun deck.
Took a run along to Predazzo this morning to fuel up, etc,  stopping in the town Centre for a wander and go to the Co-Op.  Steve and I sat in the main square which was deserted although there was a lot of passers By-  we soon found out why when the church bells started to ring. At first there were three sets of chimes for 12md,  then all hell let loose when the big bells were rung.  Folks were passing with fingers in their ears!!  and it went on for some ten minutes. Needed a Paracetamol after that racket.
Headed back to the Hotel,   some of the group are away on the big ride out which is about 140 miles today (in this head)  but worth it for the lunch, and three have taken themselves off to do the two passes we did yesterday (and get the badge of course).

Tonight is the formal reception, so everyone gets dressed up, a few invited guests will attend, and no doubt go on late.    WE have Iain with us who will play his accordion,  (we had a bit of a warm up last night), and no doubt a few sore heads later.

Tomorrow we head off again, this time to Carenno, about 180 miles away near to Como and Bergamo.  Just need to wait and see what rout we take !!!

Bends, bends and bends and not the divers version

O M G  (  Oh My God),  what a day,  long one at that  thirteen hours on the go.  We set off this morning with 114  other bikes and caused mayhem as we passed through towns and villages stooping everything that moved.  eventually arrived at the Forst Brewery where we stopped and had a lovely roads lunch.
Having spoken to one of the other riders who looks after the National Parks we were recommended to try one of the more famous mountain passes, so we split from the group and headed off into the mountains - as they say fools rush in where angles fear to tread !!!!   and did we not go for it big time -  I have never ever seen hills, bends and  roads like these,  onwards and upwards, and upwards,  1st and 2 nd gear on the really tight bends,  meeting both cars and bikes on the way down.  Not counting the nutcases who passed us.  At the top,  masses of folks, cyclists, bikers, and skiers, all sitting basking in the sun and surrounded by snow.
The road up-

That is me smiling at 7000 ft , despite huffing and puffing a bit.  BUT the "Steed of Steel" did its bit no bother,
Down the other side,  not quite so bad, but bad enough

Wonderful ride down, bit wet at times as we went through the snow tunnels.
went looking for petrol, took a wrong turning and ended up going over an other  2600m pass, this one single track and with deep snow on either side of the road.

So, whether we liked it or not we had to go up and own,  then, bloody well up and down yet another, and another .
Never mind ,  I have now learned how to ride round hair pin bends !!!
Home at 8.45 pm and nearly missed our dinner

A long Day in the saddle

So far no worries with the steed of steel,  running like a wee sewing machine.  We left this morning at 0930 and 360 miles later arrived here in Bavaria for the night,  tired and having been fed and watered now ready for bed (9.15pm).

Quite an eye opening day, the scale of these roads, the standards of maintenance, hardly a bump, ripple and certainly no bloody potholes, so were able to sit at a steady 75/80 mph all day-  which is nothing when  we were being passed by a steady stream of cars and vans all doing in excess of 100mph.

Mr Salmond would wet himself if he saw the size and numbers of the wind farms, windmills and also acres of solar panels - all in the name of saving the planet.   Our Dept. of Transport would love to have just a fraction of the road building money being spent here. New four lane motorways, immense bridges over valleys,  just mind boggling.

Tonight's guest house is brand new, in a small village and is very nice, spotlessly clean,  only problem being (nearly finished), no bar and no breakfast facilities -  but we can have a coffee and stop of for breakfast, fuel, and then head off into the Alps to cross over through Austria into Italy..

Went to a local bar for drinks and food, very nice,  owner did well to understand us - but it was good and as we were all hungry went down a treat.

Now trying to work out a slightly different route for tomorrow as we have time and want to take a scenic route !!!    wait and see.

From Germany, through the Alps to Pnchia.

More than a long day today,  left at 9.a.m.on he button,  no breakfast so at the first fuel stop we topped up both the bikes and ourselves.

Route was originally on both motorways and good roads, however wee change of plan so we headed into the Alps taking a bit of a cross country route !!!!!!  to say the least,  The lady on my sat nav was about apoplectic, telling me to do U turns and recalculating all the time.  Certainly went across country and took what looked like a forest track   had us all fooled as it did end up on a road.   We had some marvellous views, but not enough time to admire them as it was hard to ride and look, especially on hundreds of hairpin bends. I do not have the map handy top say where we went   but we did go into the massive National Park which is part of the Alps and went right up to the massive glacier, over 7000ft up,  dashed chilly, and with rain and very low cloud, not as awesome as it should have been.     In the course of the day we were well above the snow line three times, and on one occasion were stopped for ages while a possible avalanche was broken up by explosives.
If I had problems riding round tight bends before I got here,  not now,  hundreds of hairpins en route, with the bikes in 1st and 2nd gear on some -  pretty hairy and certainly gave you a bit of a rush !!!
As a group we got broken up a bit,  but despite the sat nav managed to make it to our IPA base for the next three days.     Big crowd here, from all over Europe,  noisy and looking to enjoy themselves.  Nice meal when we arrived but being so late we had to sit "dirty" and are now only just getting organised.
One of our group, riding a new BMW 1200RT  has just received an urgent message recalling his bike and forbidding him from riding it -  so BMW will need to arrange transport to get him home, arrange to collect his bike,  and also arrange to get it back to the UK if he has already left here - and we think we have problems.

Anyway, bed time,  if I can get up in time, it is the first of two long days out as a big group through the mountain passes.

Two more days of sunshine here in the Hartz Mountains

Had a quiet day today wandering around Bad Lauderberg in the sunshine,  chance to air my toes with the sandals on.   Two of us had a massage to ease the aches and pains from the last couple of days riding which might help as we have a 289 mile run tomorrow heading to the south east of Munich.

Yesterday, our landlord, Greig Niven took us off into the surrounding countryside to get some practice on hills.  Passed through many small villages, stopped several times and then did one of the popular passes, with a string of thirty six tight bends on it/

Bikers come from miles away just to say they have done it, however, we hear that it is pretty tame compared to what we will experience in Italy.

We then headed off into the woods, certainly plenty trees here, mile upon mile of them, off into the distance, and arrived at the following tower, built as a folly in 1895, and in the shape of a cross.  With no one there to charge admission several of the group, including myself took the opportunity to go up and admire the view.

Now I am sure my cardio rehab nurses will be pleased to hear that I climbed to the top,  in heavy motor bike gear with no ill effects (maybe that is why I stayed in today).     Anyway, it was a good run out and a chance to get used to the sat nav as we were separated from the main group and had to make our own way back.

Took ourselves out for a meal last night, and had a platter for two of a selection of venison steaks, sausages, etc.

Back to today, quite happy wandering around on the flat enjoying the tow,  however we did cheat and used the chairlift to go up to one of the viewpoints,  Superb views, and tonight the owners of the restaurant there dropped in to see Greg and have said they will come and see me in the Grill in October.

So an early, and sober bedtime tonight - tomorrow being another day.

Totally shattered

Currently seriously jiggered,  been a long day since we left the DFDS ferry at Hook of Holland,  met up with our team from IPA Belgium who led us through the back roads of Amsterdam and out onto the motorway east before stopping for breakfast,    What can I say,  a marvellous feast, continental style, and with six of their members who had ridden to the  docks to escort us from the Port     We were truly gob smacked with the gift packs they had arranged  for us- and we had not expected as many to be there to act as escorts.

On leaving we had a 240 mile run to Bad Lauderberg, along brilliant motor ways,  but while we were averaging 75/ 80 mph  we were being passed by vehicles doing in excess of 100 mph.  But it was a good run, despite the fact that due to the concentration needed we were missing the sights -  not that there was much to see.

Sat nav;s proved hopeless at times due to roadworks and diversions,  but we did arrive in time for a much needed beer,  followed by supper in a lovely Italian restaurant..

Backtracking a bit - DFDS ferry was OK,  but mega overpriced with a totally captive audience.

Off and out round the Hartz mountains tomorrow - lots to see -  and now hopefully to photograph since the cameras are again working.