I think they shut France, or is this a Sunday thing.

Left Chartres this mroning and headed northwards, not without incident as I managed to lose the other two near Dreux, however, a bit of reversing (pushing by hand)  got me up the down raqmp and onto the roundabout where I missed the turning, couple of phone calls and we met up again a few miles further up the road.    have avoided the Peage, and stuck to the country roads which were really quiet, nice to see about two miles of straight road ahead, no tractors, and little traffic.

Arrived at Amiens and our botel is one of the B & B Group, a bit basic, clean, but in the middle of an industrial estate where everything is closed.  Had to go searching and eventually found a restaurant attached to a supermarket where we got wine beer and food, enough to keep us from perishing. TV is all in French, which is not unusal for France !!

Tomorrow, a much shorter  day as we are going through the area of the Valley of the Somme and plan to stop at the war graves at Poizeres.

Terrible tragedies yesterday

The shootings and bombings around the  Middle East yesterday, so difficult to combat being the work of small groups or unknown individuals, has shaken the various governments to the core, and will no doubt have, in the case of Tunisia a terrible effect on the tourist economy.

No matter why they did it, there is no excuse whatsoever for this kind of barbaric behaviour.

In my case I have friends who cancelled their holiday to the hotel at the centre of the Tunisian incident at the last minute, forfeiting their money, all on a gut feeling - could have been a life saving decision.

This is our last morning Chez Tom and Pamela, as our little group starts to head northwards this morning, a good run up to Chartres, taking it easy in the heat.  It was 37 C here at  5.45 p.m. last night.  

Onwards and upwards.

Still Hot hot hot here is " Ce saude de France.

Yes,  another day with the golden ball up in the sky and temperatures nearing the 30 C mark.   After a hard day in the woods and garden at Tom's on Tuesday we took ourselves off for the day yestrday on the motorbikes, not a long run, but about sixty miles.   Stopped off for "bacon butties"  an a nearby cafe, very nice and not usually available around this area.   Did a bit of sight seeing stopping off at a couple of eally nice old villages.  Should have photos but downloading is a real pain here.   Met some teams of Gendarmerie out on a training exercise from a nearby Police college,  they had to abseil down a cliff, send a swimmer over a river and rig up a "death slide" to get the team across the river .  Very good,  and further along the road a team of Pompieres were doing the same thing.

Tom dropped his prized hat in the river and after much messing about we summoned the help of a passing canoeist who fished it out the reeds and returned it.

Lots of restaurants around the area so we have been trying them out, some better than other, and certainly varying standards of "haute cuisine".

Boys are off shooting today,  me, a day off chilling here at the house and looking after the dog.

Some really p***ed off Frogs

Despite the fact I am in France, I have not been upsetting the locals, apart from those dwelling in Tom's pond.    Yup,  sun has been shining here and it is far too warm for riding so we have been chilling in the shade, however as the day started to cool down we (four) set to with a large petrol strimmer and attacked the masses of growth which was choking the life out of the pond here.     Amazing what can be achieved in a couple of hours as we removed a large amount of bullrushes and debris, opening up a large area, allowing the water lilies to breathe.   There was an immediate benefit,  as the Moor hen family appeared, mother and chicks, and later on a heron which had spied the open water and popped in for a few frogs for dinner. There is a Red Kite living nearby which drifts over the house in search of prey.
6.40 a.m. at the moment, beautiful moring with the sun lighting up hay field opposite.  very soon, the surrounding sunflower fields with be a blaze of yellow. Other local crops apart from the vines are maize, barley and  wallnuts.
Planes afoot for us to have a ride out around the country lanes, top up with fuel, and out visiting tonight.   Last night it was dining alfresco, couple of glasses of wine and as the sky's darkened did a bit of star gazing using the modern aps on the "I pads" to identify the various constellations in the heavens.
Looks like I will not be making the detour to L'Isle sur la Sorgue,  far to far in this heat and not enough time to do it in comfort - so just need to grin and bear it - sure i will cope.

Not quite sunstroke, but not far away

Must not complain about the heat here when folks at home are still hoping for enough sun to get a few buds on the plants.

However,  it is warm here and we have been doing our best to keep in the shade and drink plenty of non alcoholic fluids !!!

Tom and Pam have been brilliant, hd us out and about, food, drink and music in abundance - first class.   Today we had along run planned  but gave it a miss due to the heat so it was local, coffee, a wander, burgers for lunch with a young Swede and his wife, he has a custom built Harley Davidson , which is only comfortable for 30 k and no more.  Home for a kip, and tonight a super evening at a local bar with three singers, all 60's music and everyone bouncing once again.

Father's day, got my card from RGB which was more than the others got. well done Graham

Brief resume of this little adventure so far.

Left a cold and windy Penicuik, for Abingdon where I met Dougz and Graaham F. then headed south on the M74, M6, A66 to Scotch Corner, then via York to Hull, running the gauntlet of the numerous speed cameras on the last section. I suspect that at least one of us might well be looking to donate to local authority speeding fund when we get home.
Made it to the ferry in time, P & O for  Zeebrugger, booked for a meal and cabin, although coffin might be a better description of the cabin. The departure from Hull is certainly something different as the ship has to be turned round and then pointed into a very narrow dock before entering the river. Evening meal was pretty good.  Stuffy room so restless night.

Up and off the boat pretty quickly, and headed off along the coast through Dunkerque, past the gun emplacements, headed East, stopped off at a site where the Germans built and launched their V2 rockets during the war.
We just headed East, avoiding toll roads, although we did get lost a couple of times due to heavy traffic and sat nav problems.  Even discovered that when Garmin replaced my unit they failed to reinstall my maps of France - so I have to rely on the paper maps.    Long run of about 305 miles and ended up at the Mercure Hotel, Alecon, for he night.

Yesterday, off early, through  Le Mans and then southwards through this vast country, roads so straight, just keeing up a steady pace !!!  being tail end charlie it was a bit hairy trying to catch up especially after the other two had done their overtake.    So seven hours and 250 miles later we arrived in a tiny village in the middle of nowhere,  however the first person we asked knew where Tom lived and pointed out his house down the valley.

Lots of praise for Tom who had cold beers at the ready, to refresh the parts that other beers could not reach !!   these were later replaced by a selection of red wines, so we had fun trying to emulate the poem "Ten (empty) Green Bottles", and an impromptue sing song to some of Dougz crude songs.     So it was a tres knackered trio who tumbled into bed after dark.

This morning we were up with the larks, literally, and on the road for a days shooting at a specialist club,some distance away.  Toke ages to get there, although the scenery, villages were lovely en route.  Our two instructors, John and Crtaig has rifles for us, although when we arrived the range had been prebooked by a group for an international competition.   Not to be stuck we were moved to the smaller range next door where we had five different hand guns to play with.    Quite an experience and good fun, although the safest place to stand was infront of the targets !!!

Long trail back, stopping for beers at a village bar, in time to get organised for tonight's "happy hour" an a nearby bar - table booked for twenty in the group and choice of fish or chicken and chips to accompany the drinks.

Now one night to go, whatever will happen next ?

Last blog and things were looking good, on schedule etc. for my next trip away to France to see Tom and Pam, and "all things bright and beautiful".

However,  however,  deep breath,   firstly had problems with the Autocom and Satnav which were being fitted to the Steed of Steel, so ended up stripping it all off and starting again, so now, touch wood, and with my own fair hands got it working.  Next,  after considering taking the new 1150 Time machine, the inevitable happened,  the remote for the alarm immobiliser dropped off the keyring and the bike had to be uplifted by my "friends" from Brownlie's, and taken home - next step to have that fixed.  Just as well I was not taking it and had that happen in France.  Then, Saturday p.m. putting paperwork together and discovered that the MOT for the Steed had expired - sh*t,  however, after a couple of calls arranged for an MOT this morning at Border Bikes, where Andy opened up to do a quick service and an MOT.

Last Thursday,  made it to the Secret bunker in Fife,  fascinating, and then had a tour around Fife, excellent day out.

Saturday was the wine / dinner night at the Mercat Grill,  full house and what a marvellous meal we had - great night, excellent food and good company,  what more can a man want.

 

So, now all (or nearly) packed up and ready for the off in the morning,  Abington, Carlisle, Hull, and then the ferry over to Zeebrugger.  For those with access to my Spot Tracker they can follow my travels around France.

Only seven more sleeps than off we go again,

Getting worse than a bairn, but next Tuesday off to France to see Big Tam and Pam in sunny French France.   I have decided that the Steed of Steel will be my preferred mode of transport, so having stripped off the Garmin and the Autocom a couple of weeks ago, I have just spent the afternoon refitting them to the Steed once more.   Young RGB will be able to have a go on the Time Machine to see how he likes it,  in the meantime, options are open once again.

Mercat Grill has been busy and so have I trying to get lots of wee jobs done - BUT, despite the best efforts of the recent gales to huff and puff and blow down the new greenhouse, I have eventually managed, with a  little help from a friend (Andy@Tattie Heid) Furnival, it was finally finished off today.  So according to the instructions I was to allow a minimum of thirty minutes, so about twenty hours later - success.

Looking forward to the wine night on Saturday, good number of advanced bookings to make it a success.

Having Thursday off to come to terms with yet another digit added to the personal timeline - thinking of having an away day, somewhere different.

@Peter Ritchie has his new book completed so it is now time to wait for the publishing process before we can get or hands on it,  in the meantime perhaps I should lean on Peter to start the next one !!   

Bit jealous of Mike Ogilvie who is reliving his CID days by visiting Hawaii,  where he got his dress ideas when he first joined the CID at Dalkeith !!! ( ask Peter).

Nearly forgot - as old age does not come alone and mistakes are more regular - made the stupid error of filling the car with petrol (again) - however I stood there at the pump, looking at the green nozzle and thought to myself (bugger) or words to that effect.  At least this time I did not start the engine so the car was towed away to be drained.  This petrol / diesel thing is nearly as bad as having to have "left" and "right" on my froggy wellies.

Thinking of the FIFA carry on, they were worse than the politicians who have been accepting humanitarian aid and pocketing the same - this bloke Warner appears to have taken $10 million to help promote sport in his own country and just blew the lot !!!!    Bribery and Corruption is second nature in many parts of the world - 

Donald Trump right on the button today when he had a go at Alex Salmond and his policy for wind farms in Scotland - what a waste of money and a horrendous destruction of our countryside.

Bit of todoo today

Been a bit of a day for me,  up and on the road sharp on the by 0830,   via West Linton, heading for Broughton, when a fruitcake passed me on a blind summit, near miss !!  then over the Devil's Beef Tub to Moffat, and then on to Dumfries for a wee job there.   Onwards eventually, Moffat then the back road towards St Mary's Loch, stopping for a distance shot of the Grey Mare's Tail waterfall - not up for a walk through the countryside.

Weather had been cold and wet, but as I headed East it got warmer,  through Selkirk, St Boswells, Earlston  where I had to stop and strip off as it was "fair boiling".  Short run then to Duns and into Border Bikes to get the bike tweeked.     There was a rider in with his bike who had left North Wales at 4 am to come up and get his machine a service - he left at 1 pm, heading back home .
I had my Spot 3 up and running so folks were flowing my progress during the day - think I need to change the timings from 5 to maybe 15 minute reports.
Eventually headed home,  new MOT, bike tweeked, and me fair jiggered.

Mercat Grill really busy today, so looks like a trip to Cash and Carry in the morning - then perhaps a trip to the big City. 

Four wheels now, or should it be eight

Made it down to Duns early this morning and collected the "Time Machine", thanks to RGB for the lift, got him out of bed early,  but weather was good.   Nice run back up the A1, missed the speed camera van, which was operating under a static road camera !!!!  Does that mean that there is no film in the static camera - where were the Police when two really frustrated drivers overtook a line of cars on hatched lines at a junction at Grantshouse and nearly wiped us out.
Another white van man on the phone,  passed me at speed, then  slowed down and as I overtook phone in hand, then up he came and zoomed by.

Took ourselves to Makro this afternoon,  owned by Booker, yet prices vary as do the goods for sale.

Managed to get my "Spot 3 Tracker" up and running this afternoon,  so Mrs B was able to watch on the map where I was when out for a walk - clever little unit, and accurate to within five yards.  Link if you are interested, under  Stuart's Travels.     I will be on the road for ages tomorrow, all over the place.
http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0TDjyFTbVkQH3p8ymiV3CxYCljzgHQKYT

Andy Murray doing well, keep up the good work.

Looks like FIFA in deep trouble,  greedy so and so's;  nearly as bad as our new MP's who have just awarded themselves a nice pay rise. 

Is this summer or the start of winter already?

Bloody awful today, and for us on the East coast not half as bad as the West of Scotland with ferocious storms and gale force winds.     BUT,  I still managed to get an hour on the road on the Steed of Steel, which is running well.  Took myself off for a run via, Bigger; Broughton; Stobo Village; then over the  Meldroms to Eddlestone then home. Even stopped at one of the information points, did not realise that there was such a long history to the Lyne Valley, dating back to the Stone and Iron ages.  Need to get in a lot more road time before France. Just need to decide which bike goes with me.

Saturday, made it to the R. A. bowling at Dalkeith, Ironmills Park, where under bright sunny skies the lads had a great afternoon.  Having not played for a couple of years I kind of struggled a bit and had to bring in a substitute.   We wee still beaten,  thrashed in fact, a bit like Rangers on Sunday but at least we were not brawling after the event.

Edinburgh marathon was apparently a great success with over three thousand runners taking part,  I had to go to Bookers at Musselburgh, and wisely stopped in a nearby street, just had to carry my purchases back to the car, while a couple of unfortunate customers who had got into the car park, had to wait over an hour to get out again - not happy souls.

Absolutely fascinating documentary about the ancient architecture in Rome, aqueducts, and buildings which are still in use after two thousand years and possible due to cement made at the time from local stone.     No way we can replicate the work,  bad enough now when the new build houses at Eskbank have a FIVE YEAR WARRANTY.

Watched the final of Britain's Got Talent last night, says it all when yet another dog wins the competition and the £250,000 prize.  Nice dog though, a collie which stole some sausages (part of the storyline),   wish my Goldie had been given £25k when he pinched the sausages at the Co Op butchers at Bonnyrigg many years ago.

Hoping my wee birds have hatched and flown the nest as the bird box is now quiet and there is no sign of activity any more.