Day two and the adventure continues

Well all, sometimes you have to continue to learn life’s lessons. This morning I was taught a lesson I had forgotten for at least a couple of years. As we started out of the hotel our navigation system was off a little, no big deal right, well it was still early 0830 to my lovely wife. That is known as the crack of dawn to some people, namely my wife. She had to immediately stop the motorcycle and wait for the system to work properly. By the way, the stop was in a bicycle lane. But it wasn’t being used. My lesson is, remember your wife is not a morning person and doesn’t always see things as you do, especially in the morning.

Well that adventure done we spent the day travelling through France, southern France.  As I was driving I started thinking of all the great things France is known for like… wine, scenary and wine, scenary… ok maybe two things France is known for, because it isn’t the land of the happy people, although the drivers are courteous to motorcycle riders.

Today we did another 500+ km, but it was cold enough for me to put on something warm which to most of you know means it was cold, or traveling at 100mph makes for a hellish wind chill factor. Overall a good day of riding and having fun looking at the sights and watching our Harley Naviagtions systems go crazy.. Harley update your maps. During portion of our trip the navi said we were off roading, which I wouldn’t recommend with a Street Glide, while we were actually on a great new road.

We finally made it to our destination, an amazing village or town Carcassonne. The town is lovely and it has a great big castle that is great to walk through and is still an active village in and of itself. I will come back and stay at the hotel in the castle, may have to bring a sword and armor just to complete the feel. Over all a great day. Look forward to tomorrow and our push into Spain, by the way the tolls in France are crazy expensive, but that is for another time.

Tag 2, Freiwillig frueh aufgestanden und nach einem guten Fruehstueck es fast fit auf Tour zu schaffen, da gehoert schon was dazu… (Morgentliche Wort-Tiraden im Ohr, ist echt nicht meins… Vielleicht, klappt der morgentliche Start aus Carcassonne besser…). Aber trotzdem es kalt war, war es echt ine schoene Strecke. Wobei die Strecke auch einige Kindheitserinnerungen wach rief, sehr toll… Trotz ein paar Versuchen manch franzoesischer Autofahrer  uns auf dem Schoss zu sitzen, haben wir es tatsaechlich ohne Tote und Verletzte in das Land der Basken und Katharer geschafft…

Nach einer gesunden Runde durch Carcassonne, ok vielleicht waren es auch zwei Runden, hatten wir es auch zu unserem Hotel geschafft. Die Aussicht, auf die Cite definitiv eine Reise Wert… und wir kommen auf jeden Fall wieder… Und wenn nur um manchen Kindheitstraum im Kettenhemd und groesserem Schweizer Messer- nee nee franzoesischem Stahl  (oder ist das ein Fetisch???) nachzukommen 🙂 …

Ein netter Kommentar unseres Kellenrs von heute Abend, hat uns auch nochmals klar gemacht, dass wir nicht mehr wirklich in Frankreich sind: Als ich sagte, dass mein Franzoesisch nicht so gut ist, antwortete der Kellner ganz aufrichtig: “Mein auch nicht”… Natuerlich, er ist ja auch ein Baske aus der Languedoc, und kein Franzose. Die Weinkarte bewies auch das direkt nochmal: Lokale Weine, Franzoesische Weine…

Ja, da kommen doch Erinnerungen an Asterix und Obelix hoch (auch wenn die eigentlich von der Atlantik Seite stammten…)

So genug fuer heute, morgen geht’s weiter, nach Segunta, und das Meer 🙂 langsam kommen wir diesem fluechtigen Kontinent naeher… Ja, Afrika, auch wir (ok, ok, ich) werden dich finden… Die SPannung steigt… Gute Nacht allerseits

View from our room
in Carcassonne

Day one of the adventure

Finally packed and ready to leave home
Before dinner fufu drinks
When in France
The note from our daughter and soon to be granddaughter. Beautiful
Rest stop in Switzerland great roads and scenary
Aix-les-Bains, France final destination for day one

Well we will post some photos of the start in a bit. Enough to say we covered over 500km today and it was great. the scenary through Switzerland is amazing. It is great being out on your motorcycle enjoying the silence and then all of sudden you hear this god awful cough only to suddenly remember you bought an intercom, and you can hear everything the other person has to say or does…. Enough of that I’m pretty proud when you see the photos of our bikes you’ll see some discipline in packing, remember this is a 24 day trip through6 countries and we go it all in those bags.

As a former military man one saddle bag is almost a contingency items, just in case the zombie apocalypse starts and we have to survive.  But the rest is minimal clothing and commo gear to ensure we can let the world know of our silly adventure.

On a seperate note I have to give some credit to Gearhead repair in Germany, the owner did a great job of preparing our bikes for the trip and even threw some extra parts in case of problems while in Africa. Thanks again Toby. I am also very impressed with the new 107 engine, it would easily pull my large butt over the hills and valleys of Switzerland at 90-100 miles per hour.

Well its time to walk around a nice little French town named Aix-les-Bains, have some wine and prep for tomorrows adventure. Photos coming soon.

Und nun auch noch ein paar deutsche Kommentare…

Nachdem wir fast puenktlich losgefahren sind und feststellen mussten, dass die geplante Route via Michelin sich leider nicht in unseren Moppeds wiederspiegelte,entschieden wir uns kurzer Hand den Street Glide Navis ein wenig zu vertrauen.  Und.. ich muss schon sagen, gar nicht so schlecht.. 556 km das Hotel ist gefunden und die Richtung passt..

Die drei Stopps, die wir einbauten waren gechillt und wir haben die Wetterfront von Lyon komlett verpasst. So genug fuer heute, Morgen geht’s weiter Richtung Carcassonne 🙂 🙂 🙂

Day 1 complete, greetings from Billy & Bob

Let’s get started

Hi All,

The title says it all, we are two old people who are driving our motorcycles to Morocco for a holiday and truly a African and European vacation.  You can call us Billy and Bob, we are married couple who just like some adventure. I started this blog so others mostly friends, because honestly who else would read this, can follow us during our adventure.  I will try to post daily and as I learn add photos of the locations. Later I’ll work with Billy and maybe you’ll see tow different people posting.

 

Well that’s the start we don’t actually hit the road until tomorrow.