? – I’ll let you decideMany, many months ago, back in 2012, Jim & Fiona mentioned that they were to be married (’bout time Mr Simpson
) and that their honeymoon would be a ride through Europe, ending up at the Stella Alpina rally in Bardonnachia. “Sounds like a plan” I thought, and dully invited myself onto the trip, seeing as I’d not ridden in Europe since 2009, twas about time I got some euro miles under my wheels 
.Well, the big day arrived on the 5th July 2013, and Jim & Fiona “did the deed” and plighted their worldly goods to one another (I think Jim gagged a bit on that part – Fiona just giggled). The ceremony was followed by a wonderful evening at the Glenfiddich distillery restaurant - check this thread for photo's . . .
http://www.adventurebikerider.com/forum ... =60#243849
The 6th July was “prep” day for the bikes, some needing more prep then others :S :whistle:
!The 7th was the “Get to the ferry” day.
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) had voted with my wallet to sail from Hull to Rotterdam.Our ride down to Englandshire was nice, taking the never scenic A9 from Aviemore down to Perth, then the dual carriageway to Edinburgh.
Here you see us gathered on the side of the A9 southbound carriageway, paying homage to the weather Gods – “Please stay sunny and dry for the next 2 weeks” we asked . . . . and low, it came to pass that it did.
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Twas as I crested yet another “humpy” bit that I had to apply the brakes very hard, as I found my route blocked by a resting motorcycle in the middle of the road :S . It’s controller was lying in the gutter on the opposite side of the road, moaning but not moving much
. His riding partner had stopped and parked her bike and was in the process of checking her man over by the time I’d parked & dis-mounted. Got the fellas bike up and off of the road once I’d satisfied myself that the casualty was in good hands and that trained help was on the way. Traffic control (slowing happy Sunday drivers / riders down before they added to the carnage) was set up – helps having a full length Hi-Viz top in situations like this! A talkative German cyclist came over after a short while and told me what he’d witnessed – gawping foreign tourist in hire car was “covering” more than his side of the road as he crested the hill, unfortunately making contact with the bike riders right leg / bike pannier and bringing about the mess I’d ridden into. Owwww :blink: .After approx. 45 minutes the 1st responder arrived, blocking the road nicely with his 4x4. So, as the traffic didn’t need slowing down anymore, I sloped off, as I had a ferry to catch :dry: . The casualty was still able to moan, which I’m told is a good sign :pinch: !
The rest of the ride south was un-eventful, seeing me getting to Hull docks at the same time that the others would be sailing from Newcastle. Onto the floating hotel and parked at the back end of the bike queue, I got myself sorted and headed for my bunk for night. Earlier I said “sail from Hull to Rotterdam”. What I meant was “sleep from Hull to Rotterdam”, as I’m not blessed with sea legs, so suitable little white pills were consumed and sleep I did.
And that was my ferry crossing.
We had originally arranged to meet near Eindhoven once on euro soil, but as I docked an hour earlier than they did and they were about an hour further north than I was, we changed the RV to the Koblenz camp site. So, off the wobbling big metal bathtub and onto the autowotsits in Holland & Germany I head, with the confluence of the Rhine and Mosel rivers as my destination.
My stead at the campsite, cooling down in the shade whilst rider has a cuppa . . .
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Steve T
B)
hmy: :unsure: