30 September 2015

Bikers Loft - Overview

I can't say that I have ever stayed in biker specific accommodation before.  That's not to say I don't like the idea, it's just that anywhere I have been across Europe for the better part of 40 years, I have only ever been turned away from one place, and that was a restaurant in St Tropez! Generally, Europe is far more biker-friendly that the UK.

That said, the Loft is a good idea for a social event like we had over the weekend.  The place was full with different biker groups staying there.  As a former woollen factory it is on the edge of the village. From the loading doors on the front of the building that now act as windows to the bar area to the parking in the warehouse section, and the rooms on two sides on two floors.

Bikers Loft
In the centre, there is a strange looking adobe building that houses the showers, male and female.

It all works though.

28 September 2015

Bikers Loft 3

The last day.

After leading yesterday's run to Ypres, I decided to take a back seat, or a different place in the line of 8 bikes.

And so after a repeat of the previous day's self cook breakfast we packed the bikes and headed off. Aiming for Nieuwpoort aan Zee as the first stop. The plan to follow a canal all the way there to where it meets the sea at a huge marina.

I was bringing up the rear of the column and saw a sign like this one.

"No Motor vehicles"
After only one short section of the towpath/road.

We tried to alert those ahead but Cal and I were the only two not heading past this sign. We chose to turn left across a lift bridge onto the other bank, where Nieuwpoort was signposted 15kms away.

As we headed along we sounded our horns and waved at the "first wave" to no avail. Some miles further on their side came to an end. By then we were way ahead despite dropping the speed to 40.

We carried onto the first agreed waypoint in Nieuwpoort. Luckily a cyclist extracted them from their dead end and they arrived in three separate groups over a period of about 25 minutes.... Some frayed tempers. 

Once we had all been fed and watered Cal got to lead us to Adinkerke, where there is almost a "village" of cheap tobacco and alcohol stores. We had one small detour due to a road closed and I took the lead as I knew where we were. I led us to the coast road and TomTom agreed.

I really like this part of the Belgian coast. The sand dunes separating the road from the sea. They are so high you are unaware what lurks beyond them. And it is clean. 

In De Panne we had to follow the tram as the road is shared with them for some distance. Too narrow to have cars and trams with their own space unlike the open areas between towns.

At Adinkerke we visited the baccy shops and I bought chocolates for work and home.

Then I had a ride to look at the nearby war graves cemetery, but the approach was very muddy and waterlogged. The road was too narrow to turn Pepe around so I went around a rather long block, had I not, I wouldn't have found this Leopard tank on a small plot in the village.

Leopard Tank in Adinkerke

Leopard Tank in Adinkerke

Two Tanks....
I then returned to the baccy shop via the local gas station, where I had ended up chatting to a couple of Latvians about the bike. They were amazed that it is 2300cc.

From the baccy shop we split up into two groups. From leading I was relegated to fifth place. I had missed the conversation where it was decided what junction to leave the A16. Only as we got to the ferry port turn did I see the leading four had turned off. I led the "second wave" the way I know to the Place d'Armes where we were united again.

Calais - Place d'Armes

There was a minor bit of drama when David couldn't find his ignition key. After searches in the street it was eventually found, after several searches of his jacket and tank bag, in the hand warmer pocket of his jacket!!

Lunch was eaten. And then we set off for our 1715 ferry back to England.

A really superb weekend with a great bunch of "lads". A fine bromance though, it's not.

Thanks to Cal for organising the weekend.

The Meldrews were:

Cal Price 
Neil Dalton
Ian Gardner
David Robinson
Graham Reynolds
Frank Snow
Trevor Rice

And Me.

This is the map of today's ride from the Loft to the port at Calais.



27 September 2015

Bikers Loft 2

We were up reasonably after a latish night and the self cook dinner!

Breakfast is included in the room rate and is also self service as well as self cook. I'm not used to eating breakfast and so opted for the continental style rather than the bacon and eggs style! 

The rooms are pretty basic. I shared with Trevor and we had two single beds. A little re-jigging of the room ensured that there was a man-gap between the beds!

Early suggestions for the Saturday ride out had been to the Wire of Death. An electric fence that was built by the German occupation army in 1915 from the coast at Knokke to the German border, and just inside the Belgian frontier. It was to stop Belgians escaping into neutral Netherlands. 

Over the course of the war it claimed over a 1000 lives.


I can't tell you any more as we didn't go!!

In the end we decided on Ypres, only  30 miles away, instead of the best part of 95 away. We stopped for petrol at the local station. Although 100% automatic, it actually took overseas credit and debit cards.  The biggest deal was 95 Unleaded at €1.249 per litre.  The exchange rate the day before when I had got €100 in cash was €1.3480 to the £.  Making a litre well under £1 a litre when it was about £1.10 at home.

After a stop for tea/coffee we had a walk up to the Menin Gate.


The Menin  Gate

Indian Missing

The Meldrews
And then back to the Market Square and from there we decided to go into the Flanders Fields museum inside the Cloth Hall.

For the €9 entry fee it has to be the best military museum I have been into for many a year. Well laid out and stacked with militaria and history of the three battles on the Ypres Salient. 

The Cloth Hall

The Ghosts of the Menin Gate

A few of us spent so long in there that a few of the group managed to hog their way through a waffle or burgers outside.

The last-out crew went across to Ypres Burger, a not so fast food outlet.

Once all back together we set off for the Loft. Eight became six, then two threes as we split up. Reunited at the Loft.

Dinner has been for the regular attendees at a restaurant in Oudenburg itself. A walk of about 35 minutes. The food was excellent. The service was exceptional. A perfect evening with the group. 

Whilst we are out we missed the live band in the Loft, a three piece group made up of Japanese women. Apparently the weren't bad. 

Bedtime beckoned. 

On the way to the room I snapped these.

Honda CBX1000

Rocket 3 Touring

Harley of some sort!


26 September 2015

Bikers Loft 1

Packing Pepe (or Red Pepe to use his full name)  doesn't take too long. The panniers aren't that big. Enough for the weekend for one person. I might have to invest in a sissy bar pack in future!

The plan was to meet Trevor from the Meldrews at 3pm at th fuel station in Dover. I was a little late as the traffic was horrendous and Pepe is a little too wide to squeeze through. 

After a malfunction on the Sprint owned by Graham, another Meldrew, we were checked in and waiting to board the ferry at 3.30! A little early.

The crossing was smooth and once across in France I led the way with TomTom's assistance to the Loft.

Parked up in the Loft

More about the loft later.

We met up with the other Meldrews, eight in total for dinner and a few beers.

Day 1 ended with us already into Day 2 and bed.

14 September 2015

AZ - Route 66

Another day another bargain. I hope I don't peak too early with a bit of planning!


I really only want the Arizona section but you get the lot. Not a bad little read.

There are many places on it that might be worth a visit, but in true Lonely Planet (and Rough Guide for that matter!) it does tell it like it is.  

France - September 2015

Links to Devall Trips.

http://invictamoto.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/France%20September

Biker's Loft

This has been an annual event on The Meldrews (and before them the Kent Centre SOC) calender for a few years and although it is one of the most popular and well supported I have never been before.

This year I will get a chance to see what all the fuss is about!  

I only decided to go last week. One of the others had to drop out and there are no refunds. Instead the Meldrews decided to take a donation towards our charity for the year, the Kent Air Ambulance.

Luckily Cal our Ferry Leader was able to get the ferry booking into my name and for the Rocket.

The ferry goes at about 4.30pm on Friday. Returning on the Sunday afternoon.

Next thing is to work out where it is and get it into TomTom.


13 September 2015

France September - Troisième Jour

As it is Sunday a bit of a lie in and then when Claire was getting ready I took the boy out for his morning ablutions.

Today there was a very autumnal chill in the air and a heavy dew. My trainers are definitely not waterproof, seeming to have the water resistance of cardboard.

Still after breakfast and checkout it was dry for the 35 miles or so to Desplanque Farm and the cemetery.

The track off the main road is worse than ever. Bumpy and not suitable for most cars. The Corsa coped okay. At least it was dry.

Desplanque Farm

Charles is one of four graves in Row D alongside the standard cross. Already there was a cross from a school and a laminated sheet of remembrance left last year by my brother, Neill.

Family Remembrance 

It's a little muddied and tatty but still readable. I put our cross on the front of the headstone.

The headstone and poppy cross

It's a very sobering place and time for reflection.

Cross of Sacrifice

Next to him is one T O'Reilly, also of the Royal Irish Fusiliers.  I wonder if his family have ever made the trip across. He was killed on the same day.

(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cross_of_Sacrifice

From here we decided to try and find the Guards Cemetery near Cuinchy to see the war grave of her Granny's brother Timothy O'Leary.

TomTom decided it was going to be magical mystery tour time and we had no idea where we were going. In the end I stopped and reset it. It immediately had us do a 180 and head miles past where had already been! I turned on route recording on the TomTom a bit earlier to see where the heck we were.

In the end we gave up on Cuinchy and dialled in Cassel.  One high spot was that the route TomTom chose was through Fromelles.

Later on checking the TomTom I could see that we had been going in completely the opposite direction and then looped back to where Cuinchy actually is!  We gave up when only about 10 miles away!!!

TomTom did take us through a village called Fromelles.

This is the site of Pheasant Wood, where only in 2008 they discovered mass graves containing over 250 Australian and British dead. 

The battle here was fought over two terrible days on 19/20 July 1916. Australian casualties were over 5500 killed along with a further 1500 plus British dead.

A massive DNA search in Australia has resulted, according to the display boards, in only one left unnamed.  The headstones haven't yet caught up as there are many just with "An Australian soldier of the Great War" on them still.

Fromelles erntrance

Cross of Sacrifice

Cemetery from the right side

Further right!

The wooden building is the museum. We didn't have time visit but will plan to do so another time.

Read more at:



We arrived to find Cassel, high on its "mont" packed with cars taking up most spaces. In the end we parked in Place Van Damme. Not named after the actor but a Napoleonic General - http://www.napoleonguide.com/soldiers_vandamm.htm

Cassel was Marshal Foch's HQ during the early part of WW1. There is a statue of him on horseback looking towards the east where the German lines were.

We ascended and then descended the Mont from car park to town centre and decided to have lunch at the Sainte Cecile Café as they had a snack menu and outside seating.

No sooner had we ordered coffee and a Croque Monsieur each than the rain started. We went inside. This cafe is also a betting shop, bingo and lottery establishment! But it allows dogs inside and is out of the rain. It was okay but nothing of note!

The walk back up and over the Mont? Not so dry! In fact we got soaked.

Once in the car I set TomTom for home and the fastest route and by 4pm we were queuing to get through the pet passport check with Reggie. The drive-through section was closed! Luckily the rain had stopped so no one got too wet in the queue. 

All our paperwork, thanks to Anthony at Barrow Hill vets, was in order and we joined the next queue to get through UK Border controls. As we were an hour early and also due to delays with intruders once again in the tunnel, things looked a bit packed. 

In the end Eurotunnel put on extra trains and we were hustled through 40 minutes ahead of the booked train. Result.

And that's it. All over for this trip. 


France September - Deuxième Jour

We were up reasonably early to make sure that Reggie was watered both ends and had his breakfast. The special food he has from the vet to try and cure his bad belly is not to this liking. He eventually ate it at about 4pm.

The "plan", such as it was, was to head along the coast towards Veurne in Belgium before turning down to Armentières.

I set TomTom to avoid motorways and we set off along the back roads before joining the old N1, now designated D940,  near Fort Mardyke. Not all that scenic so far. Ignoring the instructions we headed into Dunkerque and parked near the old harbour. The three of us walked to a café for coffee, dogs allowed inside.

On the way we passed a succession of historic ships in the harbour.

Tug
The former light ship that guarded the sands in the channel.
Duchesse Anne
The "Duchesse Anne" is a German 3-masted sail-training ship and given to France after WW2 as reparations for war damage, and rescued and restored by the city of Dunkerque in 1980.

Princess Elizabeth
The paddle steamer "Princess Elizabeth" took part in the Dunkerque evacuation in 1940. 

The cafe was decked out with American flags as from time to time they have classic car events.

La Pataterie
It is also decorated with old photos of the town and people.

Wall decor
Wall decor
Once finished we walked back to the car after deciding to look for the beach where the 338000 troops had been taken off from. It is actually in the neighbouring coastal town of Malo les Bains.

Firstly we stopped at a bakery for lunch. Or rather picked up a baguette, pastry and drink to take with us.

Croq' Baguette
After a few missed turns we made it to the beach and the memorial to the French troops and their allies, that would be the British Expeditionary Force, that were evacuated.

The mémorial des Alliés

The mémorial des Alliés

The mémorial des Alliés

The mémorial des Alliés
The mémorial des Alliés

The beach itself is obviously a holiday beach and since June 2014 dogs are banned.

There are special fences erected to stop it blowing away.

Panorama of the beach
After lunch was eaten on a bench we had a walk along the promenade to the seaside town but. Very sad as September is obviously out of season!

The next part of the plan was to head for Armentières and the hotel there. The off-motorway route took us into Belgium and past Poperinge, so we took a turn into the town, down past Talbot House (http://www.talbothouse.be/en/museum/home) and into the square. 

With Reggie out of the car we headed across to the Hotel Amfora for coffee. Why? They had the best looking awning as it looked like rain was imminent.

It was. We had a second coffee.

Here we decided to change hotels. With rubbish weather we didn't want to be wandering about looking for a restaurant so cancelled Hotel Joly and booked another Campanile. This one near Dunkerque with attached restaurant.

The hotel is near a couple of lakes. Once we had checked in and had a rest, the weather brightened up and we went for a walk around them, hoping Reggie might go to the loo. He didn't.

The walk was a little over two miles. By the time we got back we hoped he'd eat his dinner. He didn't. 

We went to get our dinner whilst he stayed in the room watching a programme about Ferrari's on the TV. Anything to stop him barking and growling at anyone passing by the window.

Of course. Once we got back to the room he decided to eat then. Plans for a loo walk curtailed.

Tomorrow, we will drive down to Armentières and visit Charles and pay our respects.

11 September 2015

France September - Premier Jour

Not really jour un but après-midi un. Claire got off work a little early and we set off for the Tunnel. There was hardly anyone checking in and the parking was almost empty. But the train before our scheduled departure was full. I bet!

It gave us time to get a coffee and take Reggie to the dog exercise area. We had about 25 minutes there and he had a ball to chase. 

Pet exercise area

Pet exercise area
The plastic grass makes accidents (poops) easier to clean up. Reggie abstained.

Once underway he settled down and seemed unaware that he was on a train at all!

Some 50 minutes later Tomtom delivered us to the Hotel Campanile. Not bad. Fenced and locked car-park in a residential area. Reggie stayed in the room and we went and had dinner and a beer.

Reggie settles in
There are quite a few British cars here plus a couple of Harley's plus other European visitors.

The hour difference between GMT and CET means we have lost an hour, but we wil get it back on Sunday!!

Bit blurred night shot
Tomorrow we have about seventy miles to go, but we'll go the long way round to Armentières.

10 September 2015

AZ - Trips

Once we hit the apartment in Scottsdale for some R&R,  I have been looking at a few excursions or trips.

I thought Tucson and Tombstone seemed like a good idea but the Rough Guide has put me off from bothering. Neither place gets a glowing write-up.

I have booked a hotel on the "pay later free cancellation" idea from booking.com. So at least I have until June 3rd to scrub it.

One day trip, that depending on the above we well do is to the Red Rock State Park near Sedona. It's about 100 miles from Scottsdale, and  easily do-able in a day. I expect the "day" is quite long at that time of the year. It could morph into an overnight stop to gives us time to do the "vortexes".

Another trip I mapped for the TomTom is the Apache Trail to the east of Phoenix. The RG makes it sound an adventure of unpaved but graded roads. We'll see. 

And then once the week in Scottsdale is over we head north east to check out the Petrified Forest and Painted Desert, straddling R66!

Yes I know I said Route 66 was not a great call for us, but it's there so why not drive all of it we can?     

8 September 2015

AZ - Rough Guide to Southwest USA

Like Tripadvisor,  I always take what I read in a Rough Guide with a little pinch of salt. I have quite a few copies from different areas around the world. 

You can't argue with facts but sometimes the bias and language is easy to detect. 

Although "getting there" to Arizona, RG reckons flying into Las Vegas is cheapest. Maybe from within the US but for next year it was £125 per person more than Phoenix. Enough saved to cover the car hire...

I bought this used copy of the Rough Guide for £1.99 recently. It's a couple of years old but the Grand Canyon might be the same now.....

2009 Edition!

What I like about these guides is the additional information provided, what RG calls "context", the history of an area.  

7 September 2015

AZ - Arizona Loop

Things are coming together for the anti clockwise loop from Phoenix and back again.

The Wigwam Motel at Holbrook is not available online and with the 7 hour time difference it is hard to call to make a reservation. I'll leave it a while and see if they come online soon.   I have emailed to see if they have started taking bookings.

My brother is there in a week or so on his and Cath's Route 66 trip, so I dropped him an email to see how he managed to book. If he can book me whilst he is there it will make things a bit more certain.

The next overnight will be Williams and the Grand Canyon Railway and then we get onto the section of R66 ourselves and a stop in Kingman, currently the hotel of choice is a traditional old fashioned one El Trovotore. That might change yet.

Then Claire wanted a few days R&R and somewhere to swim so we'll head down to Lake Havasu and stay there the last two nights before heading to Phoenix and fly home.

Arizona Loop
Two weeks just doesn't seem long enough.

6 September 2015

AZ - More planning

Although it was a nice day at home and after the decking had been jet washed it was too late to get the Rocket out. Autumn has started to arrive and it seems we bypassed summer.

Some people may think that planning too much too soon spoils the spontaneity of the trip.  But I like to get a few plans under my belt in good time. It saves missing out on the things you want to see and do.  Been there and done that but was too late to get the t-shirt!

Today's research was concerning the six nights after the timeshare. We want to go to the Grand Canyon. Anyone going to Arizona and not looking into the abyss has to be a bit strange.  

Then I saw on my brother's blog that he has booked into the Wigwam Motel #6 on R66 in Holbrook.

So that fired a bit of imagination. I read up about it on the web inc Tripadvisor. Currently it looks as though the diary for early June 2016 not yet open.

What is open and booking up fast is the Grand Canyon Railway. This runs from Williams AZ to the south rim.

Williams Depot
With taxes and booking fees it comes out at about $150 a day. Not cheap but this trip is to celebrate my 60th birthday. Fingers crossed for steam.....




When you consider the eye watering prices the nearer the hole in the ground you get, it's cool.

Although back in the first post I said I wasn't too fussed about Route 66, quite a bit of the northern section of the trip will be around I40 and R66.

That leaves three more nights and a few miles of R66 to fit in and London Bridge.


First World Problems...

How to keep the decking clean?

Where we live on the edge of a marsh the damp climate and preponderance of clay soil seems to be a breeding ground for algae and other green slime. 

Not too bad in the dry but the deck becomes lethal in the wet. 

So as it was a sunny day I got out the new toy and cleaned it all off. I have no idea how much water I used but a clean deck is worth it.

Sadly, it means a nice sunny day has passed and the Rocket has stayed in the garage. Life is a trade off.

Karcher K2 Compact


4 September 2015

Charles Devall Memorial Ride - 100 Years

The ride has become a drive! Claire coming with me and we will take Reggie for a trip abroad.  He's done glamping already!

As a result of the Insignia being off the road for longer journeys, I had to change the car on the Eurotunnel booking to Claire's Corsa and whilst I was at it, I changed the time of the crossing to an hour earlier.

This means that we will get to the Campanile Hotel an hour earlier whilst the restaurant is still open. If the dinner is as good there as it has been on the countless other Campaniles we have stayed in over the last thirty years or so, then we will be happy.

Reggie sadly will have to the guard the bedroom. He'll be okay with his bone and a couple of beds to jump on.

Charles is buried in the cemetery near La Chapelle Armentières and the journey is only about 60 miles from the Eurotunnel exit and about 59 miles from the hotel. 


Deplanques CWGC Cemetery from Google Maps

Saturday is the 12th, and actually my Mum's birthday. As we saw where she is butied a few weeks ago I doubt she'll worry. 

Charles was killed on the 13th and so our trip there will be that day. On the Saturday I plan to take a scenic drive, fingers crossed for decent weather, along the Channel coast from France into Belgium, then loop back to end the day at the second hotel in Armentières for the night. I need to check how dog friendly they are too!

I have a British Legion Poppy Cross to leave with Charles to show that we care and remember his sacrifice. 

Once my brother and I have gone, who will there be to Remember?

http://www.webmatters.net/txtpat/index.php?id=1429



Car poorly!

The Insignia suffered a little damage when I dropped off the edge of a Scottish narrow road. The front left mudflap hit the ground at the bottom and the upward force pulled the inner wing off its mounts and the tyre wore a hole in it. Even though I pushed it all back the damage was done. 

I pulled the flap off and whilst it seemed okay it needed fixing properly. I booked it in to the Vauxhall dealers yesterday and they checked it out. Not too bad. No serious damage.

Then they gave it a test ride and checked the rear brakes. They showed them to me and I saw the pads are a bit close to being worn out, so I said do them at the same time. Then we noticed that one of the rear springs was broken!  The strut is okay but the spring is actually broken. To be honest I never noticed any handling problems. It needs replacing too.

So it is booked in for the 18th September to be done.  £££££££!

I can drive it for local journeys where there are no big bumps that might cause it to fail completely, but is does mean that next weekend for the "Charles Devall Centenary Trip" we can't take it to France.

We'll have to go in Claire's Corsa!

Glamping Scotland with Reggie - Part Five

Heading south.

We didn't exactly hurry. We didn't have far to go as we were going to overnight in Selkirk, still in the border region of Scotland. Packing the car and cleaning up a little took a while.  We had opted for small bags rather than cases and had loads to cram into the car.

Reggie went in early and was asleep when we eventually returned the key and set off.  Once again we had to navigate through Inverness, but the traffic wasn't too bad this time.  The A9 was also relatively heavy and we headed southwards past Aviemore stopping at the Ralia Cafe for a break.

Then again southwards towards Edinburgh. Another stop for Reggie to have his breakfast, anther day it had gone uneaten, and us to have lunch at a Subway near Perth.

Another surprise was that the Forth Road Bridge was free.....

Rail bridge in the background
From Edinburgh we stuck on the A7 all the way arriving in Selkirk just as the weather looked up.... yes it had been raining again.

The County Hotel is dog friendly in the rooms but not in the public area. Luckily the room they gave us was huge with massive bed and a sitting area.  By some fluke it was stuck out on a limb and three sides had no adjoining rooms so if Reggie got a bit barky no one would be disturbed.

Big Bed
Sekirk is where Sir Walter Scott, author of such epics as "Rob Roy" and "Heart of Midlothian" and where he was the Sheriff,  The courtroom was closed when we arrived and so we had a walk around the local (and very hilly) park.

Walter Scott's Courtroom
We had dinner in the restaurant, and it was good. In fact the whole experience was lovely.
Back to England

We were up early enough and breakfasted and packed to leave about 9.30am and headed off on a TomTom magical mystery tour through the borders and on the A7 south and then into the wilderness of the Kielder Forest and eventually arriving at the Roman Fort at Housesteads.

It was raining.

Once again we had a coffee and then took the wet half mile walk up to the fort, cleverly built on a hilltop by the Romans. This time we had waterproof trousers as well.

The fort is the best preserved site in the country.


It continued to rain as we packed Reggie into the car and headed off for the road south and that's where the wheels came off. The traffic once on the A1 was terrible, too much traffic and associated roadworks.  Using the map and TomTom we tried to avoid as much as we could but it was gone 8.45pm before we arrived at the hotel in the midlands.

We had planned to visit Claire's cousin locally for dinner but as time went on we got later and later we almost aborted. Instead we checked in and then went over to them later. They have a new puppy, a black labrador, and Reggie and her got on well until he stole a toy and she tried to get it back.

Another day over.