Day 4 - Nice actually became Cannes

The day began with a relaxing breakfast in executive settings - fruit, yogurt, eggs, OJ, and lots of bread and croissants. We decided to get plenty of fuel as we would head down the autobahn straight to Cannes - the beach was our destination. We had wheels turning by 11.15 and made our way out of Lyon which proved to be a beautiful city in the daylight. Not sure I can say the same about the drivers as several including a bus decide to ignore us and we held our own. As we left the city we were greeted by a huge bouquet of flowers on one of the overpasses, we passed the Port of Lyon along with a large section of refineries - a quick stop for gas and we were ready to roll. The temperature was climbing and we knew we were further south and it was only going to get warmer.

As we left Lyon, we encountered multiple vineyards just as we had when we entered the town from the north and now they greeted us on the south of town - the Le Rhone' was our companion for many km as we cruised down the A7. The traffic was heavier than we had encountered previously and we managed it rather well - the autobahn drivers were much better and nicer than the city drivers as they all used turn signals and respected each other with the right of way - this made navigating traffic much easier. As we rolled down the road we took turns leading the pack with the birthday boy getting his turn and he took full advantage opening it up just a tad. The further south of Lyon we got the more the traffic became vacation oriented and I must admit some folks packed everything except the kitchen sink - fortunately everything stayed put - good packing. As the temperature climbed so did our excitement for the beach.

It always surprise me what I see when riding down the road and today was no different. Shortly after leaving Lyon, I noticed a fortress high on the cliffs to my left - it seemed to have been build into a wall of a larger encampment, next where the two fighter jets that crossed our path and a church sitting high on a cliff on the right of the A7 - it was visible from several km away and proved spectacular up close - while I attempted pictures common sense got the better of me. As we went along, the vegetation changed as did the houses to reflect a more arid environment - it was getting warmer. We were getting separated and ran in groups of two or three with different folks leading and we always managed to find ourselves and reunite into our rolling snake down the road. A new twist on this part of the journey was that we were on a toll road and when all had dutifully collected our ticket and it now came time to pay - as we rolled into the toll plaza, I placed my ticket into the machine and was charged E23.50. I learned at the next stop the others had only paid E14.00 and I had likely paid the car rate - I guess I need to travel lighter. I must admit, I enjoyed the toll plaza experience for all followed the rules and where polite letting others into their lanes. Next up was gas and some liquids - riding in the heat takes it out of you and it was 27C. Following a delightful snack of rhubarb cake, sandwiches, fruit and lots of water - my riding jacker came off, following Stuart and Jim's lead - it was just too hot.

 

The ride became every more exciting, as the anticipation grew of seeing the Mediterranean, plus the road was a joy to ride with long sweeping curves some a km long and then back the other way - this is what riding was meant to be like. The scenery was equally interesting with smells of flowers and the trees that flourished in the environment. I came upon a field of sunflowers who looked in dire need of water - while they had plenty of sun - too much of a good thing was hurting them - guess the same is true for people. Then before we knew it we saw the water and realized we had made our destination and rode for the hotel. Cannes is a delightful city - mixing old and new wonderfully and the old city reminded my of New Orleans. The old part of the city was a collection of steep hills, tight turns and narrow streets - we slowly wound our way to the hotel which was another find by our accommodation guru JJ. Bikes safely put away, we put on shorts/bathing suits and made a bee-line for the beach. Robbert was prepared with a towel and bag the rest just were happy to see the water - so off we went. Along the way we stopped for some fresh fruit - a peach, tangerine, hree apricots plus 1,5 liters of water all for E1.79 - best deal of the trip - so far!

A short bus ride and walk and we were at the beach. Along the way we passed the Cannes Film Festival hall and a casino - not to mention several yachts/boats large enough for a small army - it was incredible. As Robbert observed, Cannes is a very international city and you could hear several languages being spoken and everybody seemed to be enjoying themselves. The beach was still crowed at 19.00 and we were not the only ones ready to get in the water - thanks to some versatile underwear, I was swimming within 5 minutes. JJ was kinda enough to watch our stuff, while the rest of us went for a swim.

The water was wonderful and Stuart celebrated his birthday with a splash in the water and a view of all Cannes has to offer - we all felt fortunate to be here and appreciated our journey so far. The conversation turned to how we could stay longer and we decided to shelve that decision till after dinner. As we walked along the streets of Cannes, I realized what a good group we had and this trip we will all remember and likely not be our last ride together. We headed of to find some food and decided to follow the recommendation of the hostess from the hotel - a brief 3 km and we were on our way.

Along our walk, Superman Jim, need to use the facilities in the worst way - deciding he could no longer wait, he walked into the local police station to ask to use their restroom - we waited outside wondering what to do if he did not return - Superman did not disappoint and was back in 10 minutes having answered questions from the local police after pleading his case - he is not a man who you say no to :-).

We found the restaurant and had a wonderful meal - thanks to JJ's knowledge of French, we actually knew what we were ordering. We celebrated Stuart's birthday, told stories and enjoyed the company of good friends - the food was wonderful and we ate for three hours - when in France - do like the French. The desert was as good as it looks and along with coffee ended the meal. A brief walk back to the hotel which was all uphill left us with good exercise and the opportunity to enjoy the night air. It was midnight and shorts and a t-shirt were all that was needed - wonderful!

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Night is here and the window is open - the city is quiet - tomorrow is a new day with a new journey!

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Day 3 - Additional Pictures

As we rode through the countryside of France - some additional pictures.

Our lunch stop and touring the town above - the last picture requires a sideways view.

Traffic stops entering small towns as trucks are unable to make the tight turns two aside.

Lunch was exceptional - tasted as good as it looked.

Just a few views from the road!

Nice here we come!

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Day 3 - Nancy to Lyon in 451 km

We started Day 3 with great anticipation and excitement - the sky was blue with the sun shinning and a cool breeze. Having eaten well we headed of into the French countryside for a relaxing morning of riding - experiencing the country roads we had ridden in the night before. The roads met our expectation and proved a little challenging at times as we headed south from Nancy. We rode through fields of corn and sunflowers over a series of small roads meant for a single car which made meeting a car very challenging. The small French villages we rode seemed empty until late morning when folks started being visible in gardens - it was nice to see as the towns had an eery feel to them when no one seemed to be there. The villages were remarkable for the architecture and durability. It was obvious the buildings had been standing hunderds of years and still looked sturdy and were being lived in. Each village had a unique feel to it and no two were alike. We continued to ride through the countryside and it seemed the roads would not end with every turn bringing a new vista and visual experience. Robbert was our leader and did a phenomenal job guiding us through the countryside - he did herculean work and made the ridding easy for the rest of us.

At one point, I noticed a bright field of sunflowers and I had never seen fields of sunflowers - there were thousands of them all aglow in the sun - I wondered how one harvests sunflowers and what does one harvest sunflowers for - seeds? More interesting was another field I rode by with all the sunflowers turned down and it was when there was cloud cover - it seemed without sunshine the sunflowers did not want to shine. It reminded me of what happends to people - when we shine the light of success, belief and accomplishment on them they bloom and flourish and when we ignore them or their successes, they drop their heads and do not shine - it reminded me to appreciate people, their skills and who they are. We stopped at a small gas station to fill up. The previous day I had spent E55 on gas and E45 on accomodations including two meals - it would be no different today. We filled up and decided to plan the day as we had no WiFi at the Motorhotel, we had no reservations for the night which we needed - we decided to head to Besancon and look for a McDonalds. We took off and Robbert found us some fantastic roads - great turns and quick straight aways - it was fun riding to say the least. As we came down into a village, we noticed a castle and decided, Robbert did, this would make a great lunch stop.

We took a walk around the castle grounds after parking the bikes - it was definitely getting warmer. We noticed a sign on the castle grounds that the 2012 Tour de France had been through here - it was wonderful country. JJ mentioned that his nee for speed had been partially satisfied by the ride before we stopped whih included some great turns for him to ride. I wanted to take pictures from the bike to show the road and realized that the speed and quick turns did not lend themselves to one handed riding - I will keep contemplating. In the meantime, we talk a walk around the town which was small and seemed to spread in many directions. Robbert shared that WWI was important in these communities as many folks were lost and monuments were erected in their honor.

Following the short walk we decided lunch was in order and we headed to the corner restaurant we had seen and it was a great choice. The check wore a chef's white shirt/jacket and blue, flowered bermuda shorts and he had long white hair pulled back in a pony-tail. As we were looking for a place to sit he barked at his staff and we were seated. The waitress, whose english was very good, informed us that girolle mushrooms were in season and where the chef's special. We all order a dish with the mushrooms and I had a bacon, girolle omlet which was delightful accompanied by fresh French bread which JJ informed was baked three times a day so there would always be fresh bread. It was a very relaxing lunch and we did not rush - the warm afternoon sun was inviting and a cup of coffee got us moving. Our nexxt targt was Besancon and WiFi..

 

We took off and Robbert led us on some sweet roads to Besancon - it was fun to run quick throuh the countryside. I must admit, I have been through more round-abouts on one day than I thought was possible - stopped counting at 20 and there were plenty more. Also, I did not think I would be looking for a McDonalds as I do not eat there and that became our focus and destination. We found the one we were looking for and after some weaving through retail areas arrived at our destination. We made ourself comfortable, got something cool to drink and jumped on-line; happy for the on-line access. After looking at or location and the time 16.30 we realized that unless we wanted to arrive in the dark - Lyon was going to be our destination. Before we knew it, JJ hd secured us an executive suite with free wifi and parking all for less than E200 and we were only 220 km away - smiles all around and of we went. We did book a room for Wednesday night in Cannes as accomodations were more scarce there.

As we left for Lyon, after traffic picked up and we did see a French Highway rooper who gave us a stern look and did not react or follow us. The road to Lyon had us climbing up a small mountain and it was a great view to the valley and countryside. The ride had more traffic especially trucks as it parralled a major highway, a toll road and we decided to stay off the highway as much as possible or until we had too. As afternoon moved to early evening and the sun began to set - the countryside became very peaceful. All day long here had been great smells - the flowers along the side of the road, wonderful pine scents when we went through woods and the air was so clean that it was a joy to take deep breaths. At one point, I found myself rolling along watching the sun set with the Dead's 'He's Gone' playing in my ear and I was gone - it was incredible.



As we approached Lyon, we had the opportunity to test our cornering skills through a few twists and curves just before we got to the town. As we entered Lyon, it is large and unfolded in front of us - we took a tour of the town looking for the hotel and I can tell you it is large, clean and it was a nice mix of old (hundred of years) buildings and new construction. At one red light, took Stuart and I a minute to figure out it was a red light, a yound moped rider pulled up next to us reviving the engine - before we knew it the light changed and they proceed to do a wheelie for 50 meters off the line - we had been schooled - scooter beats Harley in Lyon. We found our accomodations for the evening and they were great - a business class hotel and we had an executive suite complete with kitchen and balcony which slept us five.

After we got the bikes put away and changed out of riding clothes, we went for a great dinner in the hotel, sitting in the courtyard, a warm night and reliving the day. There was lots of water consumed, I had great steak tartare and Jim had chicken that looked/tasted like duck - regardless it was incredible - we even got a round of deserts. We reviewed our ride to Nice and decided on an earlier start and ge to Nice late afternoon so we would have time to celebrate Stuart's birthday! Happy Birthday Stuart!

 

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Day 2 - Four Countries and 619 km

 

The Journey started bright an early as we rolled out of bed and prepared our bags. The rain had stopped and the sun was peeking through - a strong cup of coffee only added to the joy. We headed to the train fully loaded and filled with excitement. We learned that Dutch trains need conductors to operate which delayed our departure and that tourists follow orders especially when lost. Once a conductor was found we headed to Amersfoort and switched trains to Enschede where we were met by Harry for the trip to Haaksbergen. Eagle Rider is located in Haaksbergen and is the rental location. Eagle Rider was a joy to deal with and made the rental experience a joy and painless. Harry informed us that the original route was a "mission impossible" trip and that Eagle Rider likes for renters to enjoy their trip and come back in one piece. We met our co-riders "JJ" and Robbert, they we prepared to head south.

Our goal on this day was to reach Nancy, France in time for dinner and a bed. We left Eagle Rider and headed west through the Dutch countryside - our appreciative journey had begun - the sky was blue with the sun visiting us and best of all no rain. We entered into Germany and it was nice to see road signs I could read. Our journey took us to the Autobahn 57 and after traveling at 60-80 km per hour it was nice to open the bikes up and let them run. It was my first time on the 103 engine and the Road King responded well. We stopped at Rasthof Muehlhaussen for some gas - expensive - and water. The German and Dutch roads make for great riding - the road contractors are responsible for their work for 10 years - better than the lowest bidder. As we continued on the Autobahn 57 it was a joy to bring up the rear and as I watched our pack of five resemble a snake cruising down the autobahn at 160 km moving from lane to lane to pass cars - as in Germany riding the left lane is not allowed. We continued our reptilian travel for a while switching to the Autobahn 1 toward Luxembourg - it was a real pleasure. The other drivers on the road were very respectful and courteous of us - made the riding very relaxing. We stopped in Bidburg for gas and explored the town looking for the gas station. A friendly German, who we asked for help, had us follow him to the gas station - I quickly realized that gas will be a major expense of the trip.

The appreciative journey continued into Luxembourg and we made the decision to reach Nancy and skip stopping for sight seeing as it was already 18.00 - so we waved to Luxembourg as we went through. We were excited to reach Nancy and when we entered France we knew we were close. We came out of a valley and as we climbed, Nancy was on our right - a beautiful city - from what I could see. As we continued on it was time for gas and the realization that our accommodations for the night were still 90 km away - target arrival now 21.00 - a late night. Our leader, Robbert, did a phenomenal job leading us and knew where all the turns were to be found. He had discovered a great biker hotel in the French countryside and was determined to get us there - we followed. During our travels, "JJ" had done his best to throttle his need for speed and did inform us that the flash of light we saw a few km back was a speed trap - we were ok.

 

As we headed south, we left the autobahn for country-roads and our evening accommodations. We quickly found ourselves on country roads moving through small towns that were already asleep and thick forests. As we passed through the countryside, the cows would look at us and wonder who we were and then go back to grazing or settling down for the night. As were moved over the country roads, I was grateful for the opportunity to be taking this trip - the countryside was beautiful and the roads some of the best twists and turns - as dusk turned to night - I followed the tail lights in front of me. Following a brief stop to get our bearings, we found our accommodations for the evening - a converted farm house that catered to motorcycle riders and had a hostel set-up to it. The Motorhotel la Mouche (www.motorhotel.eu) was expecting us and we had a home cooked meal waiting for us - warm soup, pasta and salad, not to mention a cup of coffee. There were about 20 bikes and riders staying for the night.

We had group accommodations, as four us of shared a room - been a long time since I have done that and it was entertaining as we shared several laughs and stories before heading to sleep. As I reflected on the day, I was very happy Robbert and JJ were with us, as they made the trip special and provided me a level of comfort since they had ridden in Europe before. We are a very compatible group of riders and compliment each other plus we had many laughs just on the first day. We traveled 631 km today and had been on the road for 7 1/2 hours having left Haaksbergen at 14.00 and rolled in at 21.30 for the night.

The morning came quickly and it was a crisp morning in the countryside - I had to pinch myself that I was really here - what a treat. We had a French country breakfast of coffee, bread, eggs, cheese, jam and sausage - very tasty and made plans for the day. We decided to stop as some point and get WiFi and learned in France all McDonalds offer free WiFi - to plan the rest of the day especially our final stop. There are not hotels on every corner and with all of France on vacation having a room planned for the night is an excellent idea and makes for more relaxed travel.

Day three here we come!

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Sunday - August 5th - Preparation

Sunday, August 5th - we have arrived in Amsterdam and the first day has been a blast. The walk from the train station was great exercise as the bages were suited to a bike rather than humans. When we landed it was 65 and rain then the sun came out and the day became rather nice. Once we made it to the apartment, the view was relaxing and once we settled in naps were the order of the moment. Once we each took a nap and read about our route - the excitement grew anew - not that it ever left. We are in for an awesome experience and today was only the first day!

We took an afternoon walk to explore the City and see what was going on Sunday afternoon in Amsterdam. We came to the Dam Square and saw some great creative activities by individuals. I marvel how folks come out day after day to interact with people around them. It is great to see the City through new eyes and my friend, Hein, proved to be a great guide for us and gave us some of the history of the City we walking through. I learned new things and came to appreciate the depth of history when looking at building from the 13th century - oh the stories the bricks could tell.

The Memorial symbolized the Dutch freedom from Germany and every May 5th the country observes two minutes of silence in honor of the fallen soldiers. I experienced that earlier this year and it was very special.

Following a walk through the Dam Square, we headed to dinner of pot roast, potatoes annd greens - tasty and filling. We were joined at dinner by our fellow rider "JJ"" who will prove to be invaluable for his insights and experience gave us a sense of comfort. Just knowing what to expect made things easier. We watched soccer during dinner and told stories while getting to know each other.

While sleep was called for, we took a walk tonight and got some ice cream and mayo with fries - a wonderful ending to a great daddy. We leave in the morning and pick up the bikes in Haakssbergen - tomorrow night we will be in Nancy, France.

Keep checking back - we will have daily updates of the trip!!

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The Journey Begins

Sunday, the 5th of August and it is 13.32 - we have made it to the apartment in Amsterdam following an uneventful flight the best kind.  The walk from the train station to the apartment proved to be great exercise and we made it with only one pit stop.  Amsterdam is cool with the temperature 65 when we landed and now about 75 and sunny.  The comment was heard - "it is really green" - the rain from the past weeks has left everything in bloom.  Time for a few naps and then a walk around the city along with dinner.  Working on including pictures and Apple and Google communication is a learning experience :-).