The Big Blog
Guest blogger - Machismo Testosteroni
While taking a break for a few days I lent the bike to my good Italian friend Machismo Testosteroni and asked him for an independent appraisal of our mount for this European trip. He has finally sent in his report…but be warned, he is not one for political...
12 July 2013
The bloggers notebook, SCT & ENG
scotland views nice when bluehighland lochs, deer, bluebellsmore often thick grey stewheather, stags, fog, flyfishingclimbing up above the dellsloch ness monstercastles, myths and legendslakeside pub for a quiet fewmalthouse, grist and mashpeat, wooden barrelsMiltonduff,...
25 June 2013
Buried treasure, and back on the left
Site of our penultimate continental coffee somewhere in France.Since my last post we have been to Austria, Germany, Switzerland, France and Belgium. Today we returned to the UK from Calais via the excellent Euro-Tunnel train, in a whole carriage full of bikes....
10 June 2013
City life
Since my last blog we have traveled from Croatia, through Slovenia to Ljubljana, on to Austria (Vienna and Salzburg) and now, just near Stuttgart (Germany). So far we’ve visited quite a few cities and this has made me think about how cities are different,...
31 May 2013
Croatia
The coast of Croatia, and indeed the whole Adriatic is quite beautiful, with mountains coming down to the clear turquoise sea. The road snakes its way along the coast for breathtaking views, and as the traffic was light, it made for fun riding. After two nights...
21 May 2013
Albania and Montenegro (Mr Business, Multiple Entry)
The route from Igoumenitsa in Greece to the border crossing at Karispol is only a few km but I am glad Aaron is there with his SatNav as the path is ill defined and the road often no more than a driveway between or behind buildings. About 20 minutes later...
16 May 2013
Expresso Italiano, Perfecto!
We’ve only a few hours to get from Spain to Italy, then across Italy to catch the next ferry to Greece. We arrive in Italy well before we left Barcelona, courtesy of the ferry company being Italian and not one for tight organisation. There is organisation,...
14 May 2013
More Fun than John Howard with a Hat Full of Worms
When it was time to leave Ronda she gave us the cold shoulder, but nevertheless we togged up and headed for the snow capped Sierra Nevada to the south. We rode the southern flank, enjoying fabulous views of high mountains up to 3500m, and fabulous road to...
6 May 2013
Oh Sweet Ronda, Enchantress of Andalucia!
One glimpse of her narrow valley and one night in her bosom and we knew we were going to stay for a few more days. Just one of Andalucia’s Peublos Blanco’s (white villages), medieval towns typically situated on a precipitous cliff or hilltop designed to stop...
27 April 2013
New Rubber and Cork
Thanks to Manuel and the team at Triumph Lisboa (on their first day of trading!), the bike got a new set of tyres and we were out of Lisbon only a day later than planned. We didn’t leave Lisbon until almost 3.00 o’clock but very soon were crossing the phenomenal...
19 April 2013