Crossing the plains

Elder John said today that he thought he'd been transported to Kansas, or at least some vast American prairie, because of a) the wide rolling fields b) the many tons of grain growing, being harvested, or gone to the granary leaving stubble. And he's right - the roads are also very straight, with 20-30 degree bends between lengths of miles, increasing the resemblance. Which is a bit dull, because it prompts said Elder John to leave even more space between him and the guy in front!! Hey ho... Personally, I (not so Younger John) love the openness and space, just rolling along, easy riding.

John No So Younger because today he's 62, hurray! Celebrated with a lunchtime sandwich and a coffee at a cafe in Ecuille, and a tarte fine in the evening.

We also dropped in at the BMW dealer in Tours at Jim's request, and checked out Vince's next bike - S1000R, F800R or even R1200R! For sure it will have an R at the end... Also looked in at the Ducati dealers next door, nice but explosive!!

And so back to the Hotel De France, maybe for the last time. The atmosphere has definitely changed, in fact the dining room feels like the cafeteria in John Lewis, so many Brits poncing around in a "French" hotel, now owned and operated by Brits! Like Ducati owned by Audi, maybe more reliable but not the same...

A birthday beer on the terrace.

Took a walk around Chateau sur Le Loir, classic village/small town, with added river and some big fish in it. 

Elder John checking out the possibilities of free food.

Resistance is useless, or probably not...

From sun to rain... Dordogne, you let us down! Yes, taiji on the riverbank, but it started to rain from a uniformly dull grey sky, the river a liquid glassy stream, marked by rising fish and skimmed by swifts.

Jim won the bill sweepstake, being closest to the value of an individual's share. Unfortunately there's no prize, unless it's getting to pay first!

We actually got started pretty early, in the rain. The traffic was thin but critical, being coaches and buses which always eventually turned a different way from us, after a while. Bendy roads, hills, were it not for the rain it would have been lovely!

Lunch was obtained at a passing Aldi, and taken under some trees in a classic French lay-by, sheltering from rain. We eventually realised that the huge piece of stone, rough hewn and still marked the quarrying drills, was a massive monument. Nearby on 9th June 1944, a group of maquisards captured '#1 Hero', a Waffen SS commander and thereby delayed the arrival of an elite German brigade in Normandy for 48 hours. Eisenhower recognised this as critical to the survival of the Allied bridgehead. A solemn reminder of a different world, and how fortunate we are.

The rest of the miles seemed to pass pretty easily, and the signs for Gouzon also brought the return of the sun. So mutch so that when we pulled up outside the Hotellerie du Lion d'Or, and sloped off to the local cafe to wait the 1.5 hours before it opened, we'd switched jackets for sun hats and sunglasses! 

Cafes - places for meditative speculation; would Elder John and Pip ever get their tobacco act together (spoiler: no); how much is the large empty house facing the square going for if the estate agent has only properties under 100k in the window; has Jim sold the 3 stone diamond and would thus finance our potential grand cru habit?! Jean Paul S and Simone de B, eat your hearts out, we exist and are proud of it!

Finally, a lovely meal served by enthusiastic youngsters, a glass of single malt and bedtime in the family room, complete with birds nest lights and baby furniture! Oh, and the amazing pink dream bathroom suite...

Doddering by the Dordogne

Another day off! And given the row of hotels and cafes on the riverfront, no need to go anywhere for refreshment, so we didn't.

The early morning was beautiful, clear and cool. Elder John walked up the strip looking for tobacco and sundries, but nothing beyond hotels. Younger John did some taiji by the river's edge, before the sun came round. Swifts took advantage of the morning's batch of insects, executing some spectacular stunts over the swift flowing water. Lovely.

After breakfast we strolled over to the park and sat on a shady bench, watching the French equivalent of the Wallace Arnold and Saga set queue for the boat trips. These start with a rousing speech from the tour guide, and a show of hands for the onboard group photo, which is obviously available for purchase on return!! Marvellous. We contemplated renting a canoe to execute a photobomb but that would have required boating skills generally lacking, as well as a kitty extension. 

Elder John proposed an ice cream, which was wisely taken on a cafe's shady terrace, and thus reserved a table for lunch in what turned out to be a very busy spot. And with the right kind of bread...

A bit of souvenir shopping, then Elder John offered to buy us a beer, which ended up back at the hotel. Dinner the and the staff were wise to the cheese plate manoeuvre - they brought pre-loaded plates! Excellent duck main though.

After dinner we wandered over to the park where the weekly pétanque tournament was in progress. Great atmosphere and fascinating to watch.

Younger John and Pip wandered up and around the ramparts, finding a memorial to the three people killed in 1957 when the rock face collapsed. It took 3 months to recover the bodies and 2 years to open the national route again!

Bed time - another (likely futile!) attempt to leave at 9 planned for omorrow...

A Short Hot Day

Time to say goodbye to Tim, his wife and their motorbike-loving 3 year old, Lorenzo. We waved a tearful goodbye and rode off into the mist that cloaked the valley in defiance of a forecast of bright sun and rising temperatures. A lovely spot and a great welcome, some were keen to ditch the bikes and finish the week out there!

John the Elder has declared this is his last trip, on a motorbike at least. Should we acquire a support can he'd consider driving it, but he's had enough of corners and cars and increasing risk. Bad times, but all things come to an end. He's been doing these trips for 34 years so it's not like times haven't passed, and good ones at that!

Eventually the mist and cloud burned away, and after stocking up on baguettes, cheese, salami, pate and other comestibles in a handy supermarket, we enjoyed a magnificent lunch en plein aire. Next time maybe we should bring the espresso machine...

By mid-afternoon, we still had 80 miles to go, largely due to the extended lunch and various fag stops, and it was getting unbearably hot, like 33 degrees. Such air as passes through one's rising gear felt like it was from an oven, with no cooling effect at all. A rest stop in an off-route village in some shade beside a primary school amused us with the kids' antics, playing 'sneak up on the teacher while her back is turned', before forming a single file to go back to class and then the waiting buses and parents. Of course, Pip was parked in the bus lane...

The last few miles involved some very twisty narrow roads, with oncoming cars and vans that was quite challenging, albeit through very beautiful green woodland with welcome shade, finally we emerged onto a river edged with a honey-coloured stone wall, the Dordogne and our destination!

The Hotel Belle Etoile is under a big limestone cliff, looking onto the river, with a garage for the bikes underneath and... air conditioning! Wonderful. View's not bad either.

The evening's entertainment was watching, along with the rest of the dining room's guests, Vince and Pip consume their huge plates of cheese - a sample of every kind on offer! The waiter even asked if they wanted the remainder on the trolley or the plates he'd loaded up...

And so to bed.

The Almost Day Off

A day of leisure today, with a two night stop at the Auberge.

Excellent meal last night, cooked by le patron, and served by his wife, ably assisted by Isaac the Cat.

So, what to do with the day? Not a lot of enthusiasm for biking initially, so a leisurely walk in a loop through the countryside around the hotel.

An idyllic location, beside a bridge over a wooded gorge - someone has built a house in a nice spot!

John shares some quality time with the locals, who are probably hoping he's got something tasty - too bad!

Jimmy taking in the view across the valley towards Auzelles - it would have been better if there'd been a cafe there, but since there wasn't...

When lunchhunger started to really bite, we were forced to make a trip to Issoires, minus John the Elder who didn't fancy it, to obtain some picnic materiel. The guys at the auberge had already gone out so we couldn't cadge off them!

Anyway, made it back with a pile of baguettes, pate, cheese, tomatoes and so on. By this time, Le Patron had returned so we were able to enjoy a beer as well! Perfect. Obviously a serious matter!!

Falling into the Auvergne

A lovely day today (Sunday), not so far but heading into the mountains and hills of the Auvergne.

Being Sunday, we completely fumbled the arrangements for lunch, to the extent that we ended up, in extremis, having a chocolate bar in the petrol station. Major fail. 

Jim and John appear to have been following themselves from previous trips this year. Today's deja vu was by the River Aron where they'd had lunch with Ron in July.

John contrived to drop his bike when at a standstill in a fit of fumbling incompetence, but no damage done. Big thanks to Vince for reacting so fast to help, and BMW for making a bike out of girders. Video to follow when Vince uploads it!

Tonight's stop is the Auberge de Chabanettes, run by an Anglo-French couple, which was preceded by quite a few miles of bendy mountain roads - hurray!! 

Fumbling Fags, Food and Fuel

Great day! Some improvisation worked out well...

Headed to a lovely spot near Vezelay today, in sun and heat - no fumbling there!

Fags - usual thing except J the Elder does roll-ups, so lots of fumbling...

Food - slightly random stop turned out to be marvellous, with shade, 5 chicken sandwiches from the chiller in the mini-supermarket, lots of water and a handy loo.

Fuel - bah, Aprilia! Only does 120 miles before gasping for fuel, which is ok as long as the petrol station either takes one's card or doesn't eat it! A slight panic at the end of the day looking for fuel then...

But now we're here at the Crispol, and it's lovely.

Ah, l'Hotel de France!

This is a traditional stop for the band on tour, of some some 30 years standing. And it's good to see Christophe again, who has been here an astounding 33 years! Last year he asked where John the Elder was, and this year he's pleased to see him. 

Sometimes adventures are good, sometimes mates are good too.

On the road again!

Jim - we're putting the band back together...

So it's September, time to meet by the side of the road in front of the Portsmouth ferry terminal, about 7 am, talk bollocks for a bit, then set about boarding, breakfasting and more bollocks until we get to France.

Five this time because it's Vince, Pip, Jim John the Younger and, having missed a year, John the Elder... The band's back together!!

Sunglasses optional, but a full tank of gas...