Europe in August anyone?

[proximity]

I fancy a bit of touring for a few weeks on the continent. I did a bit of travelling last year via interrail but i'm looking forward to going on the bike as it will give a bit more freedom.

I am a bit unsure about going alone as i might find it boring / lonely. Experiences are usually better when you have someone to share it with i find.

Anyway, im just wondering if anyone has similar plans, i have no real plans as to any destinations yet but if someone else is travelling that month we could do part of the trip together.

This post (https://www.bikechatforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=175045) a few months ago is the sort of thing i fancy, unfortunately the bloke has already left.

I'm 22 and ride a VFR800, currently on summer holiday from university so thats why i have time to spare. Probably will camp where i can and stay at hostels in some of the more popular destinations as they are great for meeting people and cheap.

Thanks,
Jason
____________________
2004 Aprilia Tuono

[Gazz]

When in August would you be going ?

[instigator]

[snomag]

[instigator]

Cool mate, let me know. I'm 100% going over to Belgium so will have that last few days, wed-sun free. Take a tank bag and tail pack, a tent, a credit card and a roadworthy machine and the worlds your oyster.

PM me if you're serious about it.

I'm not fussed where I go, so long as I get my fix of being out of the UK for a bit.

[proximity]

Hi all. Basically from now until october i am free so i can go any time in that period, although sooner the better as i am bored to death and sick of the shit weather.

I will need a week or so preparation and i am considering making up some hard luggage because it would be nice to be able to leave the bike in places and go for a gander without worrying about my kit.
Its a toss up between soft luggage and 'pacsafe' (expensive), or knocking up some hard luggage (i found a set of army panniers in the surplus store, although they look a bit small).
Me and a few mates did a banger rally last year too (awesome but always on the move) and leaving the car with our stuff in so we could go out was nice; later when backpacking i had to stay in hostels as i didn't want to carry my stuff all day or leave it at the campsite.

I am not really limited on time as i have 2 months, but would want to go for a decent long trip not just a few days. I was quite inspired by the trip where 2 guys got the ferry to santander and then did spain -> portugal -> france. I need to properly think over a route, last year i covered a fair bit of northern spain and portugal but i would quite like to visit the south of portugal.

As for engineering, im 4 years in at the moment, i ended up doing the MEng with industry and finish next year. Glad the individual project was over, that was a headache.
____________________
2004 Aprilia Tuono

[Faldo]

I quite fancy it, did France & a little bit of Spain last year, but I'm due in court on Monday and possibly facing a ban. If I don't get banned then I'll let you know.
____________________
Current: ZZR1400
Previous: ZXR 400 L9, ZX-7R P5, ZZR 400, ZX-7R P6, Bandit 600, GSXR 750 Slingshot, DRZ400, DR650, ZX10R C1H, ZXR 750 L1, ZXR 750 L3, '99 ZX7R P4, KTM 300 EXC, ZX-9R E1, TDM850

[proximity]

Ok cool, fingers crossed you dont get banned

What are peoples opinion on these luggage cases, as i found some for sale nearby:
https://www.milweb.net/features/Armstrong%20MT500%20&%20MT350%20Information%20from%20Motorcycle%20Co%20UK_files/snarley.jpg
My idea was to just make a bracket for them on the rear of the VFR instead of taking soft panniers. Although they seem deep but skinny so finding stuff might be tedious.
____________________
2004 Aprilia Tuono

[Gazz]

Does anyone know of any specific dates yet?

I am quite interested in doing something like this; but, trying to get time off from work can be a little difficult some times, so would need to know exact dates. Also a return date.

If anyone has any ideas of dates, etc please let me know.

[proximity]

Well i aim to go for anything up to a month or so depending on how it goes. If people are coming that have to be back for work we could design the route so that after 2 weeks or whatever we could split without a huge distance for the guys going back.

I would like to set off between 1-3 weeks from now, just need to spend a bit of time planning a route and sorting the bike.
____________________
2004 Aprilia Tuono

[Gazz]

Just to let everyone know in advance. I cannot make this anymore. Just thought I'd let you all know before anyone starts planning routes and stuff.

I went into work today to check the holiday books and there is another baker already in for holidays for the rest of August, so looks like I cant go.



Maybe next year


Good luck to everyone that goes if you manage to get away.

[proximity]

No worries Gaz, maybe next year.

I've been thinking about routes, initially was thinking spain but since the ferry to santander is like 300 quid, it adds a hell of a lot of miles to the trip to ride there as doesn't lead on to anywhere else.

Was thinking maybe have a blast round the east of europe and take advantage of those alpine roads (alpineroads.com) and hit the 'ring on the way back.

Maybe something like this, although i haven't picked actual roads here, or destinations, just a breif direction to head.

https://img205.imageshack.us/img205/4508/screenhunter0520090802.gif
____________________
2004 Aprilia Tuono

[Phoenix]

Good basis for a route, isn't that disimilar from the one I just did so my writeup will show you what roads I took and show you pics, though I didn't go as far north as Czech, or you can just make it up as you go with nothing but a general direction planned, which is how I like to do it, more interesting.

You might want to make more of the Alps though as that route almost bypasses them, Grenoble to Nice is a nice stretch though.

[kitty kat]

That is pretty much the route I am thinking of, but again without the Czech part and possibly without the swiss bit as well.
____________________
Enjoy everyday, tell those you love everyday you love them
Life is too short to fall out with people

[proximity]

I could cut out Czech and go more across the austrian alps to germany (munich or something).
My idea for switzerland was to go to the black forest from strasbourg and then cut through as its probably more interesting than france.
____________________
2004 Aprilia Tuono

[Faldo]

[proximity]

Shame about the ban mate. Damn my route keeps looking longer and more interesting, i just checked out Dubrovnik and the ferry you mentioned, quite fancy croatia now
____________________
2004 Aprilia Tuono

[Faldo]

[proximity]

I spent a few hours last night reading about all those costal places and the islands like hvar etc.
I'm definately going there, looks like it might be one of the best places on the trip, at least i can get some relaxing beach time in too

Depending on ferry cost and what is in italy to visit i might either drive round, or get the ferry.

Your driving ban, is that worldwide or just a ban from the uk
____________________
2004 Aprilia Tuono

[Zenarchy]

I notice in your profile that you're based in Darlington? Are you still there at the moment (you mention being away at university).

I'm just a bit further north of you and would be going through there on my way to Europe sometime this month (all going to plan). If our dates happen to coincide it'd be cool to ride down and get the ferry across with someone if you'd be interested (first time I'll have crossed to europe on a bike myself so would be nice to have some company).

I was planning to head for the alps and pyranees mainly then get the santanda ferry home at the end, so our routes might be a bit different but I'm still open to ideas as I don't really have anything firmly planned yet (though this is part of my problem - trying to work out a plan so I can get away for up to a month ideally but relies upon me sorting out projects before I leave which is a bit of a juggling act and may delay me slightly - though I'm determined to leave sometime in the next week or two - the sooner the better).

I'll be riding an Africa twin, and I'm not the fastest rider (and notice you have a sports bike), and I'm a bit older than you (not exactly an old fogie though - in my 30s) so probably not the ideal riding partner for all of your trip, but it might be cool to ride down together or meet up at some point in our trip if our paths cross or something if you fancy a bit of company. Or if this isn't a problem for you maybe we could do some of our trips together at least and see how it goes.

Let me know what you think anyway and if you're interested I'll drop you a pm with some contact details (if you're not interested no worries though).

[proximity]

Yeah that sounds cool. To be honest i have no real preferences through France until Grenoble -> Nice and east from there, so we could go together to calais and then on through france for a while if you fancied it or just see how it goes.

Also i have been looking at the ferry from amsterdam to newcastle which may interest you if you are northern. Im not bothered about stopping in amsterdam but i worked it out and for the ferry there it is 80 quid i think, but then you get a bed and arrive in newcastle, which works out about the same cost as the calais ferry + petrol but more relaxing, although saying that you said you are doing bilbao ferry, have you checked the prices as it came out as 300 quid for me (screw that!).

At the minute im waiting on a friend who is interested in coming but lacks funds. I hope to get a straight answer from him by the end of the week. If he wants to come i won't be leaving until about the 1st Sept, but if he isn't then like you i will be leaving in a week or 2, as soon as i have bought all my supplies (travel books/puncture kit etc)
____________________
2004 Aprilia Tuono

[Zenarchy]

I haven't had much time to think about a very firm route yet (and once I get over there, it's likely to go out the window and for me to end up following my nose a bit anyway so any plans I make are likely to be very loose and subject to change anyway).

This is very roughly what I was thinking of:

https://tiny.cc/7smF4

I'm not sure if its a very practical route or about where to camp, places to see on the way etc. as I haven't had much time to think about it yet. I just roughly dragged a line over google maps in a couple of minutes at this stage to give a rough outline as I'm trying to focus on the other things I need to do to make the trip possible as a first priority at the moment, to make sure I actually get there and can leave soonish and spend a reasonable amount of time away (things are looking good and on track so far though). I figure I can work out the finer details a couple of days before I leave.

Getting the ferry over to holland, isn't much of a diversion looking at that route and might actually save a bit of time/distance too (had thought about that myself - though I figured it'd be more than £80 so that's a pleasant surprise).

My concern with that is I haven't had much time to ride the bike recently due to working hard to save and get projects out of the way in time, and doing maintenance on the bike and buying stuff I need for the trip in what little spare time I've had, so I'm undoubtedly a bit rusty and was looking forward to a long day or two in the saddle to get a feel for riding again on the way over there. So might be a bit wary of riding straight onto a ferry (which is close to me) then suddenly find myself in a busy city center riding on the wrong side of the road all bleary eyed and half asleep the next morning with trams and cyclists trying to kill me (maybe it's possible to avoid all that completely when you get off the ferry?). Perhaps a little trip in the UK for a day or two before I leave might help though and be handy to check out all my stuff and make sure the bike's OK too.

I had a look at the ferry prices a couple of days ago, and it was about £260 for a one way trip from Spain to Portsmouth from what I could tell (though I think that was for a double cabin so if there was 2 then it might work out a bit cheaper - I'm not sure). I was thinking of booking it for the way back only (and doing that at some point while I was over there so I didn't have a deadline to make), then it'd give me more time in Europe to wander off the path a bit, and I figured once you take into consideration wear on tyres, fuel, camping and food costs of riding home from Spain (plus wandering about France a bit to see things on the way back), it might not be all that far short of that anyway.Plus if there was time it'd give me an opportunity to head down into Spain a bit before coming back too.

As you can probably tell, I don't have a very firm idea of where I'm going yet and my planning so far has consisted of looking at the google maps terrain view and thinking "I'll get into europe by whatever method possible then head roughly for the bumpy bits on the map" So I'm not all that attached to that route. As long as I get to see some interesting places and nice countryside that's different from the UK I'd be happy (though riding through or over at least one of the big mountain ranges and seeing some nice lakes and beaches would be cool). I hadn't considered the adriatic but after looking up some of those places mentioned they look cool too (and I would have liked to head off the path into italy if time allowed too when I was near there anyway).

I doubt I'd be able to hang on until the September though unfortunately due to work commitments (is already going to be tricky to get away for more than 10 days due to design projects I do for clients each month - but I think I've figured out a way to do that now as long as I don't leave it too long to leave). Plus there's an adventure bike rally/meetup around the weekend of the 11th Sept. in the Highlands of Scotland that I'd like to be back for it possible too.

I'll drop you a PM with some more details and if you'd like to keep in touch and let me know how you're getting on over this next week and I can do the same. Its seeming I might be stuck here for the next few days at the very least myself, so if you were wanting to give your mate more time to work out what he's doing and if you want to hang on for him instead, that'd be no problem too. It's something I was originally planning to do alone anyway, so no worries at all if that's the case (if it turns out like that maybe we'll bump into each other on the way somewhere ).

[leeclissett]

Would be really interested in hearing the details for this trip. I'm touring the states next year so need to get some serious miles under my belt before then, travelled a lot but never toured on the bike before.

Was looking at a quick week after the bank holiday, would be good to join up with you guys if the dates work out.

[Phoenix]

Having a look at that route it's actually pretty good, a lot of those roads are great if you like endless hairpins and mountainous scenery. The only section that I would suggest is missing out possible is Bellinzona to Brig-Glis, if you headed further north to Andermatt there are 5 or 6 of the best mountain passes up there and will bring out in Brig-Glis to travel on towards Sion and Martigny, which is not a particularly interesting road itself, just runs though the towns along the valley.

Zermatt is also a worthy diversion (it's a dead end) from Brig-Glis as you can see the Matterhorn and I think there's supposed to be a really nice campsite at the foot of a waterfall there, would've liked to go on my recent trip but totally forgot, next time. The rest of your route from there down to Nice is spot on IMO, can't advise on Pyrenees as I've not been there.

[Zenarchy]

Thanks for the tips Pheonix. Much appreciated. Bendy roads and mountainous scenery is exactly what I was hoping for.

I haven't had time to work out a proper route yet, but will definitely bear your pointers in mind.

I was just having a look at your ride report. Tons of stunning photos and exactly the sort of scenery I was interested in seeing too.

When I get time to plan a bit more I'll be going through your report and making notes before I leave

Some of the places you visited looked quite remote with not many people around. Do you think there were many opportunities to wild-camp (do you know if you can get away with that without being hastled by park-ranger types or locals once you're into the mountains)?