Belgium and more - Loads More Piccies!

[chickenstrip]

[Ali in Austria]

I'm not sure what happened there but I have sent the Link again. Check your In Box.

Better still, here it is:

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1XrRXGPTrvxEAOba7aKkqVMULNUI&usp=sharing
____________________
A Petrol Head in The Alps
https://www.youtube.com/user/PensionHausMaria
https://facebook.com/pension.haus.maria

[Ali in Austria]

Not sure how long your trip is but:

Just in case anyone intends riding The Großglockner 05.06.2016 there is a major cycle race with a road closure between 0700 hrs and 1030 hrs. Expect crowds of people to still be milling and a lot of traffic about after the closure is lifted.

https://www.glocknerkoenig.com
____________________
A Petrol Head in The Alps
https://www.youtube.com/user/PensionHausMaria
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[chickenstrip]

Ali, you have a PM.

Well, it's all going tits up due to the weather Rain, rain, rain, forecast for all central and northern Europe for the foreseeable So now we're going to head direct for the south coast of France, somewhere around Nice, overnighting in Lyon en route, hotel booked in Lyon to break the trip - likely to be a wet ride tomorrow

So once we get to the coast and (hopefully) sunshine, we'll have a choice of heading east for Italy, or west for Spain. But we are deciding on a day-by-day basis, so it all may change after the Lyon stop tomorrow night. Glad now that we didn't book anything beyond this first stop! Basically just kicking our heels and looking at options today
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Chickenystripgeezer's Biking Life (Latest update 19/10/18) Belgium, France, Italy, Austria tour 2016 Picos de Europa, Pyrenees and French Alps tour 2017 Scotland Trip 1, now with BONUS FEATURE edit, 5/10/19, on page 2 Scotland Trip 2 Luxembourg, Black Forest, Switzerland, Vosges Trip 2017
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[arry]

Good luck mate. Hope it takes a turn for the better.

We got absolutely drenched Friday night in Wales but Saturday Sunday and today were belters - just got over the Severn bridge on way home when the clouds and winds started and it's a thoroughly miserable BH Monday so you're not missing any weather here!!

[chickenstrip]

Good to hear you guys got something out of your time off, and Wales is great biking country.

So today we've been mulling it over, and the new plan is down to Nice as mentioned - if the weather is good enough, we'll go from Lyon ->Grenoble->Nice via the Route Napoleon, but I have a feeling it'll still be wet on Wednesday, in which case we'll just go via the most direct route to escape the rain. From Nice, we have decided to head into Italy and spend a few days exploring Tuscany and Umbria, allowing time for the weather to improve; seems set to do so from the beginning of next week. So then we can head for the Alps, so doing the entire trip more or less in reverse to the original plan. But jeez, it has been a miserable day here today!

I've seen enough of the Belgian Ardennes now to get that history bit out of my system, so from now (or once we escape this weather) it's more about enjoying the riding - all is not lost!
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Chickenystripgeezer's Biking Life (Latest update 19/10/18) Belgium, France, Italy, Austria tour 2016 Picos de Europa, Pyrenees and French Alps tour 2017 Scotland Trip 1, now with BONUS FEATURE edit, 5/10/19, on page 2 Scotland Trip 2 Luxembourg, Black Forest, Switzerland, Vosges Trip 2017
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[chickenstrip]

This is now the FOC-U Soggy Bottom Mange Tout (Rodders) Tour.

Today, rode over 300km in the pissing rain. Boots and gloves got soaked, but otherwise, multiple layers kept the worst of it at bay. Finally found the hotel in Lyon at about 11:30pm after chasing around every dodgy-looking back street in the deluge.

Unpacked my kit to find a small can of chain lube has emptied itself all over my camping gear. Still, should improve it's waterproofness.

Every river we saw today looked on the verge of bursting it's banks. They say there has been no spring here this year.

By Christ, I'll be glad when we finally see the sun again.
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Chickenystripgeezer's Biking Life (Latest update 19/10/18) Belgium, France, Italy, Austria tour 2016 Picos de Europa, Pyrenees and French Alps tour 2017 Scotland Trip 1, now with BONUS FEATURE edit, 5/10/19, on page 2 Scotland Trip 2 Luxembourg, Black Forest, Switzerland, Vosges Trip 2017
THERE'S MILLIONS OF CHICKENSTRIPS OUT THERE!

[-Matt-]

Sorry to hear about some of the weather you guys have had so far Nick, but great effort for sticking at it (and going out there in the first place in spite of everything).

You've got plenty of days left to ride through some great places and most likely in better weather, it can't last forever. Lets hope .

I'm sure by the time you get home you'll be laughing about the rainy days in France and Belgium after having some brilliant rides in other spots .

[Ali in Austria]

I led a tour down to The French Alps in the middle of June 2008 and it had rained in France for 10 weeks solid. The hill down to Millau was a river in itself. The first 2 and a half days were grim but then the sun came out and we were baking in the high 30s for the next 2 weeks. Too hot some days for biking.

Fingers crossed the weather breaks soon for you.

Our forecast here at the moment is rain every day but in reality it has been warm and mostly dry albeit cloudy.
____________________
A Petrol Head in The Alps
https://www.youtube.com/user/PensionHausMaria
https://facebook.com/pension.haus.maria

[Silver_Fox]

Great to see you guys are powering through. It's what memories are made of. Stiff upper lip
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CBR600 F3 FV
CG125

[rubyhorse2]

Be interested to see your route on from nice as we're heading along the coast and then up the other side to Venice.

hope weather picks up for you

[chickenstrip]

At last, a good day!
It was sticky and humid when we left Lyon, and didn't get away till about 11am We have 2 nights booked in (yet another) hotel F1 (home, sweet home ) between Antibes and Nice, so we had another longish ride to do today. We'd planned to just go by the shortest route, as rain was expected again, but at the last minute thought, sod it, we've come all this way, let's do the Route Napoleon and weather be damned. As luck would have it, it was mostly dry, just a couple of showers. Wonder of wonders, the sun even broke through occasionally!

Actually, it wasn't a bad idea to set out so late as by the time we got to the best bits of Napoleon, we pretty much had it to ourselves, finally coming out at Antibes at about 8pm. Well, that soon got rid of the chicken strips! Even remembered to stop now and again for photos:

https://i.postimg.cc/x8tkyqG8/DSCN3879.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/CMNfV6y0/DSCN3890.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/7hYh6wvk/DSCN3901.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/mrfr9QxV/DSCN3920.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/kGpJgSFQ/DSCN3924.jpg

Even Neil smiled a little bit!
I think we'll stay with the current plan, so two nights here (we booked them thinking we'd get another soaking today, so thought we'd need a day to dry kit out), then off to Italy, maybe even camping! And hopefully, by the time we've spent a few days moseying around there, the sun should have returned to much of the rest of Europe, so we can then push on up to the Alps. Bloody weather men better be right!
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Chickenystripgeezer's Biking Life (Latest update 19/10/18) Belgium, France, Italy, Austria tour 2016 Picos de Europa, Pyrenees and French Alps tour 2017 Scotland Trip 1, now with BONUS FEATURE edit, 5/10/19, on page 2 Scotland Trip 2 Luxembourg, Black Forest, Switzerland, Vosges Trip 2017
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[-Matt-]

Thats more like it . (And now i'm very jealous).

[-Matt-]

I assume by the lack of posts, you're both busy enjoying dry roads, warm weather and great scenery ?

Or you've both drowned in a flood.

[chickenstrip]

[chickenstrip]

A bit reluctant to post much in the way of photos here, as much of it has just been holiday snap stuff due to the weather, but after all, we are doing it by bike I guess, so here's a few:

Cannes:

https://i.postimg.cc/kX2Mhjqf/DSCN3934.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/3RL7tGqs/DSCN3939.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/1XLkdrrj/DSCN3966.jpg

Pisa:

https://i.postimg.cc/QtzwBJwd/DSCN3974.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/Bt9zpQqW/DSCN3975.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/pVwV4frv/DSCN3984.jpg

Lost somewhere in the Tuscan hills:

https://i.postimg.cc/s2g37K6Y/DSCN3999.jpg

Florence:

https://i.postimg.cc/sgtJZ0D8/DSCN4045.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/V631ywYg/DSCN4002.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/NFqhJx4P/DSCN4006.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/rp37s9vF/DSCN4017.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/0Q7XQ1Yc/DSCN4036.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/fRkHd973/DSCN4038.jpg

On todays's route from Florence, headed for Bologna across the Apennines:

https://i.postimg.cc/qMqcDdNS/DSCN4046.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/FFW3LnTZ/DSCN4047.jpg

The views weren't quite as spectacular as the Route Napoleon, but the roads were magnificent, and pretty much filled the whole day for us - loads of bikes around today, too.

Tomorrow, Verona (about 70km from the hotel we're in tonight, which is pretty posh: 120 Euro rooms at 60 Euros each cos it's Sunday and quiet ), then Bolzano.
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Chickenystripgeezer's Biking Life (Latest update 19/10/18) Belgium, France, Italy, Austria tour 2016 Picos de Europa, Pyrenees and French Alps tour 2017 Scotland Trip 1, now with BONUS FEATURE edit, 5/10/19, on page 2 Scotland Trip 2 Luxembourg, Black Forest, Switzerland, Vosges Trip 2017
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[chickenstrip]

Update

Bit more back on track last couple of days. Yesterday, headed north from Florence somewhere with no fixed plan. Found ourselves at Lake Garda, specifically, Riva Del Garda at the north end of the lake. Boiling hot and flaking out, we decided to find a hotel somewhere. Gave up. Rode up into the mountains and stumbled on a little gem of a place in Tenno, 40 Euros a night:

https://i.postimg.cc/RVwtDVMP/DSCN4089.jpg

The view from the room balcony, Lago Di Tenno and mountains:

https://i.postimg.cc/FKz7N94X/DSCN4095.jpg

Had a nice ride today locally in the mountains, beautiful weather, cracking roads - anybody else who's been out this way noticed that you never hit an adverse camber anywhere? Just a thought.

Then went back to Riva for coffees and watch the world go by for a bit, before returning to the hotel, dinner and a few beers.

A castle :

https://i.postimg.cc/x8ck5n6P/DSCN4064.jpg

View from one of today's many cafe stops:

https://i.postimg.cc/kGvnWZmy/DSCN4114.jpg

Fag break:

https://i.postimg.cc/3J3r3KXf/DSCN4118.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/CLJh1WJh/DSCN4124.jpg

Riva Del Garda:

https://i.postimg.cc/g0hbv5y6/DSCN4139.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/fTSt0Wtz/DSCN4066.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/ydz4nPnp/DSCN4145.jpg

Moving on again tomorrow, no idea where we'll wind up, but all working out so far, so all good
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Chickenystripgeezer's Biking Life (Latest update 19/10/18) Belgium, France, Italy, Austria tour 2016 Picos de Europa, Pyrenees and French Alps tour 2017 Scotland Trip 1, now with BONUS FEATURE edit, 5/10/19, on page 2 Scotland Trip 2 Luxembourg, Black Forest, Switzerland, Vosges Trip 2017
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[arry]

Mate I'm so pleased it's all panning out now. That looks amazing!

[Pigeon]

Some awesome pics, definitely hitting your stride now!

[rubyhorse2]

looks epic mate, good on ya

[chickenstrip]

Yesterday, what a day! Packed up and got away at a reasonable (for us) time, weather warm and bright with plenty of sunshine. The plan, such as it was, was to head first for Bolzano, and then towards the Grossglockner with a view to seeing how far we got before it became time to find accommodation for the night, hopefully not too late in the day. Route was a mix of roads but avoiding tolls and motorways.

So we got to Bolzano ok; so far, so good. Most of the way to the Grossglockner, or within spitting distance, and although the cloud was building, it was still warm and mostly dry. Views along the way:

https://i.postimg.cc/XJghL0rX/DSCN4151.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/1zwbgFPG/DSCN4148.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/50JT8tNZ/DSCN4149.jpg

But then, as the higher alps came into view, it started looking very black. We stopped for me to layer up some more, before heading into what looked, and proved to be, some really crappy weather for the climb to higher altitudes (Neil had to put up with the not-so-great kit he already had on). The closer to the Grossglockner we got, the heavier the rain became. We kind of forgot about the search for accommodation for a while just trying to keep on track, and hopefully get through the worst of the weather, but it wasn't really letting up much.

Into a climbing valley that we thought was the approach to the pass:

https://i.postimg.cc/1RJ2Nsxj/DSCN4164.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/qMqYsS4M/DSCN4167.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/Hk7hKMrq/DSCN4176.jpg

The rain was a bit more intermittent now, but then the sat navs turned us onto some proper little goat tracks and we got a bit lost. We had stopped to message Ali in Austria that we were now headed for his hotel, but then couldn't get a signal to check for a reply, so thought to just get there and if he had no vacancies, we'd just find somewhere else, hoping to reach him for about 9/9:30pm.

And then the rain really came down. And the sat nav that still had some charge in it decided to ignore the "avoid tolls and motorways" bit and took us to both in the general direction of Salzburg At this point, getting dark too, I foolishly still had my dark visor on so was just hanging onto Neil's tail light and hoping to just get through to somewhere we could stop so I could swap to the clear visor - black visor+heavy rain+dark+visor misting does not for safe riding make!

We finally got to Ali's, soaked and freezing at about 10:30pm, shaking all over. Knocked on the door, no reply! Clumsily making all kinds of racket unintentionally with the bikes, horn buttons accidentally pressed by the luggage etc, we were just about to ride off to find somewhere else when the lights went on and our saviour appeared!

They'd pretty much given up on us turning up - I mean, what fools would be still riding this late and in this weather with no accommodation to head for?!

So a big to Ali and his wife for taking us in on virtually no notice, in our bedraggled state, providing hot tea, a garage for the bikes and somewhere for our gear to dry out, and at last, a nice warm bed for the night just when we thought we'd end up on the news as being discovered dead from hypothermia at some anonymous roadside spot in the mountains

Weather is supposed to be better tomorrow, so fingers crossed for a good ride out with stunning roads and scenery - looking out the window today, we can see no mountains, although we are apparently surrounded by them, and the trees fading into the clag within 100m.
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Chickenystripgeezer's Biking Life (Latest update 19/10/18) Belgium, France, Italy, Austria tour 2016 Picos de Europa, Pyrenees and French Alps tour 2017 Scotland Trip 1, now with BONUS FEATURE edit, 5/10/19, on page 2 Scotland Trip 2 Luxembourg, Black Forest, Switzerland, Vosges Trip 2017
THERE'S MILLIONS OF CHICKENSTRIPS OUT THERE!

[Ali in Austria]

That's part of the problem, your watch is 30 mins slow
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https://www.youtube.com/user/PensionHausMaria
https://facebook.com/pension.haus.maria

[chickenstrip]

[Pigeon]

Absolutely stunning photo's, some epic riding, some tough conditions and fantastic kindness from Ali.

What a trip!

[chickenstrip]

Ali has been brilliant, despite us not booking in advance, not having any definite plans to head for his until (almost literally) the last minute, and then turning up much later than we'd hoped. He and his wife took it all in their stride, and Ali is going to lead us up to the Grossglockner (proper) tomorrow hopefully. Also gave us a lift to a restaurant tonight as it was still pissing down. Nowt but praise for him.

Despite all the rain, we have made something of this trip for our memories and glad we stuck with it. After here, it looks like the Harz mountain region and Munich area might be favourite for weather if we're continuing to head generally north. So although we're really headed for home, we'll still try to take advantage of any good weather, scenery and riding we can squeeze out of this whole thing. No return channel crossing booked, so no rush to get back.

And it's nice to be drinking good German beer again over here - last time for me was 1991. Language skills are a little rusty, but enjoying trying it again, can't say the same for my schoolboy French, which has had Neil in stitches at times! Mange tout Rodney, mange tout; leave this to me!
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Chickenystripgeezer's Biking Life (Latest update 19/10/18) Belgium, France, Italy, Austria tour 2016 Picos de Europa, Pyrenees and French Alps tour 2017 Scotland Trip 1, now with BONUS FEATURE edit, 5/10/19, on page 2 Scotland Trip 2 Luxembourg, Black Forest, Switzerland, Vosges Trip 2017
THERE'S MILLIONS OF CHICKENSTRIPS OUT THERE!