Up to a dry Sunday morning. So TLC for the bike. Pack and head out.
Nearly run over on the first roundabout.
I was heading towards an exit when I realised the car in the other lane was accelerating into the same exit. Being a valiant rider, I went around the roundabout again. Still. Might be unfair to blame the Belgians. Could have been a Spaniard in a rental car.
Ran for the sanity of German drivers, and the autobahn. Though I had to up my frequency of looking in the rearview mirrors. When you are travelling at 130kph and people are passing you as if standing still, you need to look behind!
After an hour and a half I decided it was time for breakfast. And I needed to fill up. Plus the traffic ahead looked heavy.
A sausage, red cabbage and tea hit the spot. As did a 15min nap.
On the bike and……..NooOoooOooooOooooo! Traffic jams.
All the way from Dunkerque I had been thinking “Why can’t UK motorways be like this?”. Lots of traffic, but all fast moving. So this was a bit of a shock. And a long jam. Am guessing 50km.
My thanks to the French riders who, last year, showed me how to white-line quickly and safely. Otherwise I’d still be there, and with a case of RSI.
Ran on for another 100km, then time for another break, and fillup.
Met a young engineer, just back from a rally in Holland. Was going to have 3,000km of riding under his belt this weekend.
Less than 100km took me home to Stefan Knopf’s place. I unpacked in “my” Indian room, and gave the bike some TLC.
Then sat in the backyard with a cold one…..
Then out for supper…….
Back for an early night.
Monday morning saw me up really early and into TaiChi.
Then more tea.
Continental breakfast.
Then more TLC for the bike.
Had a bunch of minor items to look at: foot-grips: left-hand handlebar levers to be adjusted; look at the right-hand pannier connections.
All done so out for lunch……
And some shopping.
Then back for more chat with Rob, from Vancouver, who arrived this morning. Rob is prep’ing his bike for a ride to Romania.
I then had a nap.
Wise move.
Was sunny and 22degC when I went to sleep. Two hours later it was 29degC.
Done some banking. Well. Am going to a BMW dealer tomorrow. Better prepare some space on my credit card!
As for the rest of this hot sunny day, more tea and chatting with Rob, and others.
Tuesday morning up, check the tire pressures and ride to the BMW dealer. Traffic started just before my exit off the motorway, so a little bit of filtering (riding the white line), careful execution of a right-hand turn (people were running up the hard shoulder, and I was coming through a line of trucks). Arrived a little early, and parked the bike.
Sunny morning. 19degC. Perfect.
Only downer was the TomTom cutting out on me. No message. Just a black screen. Happened 3 or 4 times, then AOK.
Thomas at the dealership took care of me.
Am now sat at a bakery, having a breakfast sandwich and a capuccino.
Alles gut!