Id just like to say that i saw this thread the other morning on my phone before i left for work. As my phone has a smaller screen it abbreviated it to "pete1950 touring".....i thought, wow, he must have enjoyed that so much he changed his name...
In light of the reports of problems at the Tunnel, I thought I should get to Calais early, leaving extra time before my booked train. Turned out this was a mistake. Today nobody was being let on to earlier trains than their booked one, and each train was leaving at least half an hour later than the posted time. So I had an exceptionally long spell of cooling my heels in the terminal. At least I had time to buy some presents to bring home. The crossing itself was uneventful, and the air conditioning in our carriage was working fine. Glad I wasn't crossing the other way today! After 3,000 miles or so, the final 60 miles from Folkestone home is frankly a bit of a drag, aggravated by very long 50 mph roadworks sections on the M20. But cooler today, so I arrived home feeling quite fresh for once. The Multi DVT used half a litre of engine oil and some chain spray, but didn't miss a beat. Everything just works. As it always does.
Hi Pete, Thanks for continuing to post your tour exploits and photos. Your Alpine pass pictures look great - maybe my WDW 2020 trip will have to include some of the decent Swiss passes. It was good to run into you at WDW on the Friday, and I'm so pleased you managed to look round the Morbidelli museum. Urbino looks as lovely as ever. Did you manage a gelato or two at the Sorbetto del Duca (previously Gelateria Roma) place in the town square? Looks like you had a similar wander round Milan as I did on the way back, with photos of the Duomo and the Galleria Vittorio Emmanuele II. I made it as far as the Navigli district, recommended by an Italian friend - good food, but it was where the evil Italian mosquitoes finally caught up with me. Murphy's law says it was the first evening I hadn't covered myself with Incognito before leaving the hotel. As I sat down to dinner and put 2 and 2 together that a canal district might have mozzies, I got the spray out, but it was shutting the stable door after the horses had bolted and mosquitoes bit. You know an area has a mozzie problem when the tourist tat vendors who flog sunglasses and selfie sticks by day wander round selling Autan sprays and wipes at dusk! I'd recommend the BQ craft beer bar in Navigli, for anyone fancying a change from Peroni, Birra Moretti, or the beer which seems to have become the new ubiquitous fashion brew, Sardinia's Ichnusa (arguably the Italian equivalent of the previously regional and now ubiquitous Doom Bar).
I booked a train due to leave Calais at 15.20 (train J). It actually set off about 16.00. Could have been worse!
I sympathise. Insects love me, mistaking me for a feast, but I don't love them. Any bare arms and legs are soon covered in bites, so I mainly stick to long sleeved shirts, long trousers, and socks. Fortunately even the most vicious mosqus can't bite through leathers, so OK while riding. I only got about 20 bites during this trip, which is good going.
Checked my trip display, and it turns out I have done 2,679 miles (= 4,312 Km) in 19 days. No bike riding on five of those days, so 14 riding days averaged 191 miles each day. No problem.
Sad news about Camilleri. I made it to Punta Secca (aka Marinella) and had a drink at the cafe at Torre Scalambri opposite Montalbano's house from the TV series (actually a B&B when not used for filming, but the minimum stay length in July meant I wasn't able to stay as part of my trip last year). I loved Sicily and must go back - I barely scratched the surface, but it had great scenery, food, architecture, history etc. I can quite understand why every major empire in the Mediterranean over the centuries wanted to get their hands on Sicily. I'd recommend the BMB Bed & Motorbike guest house in Noto, as a biker-friendly base, if you want to visit the south east corner of Sicily where a lot of the Montalbano TV series is filmed.
Will digest the tour parts of this thread when I have the time, sounds like a great trip Pete, welcome home.
https://www.bonhams.com/press_release/28420/ This Ducati 125 - 4 is to be offered for sale by Bonhams at Stafford in October. Now that I would like to see! Price will probably be £500,000.
