My check-out trip to Le Mans for the MotoGP proved to be a very good test………………at least for my waterproofs!! It drizzled on Friday and Saturday and was more or less constant during Sunday race day. Monday was drier but affected by fog on the run from Dieppe to Calais with visibility down to 100 yards in places. I saw the sun at last – as I emerged from the Channel Tunnel at Folkestone.
It proved a good test of my ‘communications’. I ‘tweaked’ my Garmin GPS several times to set the volume at the right level - loud enough to hold a telephone conversation but not so loud for the directions to be distracting. (Why don’t Garmin fit an on/off switch capable of muting the “recalculating” mantra when you choose to take a different direction from that suggested?) My Kindle picked up my UK newspaper so I should be able to keep in touch with events at home as well as having a space saving and efficient way of carrying several 'Lonely Planet' guide books. I discovered I had not programmed my Spot tracker correctly and need to make some changes so my position reports reach those who want to follow my progress.
I declined to camp as it was just too wet and cold for me. As I approached Le Mans on race day, in a steady downpour, my heart went out to those who were trying to put away wet tents and deal with sleeping bags exposed to the elements. I stopped at a Campanile motel just outside Dieppe on Sunday night and was very grateful for an efficient radiator in my room to dry out my riding kit for the following day.
I rode fractionally under 900 miles in the 4 days confirming my 900 miles per week is achievable even if the roads are worse than in northern France. It also confirmed my packing and weight distribution was about right and highlighted one or two items I failed to pack e.g. torch and tyre gauge.
The next step is to have the bike serviced, new tyres fitted and then I shall be ready to go.