Preparation...what a bore!!!

Euro Tour 2011! All is in hand for an extended tour of Europe from 1st June to end of August. Taken early retirement...who wants to work after reaching the 50 milestone...booked the ferry to LeHavre...no return booked...the only committment I have is to be at the HU meet near Heidleburg 10th June...other than that, just wandering as I feel like it. I had attempted a plan, but soon realised that after 25+ years of planning at work, I really don't like it! So, let's see where that gets me!

day 4 or so.

Time seems to become lighter and less and less important.
At my 4th day of trip I reached Wuhan, another huge metropoli somewhere on my way.
Not much to see here apart from the frenetic life of China getting richer and richer every minute.

Leaving Tonling this morning i didn't know what to expect.

Bumping and grinding to Chita

The sun beat down on gravelled ground
On and on we rode

Through makeshift lenses viewed the land

and cautiously we trod...

Retrieving Thelma and theArt of Marmot Smuggling

With Ian safely home in England, I could now turn my attention to Thelma who had been languishing in a shed in Eastern Mongolia for a week. Arrangements were made that I would go with the watchman from the Oasis hostel where I've been staying, and that we would go in a pick-up truck.

Back to Europe

Week 12 - Cap Spartel in Morocco to Pisa in Italy

Monday night we packed up as much stuff as possible and went to bed excited at the prospect of moving on. On the whole we enjoyed Morocco, but we were both more than ready for somewhere new.

Hull to St Petersburg

We finally left on Sunday the 17th August 2008.
Nick is riding a 1985 R80 GS BMW, I am riding a 1995 R100R BMW Mystic.
The ride to Hull for the overnight ferry was uneventful, which was just as well as we almost missed the ferry. They closed the doors as we were tying the bikes down!

Non-Ride From Hell pt 1

Today, just for today, I hate small towns. Sure they’re charming, full of history and on average have a much higher percentage of friendly people than the city. But to be stranded in one as we have been for a week now is an entirely different matter. A person can’t get things they need in them. Particularly if what one needs is a 12 mm hex tool for a torque wrench. Above a certain elevation they don’t even know they exist. But I digress.The Non-Ride From Hell

MAP 3 Americas

Brief Update

Dear All, for those of you who are interested in following my progress on this epic adventure from London - Cape Town, please feel free to visit my website:

www.rtwdream.com

Unfortunately, I will not be able to update both websites once Im on the road so probably best to follow my personal site rather than my HU site. After all, I selfishly admit, I want this to be my Adventure!

The rtwdream.com site will have a system where my progressed will be tracked so that all family and friends know that I havent fallen off the end of the world.

Tires in Central America

Driving down from California to Panama and doing some detours on the way, our odometer shows about 6800 miles (11.000 km). So it is really time to change the rear tires now.

We had found some decent tires in San Jose, Costa Rica, where lots of motorcycle parts where available. We didn't feel the urgency to buy tires there as the tires would easily last another 1000 km and we were told that in Panama prices may be much lower. This was a mistake.

A Notes from Cuzco and La Paz

I think I have seen more other motorcycle riders here in Cuzco, than the rest of this trip combined.When I first got to town, in the rain, I was riding around the plaza when a guy waved me over to the side walk. At first I thought it was somebody trying to hustle up business for a hotel, but then I noticed he was wearing a motorcycle jacket. It turned out that Leo was a Thai, who has ben living in Switzerland for several years. He was staying in a hostal with 2 other riders, and invited me to stay with them.

Safaris and sadhus

Rishikesh stands on the banks of the Ganges, where the river still has the cleanliness and vigour of a mountain stream. On my drenched arrival, it was a startling turquoise, but it soon became a silty brown after the heavy rains.

In the hills above Rishikesh