105 replies to this topic

[MarkyMark]

Markymark - home safe and sound 23:30 fri 10th.

Travelled with catsbum & Ray to Saumur on Thursday. Hotel in the centre followed by a few beers and a chineese.

Thanks to everyone.

[stu]

So, having finally left around 10 o/c local on Wed am, (as ChrisG predicted, the 9am start was a bit optimistic!) I arrived home around 21.30 local the following day, 811 miles, and two ferries later. Turned out I could get lost without anyone else's help, after all, in Poitiers and later Bath.
I was tired but happy to be home, the bike didn't miss a beat the entire trip. Good to see old friends again and meet new ones. Some truly outstanding roads during the week, getting full value from the tyres.

First calendar offering:
 RTT09_034__Small_.jpg   68.28KB   57 downloads

[Saga Lout]

Home ok aftter a disasterous start to the trip as those who were there already know.

Met up with Dannyboy and Big Dave at the bottom of the M5 and agreed to go across Dartmoor to Plymouth. I was leading and made a wrong turn so decided to do a U turn in road which, had the bike not been loaded-up would have been very straight forward. However, obviously leaned it too far, lost balance and ended up in the road with the bike on my right foot. I felt like a right berk and at that point my pride was hurting more than my foot and thankfully DB & BD lifted the bike and helped me up (many thanks guys you were brilliant then and throughout the trip).

After surveying damage to bike (scuffed fairing, mirror, indicator, handguard exhaust and engine bar) decided it was ok to continue riding but foot was now starting to hurt like hell but obviously I didn't want to miss trip so continued to Plymouth to catch ferry. Once aboard foot still hurting so went to see ship's doctor who banadaged it up and told me to rest it. At that point I thought: yeah right, I had roads to ride and corners to take!

Anyhow, apart from a bit of discomfort had a great week, did some great riding and met-up with a great bunch of people; some I already knew and some I met for the first time.

Got home ok on Friday night and went to A&E on Saturday morning to get foot checked. X-ray showed it was broken so it's now plastered up and I'm hobbling about on crutches and won't be riding for a few weeks

Once again, a big thanks to all who were there and hope you all got home safely

[Pict]

Saga by name and by nature,,,,, Glad you got things seen to - here's to a speedy recovery.

[big dave]

Arrived home at 7.20pm last light. Far too pooped to be bothered to post, fella sleep on settee and then went to bed after midnight.

Just unpacked and washed the bike this morning.

Didn't take many piccies, but here are a few of the best



cake on the boat over, not much cake after that.






digs on the first night, arrived after 8.00pm due to problems with gertie garmin






los arcos, first night stop






little picturesque view on day 2







just around the corner from above







the views on day 2 just got getting better







it had to be taken







millau viaduct - a longer ride out that expected






don't know what it was but it deserved a piccie






tdm on the mulsanne "straight" at le mans






church/cathedral at bayeaux (of tapestry fame)









german guns on normandy coast






the bus home (boo hoo)


BD

Edited by big dave, 12 July 2009 - 11:14 am.

[Saga Lout]

Saga by name and by nature,,,,, Glad you got things seen to - here's to a speedy recovery.

Many thanks Ian, hope I'm not going to get too doddery as age increases

[catsbum]

I'm back too. First chance to get near a PC. All well apart from a good soaking on the way home.
Bike was faultless. Seat was painful and the sat-nav irritating.

I'll do a longer report on Tuesday when I have more time to download pics.

Thanks to one n all for the last 10 days.

feck my bum is sore though

[Hawmaw]

feck my bum is sore though

Far too many 900 riders on this trip obviously !

Looks like a brilliant time was had by all.

[ChrisG]

Took 3 days heading north with Tony, Kris and Poldark, meeting up with Chris and Syra in various towns on the way. One night near Poitiers and then one night at Mont Saint Michel and a wander round there yesterday morning. Split from Chris and Syra at Cherbourg last night, then sat on the sea wall with Tony, Kris and Poldark for a bit of dinner before our ferry. Had a bit of a scare on the ferry when my bottle of Calvados fell out of the top box and bounced on the deck, but fortunatly didn't break. Left the others at Portsmouth and got home about 11:30 last night. Not unpacked anything except the mosquito bite cream yet. Might take me a while to work through the 400ish photos and find some worth posting.

After 2000 mile son the bike it was a shock to the system to get stuck in a traffic jam in the cage this morning. currently sat at work with a large black coffee wishing I was still on holiday. Thanks to all for making it a memorable trip.

[poldark]

Far too many 900 riders on this trip obviously !

Looks like a brilliant time was had by all.

Sure was!

Got back in just after midnight last night, after rather chilly ride up from P'mouth, gotta say a huge thanks to everyone for making my first RTT such a great trip.

Especially D & Edith for all your efforts with food & entertainment, not so sure about Jack & Whisky (can Jack Russells suffer from multiple personalities), also Dandy for his on-the-spot suspension servicing.

And ChrisG I'll never forget our 2 nights together!

A happy 900 rider.



P.S. I forgot the obligatory cake shot!

 RTT09_Cake_Porn.JPG   779.83KB   18 downloads

Edited by poldark, 13 July 2009 - 04:19 pm.

[Guinness]

we had a great time even with out the bike. E and meself were bit like the chuckwagon crew :-)
but took the bike to work today ... it hit me : i missed out on some good fun in france

it needs another color!

[TonyDevil]

T&K arrived home at 00:30 last night/this morning
2200miles, TDM used 1litre of oil, TRX used over 3litres

looks like the TRX needs a bit of TLC tho, rear wheel bearing squeaking while hot and C&S seen better days
still TRiXy did good as a last minute replacement for Kris' sickly banditto

was a fantastic 12days away, Santander, Barcelona, Andorra, Dordogne, Normandy.......
great to see some old faces and some new ones

lol @ paddy, good to speak to you again matey
theres a long boring story attached to the whole 'rooondabooot' thing, best summarised as "boring car journey with a norniron satnav voice leads to pisstaking"

well impressed with Kris passed her test less than 3months ago then rode around southern europe in some of the hottest weather on a less than comfortable moto, rode on the 'wrong side' for the first time and kept up a decent pace

soooo......Portugal for the next RTT?

[ChrisG]

P.S. I forgot the obligatory cake shot!

You missed the shot a couple of moments later of me drooling at the window having opted for a baguette in the car park rather than a visit to the coffee shop

took the bike to work today ... it hit me : i missed out on some good fun in france

Yay, welcome back to wheels G

[Guinness]

cheers ChrisG ...
it felt good to mount her again more confident.
gonna have a look into a paintjob ... maybe red with the MK1 decalls :-)

-//-

soooo......Portugal for the next RTT?

NO !! keep it for the RTT11 ... please?

I already know I wont be able to make next years RTT, not if its the usual date or anywhere during june till october

[Guinness]

have to add : there were several toasts to "absent friends", absent by choice or that have moved on to the eternal twisties.

[bondy]

Looks like you guy's and girls had a great time, the write ups have been brilliant to read just wish I coulda been there. I promise I'll work hard until next time and i'll be dare. Mr G, pm on the way.

Bondy.

[Hartside Man]

Glad to see everyone enjoyed it, doon in france.

was a little pissed i could not afford it this year and had to make do with sunny Scotland instead (although i must say it was amazing there as well)

in the current climate i find myself now looking at working "overtime" (dreaded word) just so i can plan for a trip next year.


I STILL FIND THIS THREAD HAS RATHER AN ABSENSE OF PHOTO's come on get the pictures up

[Guinness]

-//-
I STILL FIND THIS THREAD HAS RATHER AN ABSENSE OF PHOTO's come on get the pictures up

well, you not being there must have somit to do with that absense :-)

and what you doing on the forum? go WORK!!!!

[MarkyMark]

An action shot for the officionados

Attached Files

•  PICT0013.JPG   126.56KB   33 downloads