3X R.A.T.
Contact: John Boyle
Location: Wimborne
Tel: 01202 810107
Details:
All the Sunday runs will leave the shop at 10.30am unless otherwise stated. The social meets are at the Elm Tree Pub from 8:00pm. For more information contact John Boyle directly at the shop or visit www.3xrats.co.uk .
Latest News:
R.A.T. RAID FRANCE
10 trusty Triumphs with a plan to ride to Dover, take the ferry to Calais, ride down to the Maritime Alps, onto Nice, west to the Pyrenees and across to Santander, before the ferry home. A trip promising high demands on man and machine, but big rewards from the roads and views.
The trip to Dover went without hitch and we sat waiting for one of our party to arrive at the ferry port. We had agreed that we would all meet up before the check in booths and would wait until we were all together before we boarded. No sign of the missing bike, then a phone call. They must be calling to explain why they are late. No, they are phoning to say that they are on the ferry and where are we? You guessed, the check in is now closed and we have to catch the next ferry. First delay of the trip!
We’ll arrive in Calais in one piece but 1.5 hours later than planned. We were going to spend the first night in Reims, but on arrival we found out there was a Motorcycle Show on in town, and all the hotels were full. We decide to move on to Epernay to find a bed for the night, that’s full too. We eventually end up in the next town.
Sunday morning and all are fully refreshed. We hit the road for a big day’s ride and manage 80miles before Maurine picks up a puncture. Have you tried getting a tyre repaired on a Sunday in France? As we were near to Chaumont, we limp into town and find a hotel for the night. Here there was several motorcycle dealers and we plan the repair for the morning.
The puncture is repaired and we are ready for the road by late morning. We decide that we cannot reach the Maritime Alps now and decide to travel west towards the Pyrenees. We had arranged to meet two of our regular members John & Lorraine there. They have been celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary on their new Sprint ST’s, and had already travelled over 4,000 miles in 3 weeks.
The rest of the trip is uneventful until we head down into Andorra. There was about 4 cars in front of myself and ‘Daytona Dave’ Parr, when suddenly brakes lights appeared on those in front as a black bag is in the air. This is run over by the car in front, and the contents spill on to the carriageway. Daytona Dave stops to pick up the bag to find that it is off one of the bikes in front, and had contained the riders underwear, which was now strewn across the road! We manage to gather it all together and put it on to the back of my bike. Miles down the road we find Maurice and Thelma, pannier wide open scratching their heads over the loss of the pannier contents! Underwear safely returned to it’s owner. Maurice was having one of those trips!
Things improve as we get to the Pyrenees. We have done some of the mountain roads on previous trips. This time we have John & Lorraine with us and they know all the good roads in the mountains. Leadership over to Lorraine and we all struggle to keep up! We had a few stops to take in the views, and what views? Breathtaking in all ways. We watch Eagles fly, find old castles built into hillsides. Then across to Spain for cheap fuel and food.
All too quickly we are at Santander for the return ferry, 2500 miles in 10 days. For John & Lorraine, nearly 6000 miles in just over 4 weeks! Their dealer service department will never believe that they are booking in for another 6000mile service, just 5 weeks after the last service!!!
Where to for 2007? The Maritime Alps looks favourable as we missed them this time, although how can we miss the Pyrenees again?
