Tim in Belgium

Friday – Vipiteno – St Anton – Winterthur – Titisee

An immediate start up the Jaufen Pass, a crosser keeping us company on the way down on the odd dodgy surface, he was going well for a 2 stroke at altitude, although gravity was definitely his friend. We then took the Timmelsjoch skywards to skim the mist and clouds, bumping into a museum opening at the top,



Before descending into the mist that was brimming the head of Otz Tal.



Down through the mist, the odd smatter of drizzle teasing us into our waterproofs. With the weather we decided to take a more direct route across Austria, heading along the autobahn towards St Anton, peeling off before the long tunnels towards the Arlbergpass, where it started to chuck it down properly, so into a local eating establishment with a Finnish host, her special of fried potato, bacon, egg, carrot and onion was perfect for the weather. Although dropping through mist looking out for road markings to guide us was a little surreal.

On into Switzerland with the sun coming out, and a quick run over the hills from Altstatten to Teufen, a little Kwak 250 leading the way this time, caning a Ferrari F430, although some of his overtakes were a little iffy, entertaining to sit back and watch. A quick cruise on some Swiss autoroutes turning north at Winterthur, crossing the Rhein at Schaffhausen, before taking some super special roads into the Black Forest. We were soon back to Warp Factor 9, high in the rev range, inline fours screaming, left feet dancing from 3rd to 4th and back again. Some silly riding whilst getting not properly lost soon had us in Titisee, although I saw none.



Saturday – Titisee –Baden Baden - Dottinger Hohe – Eupen – Oostende

The trudge day, started with some blasts along the Black Forest tops on the S500, some fun with a Swiss Kwak 636 who was running rich and wouldn’t let rip, before dropping down into little stream valleys, meandering with some Morgans, before rejoining the S500 for some of the best super bike roads out there, if you knew these well restraining yourself would be tricky,





All this adrenalin needed to be fuelled from somewhere.





The autobahn then appeared, after following a GT2 for a bit it was time to stretch the 750. Soon we were at an indicated 276 km/h which seemed stable enough, a combination of cross wind, tank bag, tail pack, rucsac and a little traffic fast approaching on the horizon stopped me going any faster. Maybe I’m a wimp, the bike had more to give, but I’m still here, proper sports touring!

We continued on, stopping for fuel, coffee, and leg stretches, before heading Eifel-wards along the B258, stopping at Ed’s and the Dottinger Hohe snack bar for a refuel, it looked like the Nordschleife was open, but we didn’t risk our fate this time. On towards Belgium, high average speeds, swapping bikes for a blast before and through the border, Kitch’s worn 50p front tyre felt awful, and the 600 felt slow and unexciting after a week of the 750, although the standard suspension settings were great along the old bumpy Belgian tank road.

Bland E40, Liege, Leuven, Brussels, Gent and Bruges passed by in a slow blur of boredom, using my memory map I navigated us to the biker’s loft near Oostende. A quick welcome beer.



Then park the bikes in the middle of the rooms.



Head into the massive dorm



Then cook our own food



Before settling in with some beers for the band and the last night.





Sunday – Oostende – Hellevoetsluis/Kirkby Malzeard

A subdued start, maybe the Stella from the night before, maybe the low grey clouds scudding in from the channel, but more realistically it was the knowledge we were both soon to be home, no more mountains, no more hairpins, no more flying free to the limiter, no more thin air struggling to satisfy the airbox’s hunger.



Once the few kms to the E40 were done Kitch headed west to the tunnel, I headed east before bearing north and along Zeeland, stopping for a stretch






Then I was home, 10 days, 7 countries, 4720 kms, some of the highest roads in Europe, no oil burnt, one can of chain lube down.



Kitch was back in Yorkshire by early evening.

The mountains feel a world and lifetime away, yet I can still smell the pines in France, the autumn leaves in the Eifel, feel the cool air at altitude pri ck my neck, the Swiss supersmooth tramc roll under my front tyre.

Awesome.