Day one - Isle of Wight to Brussels
Km today: 510km
Km total: 510km
Up early and full of anticipation only a trip into the unknown can conjour up, there's not much to say when you spend all day riding...
The previous night I'd found myself watching the weather forecast thinking "I hope it doesn't snow here tomorrow" before i realised where I was actually travelling to. On the way to the ferry from the Island to the mainland I got used to having the additional weight on the bike, waited the 45 minutes for the crossing and met up with Jack (jackofnone) at Portsmouth. After a quick exchange of greeting we were on our way.
Arriving at the Eurotunnel terminal early in time for a bite to eat we parked up and waited for Chris (rockhopper) to arrive:
Five minutes before the final call for our train I see a grey shape zip up the access road and park up, we were all there. So after more hastily exchanged greetings we were on the bikes and waved through customs without stopping once, perhaps the KTM hard panniers would be a good method of smuggling drugs?
On the train we had our own carriage to park up in, and before the announcement informed us we were liable to set off the fire detection system we got about taking some flash photos:
Chris set about repairing the connector for his heated vest, all the while protesting that "It's not a breakdown"
Off the train and into Northern France, instantly noting how it's chillier on the continent than even a pretty cold day back in the UK. After an hour or so we stop for fuel. My preparations didn't go far enough and my neck warmer wasn't keeping the cold out. Thankfully Chris had a spare balaclava which saved the day for me, without it I'd not have made it to the site
Onwards to Brussels!! We rock up at a hotel somewhere outside the city and quickly decide €180 per night is a bit spicy, punch the nearest Etap into the sat nav and head off, well the other two do, I swing the bike off the side stand with a bit too much enthusiasm and it doesn't stop when centred, queue a graceful dismount to the right and a bike on it's side...
Thankfully the panniers and crash bars stop it going very far and despite being loaded up it was an easy lift to get it back upright. We travel the few km to the Etap and park up all in the same space, only for the bike to decide it'd be happier on it's left hand side this time, a heroic team effort somehow prevented any damage despite the incident involving three bikes and a parked car. My distain for Brussels continued unabated.
After a quick meal and a beer I left the other two in the bar, punched in tomorrows route on the Zumo and went to bed, tomorrow was going to be the big day...