On The Road

Last evening the rain started. Just drizzle, as we walked out for dinner to an Italian restaurant nearby, but it was steady rain as we walked home.  Not that this was a complete surprise. Rain had been forecast for a few days. We weren't too worried. The rain was forecast to continue through the next day but the forecasts are seldom accurate in BC.   Damn that German precision!  They forecast the start of the rain almost to the exact minute and it rained all day today.

We looked at the possibility of delaying our departure but after considering the options we decided to hit the road.  The fact that it is Sunday, was a factor. In Germany there are very few trucks on the autobahn. We were told that trucks are prohibited from operating on Sunday with out special permission and the permission was only given to trucks carrying perishable items or those with urgent deliveries.

Suited-up and ready to go.   Ain't we cute?

We also altered our planned route and decided to miss Switzerland. We entered France about 20 kilometres north of the Swiss border.  There were three reasons we decided to bypass Switzerland. Firstly, one needs to purchase a "vignette" to legally drive on limited access highways Switzerland. The vignette costs about E50 and is good for one year. The fine for being caught without one is about E150.  Secondly, gas, food and accommodation are more expensive that other countries.  Thirdly, with the rain and cloud we wouldn't see much anyway. So... here we are hunkered down in a Ibis hotel in Montbeliard, France.  It is comfortable and the staff are very friendly. Aslo the wine is VERY good!

It was a wet ride. The intensity of the rain fluctuated but continued for the entire day. We covered just over 300K...  riding on the autobahn (A5) to the French border then we moved off the limited access highway to the main two lane roads.  These roads were definitively more enjoyable and much more scenic than riding on the autobahn but progress is much slower. The last 100 kilometres took as much time as the first 200.   Who cares?

Just getting back to Stefan Knopf's operation in Heidelberg, for a moment.  It is a mecca for motorcycle travellers. Casual, but clean and organized. There are a lot of bikes, in storage, in various sheds and garages as well as Stefan's rental fleet. There is a workshop completely equipped with tools. You can do your own work or pay someone to help you. There is a "lounge" with a complete library of maps, travel books and motorcycle repair manuals. There is a kitchen, BBQ and a pizza oven. Breakfast is provide with room rental.  If you have a question about where to go, how to get there, what to do if you run into problems, etc. Just ask Stefan or any member of his family. I'm sure we will go back to Stefan's place at sometime.  Highly recommended!

Linda & I relaxing on the patio beside the kitchen.

Tomorrow we are planning to try out the French Autoroutes and try to make good time moving south and hopefully into warmer weather.  Despite the rain, we enjoyed the ride today. It is always interesting to experience something new.  Our rain gear did the job and we stayed warm and dry. 

Having said this... we are looking forward to reaching southern France and the warmer, drier weather.