Italy

Good on you Alan!

I'm doing the trip in a van with the bikes in the back but I will keep a lookout for you on the way down, see you there mate.

Pete Austin

Attachments
P1010005.JPG

Previously Alan Throssell wrote:

I've finished all the preparations I'm going to do to my Dommie, sorted the fitting/packing of my pannier bags and camping equipment. So am now ready to leave for a nice gentle ride down, Iâm catching a Dover/Calais ferry this Wednesday morning. Iâve a whole week to enjoy the trip.

Iâd just like to wish everyone a safe ride down, maybe Iâll see you on the way.

Kind regards, Alan Throssell

Previously Alan Throssell wrote:

I've finished all the preparations I'm going to do to my Dommie, sorted the fitting/packing of my pannier bags and camping equipment. So am now ready to leave for a nice gentle ride down, Iâm catching a Dover/Calais ferry this Wednesday morning. Iâve a whole week to enjoy the trip.

Iâd just like to wish everyone a safe ride down, maybe Iâll see you on the way.

Kind regards, Alan Throssell

Hello Alan

I am leaving Bordeaux tomorrow morning, on my old Atlas. As you probably haven't heard, I broke my leg while skiing in Andorra on January 26th. I had an operation, and my leg is full of various bits of metal, plates, rods, screws, and pins. But the bones are supposed to be OK. However, it is still a bit painful, so I am leaving early to cover only short distances everyday, and it's about 1000 miles from here. as vibrations make things worse in the long run. So I'll see you in Rimini.

Hi Alan

I am also on the Dover-Calais ferry on Wednesday morning. 0825 for me and then riding to Reims for my first overnight stop. When are you crossing?

I'll see you all in Italy if not before!

Andy

Previously Alan Throssell wrote:

Hi Chris

Sounds like you're having fun, hope your bike keeps going, I'm heading your way, I hope I don't catch you up (meant in a nice way), because that'll mean you are in trouble!

Best of Luck, Alan

Hello

I made it to Castries, near Montpellier, and am Dunning myself on a retrace un beautiful weather. This afternoon I'll go and dip my acting leg in the sea, which is supposed to be good for it. The atlas performed faultlessly. i should be in Italy on Sunday.

Chris,I see you are all set to provide thÃ? usual mechanical entertainment. Looking forward to giving you a hand.

Have a good trip all of you, see you soon..

Hello Chris, Allan et All,

As I am taking a van, hopefully with two bikes, I will have enough room to bring any amount of tools and spares with me. As I am not leaving until late on Monday 23rd, due to work committments, if you are unlucky and hit serious technical difficulties, give me a call and I can perhaps bring tools spares out there with me.

Good Luck and enjoy the ride!

Pete Austin

mobile: 07410982501

Previously Alan Throssell wrote:

Have today arrived in Imst, Austria. Weather has been fantastic. The Dommie is running great. Heading for a campsite at Lake Garda, Italy tomorrow. Brenner Pass weather forecast for tomorrow is high of 20?C & sunny. Not cold like I was expecting

Alan. Myself and pete are on lake Garda (Riva del Garda) in the Astoria hotel.leaving tomorrow Monday for the rally site hopefully get there in the evening. Tony w.

Linda and I have travelled on the Commander up from Almeria and arrived at the campsite this morning. Sunny all the way. we covered 1311 miles not entirely without incident. the water pump oldham coupling wore away to nothing twice on the journey. The first time was as we got into Italy, as the coolant boiled we just managed to pull into a service area. I went searching the bins for plastic bottles to store the coolant and to make a funnel. it took about an hour to strip down and replace the worn item. The second time was towards the end of the journey and I actually mended it on the side of the motorway having found two bottles jettisoned bottles exactly where we stopped. I will have to look closely at the cause of this wear before the return to the UK. on the bright side we are going to the bar with other early arrivals

Chris:

What was causing the multiple deflations on Kev's bike?

Mike

Got back yesterday at 6 pm. Rained a lot on the way home but the Commando kept running. 2300 miles in 10 days. The only problem was a duff regulator that I bought recently to improve reliability! Fortunately I left the original in place and wired that back in - problem solved.

Lessons learnt: take plenty of spares (you can fix lots if you have the bits), electrics seem to be most vulnerable, 350 miles a day is too many for an enjoyable ride, a Commando really can do long distances with a bit of preparation and a fair wind.

I hope it goes well for those still on the road. Great rally, great adventure and all on a great British bike!

Monday, Cesanatico to Innsbruck

Tuesday Innsbruck to Karlsruhe,

Wednesday, Karlsruhe to Amsterdam, weather around Bonn vile -heavy rain, bow waves from artic tyres, visibility 60ft very grim

Today wandering around my beloved 'home' city.

Tomorrow down to Calais, overnight & then Chunnel & the slog up the a1

Biggest problemen is an oil soaked rear disk

Hello there. Made it back! Monday Cesenatico to Imperia on the Mediterranean, and a nice swim there. Tuesday, Cesenatico to Saint Hippolyte du Fort in the Cevennes (North of Montpellier), the last 50km in a drizzle. Wednesday, Saint Hippolyte to Saint Antonin Nobleval, in rather heavier rain, Thursday, to Bordeaux, in overcast but dry weather. Now, tyre replacement, then oil change and general once over, before leaving for Ireland on Tuesday morning.

The atlas was very good, using a litre of oil in 3700km.

No petrol shortage at all in France. It was harly a problem here, some of my friends had not even heard of it, the big problem is flooding!

Nice seeing you all!

Previously Chris Grimmett wrote:

Arrived back on Friday afternoon after unceasing rain in France aggravated by gusty headwinds and sidewinds. It was more a case of fighting the bike than riding it.

Saw no evidence whatsoever of fuel shortages and was able to reassure some Jensen Interceptor owners on their way to a rally in Turin that they would not have a problem. With 7.2 litre Chevrolet motors and a fuel consumption down to as little as 6mpg if thrashed, they were concerned that they might not make it. there.

Made the tunnel with just 4 minutes to spare before the check-in time and then back in the UK was treated to a 6-mile jam at Dartford, more delays at the A14 near Cambridge and further problems on the M1 near Donington. Even the last couple of miles were plagued by a slow moving tractor and trailer. Quite the most tedious and unpleasant return ever from an International Rally.

Still, it could have been worse, apart from an oil top-up in France and a repair to the side light in Italy, the Commando made it back with no work required although with 2950 miles on the clock for the round trip, it is looking less than pristine and there is a list of jobs to do once I have recovered.

Whgat? No mechanical entertainment? What about traditions and all that???

I got back on Friday. Rode up through Austria, Germany, Belgium and over to Calais for the tunnel. All appeared to be running as usual and they even let us on an hour early. Only real problem was that my booking confirmation had got so wet it had fallen apart in my pocket and the lady in the booth couldn't read the number!

The lid on my toolbox came open and I lost a tobaco tin full of spare nuts and bolts but fortunately it was noticed before everything else went, the rain got in and I lost all lights, later on the brake light switch fell off somewhere on the German autobahn and finally I found the bike wouldn't start one morning - it had been outside in the rain all night so I just drained the water out the carb and we were on our way! Other than that though my 1951 plunger frame ES2 did the 2620 miles to Italy and back without missing a beat. Yet somehow I now have a list of jobs I want to do to it before I use it again! I've done over 7000 miles on that bike over the last 3 years now an I might just be starting to like it...

Glad other people are arriving home OK, and who knows Alan, your extended stay may be a blessing in disguise - I think we did no more than a couple of hours without it raining the whole way back, hopefully you will now miss the weather!