Saturday 7 September 2013

Carry That Weight...Saturday 7th September 2013.

Abbey Road lacking cycle lanes...


Part one almost dans le bag. Almost.

An even later start from Bad Aibling this morning: well, with only 60 miles left of this solo nonsense even I couldn't take that long...even allowing for me savouring every last mile with these sodding panniers attached, hah-hah!

Alps- coming right atcha'! Slowly, thanks.

Temps up to 30c already so any water looked inviting...

...although I don't fancy his chances in this coracle/debacle.

Today's bit of nonsense happened when I approached three traffic cops lurking about 5 miles from the border with Austria- I shouted if I could snap them and of course no problem, have a nice day etc.! No danger of a speeding ticket...although later on I was doing about 50mph. Love descents!

Only 5 miles to the border...I can outrun them Dukes Of Hazzard style?

Out of jurisdiction...so long, suckers!


After that it was a case of going up some wonderful hills at a steady 5 mph and the views were just the best...

They're big on slaying round these parts.

Heads down- it's The Black Widows!

Why would you do that? Why?

70kph? More like 7kph and count yourself lucky!

Oh, you wanted proper views? Tough...

Up or down it still is fine!

Almost expect to see Steve McQueen tear-arsing around on a motorbike.

Just missing those Paramount stars!

Before I knew it I was nearing the last bit of this nonsense: anyone want two panniers...lightly used? Buyer would need to collect from The Tyrol...

In all fairness I owe a big thank-you (and yes I realise they are only inanimate objects and are replaced just-like-that) to my bike and specifically the wheels...alright the rear wheel for taking a complete shoeing and not giving any bother.

Shimano dinner plate proved essential! If I washed it that would save a couple of lbs...

Same goes for the tyres: bizarre as it sounds there wasn't a day when I didn't offer a silent thank you to Continental...

The official destination...

...and the real one about 5 miles down the road. Well, I didn't start from Blackpool so now we're all square. Savvy?

View from apartment. Have to make do I suppose. Always stoic, hah-hah!


Ok, so that is part one of the challenge done and dusted. Early on Tuesday I did begin to have doubts about whether this was just a step too far and then you begin to mentally re-arrange everything which doesn't always help.
One thing that did help was when I realised that if I started to change hotel reservations then it would hurt even more i.e financially, hah-hah! As I blathered yesterday, I would rate Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday as three of the toughest days that I've had on two wheels so it makes it pretty sweet to do what I had (half-assedly) planned.

Right, where are all the slackers who are jetting in, then?

CLICK HERE FOR TODAY'S STATS...

I know that if you're reading this nonsense then there's a fair probablity that you've donated already...can I ask another favour? Please forward the link to this to your pals- if it means one more donation then it's worth doing. I know that a couple of you have already...cheers to you!


35 years today: man, he loved being in that band!

Driving South...Friday 6th September 2013.

A favourite performance from a favourite trio: blimey, they were something else!



Keep going son!

Really didn't want to get up, pack and leave the tremendous Braugasthof Trompete in lovely Eichstatt. Partly through feeling a tad jaded but also because this was easily the best place to stay in yet...many friendly staff, great tasting and reasonably priced food and beer, warp-factor wi-fi and a couple of regulars who were dressed-up as Bavarian bier-keller waitresses...you get the picture. Actually I wish that I had taken a couple...wow!

Wash, rinse, hope it dries...this stuff could walk itself to Kitzbuhel, hah-hah!

Keep moving son, there's nothing for the likes of you here...

So very nearly there...keep going, keep going...
It was another flawless day...can't tell you how lucky I've been over this first week and it makes everything so much easier, or at least not as flaming difficult, hah-hah! I believe that all this is gonna change for the first few days in The Alps: really pleased that Il Tractore is bringing me out new brake blocks...going through these like you wouldn't believe!

"I know, it's only ................, but I like it!". Oh come on, that's gold!


Elections are looming with candidates' and parties' paraphanalia all around. Did this fella have that Tagliatelle Arrabiata too? Was a bit er, lively...

Jones The Razzle?

A '67 in great nick. Only a 6 cyl but a proud-as-punch owner!

Pretty much stayed on the B13 all the way until east of Munchen and then it was eventually out into the beautiful great wide yonder once more.
The moment of the day, no week, came when I looked up and there they were...the southern Alps. The scale of them literally makes me laugh out loud. Just majestic and they've been a longtime coming, hah-hah! Doubtless I'll be cursing them in a few days but they just look amazing...

Ah, The Alps...so we meet again!

Town planning by numbers? Not round these parts.
And so into the rarefied and slightly gentrified Bad Aibling: it has the air of a Swiss resort about it, i.e. if you have to ask how much something is then you're probably/definitely in the wrong place!

No litter, no broken glass or anything else. Immaculate.

 As there were a load of World Cup Qualifiers on tonight with one of them being the local derby, Germany v Austria, I tried to find a bar or restaurant showing football. I literally was just about to call off the dogs when I spied Bad Aibling's one and only Oirish bar, The Bogtrotter. I wish I was making this up...the kind of place with rusty old bicycles and typewriters nailed to the walls and ceiling but in it's defence it does have several big screen TVs. Run by a bloke from Tyneside who had the same hair-do as Keith Barron when he was in "Duty Free". Immense.
I lasted 45 minutes before I subbed myself and went to an Italian restaurant for some carbs. And wine!

Ok, so they may have some crazy-ass ideas about cycle lanes but they have got the beer thing down.
Last stage of the journey out to Kizbuhel is almost here: keep it together and don't do anything too daft, please...while I'm here I'll thank all you super-generous people who have donated so far.
Over the last three days or so I have had to throw the kithcen sink at this challenge and it's when you see that so-and-so has taken the time and trouble to donate that you get a boost...suddenly the headwind isn't quite as killing, or the hill just as bad.

Right, enough flowery nonsense...this for all the good people at IORR, one that still sounds as daft as ever!

Quality vid!


 Read all about it...CLICK HERE FOR TODAY'S STATS!