Alps Trip - Old Gits do 24 passes in a week
Discussion
11 years ago my wife started working with an Australian lady. Her husband was, apparently, into bikes so I got introduced to Mark. He didn't have a bike in the UK and I had a spare bike in the shed so he borrowed my Futura and joined the Old Gits trip to Andorra. Since then Mark has been a regular on the Old Gits trip, famous for his great sense of humour, always being late, and ordering ice creams just as everyone is fully geared up and ready to hit the road.
At the end of this year he and his wife intend to return to Aus for good so a small group of Old Gits decided to do one last Euro tour with Mark, and make it one he'll remember.
The plan is that 5 of us will catch the tunnel this evening, ride across France to Germany tomorrow, then do 24 Alps passes, with the Route des Grande Alps and the Route Napoleon, before returning to the UK on Sunday next week.
So as Mark can show off to all his Ausie biker friends when he gets back, we've had tee shirts made up with route and pass names printed on the back:
The planning around COVID requirements of all the different countries has been ... challenging ... to say the least. Lot's of different forms and lots of looking at and relooking at the different rules and requirements to confirm that we can do the route safe (well, as safe as we can be) in the knowledge that we've done everything we need to.
While we don't leave until this afternoon, today being a work (from home at least!
) day means that packing is having to be done between meetings so the bike is out ready to start packing.
To say the 5 of us are excited is the understatement of the day. Kids on Christmas Eve have nothing on us.
I'll try and update this thread as the trip progresses.
At the end of this year he and his wife intend to return to Aus for good so a small group of Old Gits decided to do one last Euro tour with Mark, and make it one he'll remember.
The plan is that 5 of us will catch the tunnel this evening, ride across France to Germany tomorrow, then do 24 Alps passes, with the Route des Grande Alps and the Route Napoleon, before returning to the UK on Sunday next week.
So as Mark can show off to all his Ausie biker friends when he gets back, we've had tee shirts made up with route and pass names printed on the back:
The planning around COVID requirements of all the different countries has been ... challenging ... to say the least. Lot's of different forms and lots of looking at and relooking at the different rules and requirements to confirm that we can do the route safe (well, as safe as we can be) in the knowledge that we've done everything we need to.
While we don't leave until this afternoon, today being a work (from home at least!
) day means that packing is having to be done between meetings so the bike is out ready to start packing.To say the 5 of us are excited is the understatement of the day. Kids on Christmas Eve have nothing on us.
I'll try and update this thread as the trip progresses.
Edited by black-k1 on Friday 10th September 09:58
Fantastic. I used to do a euro trip every year for about 10 years but the last one was 2011. Been bikeless every since but just bought a ducati 749s and fancy another trip now although my balls will cook by the time I pass Paris on the duke.
Looking forward to your pics and adventures!
Looking forward to your pics and adventures!
Sounds and looks brilliant, i am jealous as hell.
Hope the weather stays as good for you as we've had it for the last few weeks here in the UK whilst you do all those passes.
Could you put up a link to your full route of this trip on your old gits website
One day i shall get out on a few trips with you.
Hope the weather stays as good for you as we've had it for the last few weeks here in the UK whilst you do all those passes.
Could you put up a link to your full route of this trip on your old gits website
One day i shall get out on a few trips with you.
Pirks said:
Sounds and looks brilliant, i am jealous as hell.
Hope the weather stays as good for you as we've had it for the last few weeks here in the UK whilst you do all those passes.
Could you put up a link to your full route of this trip on your old gits website
One day i shall get out on a few trips with you.
Will do that at the end of the trip Hope the weather stays as good for you as we've had it for the last few weeks here in the UK whilst you do all those passes.
Could you put up a link to your full route of this trip on your old gits website
One day i shall get out on a few trips with you.
The hotel in Bethune offered us safe parking for the bikes.
Big and boring day today. 500 miles of mostly autoroute. There will be a bit of autobahn so a chance for some high speed fun and the last 40 or so miles should be on nice roads, but the rest will be set the cruise control until more fuel is needed.
The highlight of yesterday's ride was discovering Marks mic on his PackTalk unit appeared to have a problem which meant he could hear us but couldn't reply.
Off for breakfast now.
Route for the day! https://www.myrouteapp.com/en/social/route/5142830...
Big and boring day today. 500 miles of mostly autoroute. There will be a bit of autobahn so a chance for some high speed fun and the last 40 or so miles should be on nice roads, but the rest will be set the cruise control until more fuel is needed.
The highlight of yesterday's ride was discovering Marks mic on his PackTalk unit appeared to have a problem which meant he could hear us but couldn't reply.
Off for breakfast now.
Route for the day! https://www.myrouteapp.com/en/social/route/5142830...
Edited by black-k1 on Saturday 11th September 21:36
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