Driving France

[ClassiChimi]

These flaming iPhones, I'm sure I write the correct words but it always seems to do something else!

I'm going to regret wearing my heart on my sleeve on a public forum but owning the same car as you boys has me acting like were all brothers in the same battle so it all comes out?

I think I'm actually a sad guy who's lost his way in life, my eldest son has stuck by me,, he's now my focus,,,him and my grandson, I've had my chance in life and now I want to help them have a better life.

8.30 in bed,,,, been awake since 2am

I feel better now I've got that crap off my chest,,
This trip has been more than I coud of ever dreamed of,,,
Some sort of quest to re find myself,,, didn't know it when I booked the ferry so I hope you can all forgive me for wasting so much time writing all this personal stuff.

I don't want to disappoint but I can't see myself riding much now,,
I've took huge risks, chances, had a ball,, been really happy most of the time and talked to anyone who enjoyed my company,,I've met like minded people and lovely couples trying to make it in their lives,, these people saw something in me that I thought had died,,
Then there's you guys,,someone who's been a real gent to me over the last few years .......
Anthony (Qbee) he's been something of an inspiration too,, he's a clever chap with world knowledge,,,
Loads of you infact,,
Were just faceless people who share the passion for Tvr
He's been a real friend when I have nothing to offer in return,, it's just how he is,,,

I don't like singling people out but he's always so generous in his comments on this forum to many people it's a breath of fresh air.
My brain hurts,,, more sleep required.
Finally the emotions of this trip have aged me 10 years
I need a holiday
Anyone wanna do Italy???!!!!!!!! ;)
Please don't reply to that last remark,, I'll be skint again as soon as I'm home!

[ClassiChimi]

I've slept well,, a that outpouring of emotion,,,,,all bks, feeling sorry for myself,
Right what to do with my last few days,,,
Not a lot to be frank.
I'm going to check the weather and maybe save some energy for the trip home and make it a beauty,,
Menton up to somewhere and just decide as I go,,,,
What do you chaps think?
Just to clarify something I said,, investing In the stock market???!!!

I had a heads up whilst on the beach, I've said I'm interested but won't be deciding until tomorrow,,

James Brown
I feel good, new that I would now
I feeeeeel good, I new that I would now
So good, so good and so on



When your in love with a beautiful woman
You know it's hard, you know it's hard
Everyone wants her, everyone tells her she's the one for them
When your in Love with a beautiful Triumph you know it's hard.

I need some ideas as to which way to come home,,,
Bring it on boys,,, I'm quite safe,, honest!

[QBee]

Aww shucks

The world would be a boring place without nutters friends like you, Alun.

[ClassiChimi]

Just keep on keeping on big man,,,I can't change even if I wanted to,,,
It's why I'm self employed,,,I'm unemployable

My friends at the campsite are a great bunch,, just had breakfast and is now the second time they spoil me and won't take a dime off me.
Suns shinning, deep blue skies and as it's Sunday,everything's closed which is a good thing,,,peaceful and makes you relax

I might ride to some villages and just experience the French at home,,
Enjoy the roads at a steady speed and re invigorate myself.

I'm not sure if I've mentioned it but my bike is BRILLIANT

I want to brush her down and give her words of love,,, the French kiss the bloody tank and things, maybe I should give her a hug too,
I'm sure a few of you will be feeling the same about your Chimaera's so do it with pride, passion and as much love as you can muster,,,it'll do you good.

My French friend who's always pissed,,, he's a wreck of a man and I can't be bothered to drink with him which upsets him but he's a nice guy really,,,I might try getting him to eat something,,,
He's killing himself slowly,,,,,the French are also a sad lot,,,,some of them,,,,

He needs a friend so before I leave I'll maybe do something with him,,,,maybe not as I havnt got much time left now,,

I've got mixed feelings, want to come home for my kids but I could stay here just as easily !
Antwon the chippy,,,, he's on my mind,,,,I'd go and meet up with him but I might make stupid decisions !!!!!
It's probably best to leave it alone.
Oppertunity knocks your door sometimes in life,,,it's wether you take them or not!
Al

[ClassiChimi]

Alley bell mouth and K&N it's got then induction roar which we all love,,don't accelerate that quick but it's so noisy it fools the mind;)




See that coming at you you get out the way
With my cool leathers and helmet,,,the women think Jonny Depp's turned up and the blokes think Steve McQueen has come back to haunt them,,,,




Look at the shape of that,,,it's like sci fi movie from the 1950's






And when I look down I see this,, it evokes some increadable feelings as you ride,
At night with the dim lights eluminatinf the clocks it's fantastic,,,
That and the bulging hand grips and vibrations it's behond reproach.
I think it's why my right thumb hurts so much,, the grips are so fat when your braking it's only my thumb holding on,,
A little pain is more than ok when it feels this good.

Can you see from these pictures why I get so involved,,
I've actually added quite a few things to finish it off,, Made in England stickers, all the stone guards and bits and bobs but really this is all Norman Hides work,,,,it was taken to him at 9 months Jan 2010 and all the fairing work and jetting etc done.
High class job indeed.
I must have miss read my clock???!!!! 8100 miles I wrote, dunno where I got that from,,,
The time clock I also added,,it's a bit nasty but it's better than a plastic nut!
I left in on England time,,

What a flipping bike,,,did my routine maintenance this morning and everything's tight and exactly as it was before I came here and put 1500 odd miles on her so far,,

It's nice to buy something someone else has put such an effort into,,,
I waste tonnes of money on motors doing this stuff,,,

Happy days,,, I bought this modern chain lube,,,warm the chain up, spray it onto the chain, leave it overnight and it doesn't flick up,,, good stuff,,,it disappears so looks like the chains dry but it's tough stuff,,,good buy that was too.;)

This darn bike has been the reason I've met people, smiled and waved at strangers, turned girls on,,,

I owe it a huge amount. Je taime moi Cherrri,,,
Anthony can you correct that bit for me,,,, hahahah,, your like a father figure to me,,, hahahah,
Oh I do laugh a lot sometimes.
It's hot but I'm putting proper riding gear on and having a gentle ride,, showing my stead I do care,,,,
An I a complete tit or what boys,,,couldn't care less cos I've got a beauty here

[Richard 858]

Apologies for not posting for a couple of days Alun, been a bit preoccupied I'm afraid. Glad to hear you're still doing well and enjoying French life etc.

I went off to work in mid France just after meeting my wife and if I hadn't met her first I wouldn't have bothered coming back to the UK, I absolutely bloody loved it, nice little town, great people, great food and right in the champagne district!.

Take care mate, keep posting and see you when you get back, we might just get a Tiv run in together before the weather turns completely crap on us.

All the best of British

[ClassiChimi]

That's ok Richard, we all have our own lives to lead
CAN ANYONE confirm the weather report for tue 22nd,,I'm seeing rain from mid France and north onwards

I had another fantastic days riding yesterday (Sunday) and I'll post up the results when I get 5 hours spare !!!!!!!
Hot spot is a tenner a day,,,,ram that!
Oh my lord,,,I've read some of these posts,,,
Terrible,,,my moods been going up and down more often than a wes knickers,,,,

[2OOM]

Depending which way you go these are what i have on my phone for Tuesday .. grenoble 21c rain .. bourg en bresse 18c rain ..lyon 20c rain .. macon 19c rain ..dijon 15c rain ..troyes 18c rain .. reims 16c rain ..calais 14c rain/thunder .. st tropez 27c sun .. Wednesday is similar to Tuesday .. looks like your bike will be in a state when you get home .. p.s had a great run into France and belgium yesterday and it was a glorious 20c ..

[ClassiChimi]

Thanks mate,,,that's what my phone says too !!!!wet bike, you gotta be kidding , I'm staying here if I can keep my room!
Like your pic,, I've just watched the sun rising from the east

Is that the square in Brussels,,,if it is I did a really cool gig there about 30 years ago,, seems like yesterday

I don't sleep well here, something to do with insects eating me alive and I wake up freaking and hide under the covers, I've got anti septic etc but I have a headache every morning, it's bugging me,, doh.

I've missed a trick here,, I'm sitting in the cafe by the super market opposite camp,,,watching real French people wake up and off to work, builders and stuff,,, very fresh first thing but I like early mornings,,





Thanks so much for your help and support,, your a gent.

[2OOM]

That's a pretty good view to start the day off .. It was ypres, I did pachendale museum and a few cemeteries and paid my respects,I found a distant relative in one of them and then finished off in ypres for a few hours watched some sort of show that was going on in the square .. it was a much better day than laying under the tiv painting the chassis which is what i should have been doing lol
It's looking drier towards the end of the week ..

[ClassiChimi]

So yesterday's antics,
Rode to la plan de la tour after visiting Grimaud again,, then onto the end of the road that then goes back towards St Maxime ,, sod that so turned around and did the mountain road again ,
It's riding nirvana.
Had a glorious lunch at la tour watching Morris dancing and chatting with locals,,,
Yannick the chef,,,,half Scottish and his lovely partner, they own the place,
He came out and had a good chat about old blighty,,, he's never going back ,,,,,,either.
As Richard says,, if I didn't have family I'd be a free spirit. Spoke with my kids and grandson yesterday,,,
Very very happy so it filled me with warmth and off I went.
Total bliss on that bike, riding well. I've lost my fear now,, I'm totally at home on the wrong side of the road,, traffic the lot,,,

Yannick,, I have some great shots of yesterday but the time it takes posting is sending me bonkers,,






The taste combination on that plate,,,
Alun

[ClassiChimi]

That's what my phone says too so I'll go see the management shortly and see if I can stay until Thursday
I'm addicted to riding this bike and the roads,,,it's tranquility personified,,,
The idea of coming home to the dark seems madness.
The local couple yesterday,, says oct/nov, are the best months of the year,, probably all these annoying foriegners gone!
They didn't want me to leave the chap Eric looked like Harry the fire eater I'd mentioned earlier ,,, told him the name of my bike,, insisted I drive by when I left,,,pulled over for him to touch it,, he thought it was the best machine bed ever seen. oh it's just a barrol of laughs every single day,,,
I ride off with British pride and joy for my bike and this life style every single time,,,
Increadable really the way the French adore our Britishness.
Anyone dislikes the French, ignorance and no imagination, I've never felt so good for as long as I can remember!
Thank you France it's people and traditions.

[QBee]

The Dunlop European Tuscan Challenge mob will be racing at Mallory Park this coming Saturday, Alun, if you are at a loss for excitement on your return.

[ClassiChimi]

The hairpin Anthony,,,that's the only corner I can think of that's like everyone I'm riding here
If I'm back I'll defo come over,,,Matts racing I presume?
That hairpins slow,,,,don't feel like it as you barrel towards it,, just like here,, and I still get banked right over,,,
I've been looking at the locals tyres,,,about the same lean angle I'd suggest,,
It's ok as long as you've got the correct entry speed,, just like any driving really.
I'd love to get a shot of me playing in the bends,,,,my head could get even bigger
Have a good day,,, your the nutter by the way, I've seen your car with attitude old bean

[phazed]

Ask someone to take a few pictures as you do a ride past in the bends.

Do that in England and you won't see the phone again

Dam all your posts, my wife booked the chim on the ferry to Bilbao yesterday for next June, more expense! You've got a lot to answer for

[ClassiChimi]

Grimaud and boys loving their bikes









Hippy French couple and he's a split of Harry the fire eater,,,his feet so much hard skin you could nicks segs into them and use em as boots,,,,,lovely friendly and mad as hatters,,,we got on well



Home from home!

The road out of la tour



Main roads, smooth and fast! I stay off em???



Back on the roads I enjoy the best,,,smooth and tighter than a Jewish man selling diamonds






Positive cambers,,,careful on the way in, even more careful as you get on the power and out,,,good chance it can spit you off!


And if you do go off this is what your last memory would be,,,



And finally you find this,,,,,melting Tarmac and sand,,,don't look to bad does it,,,,try holding the front of a bike through here,,,
I grass tracked (like speedway but much faster and rougher) I like the back wheel out at angles and leaning off but this,,, frighten you out of your skin but I've sussed it,,,no trees to cool the Tarmac and that sand is always where a dirt track meets the road or an entrance to property,,,or just where the hills fall and there's no wher for the sand to go after rain.
It's just best to stay within yourself and be steady as you approach, I go hard at it then brake 20 metres before you really have to and you can stand the bike up with no trouble.



And my private pool
The campsites almost closed so it's lovely and quiet at this time,,,I've had a few early swims and it's lovely and warm!
There's loads of facilities and it's a cool place,,,
20 odd quid a day,,,,,that really is cheap for around here,,,

I hope these pics give you some idea of my fun and games,,,
I've taken to telling folk I'm posting this lot to thousands of people,,,,hahahah
Well about 6 of us anyway,,,,,
If you can't dazzle em with diamonds
Baffle em with bullst.
No I'm very honest so there!
Stephan one of my new German friends emailed me,,,,nice,,,,
Alun

[QBee]

Yes, Alun, Mat will be racing.
He's in second place in the championship in his first year, with three races to go. Only being headed by a young whippersnapper of a pro driver, who is half his weight and has more than his talent.

So, Peter, will we have to christen you Bilbao Bagglady, Lord of the Ring Tones?
I am deeply jealous, as Erin Dawes (she to whom I am related by marriage) refuses point blank to tour in the TVR.
Will you be touring Quinny-style, with the Chim on a trailer behind the motor home? Or at 15 mpg in the Chim? I feel an LPG conversion coming on this winter?
I have always fancied Jasper Gilder's Spanish tour in April each year. Top quality hotels/castles etc, and a track day or two in the middle for added fun. Again, no joy with the best beloved. As she puts it, "which part of 'OFF' don't you understand?"

[ClassiChimi]

Ok Anthony,,,,I've tried to get you to blow up your PC Peter,,,
I'm so pleased for you,,,sometimes we have to make a good idea reality before we pop our clogs,,,
It I'll be amazing for sure,,,your cars a power house of a thing,,,better get some trackdays in for practice,,
See what I mean, you have a great missus,,,
Anthony, pack her off with the kids and do whatever you like!
It's a bit weird and sometimes lonely but ,,,,,,,bks who needs a whinging woman wanting to shop,,,,!!!!
Big sigh of joy and excitement at another fine summers day,,,
I've been sat at the pool now for an hour or more,,,warm as toast.
Ttfn.

[phazed]

That made me laugh a A!

We will take the chim and travel with the credit card.

I will plan a rough route across Spain and through Andorra but like our ring trip a few years ago nothing planned and it all worked out well.

I am hoping that mid-June won't be too busy, I really don't know.

Enjoy the last few days Alan, are you still planning on looking in on your way back?

[ClassiChimi]

Depends on what time of day I'm coming past but yes.
I should have got a big road map,,,,
It's such an adventure when you just go where your brain takes you,, freedom, I felt like I've been breaking through the frontier like an explorer,,,, you can see why people sailed to the States hundreds of years ago,,,pity they ruined the place
I'm I off over to the office to book a few more days!