14 & 15 June 2011 - Netherlands & Germany

On the way from Belgium, there was just time to get to the highest point in the Netherlands, not mans greatest achievement, but its another high point to tick off. The site has a car park with a maze, cafes and an observation tower. A group of miserable looking monks were arriving in a knackered Volvo 440, hope they'd not travelled too far, it's no Tibet!

Vaas - highest point in the Netherlands

Border of Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands

I’d met Wendy and her boyfriend Maartin last year and couldn’t wait to see them again, not least because Wendy lives in a former school as part of a group of live-in caretakers / security people for the owners until its ready to be developed. The bonus is indoor parking, riding a motorbike indoors, in a school, is always fun.

The three of us went for a meal, met a baby blackbird that was stalking outdoor diners then caught The Hangover 2 film. 4 stars. Much better than expected despite all the “I can’t believe this is happening again” lines.

A cheeky bird stops by for a drink

Indoor parking

There’s so much to love about the Netherlands, from gorgeous streets to cinemas that serve bottled Grolsh and have sofas for couples to cuddle up, why not! If Britain had got the art of making streets down as well as the Dutch, it’s unimaginable how beautiful it could be now.  Roads with shared surfaces between cars, pedestrians and cyclists with no road markings, railings or any other furniture just make traffic and people behave appropriately for the space. I’d be amazed if there’s better anywhere in the world.

Typically tidy Dutch street without excess clutter

Got away early after wishing Wendy well for her year or more working in Australia for a monster 500km ride to Magdeburg in Germany. Motorway miles on a motorbike are awful, especially 6 or 7 hours in one go. The wind noise drones on and there’s nothing to see at the roadside. All you can do is get some good in-ear earphones and load up some podcasts to while away the miles. Midlife Gamer, Outside the Cinema and How Stuff Works are all good listening.

Magdeburg was over the border of the old East Germany, and whilst it’s subtle, you can still see a difference between east and west in now redundant lookout towers, old roadside checkpoints and huge pine forests. 

For a city not on any tourist maps, Magdeburg was a good night. CouchSurfing again with a great host which pretty much goes without saying from that site. A walk around town to see the best of what’s there and a few beers was a perfect end to a long day.

The old Post Office sign

A Hawley / Clow development

Hundertwasser's last big scheme before he died

Magdeburg new bridge

Bridge detail

Magdeburg old bridge

Day 2: Monday 13th June - Belgium

Having ridden down the A1 the previous day in near pouring rain for 6 hours to Tunbridge Wells, and despite a walk into the old spa town for a drink with extremely warm and welcoming couch-surfing hosts, getting into still wet boots on an overcast day that promised more rain was a less rock-and-roll start to the journey into Europe than I'd imagined.

Steve & Jo, Tunbrige Wells

A direct ride to the Channel Tunnel that got damper as time went bye saw me late for the 10.50 'departure'. In my mind I was preparing excuses to avoid paying for another ticket, but the automatic machines just allocate you to the next train, so a panic over nothing. I'd used the Channel Tunnel last time and despite the long ride down there, had to use it again. The environment is completely alien, more video game / City 17 than England with sturdy grey concrete barriers directing traffic in formal slowly moving lines lines and transporter trains that look like nothing you'll see anywhere else. I love the strangeness of it all and going back a second time it's just as good. A chat with two still-smiling-after-a-wet-weekend-camping-in-England Dutch bikers meant I could give out my first 'Muxlow Enduro' business card designed and printed by my friend Pete just the day before setting off.

A speedy motorway ride through northern France into congested Belgium flew by with just a stop at a motorway service station, not for petrol, but the finest snack food known to man; waffles...

I've been waiting a long time for you my friend...

Ghent was the destination, staying aboard the Ecohostel Andromeda, a barge converted into a hostel, tremendously uber-cool and a great place to stay, but I should have noticed one of the windows in our room next to the riverbank didnt have a fly screen over, the midge bites are just dying down 5 days later... Ghent was a real surprise, beautiful old buildings in the city centre betrayed an ordinary ride through the suburbs. A meal with a friend Lien who I'd met in Croatia last year, and was studying in town was perfect before an early night was on the cards to try and dry out as the day had been constantly drizzling.

Ghent centre

Ghent centre

Lien's favourite place in town - Titanic point

Ecohostel Andromeda

Day 1: Sunday 12th June - leaving

The big day came in a flash and hot on the back of a night on Richmond. I was up at 7ish with the bike mostly packed over there previous few days there wasnt too much to actually do but keep adding little bits and pieces to make it even heavier. Trying to put it on the centre stand outside the house (you have to move the full weight of the bike as opposed to the side stand where it just leans over) took two people, something that didnt bode too well for the months ahead.

In no time 10.30 came and friends started arriving, there's been an air of fantasy about the whole trip idea that even though it was happening, just didnt feel true. It's possibly a normal sense to doing something for the first time, there's nothing to compare it to and so much is running through your head that you can't speak any sense or think about anything other than not falling off! Happily, with friends and family waved goodbye, as ever unable to think of anything suitable to say for such a big occasion, I got the bike rocked off its stand and away without toppling over which is all too easily done.

To be honest, this is one of the hardest posts to write, I could go on and on about how I'll miss everyone which should really just be taken for granted, and I need to cut it short to save drowning anyone reading with too much completely soppy sentiment! After being chuffed about not falling in a heap on the drive, the first thing that came to mind on the road from Tunstall to the motorway was the strange feeling of riding down a road that I've done thousands of times before, but that this time it wont stop at Leeds... Any road, your road, if you just keep on going a bit further can take you anywhere you can imagine, its just a question of when you turn around and head home. So I've got to leave this one here with a huge thanks to everyone, especially Mum & Dad, lately for all your interest, friendship, support and belief.

Finally!

At last, here's some photos of the first few days:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/stumuxlow/

And the first video (thanks Pete!) is online:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crfLHBy9RB4

Some actual updates coming imminently

Where does time go...

Well this morning I was going to do a post on the first few days but looking at the distance today from Magdeburg to Wroclaw, another 6 hours or so of motorway riding, I'll have to say bear with me a couple of days...

Must brush up on my blogging skills, but hopefully in Poland there'll be less distance to cover and more frequent stops, so I'll get caught up then!

1 day to go!!!!!

I'd hoped to write some lengthy update on all the many jobs that have cropped up and been sorted in the last few days, but in the spirit of this week, every minute has had a job attached and this update is being posted on the fly. The bike is packed and with lots of goodbyes already said, its time to get off the laptop and take care of more. Goodbyes are far better said in person, so a last night for a little while in Richmond is just 10 minutes away.

I should be able to post something that makes more sense in a couple of days from Belgium to run through the run up to leaving as busy just doesnt do it justice!

5 days to go...

And still not a huge amount to report... My bike's still with Jeffries BMW in Shipley as they need a part to repair the throttle and couldnt get it in time, so packing and loading it up is all being left to the very last minute. On the ride down I discovered that only the right hand of the heated grips work. On the plus side, it meant I could sort and store everything that's not coming with me in the loft at home.

With just a few days to go, there'll be a flurry of activity with any luck. I'll add a packing list and some photos / details of my bike out of interest to refer back to when I've thrown half of it away because it weighs far too much.

A big decision at the moment is how many spares and bits to buy now. I'm mechanically hopelessin a way you might find surprising for someone riding solo around the world, so far all I have is WD40 and duct tape:

A lesson in motorcycle maintenance: If it should move but doesnt, use product 1. If it shouldn't move but is, use product 2.

The problem is looking at Hein Gericke's catalogue there's thousands of useful looking bits (puncture repair kits, chain adjusters, seals and all the rest) that look so useful and tempting, its just a bit galling to realise I have no idea how to use any of them! And this from someone whos dad builds bikes from scratch as a hobby...