InvictaMoto's Döra the Explörer

It didn't take long to find the "usual" chocolate shop. The same lady works in there was in all the years we have been going to the St Nicks. Since 1985. I bought a few things, some to take to work, some for Christmas and some to eat during the day! Chocs etc Once back at the bike it was already 1425 local time so I set off around to the meeting place. Like a ghost town. There is some bike parking near the big church so I went there. A couple of non-local Belgians had arrived. Just as nonplussed as me as to what was going on. The web page definitely has this weekend on the poster. I waited a while and with My Ferry having a three hour gap from 1645 to 1945 I decided to take off along the coast. The sand covered the road in places between the Thermae Palace and Middelkerke. But rather than risk it I picked my way through the car tracks. On the E40 again I set the cruise to 120kph. One of the successes was to work out ho...

It looked very murky as we went parallel to the French coast.  The crossing in the end took just 90 minutes. There seem to be far fewer people on this ferry than on the rival P&O ferries on the same route. This is a good thing. Far less pushing and shoving on the stairs to get to the car decks! Fewer people filling the brasserie and bars. Once ashore I fell into a rhythm with the cruise set on 70mph. I should have changed to kilometres but forgot. I missed the Middelkerke turning and ended up going to Jabbeke and the A10 entry into Ostend. It seemed eerily quiet. Very few bikes. Shit! Wrong date. The rally site has moved to a new venue and I guess that means that fewer bikes are parked in the city. I did a ride-by where we have met St Nick every year I have been since 1985.  Lots of metal fencing and entry forbidden signs. I parked around the corner as it looked more hospitable. There were some other...

Up early and off to the Port of Dover. Arriving at 0730 it was a little disappointing  to see no bikes there already. Outside Dover East I hung about until 0745 and then made my way around to check in. A little after 0801 I was in Lane 149 waiting to board. No other bikes at all in the loading lanes. Jean Sans-Amis obviously. It was about 6.5C when I left home rising to a positively balmy 9C at the port. As usual My Ferry is late into its berth on the incoming trip. So not boarding at 0750 as the info boards say! I was first on and rode the length of the ship to the bike racks in the starboard bow. The crew guy had it tied and secured in a minute or so. This is so much better than the messing about on other routes.     I was in the restaurant quite early and decided to pass the day with a full English. So now only two hours to kill before landing in Calais. Had a realised I was solo on this trip I'd have...

Fitted the panniers. Gave the lights a buff over.. Tyres good.  Quite mild this time of night. Had to scroll a bit to find that display!! Flashed off a few pix of Döra.... And Bully shows up quite well.

It seems absolutely ages since me and Döra were last out. I had planned to get her out and give her a quick wash and brush up prior to this coming weekrnd's two trips. Sadly with the weather only being a few points above freezing and sunset about 4pm there's so little daylight left to get things done. So Döra sits in the garage waiting for Saturday's trip to Belgium and her first St Nicks Rally.  The plan is an early ferry across to Calais and then a ride along the coast to Ostend. It's only about 60 miles on the other side but it can be very cold.

Today's run out probably added less than 20 miles onto the odometer. A swift run up to the Blue & White Café to meet the other old Codgers that form the Kent Centre of the Suzuki Owners Club. We are a diverse bunch of older men. Many sporting grey hair but we still love getting on the bikes and riding. But probably not too much or too far when it is freezing weather. Last week on the Ring of Red it was cold. This week I swapped ordinary poly cotton t-shirt for a thermal long sleeve shirt and it wasn't as cold.  In fact it was miserable with the kind of invasive drizzle that seems to eek its way through your leathers and chill right to the bones. Nasty.  Give me crisp and dry cold any time. We have been told by the soothsayers of disaster that we will get snow early this year. With two runs over the weekend of Nov 30 and Dec 1 I hope not!!

It was a bit of a rush but well worth it to be part of another triumph for British Bikers. I was ready to leave as soon as the two minute silence was over. I watched the Queen lay her wreath on the Cenataph and then I was out to where Döra was waiting. Then it was all action to meet my brother, Neill, near Chatham and ride to the rendezvous point at Dartford just south of the QE Bridge tollbooths.  We made it in good time but with maybe not enough to spare had we attempted to go through the Tunnel to the local start point at Thurrock "Lakeside" Services. As the bikes streamed oved the Bridge we could see the red line of their riders and pillions. Most wearing red t-shirts and hoodies,  some with red hi-viz and others even in onesies!  I had started with a red hi-viz but took it off and put on the more comfortable XXXL t-shirt. The hi-viz flapped about at anything over 50mph. We joined the large group and headed to the next r...

Things have been very quiet lately. I haven't had much opportunity to get out for a ride and hopefully that will be resolved tomorrow if the weather holds off. Forecasts are for half a month's worth of rain in a weekend; so not looking too clever. On the horizon though are two regular runs I go on. Sadly, they are always the same weekend! So about of a double header!! Firstly,  the Sinterklaastreffen. I have been most years since 1984, missing a few due to being in Czech working or bike breakdowns and last year snow. We used to go for the weekend, but once our favourite (and quirky) hotel, the Polaris,  closed, we started only going over for the day and sometimes, not even joining in the run itself! So what does the St Nicks Rally (as we call it in English) entail? For the day tripper it is an early ferry across to France and then a ride along the coast to Ostend. It's about 60 miles from Calais to the parking up place in Ostend. It is usually either very cold or simpl...