InvictaMoto's Döra the Explörer

A tale of up-cocks and the need to buy a map. What could possibly go wrong? No satnav and no paper map? Nothing of course. Once I was on the A26, cruise set to 110kph, plain sailing.  Junction 6 for Béthune is soon passed. I had expected 6.1 to be close by. It isn't. Doubt sets in. Next is the A21 signed to Lens and Douai  (pron doo-eye) and yes a D road as well.  Souchez is on the right of the A26. So track right on a new road. No signs of life, no signage... Not good. Arrive Barlin. New supermarket. No maps. Ask idiot-villageur for directions. Follow them and find myself in Mont St Eloi where the abbey was shelled and the structure remains. A sort of bombed shell. No access though. Not today anyway. Head off towards Arras expecting to see a signpost. None. Enter Arras and buy a map at Auchun. It seems that at Mont St Eloi I was about 4 miles away as I stood in the sun. By now the hour ...

Up early courtesy of the cat. Washed and out about fifteen minutes ahead of schedule. Sunny but a little chilly around the legs. Good job I am wearing two jumpers! I was going to be half an hour ahead of the RAT Pack anyway so when I accepted an earlier crossing it put me an hour ahead. Leisurely breakfast then. On arrival I pulled into the fuel stop for a coffee. "Desolé, machine en panne" said shrugging Gallic lady. I togged up and headed down the A26 to the Aire de Rely, where we have stopped before. Breakfast. And all ordered in French.... I'll carry in to ND de Lorette and meet the others there. As I write they must just be exiting the port.

Vimy Ridge Doh!  How many times have I been on Eurotunnel? Answer? Lots! So I must have misread the original instructions and I booked the train for 0850. Actually, a little later than my usual crossings. To maximise time over "on the otherside" I usually like the earlier 0820 crossing. The joining instructions arrived in the email from Jack, the RAT leader for this jaunt. It's supposed to be 0815 to depart the fuel stop on the motorway by J11, then to check in way before 0850 and then the 0920 train! Oops. I might go a bit earlier still and get some brekkie Frogside and then be ready when they come past. Once I have downed a pain chocolat and a coffee..... In reality I'll miss them pass and have to get a move on to catch them up at the toll ticket collection booth at Ardres.  As it is France I'll wear the Schuberth with it's very law abiding reflective stickers in place. I don't n...

By the time we had done the days chores it was a bit late when I finally got out for a test ride with the TomTom fitted on the new Fred Carno's outfit of a RAM mount and dumbbell setup. Amazingly, TomTom had forgotten that the Cardo Scala existed and I had a little faff about to get it all sorted setup.   It was gone 1730 by the time I set off. I wanted a little run to get the kit settled in and set the TomTom for the Western Heights at Dover.  There are forts all around Dover marking its significance as a major port, and one only 22 miles from France. The Castle was started by the Normans on about 1080 but there is actually a Roman lighthouse on the site. Apart from a refugee and illegal immigrant centre, I couldn't actually find the defences. Maybe I didn't look hard enough as Tom wanted me to enter a housing estate that looked wrong. In the end I did go up to the Castle to find a parking spot overlooking the Castle, and found the coach park. The sky was so g...