My beautiful Ducati goes today and I enter the world of old man riding!!!
May even spend a shed load of money on some all weather kit, which is handy as its going to piss down all day!!!
Just coming up to 6 months till of and ian has defiantly decided on what he is taking.......
And I can confirm........
Defiantly, without question it will be a......
Bike!!!! The more specific is still unknown!
This is the story of 2 friends taking a month out of life to do something we love but with a difference. The plan was to ride somewhere that would offer us a challenge, some danger, and to take us out of our comfort zone!! before we get to old, hence the name. Although the final destination has not been agreed, we will head from a starting point in Herne Bay through Spain in to Morocco and on towards Mauritania (possibly touching on Algeria).
Wednesday, 3 October 2012
Sunday, 30 September 2012
Coming together
Booked the families holiday today, so all happy at home
Created a dozen eBay searches for the extra bits for the bike, which I should collect on Wednesday!!
Even made a decision on my riding gear, adjusted the departure clock for the week earlier, no stopping this train now.
Oh.
Apart from ian forgetting how to blog!!! Now you don't just want to hear from me!!
Only 6 1/2 months to go and all coming together.
Created a dozen eBay searches for the extra bits for the bike, which I should collect on Wednesday!!
Even made a decision on my riding gear, adjusted the departure clock for the week earlier, no stopping this train now.
Oh.
Apart from ian forgetting how to blog!!! Now you don't just want to hear from me!!
Only 6 1/2 months to go and all coming together.
Saturday, 29 September 2012
I've only gone and done it!!!!
The machine has been chosen and paid for. Now just for ian to make a final decision and publish a photo so there will be no more indecision!!!
Now just a stupid amount of money to get it ready. Just don't tell the wife!!
Now just a stupid amount of money to get it ready. Just don't tell the wife!!
Monday, 17 September 2012
It's confirmed
Ferry booked for the 10th April 2013, a week earlier than planed due to negotiations with the family!
Serious stuff now, been trying all weather suites and agreeing kit and luggage. The next few updates should be all about the purchases!!
Serious stuff now, been trying all weather suites and agreeing kit and luggage. The next few updates should be all about the purchases!!
Monday, 27 August 2012
Negotiations with the wife!!!!
Negotiations with the wife and daughter are now complete, and have just doubled the cost of the trip!!!!! The only change is we may have to leave a week earlier, and I am going to have to sell a kidney, which is now on ebay if anyone needs one?
Thursday, 16 August 2012
The rules of the road
After spending a week now in Marrakech city, the atlas mountains and the coast I have put together the ultimate driving guide for our trip next year!!
Before you start reading you must forget everything you have already learned about driving.
1. You will find at various street corners and crossings, colourful decoration on poles, they change from red to amber and green. Please ignore these they are just for decoration and if someone stops when they are red make your you beep your appreciation with your horn as much as possible.
2. There are various roads in and around morocco, they look just like ours in England with white lines down the middle, again don't be fooled! The rules are as follows, if it's a single cartridge way two way road you fill all lanes going one way, the cars going the other way will again beep there appreciation and shout with support, the main thing to remember is to get as many card as you can, 2 lanes = 4 to 5 cars, 4 lanes = 10 to 12 cars and so on.
Motorbikes have there own rules:-
1. Only ever ride with one hand, the other should hold a phone
2. You must never wear a helmet, ever.
3. The road, lights and paths are all fair game, and if you cannot fit on them, try the grass or narrow souks.
4. If you put your headlights on at night you will be arrested.
5. You must never ever carry more than 4 people, unless they are children and then you can have 6!
6. If you can not carry everything you need on the bike, then get one of the pillions to hold a trailer behind you.
Now when on mountain or main roads make sure you drive on any side of the road, if someone comes the other way just beep and wave your hands a lot to let the other driver know your happy.
Don't worry if the road has fallen away and don't show your a tourist by slowing down!
The most important thing to remember is everyone has right of way.
I hope the above will help us through!!
Before you start reading you must forget everything you have already learned about driving.
1. You will find at various street corners and crossings, colourful decoration on poles, they change from red to amber and green. Please ignore these they are just for decoration and if someone stops when they are red make your you beep your appreciation with your horn as much as possible.
2. There are various roads in and around morocco, they look just like ours in England with white lines down the middle, again don't be fooled! The rules are as follows, if it's a single cartridge way two way road you fill all lanes going one way, the cars going the other way will again beep there appreciation and shout with support, the main thing to remember is to get as many card as you can, 2 lanes = 4 to 5 cars, 4 lanes = 10 to 12 cars and so on.
Motorbikes have there own rules:-
1. Only ever ride with one hand, the other should hold a phone
2. You must never wear a helmet, ever.
3. The road, lights and paths are all fair game, and if you cannot fit on them, try the grass or narrow souks.
4. If you put your headlights on at night you will be arrested.
5. You must never ever carry more than 4 people, unless they are children and then you can have 6!
6. If you can not carry everything you need on the bike, then get one of the pillions to hold a trailer behind you.
Now when on mountain or main roads make sure you drive on any side of the road, if someone comes the other way just beep and wave your hands a lot to let the other driver know your happy.
Don't worry if the road has fallen away and don't show your a tourist by slowing down!
The most important thing to remember is everyone has right of way.
I hope the above will help us through!!
Sunday, 29 July 2012
Research
Back from the spanish test and my Ducati is on the market to fund the trip, sad days but I will get another one on my return!!!
Wet and lazy Sunday today so I thought I would do some research so I spent the morning surfing the web on the area, that's when you realise the challenge is not as simple as jumping on a bike a riding of with a few bits nd a phone!!
The risk on the trip get greater the further south you go (and that's the whole reason for the trip)
Apart from falling of and dying or getting stuck in the middle of the desert, I read about the kidnapping and ransoms, the civil war in Mali!! I even found my self studying a land mine map!! Must stay south of the railway in mauritania!!
That's not the only worry, stuff to buy and gifts to buy for border security and Mauritanian police!!
Anyway back in the real world, must finish the roast beef!!
Wet and lazy Sunday today so I thought I would do some research so I spent the morning surfing the web on the area, that's when you realise the challenge is not as simple as jumping on a bike a riding of with a few bits nd a phone!!
The risk on the trip get greater the further south you go (and that's the whole reason for the trip)
Apart from falling of and dying or getting stuck in the middle of the desert, I read about the kidnapping and ransoms, the civil war in Mali!! I even found my self studying a land mine map!! Must stay south of the railway in mauritania!!
That's not the only worry, stuff to buy and gifts to buy for border security and Mauritanian police!!
Anyway back in the real world, must finish the roast beef!!
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