InvictaMoto's Red Pepé Blog

Why is this in three parts?  Initially I started to create the posts on my phone using a blogging app. Luckily blogger accepts posts from email as well, although this time I haven't had to use it. The first part was started in Belgium and then the second added after I had returned, and this the final countdown. Today. The day after. From Palingbeek the plan was to visit the two mine craters at St Eloi. I had got the gate code from the tourist office whilst in search of the elusive Last Post Association pins. I almost missed it and there is little parking.  Rather than the big hole I expected, it is a garden between two houses. Whilst I was there an English couple came up and I shared the gate code with them. As I prepared to move to the next waypoint, I heard the sound of Harley's.  Anyone that has heard a hardly with a loud exhaust will know the sound. A group sped past.  Even though I was in bike gear, holding a bike helmet in my hand with ...

The ride to Palingbeek was fairly short and when I arrived the car park was pretty full. At the entrance is a café and the CWXRM* have an information point and a statue. A robot? From here it us about 150 yards to the decision point. Left to the Bluff and the two water filled mine craters and then to the viewpoint overlooking the Egg. Or right at the info point to the sculpture and then the egg. I went right. The sculpture. Gradually the egg will be filled with the dog tags of the 600000 dead. And then to the main egg. The first glimpse of it over the hedge. And then all of it. Fantastic. The return is via the Bluff. Along the way are "speakers". When entered it triggers the sound system. Poems from the war poets. Sadly none in English. Once back at the bike I attempted to cut a couple of the waypoints off the route. But I was defeated. So off to St Eloi. * Coming World Remember Me posted from Bloggeroid

I was up bright and early. Or rather early. My shoulder was feeling fine and the best it has been for a week or so. Unfortunately Eurotunnel weren't as bright. On checking in I was informed that the 0850 was "retimed" to 0858. At 0922 we pulled out of Folkestone for the 35 minute crossing to France. Pepé had required the dbPower unit boost to start first thing and again once we were given the go ahead to board the train. Playing catch up I was last on. Thankfully at the French end although prepared, seat off etc, Pepé started okay. From there tbe ride was uneventful along the A16 to the A25. I know that many riders poo-poo using motorways but if you want to get somewhere using the newly reduced limit N roads then you need days rather than hours. Arriving at the old Franco-Belgian border I stopped to take a pic for the 50/50 Challenge. The old border and customs buildings are slowly rotting away. Testament to Shengen? From here I followed TomTom inst...

Another update. As the route would take me through Ieper/Ypres/Wipers anyway I will stop in the Grote Markt for a short time and visit the Tourist Office and also I might have time to get across the the British Legion shop across the road.  Always a sucker for a new pin badge! I don't want this to become a whistle-stop tour but I need the gate code from the Tourist Office to get into the St Eloi Crater park.  Although if it is anything  like Bayernwald,  when I got there someone had left the gate unlocked and slightly ajar so the code wasn't needed. If time starts to get away with me after Palingbeek I can always cut one or some of the stops out of the route.   When I used to plan these trips for the Kent Centre SOC and then the Meldrews I think I used to build in too many places to stop and then had to remove some on the hoof as it were.Probably better than too few and having to pad the trips out!! My p...

Have added another stop to my tour* around the southern battlefield area - Plugstreet** With their usual inability to pronounce the "foreign" place names, Ploegsteert became Plugstreet to the Tommies sent to this sector.  After I let TomTom work out the route from the Island of Ireland Peace Park*** it actually takes me right past Plugstreet. I have added it as a waypoint anyway but from the pictures, I doubt I would miss it. * My Tour as it looks pretty much like I'll be on my todd again. ** Plugstreet -  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ploegsteert_Memorial_to_the_Missing *** Island of Ireland -  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Island_of_Ireland_Peace_Park At least I should score another 50/50 Challenge!  The round trip is about 240 miles.  I'll need to make sure the tank is filled to the brim with what might turn put to be cheaper UK petrol.

Today was a decent day. However, I overslept and didn't get out early so I missed the Meldrews run out to H's Café at Kent Motorcycles near Canterbury. Instead we went out with Reggie in Claire's car to put air in a front tyre. There was an error flag on the dash for a few days. A nice long walk in Lyminge Forest set us up for a coffee and cake at the Lord Whiskey Tea Rooms. It was still nice when we got home and I decided to take Pepé out for a short ride. I ended up at Sainsbury's at Folkestone and topped off the tank. A little surprised to only get 39.6 mpg!! Given that I hadn't given it too much welly it was strange. From there I went up to Capel but the Battle of Britain monument was closed and I couldn't even get a scenic photo as someone had parked a van across the entrance. I looped around and back home avoiding the M20. It was nice and I gave the LS2 open face. With sunglasses and the little sun visor down it was okay. Great for local ride...