InvictaMoto's Red Pepé Blog

Whilst out walking the dog today I almost had ideas of betraying Pepé! A guy parked at Waitrose on a Ducati Multistrada S. It was red and had luggage, colour matched. It looked really nice. It also had Italian plates. But. I remained faithful. 

Finally arrived in Corbie having passed the once elusive Red Baron crash site. This time I didn't stop. Once off the autoroute the new 80kph limit does seem to extend journeys. I parked across from the cemetery and then went across.  Corbie Municipal Cemetery Extension William Devall. After putting my RBL cross by the stone, I took a photo and then retired. I sat in the shade of the big trees to cool down.  I was hungry and after some reflection I set off for Albert and the non-toll route home.  Lunch in town at the Hygge cafe. Plat du Jour. Potatoes with Lyon sausage. The sausage is loaded with pistachios.  Oh yeah. There was lettuce with a nice dressing.  As I was riding I had Diet Coke rather than beer.  Checking the time as I relaxed in the sun I realised I needed to abandon the non-toll route and revert to toll route. Time had got away with me and TomTom was showing an arrival time too late for my booked shuttle.  On the way back to the bike, park...

A few more new places for me.  The roundabout route from Bazentin took me past another Newfoundland monument complete with stag. Sadly,  it was too dark for my phone..  I popped up at Mametz and followed signs down roads more suited to a GS! The Welsh 38th Division memorial.  It was worth the bumpy uneven road to see this. If I was Welsh I would be proud to have been there, even more than I am to pay respects to these brave men.  In Montauban I came across the  Liverpool Pals  monument. It's quite small.  Another new place is Bell's Redoubt.  You can read about  Donald Bell  here.  Still not at Corbie. TomTom took me to Albert. We scouted round the town and I filled the tank. An eye watering cost and 122.1 miles covered.  Halfway between Albert and Corbie is an Australian monument - The Third Australian Division Memorial.  The road was deserted until I got the camera out!  Photos taken.  On to Corbie!!!...

From Rely to the A1. An accident on the other side and a 7 mile queue. Glad I wasn't in that. Or going back that way.  I came off the A1 and TomTom took me through Bapaume. A bit of a roundabout route to Bazentin as I forgot to set no unpaved roads in the routing settings. I had to ignore two roads that looked like dirt tracks. From Bazentin the KSLI would have crossed Caterpillar Valley on the advance to attack the wood. It's all so benign now.  The view from Caterpillar Valley The wood still there or at least regrown since 1916. In this cemetery is the original grave of New Zealand's Unknown Warrior.  I took a picture and then googled for more information.  Unknown Warrior headstone New Zealand Unknown Warrior Caterpillar Valley Cemetery Now off to Corbie. 

Well. As I approached the toll at Setques I was hoping the tag would work. Once in the chute the green arrow turns to 30kph. And then about ten yards short the barrier went up and off I went. Phew.  Stopped at Aire de Rely. Much has changed since Vimy in April. The building work is completed now.  The self service restaurant has completely gone and instead there is a sandwich bar affair.  Coffee is still good and welcome. And there is free WiFi.  Fuel is mind bogglingly expensive.  The decision to wear the FT jacket might come back to haunt me. Queuing for the Shuttle had me sweating and the odor is er... Not very pleasant. Might have to buy some Febreze..  I have opened the front and rear vents to see if the wind can blow away the whiff!!! 

All aboard the Shuttle As usual once we were loaded onto the train it was standing room only for us on motorcycles.  With the weather really warm by the time I got onto the train I was sweating like a pig that had run twenty miles! As usual we were last to board and sitting in the sun takes its toll.  Once we arrive in France the tethering to the TomTom will stop working. Seems a pain but no doubt @ThreeUK will be able to justify it... My first stop should be the Aire de Rely on the A26. Have stopped many times for a coffee here.  Before then I have to navigate the A26 toll booth at Setques.  Fingers crossed the tag works!

Before the French trip I thought it was a good idea to check the tyre pressures. On other bikes it must be simple. The front. Yep easy. Very accessible. The book says 36psi. It was only 29. 😕 The 240 on the back is a little difficult to get to or rather the valve is.  The valve is on the right side and luckily Triumph saw fit to make it a right angled one.  Positioning the wheel to get access was easy enough. Rolling the bike back and forth to get the valve where I could see it.  Getting in to get the nozzle on the valve means struggling past the disc. Anyone at Tesco that saw me kneeling at the back of the bike may have thought I  was praying.  A few curses maybe as once at 42psi I couldn't get the nozzle off. More air out than in. Finally I got the air in and the nozzle disconnected okay. Brushing dust off my riding trousers and I could go.  As for handling. I gave it a run up the A20 to Sandling on the curves and ups and dow...

Some refining needed doing.  The original route out looked a bit in need of optimising. And that's what I have done. Taking the A26 route will be a toll route.  I am fully aware that "experts" reading this will be horrified that I have even suggested using a motorway/autoroute when I could use back roads. There. The elephant in the room is loose. Sod the "experts".  It will give me a chance to use my T-Liberté tag, also known as Emovis Tag.  It works perfectly in the car. Approach the toll booth barrier and "bing", the barrier goes up. Payment later on account.  It is also supposed to work on the bike as with the car.  I emailed Emovis to check on the procedure. It seems to know the length of the vehicle, so when a bike approaches the barrier it needs to be clear behind. No tailgating.  They also said to check my account a few days later to make sure I was charged the bike toll not the car.  I'll get it out of ...