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For me, the journey started on Thursday the 6th of September. I made my way along the M4 into London. By the time i got there, the rucksack on my back felt like it weighed a ton. I knew i should have taken my soft panniers.
In London I met up with Julian. We had arranged to have a quiet pint and a curry. That was the plan but it went down hill quite rapidly. Eight pints of Premier later, i had the feeling that we weren't going to get on that ferry.
Next morning the back was still in a bit of pain as well as the head. The cargo net was dug out and the rucksack strapped to the back seat. It was then head down and arse up as we made our way down to the Dover ferry port.
On meeting up with Dai and Paul, we realised that they were professionals at touring. Their kit looked so tidy on the backs of the ZX9's that it looked like their mothers had packed it.
Into France it was easy. The plan for me was to just try and keep up with the others. The plan for the others, try and get through the traffic without using the hard shoulder. I succeeded and they failed. It was all good fun right up to the last stop. but we were all more than ready for that stop.
We pulled into Breda and unpacked the tents. Thats when me and Julian realised just how un-prepared we were. Dai made us all a brew before we made our way into the town to sample the night life.
What can I say? Strange place or what? The only thing missing from the bars were the banjo's. There were banjo players everywhere. As soon as we walked out of the restaurant people just stopped and stared. It might have been the fact that it was freezing cold and Paul was wearing shorts,but i got the feeling that it was more than that.
Following a drunken photo shoot and a wrestling match that ended in two of us falling into a Dutch hedge, we made our way back to the campsite. After a good nights sleep it was onwards and upwards. Assen here we come.
As we got into Assen, we made our way to the campsite and made use of the wet muddy field to practic our burnouts. Next job was to put up the tents. This wasn't so easy when the ground already had an inch of water on it. Tents up and time to go to the Superpole. Dai knew a short cut or so he said.....
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Links:
Thunder Road
World Superbikes
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