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First of all, most pictures were taken just for you guys, didn't feel like stopping at all ? My home is about one and a half to two hours away from Sofia's, if I take small scenic roads. A little tired of being alone by myself I offered to visit and cook dinner, we were to meet halfway for a coffee. As I ride off the weather is looking a little much like not-summer. We were to meet at my cafe of choice for going to have something on the bike, it's located in Serra de Montejunto, which is what divides inland weather from coastal weather, going there on the extreme summertime provides me with easy relief from the summer heat. Riding into a very low cloud A few minutes after I arrive, she does too: Thinking of wether to ride straight back or not, it starts to rain heavily so I choose to have a nice hot toast and coffee in the dry and heated cafe. After, I put my padded winter mid layer on and plastic rain overpants, in June ?, to go to Ericeira. Ride there was wet with roads covered in mud and grime, I followed Sofia as she was breaking in her brand new Pirelli Supercorsas in less than ideal conditions In Ericeira she went straight to work and I went for a warm shower instead ?, before visiting her current patients, that were born not long ago and now getting a feel for chewable food: They're rather more interested in playing and exploring than eating: Dinner was prepared by me, and consisted of tinned sardines cooked in paprika and turmeric seasoned onions and tomato, African inspired, it tastes a lot better than it sounds, and was served on toast on top of goat's fresh cheese. Too much wine was consumed so the next day I slept a little later with her dog for company, also lazily taking some effort to get up: Instead of riding back home, on friday I did a little ride around the area, successfully avoided more than a few rain drops, and managed one single picture of the entire thing, stopped for refreshment: Today, weather is glorious in sunny Ericeira, so had breakfast at a street side cafe and took my sweet time walking around before riding back home. Riding back, I used countryside roads to head home, crossing the Lisbon wine area without taking any pictures as basically whenever I though of doing so the pretty landscape had already passed Stopped for a cafe at lunch time back at the same hilltop cafe, but since it was almost empty I decided to stay for lunch. Had a nice burger, cooked while both other bikes there idled away for 15 minutes, some people must really worry about riding off on a not hot engine. They proceeded to stop 1 km away for almost another hour Burger was not worthy of a picture. Going back down the hill on the other side, almost home A brief stop for urination purposes was made a lot better by pissing with a view: Arrived back home with a terribly dirty bike to a dark and moody sky. Might even wash the bike once it has properly cooled off, if it doesn't rain.

You can't even spell her name right you twat! @Sofia........I have to apologise for these idiotic English guys on here......they're thick as shit! You stick with me, @Sir Fallsalot, and @Specs.........we come from a far more advanced gene pool.

Hard indeed for those of us that normally ride alone! For stylish points sake alone (!) 2 from 2005 in Germany. A long time ago! 6 kgs less, 20 degrees of hooliganism more, bike of a life time. Current affair, older but not wiser!!

Only have fotos from 3 or 4 years ago, nothing recent: Middle of nowhere, sweltering heat, marveling at how silent and fast camels walk when all of the sudden I noticed what looked like a nail on the back tire: Happiest I've been on a motorcycle, scenery felt a lot bigger than what it looks like on the picture: Annoyed at guys pestering me for money and the heat, can't wait to go back though ?: Tan Tan, farthest south I've been on the bike: Applying sunscreen Trying to go for the "epic adventurer" pose: Just talking shit not realizing the camera was on:

Never feel like you're a weirdo here @Grasshopper's Ride.........look around at the state of these twats! You wouldn't fit in if you weren't somewhat unusual! This isn't the sort of place for those types of people who are full of their own self importance.......everybody would just take the piss!

Way to participate guys..... I was starting to feel like a weirdo starting the thread.... but @Sir Fallsalot that is some great scenery and looking good in the gear. Then we have @Pedro with a whole fashion show, way to bring it. But @boboneleg your balloons are just what the party needed. ? ?

Near Compton Abdale earlier on today..........

I suppose this could be classed as stylish or more likely, look at that feckin clown

I'm afraid that asking any of this lot to look stylish is pushing the envelope a bit too much ?

Hard one this as i ride alone a lot and when i am out with someone i'm usually taking the photos Got this with no bike unfortunately from a while ago And here's the bike (RWB Africa twin at back centre) at the location best i can do i'm afraid lol

I thought I'd do something useful yesterday ( yes, me! Useful! ) adn reckons I could tie it in with some riding. Since mother in Law was hospitalised at short notice a couple of weeks ago there were some loose ends needing tying up at her place, car to put in the garage, house to shut up properly and not least her Tax declaration to figure out and send in ( it seems that the French tax office does not recognise " being rushed to hospital with terminal illness" as a valid reason for late submission of declaration and will incurr a 10% penalty... wankers!) I also needed to make sure her home help was paid and that all declared for last month too. So, off at 09h00 ish and had planned a back road route that i'd never done before taking me via Pouilly en Auxois, Beaune, Verdun sur le Doubs to Louhans. I had to stop in the centre of Beaune for some luxury goods from https://www.mulotpetitjean.com/en/ the best pain d'epice EVER! but with shops only in Dijon or Beaune we don't get it very often ( it's also bloody expensive!) parked illegally infornt of a posh cheese shop, can't not get some smelly cheese now can I? I didn't stop much after that cos I needed to get on and get food before a telephone meeting I had scheduled for 14h00. Lunch i did what I needed to do in Louhans and set off home, lateer than planned and riding into fast deteriorating weather. Louhans - Chalon - mercurey- Couches - Autun - Brazey en Morvan - Saulieu - Avallon and home. I had planned on a more roundabout route but with time getting on and a number of storm cells moving eastwards in front of me I simply aimed for a gap and managed to pass between to cells riding some drenched roads but not actually getting actively rained on, the strom cell coming up from the west which I needed to stay in front off was quite impressive but moving fast so I didn't stop for any photos on the way home, just snapping this one specially for @XTreme once I got in and just before the heavens opened... 430 kilometers, beautiful scenery and roads and acheived something useful to boot all in all a successful day, AND i got to stuff myself silly with Pain d'epice at the end of it

Great ridding, great food ( Gordon Ramsay move over, @Pedro is in the house! ) great wine and great company, bikers will be bikers! Thank you Pedro!!

Surely I'm not the only one...

I like it too, somehow I like analog rev counters and speedometers a lot more than the more modern screens

From today's ride...

Gilman is a more modern ghost town where they once mined lead - as recently as 2005 or so. It polluted the entire area and it is now off limits to people...

Had some time off todfay, so a quick blast was in order. Couldn't think of anywhere to go, so over to Minturn / Gilman it was...

having spent yesterday unblocking the bath I thought I deserved some R & R this afternoon so got kurviger to invent me a loop on small back roads about 150km northwards ride out north of Auxerre and the Foret D'othe opens out befor you cant remember which village this was I found where Christmas trees are born! It's rare that I don't see one or more of these along the roadside during a ride, often in the middle of nowhere. The inscriptions translates as " to the resistats of the Foret D'Othe In memory of those who sacrificed their lives against the barbarity of Nazism, in order that you who pass by might live free" Oh I can't remember where this one was either but it's a church There is a decidedly religious theme to this ride, I would love to know the story behind the reason for painting this roadside shrine all red Madame Moon rang me and despite having helmet comms I don't ride whilst on the phone. The helmet comms allow me to respond, pull over and talk without having to remove gloves, helmet and earplugs. I pulled over to talk. Another resistants memorial less prominent as on a very minor back road and about half way between " nowhere" and " Elsewhere" Again I'd like to hear the story behind it and why specifically in this spot. riding out of the woods I came across this dead tree and knew instantly what it reminded me of! Any LOTR fans will instantly recognise it... if you are wondering why the memorials refer to "Maquis" or "Maquisards" rather than "resistants" a short French history lesson is neccessary: "Maquis" is a Corsican word designating the uncultivated bush or scrub land covering much of the islands highlands. when someone wanted to dissappear ( usually to hide from the authorities) they would " prend le Maquis" or take to the woods ( going "Bush" the aussies would say) The term "prendre le Maquis" or taking to the woods, rapidly became synonymous with joining the resistance during the war, especially later on when the resistants were able to form organised groups, so the different groups of resistants would take code names such as "le Maquis de MERRY -VAUX" as on the stele in the photo and their members were referred to as "Maquisards". reading between the lines I think that they were largely ineffectuel and more of a morale boost to the local population than a real problem to the occupying Nazis but there is NO doubt that some of their operations did make a difference and many of them died trying. For that reason alone we owe them our gratitude. The Massacre of Ouradour sur Glane was a direct reprisal by the Das Reich Panzer division for the destruction of the bridges over the Glane by the local "Maquis" preventing them from joining their infantry batallion in the counter offensive.

You smooth talker!

Ericeira? Yes, very much upmarket and very overpriced, it's very pretty as well and worth a visit. It's one of europe's surfing paradises and it´s near Lisbon, and also where Lisbon's wealthy intelectual or political families have been keeping weekend homes since forever. I get a kick out of being out of place there, being from the north and foul mouthed and sticking like a sore thumb amongst southern twats or foreign surfers. But it's a very pretty place, with a very chilled vibe on week days, and I wouldn't say no to a small place with a garage there.

Yes, but mostly in surfing places or the Algarve. The english guys I'm refering to, though, are guys I used to meet when I spent a lot of time driving on the Nurburgring.

Oooops, my granddaughter is called Sophia, I went into automatom mode, I apologise to Sofia ?

Correct, it’s one of Portugal’s prettiest 20 towns, I think. you just spend two days here, Pete, and I’ll show you a little tour with those blue houses, nice eating, nice drinking, and some nice roads, and you’ll be able to show these portuguese twats (that warm bikes up forever in 20 degrees) what styling and profiling really means!

Early days, im sure there will be more style coming!

Nuff said, Sophia wins by a mile

look it up in english ya twat, its called the same thing

That's what I'm talking about.....bringing the sexy back to balloons...... ? I like it.....but then I am a bit strange.

lol....come on now, you guys ride some pretty fancy bikes and motorcyclist's have +1 bonus when it comes to style, so work it boys and girls...... ??

Well......it is a cockpit!

I don't know:

Col du Bonette Fred, I took the photos ?

From the title of the thread, and the first picture, I imagined Michelin would have a bike riding in from of the Tour de France peloton throwing money at them

I don’t think I have a cockney accent

Thank you for those pics! Fantastic stuff!

Actually, im a nice dark brown so speak for your white self.

Well we've got a Welsh Spaniard, so we have illegal immigrants wrapped up, an Englishman living in Scotland showing the locals what is what, he can be our endangered minority rep, Pedro with his perfect cockney English confusing tourists in lifts if I remember correctly, And leave Bob Milligan alone, he may have done a few hundred dodgy human deals but if it wasn't for him we would get no visitors or tourists to the east end of London, he's probably supported a few million workers in the last 30 years alone, let alone all the dock workers since the 1830s who managed to get a day's work after standing around for a few hours. Also he is keeping the burglars away in our parking depot at night when everyone has gone home.

Nope, entire town is fenced off due to lead poisons being all over the place. Very toxic area.

This was the old field house at the Camp along with some historical pictures. Place had nearly 15,000 soldiers in it at one time...

Stuck in traffic

Antifa will be here any moment to stage a protest.

Good point Ian! But I can't ever remember us having anybody non-white as a member! Nearest we had was Dell!

Definitely pointing to something in the distance!

We are in phase 4, defunded the police, burned the cities to the ground, and establisded unicorn farts as currency.

One from today........

On the way to the trails! A few paved corners can be fun, but I do prefer the dirt. ?

Taken today.......just for this thread!

Ones comes standard on the CRF1000 as well Bob, unfortunately if you put a big sat nav on there and go bouncing around off road it's been known to snap off ?