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"Smell my finger"

Next day, I woke up with the certainty of having a very rainy day ahead of me. I intend to ride out of the hotel already with rain suits on, since my "main wear" for this trip consist of jeans and a very summery jacket, enjoy a b-road to Pau and then hop on the motorway and cover as much ground as comfortable before stopping for dinner and sleep, this is my plan drawn in resignation to suffer rain storms in a motorway for the majority of a day. Reality didn't go like that, I did get the rain, and in fact put the luggage on the bike, and exited the hotel all waterproofed only to need to access my gloves in one of the sidecases to then remember the bike's key in my jeans. I hate these keys, since you don't need them to operate the bike they end up wherever and never at hand when you need them. After all the carfuffle I am now sweating, so come back in from the rain to take my sweater off. Most other people in that place are hikers, they agreed that rain and warmth is the worst! I ride off, taking very tiny roads, after a short while I spot this place just right for an espresso with shelter from the rain. I walk in, and stand in front of the counter while the girl is very busy talking to someone, then she's very busy answering the phone, then she runs past, completely ignoring me and the other people now in line. I step outside and take a free seat while contemplating the rain. This was the first taste of french hospitality, they're known for it but since this is Basque Country I thought it would be different: A few minutes later, waterproofs back on, and I head out. Finally the girls in line behind me are getting served, could have taken 10 espressos in that time. I head into the hills and following my phone's guidance through very small roads I start enjoying myself, so much so that when the phone goes quiet I continue from intuition. Roads are really small, very muddy and with lots of animal waste from herds of cows and sheep that are grazed here. After maybe 30 or 45 minutes the rain stops briefly and I take the picture above while finally going for my phone safely tucked inside my jacket, turns out I'm almost back where I started! No worries, I had the feeling that's what was happening, and carried on the right way. I climb a little, and stop to admire the views, nice fog! There's fog and muddy roads, those are horses in the distance down in the valley: I've never had tires as good in the rain as these. These are Mitas Touring Force, granted the name can take some improving but on wet greasy muddy tarmac, they're great. If there's no tarmac they're not so great, but that's fair enough. In the next three pictures, if you zoom in you'll see vultures. They're just standing there with their wings open, I don't know what they were doing but that was it as watched from the outside. I shouted, they flew 50 meters and did the same thing. More horses: There are a lot of tiny ponies roaming around, but I never stopped for pictures because they were too near the road and didn't seem to like my presence, and it was just raining too much and I tried to keep the inside of my gloves dry. Up high, clouds were moving fast: Filthy bike: And as quickly as that, the clouds roll in again, same spot: Now almost 2PM and I feel a little peckish, so stop to both figure out where to get something to eat and where to head after. I stop when it stops raining, and it happens to be in the middle of an amazing forrest. Really a very cool place: I give up on finding a cafe, and go to a supermarket, buy a bread and some cheese, and make a sandwich: Someone cut a tree down in the picnic area, it's growing back again: By now I'm enjoying this too much and to hell with the motorway, so decide to follow the Pyrenees a while more, stopping near Laruns to check where I'm going: Where I was heading was through the Col D'Aubisque and the Col de Soulor, very cool roads eve if it was pouring down, again I was amazed how good these tires were on a bike with softer suspension than mine, I don't think I could have had a more confidence inspiring combination. Up at the top, stopped for a coffee and to decide on accommodation for the night, in the direction of France proper but not too far away as the rain was loosing it's charm: Local cheeses in this whole area are amazing, I almost felt tempted to contaminate a whole sidecase in order to buy some. The smell would have lingered in whatever was sharing luggage space for ages I found this small place near Lourdes, about 45 minutes away, and off I went. It was a nice surprise, nobody spoke english but my broken french made up for it. I fool people into thinking I know french, this lasts 10 seconds, then the momentum carries me through the rest of the conversation One of their "guard dogs" doesn't know he's a guard dog yet, and quickly turned into a play mate, a game of fetch ensued and after a while he was broken and ready for a nap at his owners' door: They knew the way to my heart and the madame of the house told me to help myself to beer on the fridge, (or tea if I preferred ) , her husband was cooking and I was to join the two couples they had as guests and themselves for dinner. After a day of wearing rain stuff it felt good to be having a beer outside in a tshirt. The other dog wasn't a friend of mine, though: The gentleman waving in the picture below is quite a character, he is a belgium who used to race (as an amateur, I think), Sidecar Motocross, and has an old Maico 250cc at home (non sidecar). I didn't ask what color it was, though, so he might be a deviant and have a blue Maico He and his wife have been married for 58 years, which is amazing not only on the number of years but also because none of them look to be old enough, I enjoyed their company as both had a great sense of humor and were a joy to be around. I was not, though, prepared to the amount of food. I misunderstood and thought we were going to have a few tapas or a few platters of stuff, so when the guy filled the table (table, I thought was platter as in board) with all sorts of entrees I assumed that was dinner, it was enough for everyone. But no, after I was full came the soup, which was delicious, then the duck magret with a type of patatas bravas, then the cheese, and then dessert when I was about to pass out. I couldn't say no to dessert as Marie, the owners' daughter had made it. She's working as a pastry chef. I had never over eaten so much in my life. I went for a stroll and then retired to bed feeling like I was going pass out. I had heard of the French and their dinners, but had never been in one. Good thing I had work to do as that helped me digest a little while sitting up and working on the laptop. The next day would be a long one.

I’m in the far south too, but every 3-4 years we get a good dump of snow…makes riding a bit difficult. And of course as we don’t have equipment to clear it we need to wait until it melts or the local farmers clear it. Dog included for scale

Have you ever ridden the Busa far enough to get cold hands?

Waiting for a parcel this morn but WSB on at 1pm and MotoGP sprint at 2. Need to go to Yarmouth for the bank and have a look at electric razors in Boots. Have a brawn at the mo and its fair to say it's never been the closest of shaves. More time getting the plaster board off the back of the tiles, getting towards the end of them now. Need to spend some time on the tracer too as it feels like it's running lean. And it's bloody filthy, riding it would be nice too. Just been told we need to do some shopping aswell, joy.

I’m wandering from bar to bar in Milan. It’s so comfy outside! In a tshirt and it feels like you’re at home.

Not having heated grips is just not civilised, these days Wait until she tries a heated seat!

The BFG. I used to play rugby with a guy we called the BNG, he thought it was for Big Nasty Ginger, it wasn't, to us he was Big Nosed Ginger. Obviously not to his face as he was an evil fucker on the pitch.

I don't mind tinned fish. Especially like tinned mackerel, lovely snack straight from the can. I have heard of Surstromming but never smelt, don't want to change that really.

Get yourself a tin of Surstromming by mail order from Sweden, then get back to me about stinky canned fish once you have opened it. Its fermented herring, someone told me they open it in a bucket underwater to try to stop it stinking the house out.

haha iv done a few 250 mile stints

i found heated grips got way too warm for my liking, i much prefer just a decent pair of winter gloves but each to their own

I think I find him difficult as he is typical of the Hoorays that move here or buy holiday homes here and try and change the place. In fact that is just what his parents have done. They move here and complain about everything from church bells to roosters, I would rather they went back to the sirens and stabbings that drove them here in the first place and changed things there.

No luck to him, i want to watch a youtube video of him squirming while striking a pose in his chinos.

You’re obsessed with penis … @Buckster say a prayer for this man to steer him away from the sin of enjoying penis

No .. mrs , sister, niece .7 of us all together and Elvis got better

Mitas Touring Force! They got a few smiles and were fucking amazing! By amazing, I mean we survived, and I’m glad I took the downhill route Might be a spoiler to my ride report thread but I’m now drinking a dessert in a nice place in Milan so there!

Wants him to take a package no doubt.

Nephew got dragged up on stage by an Elvis impersonator, ( supposedly) and dressed the twat up as a post box

Yes it's looking that way for a few weeks. But she has started College now so only available Monday or Friday. I have just bought her a set of winter riding gear, decent Jacket, waterproof over trousers, Drystar Gloves and some Gortex lined boots. I can see heated grips are going to be on the agenda to. Oh and some steel toe cap safety boots and 2 x cargo working trousers, as she wants to learn Carpentry and Roofing. Been a spendy week, one saving is that small riding gear doesn't cost as much.

Do you find all the Yorkie bars help?

Everytime, but being technically good isn't always that much of an advantage if you can't hold your temper. Wind your opponent up and he will spend more time trying to hurt you than getting his technique right then you have him. I agree though if you control the looseheads elbow, clamp his arm, break his bind he is going up or down, if his feet are wrong, and it's your penalty, also he won't be able to stop you boring in on the hooker ruining his day. A good tighthead will give your team a massive advantage, it's why they get paid the big buck nowadays. You will take a few digs for it but dominate the front row, charm the ref, and the games is yours most of the time. Especially in the lower leagues. Look at Julian Whites showreel. Some bleddy boy even if he is from Devon.

iv played front row for 12/13 years so far, yeah the old adage of no backwards step no matter what and yeah being strong is a factor but someone who is technically good will normally trump brute strength and no technique

I did too, played across the front row for 25 years or so. Tighthead was my favourite position, more opportunity to be an awkward fucker. Age, experience and sheer bloody mindedness, all a props friend. Being strong is a factor but being vicious and sneaky are too. I miss rugby, last time I played was when I was 42, 59 next week.

i played rugby last night and ended up going through 3 props throughout the game, after the match one of them came up to me and asked what the fuck i'd done to him as he thought he'd win over me easily, so i just pointed to my noggin and said its up there mate, its called nouse.... and then said you can be the biggest cunt going but unless you have nouse and technique its pointless. he was only a young 18 year old been playing in the front row for 7 yrs, bout 20st 6'2 and he was strong but control the arm of a loosehead and he cant do anything. his parting words were "i think ill have to get some more training from the other prop", who i also dispatched fairly quickly with and replied if i were you mate i wouldnt take scrummaging tips from him you'd learn nothing you dont already know, that and that he would improve with a few more years and playing against some more old heads of the game, he is still to reach his prime. i do loves a scrum!

im a giant... you dwarf

How fucking big are your feet?

To be fair there aren't that many here. I think there are about 4 Local Authority Houses left in Fowey. No council estates but originally there were four roads in the town that contained the bulk of the Council Houses but not exclusively, always were private houses as well so all roads had a Posh end.

Full of Hooray Henry's in Surrey where we were last week. I can't say that we saw many council estates in Surrey

The Elvis impersonator doesn’t look real either.

Knocked out a short overnight trip with the wife on the Gold Wang to Duyrango, Colroado. Cruised through the Back Canyon of the Gunnison National Park along the way. The Canyon isn't all that deep, buit it's about 50 miles or so in length. No other traffic at all...

I would have agreed until I got pissed on mead, never again.

Anything with honey in usually tastes good to me hell i'd almost go as far as saying if you mixed it with shit it would taste nice