Italy 2012

http://s667.photobucket.com/albums/vv39/col_02/Italy%202012/


Just for Gary cos he got so much time on his hands. Some pics of Italy trip.
I hope. Cant get to grips with this photobucket.....
Well it seems to have worked. Click on the link to see our photos from our Italy trip.
If you hover your mouse over the pics it will say where the pic was taken. Tried to put them in order but they go where ever they like. Like a supermarket trolley. Lol.
We left Cardiff 08.10 got to tunnel at 11.20 on the train by 12.15 then at our 1st hotel the Hotel Feverey by 14.20. This touring lark is easy.
The hotel was a bit on the small/Quaint side but very clean and welcoming, with off road parking in a private well secure garage. Brugge was very nice somewhere you might like to take your other half for a weekend to have a cycle round and see the sights.
Next day weather started ok but was forecast rain. This was to be our longest day. 520 miles to Munich. Not having done any organising before i thought this would be a sinch.
Well not to soon the rain started and boy did it rain! By 14.00 we still hadn't reached half way. We stopped at Ronald Mc donalds to regroup dry out and warm up.
What the hell have i done here. Another 200 + miles in this. I felt like turning round and coming home. We pressed on water soaking through the many layers of our expensive waterproof gear.
Bring back the old rubber wet suit with the welded seams say Mr Bonar. "They never leaked".
Anyway we eventually arrived at Munich pulling up outside the hotel Regent.
I must add by the way that from the beginning my £500 Garmin Zumo 550 was not much help, because there would seem to be a fault with them and for some reason it wouldn't charge in the cradle and so it would only stay on for about an hour and half before the battery went flat and it switched itself off.... So we had to use Anthony's (My wing man) car sat nav. He stuck it over his clocks with the sucker thing you normally stick to your windscreen and we done the whole trip with that.
The reason i tell you this is Don't waste your money on these expensive bike sat navs, use the car ones. There are plenty of cases you can buy now to put it in. Buy one with bluetooth and a bluetooth helmet then away to go.
Now back to the story.
We pulled up outside the Regent the rain had stopped and the steam was rising from our bodies. as  alittle bit of evening sun shone through. The time was about 20.30 we booked in asap because we wanted to get out and sample some German beer and to find some beer festivals. (Apparently they are happening all the time in Munich) Unfortunatley because we arrived so late we couldnt find anything so just had a few quiet beers before hitting the sack.
We had a 400 mile trip the next day to our final destination Rimini. Italy.
So me and me mate. Ant had a conference and decided that because we would be passing Lake Garda in 200 miles time, ( Thats what Gary had texted me) and that we didnt really want another long day, we would book an hotel at Lake Garda before we left the Regent. This is what we done, we booked into the Enjoy Garda Hotel and what a very nice hotel indeedy. Oh yes things were looking up.
But before getting to Lake Garda we had an even worse soaking riding through Austria. Ant's bike had water pouring through it so bad we thought it was leaking somewhere, even the sat nav was starting to steam.
But eventually we got to Garda at an earlyish time and booked onto our 1st class hotel had a leisurely sh** shower and shave then out for a beer and for the 1st time into the trip put our shorts on. Because the sun was well and truly out.
Lake Garda is very picturesque lots of boats, restaurants etc somewhere one might kick back and relax. Probably a week would be enough.
Next stop Rimini.
Well i tell you, i have heard of Italian driving but had never experienced it till now. They are a crazy.
They over take then just pull in even if there is no space to pull into. You pull up at a junction or traffic lights in all your biking gear sweating conkers in 39degree heat, then the next minute you're surrounded by guys and girls on scooters wearing Tshirts, shorts and flip flops.
I never seen any road rage the Italians just take it all in their stride. Happy days.
They were very nice people , helpful and welcoming.
We arrived at our destination hotel mid afternoon. Hotel Betty.
A very nice hotel one single bed and one double, being the organiser obviously i had the double.
We parked our bikes at the side of the hotel in a secure fenced in part. Booked in then popped out for a beer. We found this bar that liked us so much they kept feeding us for nothing each time we went back. (might have had something to do with Ant liking his beer and boosting their profits)
We had one ride out whilst we were there, to San Marino. Not to far but very hot in all our gear. Nice place to visit withsome nice views. (I should've been on an holiday show. Lol)
Anyway it was to hot so we got back to hotel parked up the bikes and went to the beach.
After that day we discovered the hotel had bicycles for the use of. And free to its patrons. Us.
So yes you guessed it we traded in our motorbikes for pushbikes. Stuck our towels on the bike rack and off we went for a day at the beach.
On our return journey the weather was much much better. We hadn't booked any accomodation for the return leg and decided to ride until we didnt want to ride no more.
We left Rimini about 09.30 and rode up through Switzerland. Switzerland seemed like a very nice place to stop and we did consider it but we decided it would probably be expensive and also their currency is the Swiss franc which meant changing Euros and it was just to much hassle so we rode on into France. We got to a place called Colmar at about 19.30. We had something to eat at Mcdonalds again cos it was open and you can never be to sure if anything is open early evening in France.
As it turns out Colmar closed at 22.00. We booked into an Ibis hotel which was so small i thougt it must be an hotel for Hobbits. Had a quick shiffty round Colmar, nice if you like that sort of thing, you know the old houses and cobbled streets. (like being up the valleys).
We found a bar with the footy on. (Euro 2012) with about 6 non paying non drinking customers, (no wonder they close early). Got a couple of beers and watched the footy.
Next day up nice and early got about 100 miles from eurotunnel and decided to go for it and ride home a day early so we booked our ticket on the train and we arrived home at 20.30. All sun tanned up weighing a few pounds heavier and much the wiser for our experiences.
Sorry Gary i dont seem to have any pics from Ireland but i hope these from Italy will do.
Signing off your intrepid reporter from around the globe.
Colin....