Please do not add up the mileages as I got lost on numerous occasions for reasons stated below.

Prior to my trip I had really given SWAMBO the hump by pouring over this computer for hours on end plotting my route and programming my TomTom using Google Maps. This later becomes ironic.

Day 1 � Tuesday 07 Oct 08

SWAMBO is off to Portugal today for a chill out with some of our skiing companion girly friends so I drop her off at Stansted Airport and dash back to dress up for my trip.
As luck would have it (not), it had started to rain very heavily so I decided to put my winter commuting suit on instead of my normal riding gear.

Bike ready to roll at 7am and its pouring with rain. Bliss.



At about Canterbury on the A2 my TomTom started to flash and do funny things. I was a bit confused as it has been on the bike for most trips since my Tenere was purchased in July. The human interface on the screen would not let me select any options. It had apparently vibrated itself to bits. (Someone else complained of this on this forum and I said that the vibration was not a problem � Doh!)
Marvellous I thought. During my planning stage I had not bothered to look at any maps at all and I did not have a clue as to where any of the places I wanted to visit actually were. This is the lesson that I learned. DO NOT PUT ALL YOUR EGGS IN ONE BASKET. (do not put absolute faith in technology).

A quick dash to the Sea France ferry and a long hard look at some oversized maps tried to figure where to go.
A long haul on the French motorways and stops to buy more detailed maps.
A stop for some grub at one of the French �Aires� by which time the weather had improved. They do seem to look after the public better than we do in the UK. These are usually very pleasant little lay-by�s with toilets and picnic tables. This is possibly due to the Tolls. I paid 20 Euros for this leg of the trip.

Fat boy getting fatter somewhere near Troyes.




After this I pressed on and after a total of about 423miles (680km) it was at about 10pm and very dark so I stopped in a small town called Langres and found the French version of the Bates� Motel. At least I was able to park the bike around the back.
Mileage for the day was the most I have ever done in 1 day (so far)

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