I recently came back from a week in france with a group from adv and have done a ride report, so here goes

sw france ramblings. The plan was simple catch a ferry from Ireland, ride down to cubas cheviex, ride my bike for 4 days on proper offroad, loaded with my camping gear and enjoy. Simple right?

The first hurdle was the ferrys we have two companys who normally sail direct, usually on alternate days, not this time either Thursday or Saturday. As we were meeting on the Sunday I chose the tight on time option as my holiday leave is kind of tight this year. To add to this our forman at where I�ve worked for the last 20 years was having a retirement party on Friday night.

so saturday morning with a pounding headache I headed the 180 miles in the lashing rain to rosslare. I had decided on changing to a proper full fat knobbly rear tyre once the 650ish miles were behind me, I looked proper hard core.



anyhow, arrived with plenty of time to spare and was sent to board straight away, at least I was out of the rain. After a fitful 20 hours trying to sleep in the cheapskates lounge (another �140 for cabin)I reckon the room was bolted to the top of the ships engine, it rattled and vibrated all night. The ship was late docking into Cherbourg and to compound matters the trucks had to be removed first as the bikes and a few cars were safely tucked away in the keel, safe from pirates?




So it was nearly 3 when I hit the road. the garmin 60 was supposed to steer me around the tolls and major towns, and of coarse warn me of cameras, it failed on all counts, i got stung for $11.50 around le mans thought it did speed me through. just south of there i decided to join the n road system and dropped off the peage network, confronted with a closed kiosk and vending machine I found i had fumbled my ticket. The gap in the barrier looked doable, i eased through, bloody hell the alarms went off, the camera swivelled to have a gawk at me, I glanced at the driver behind who was laughing and gesticulating in a straight line with his hands, what the hell! time to gas it up!.
It was a hard 460 miles not too hot, a slight bit of rain. Really good travelling weather. Had my picky taken at least twice at least they were forward facing cameras. It was about 10ish when I reached the rv. The resturant on site fixed me a bit of dinner, I was fit for anything at this stage, certainly ready for my tent. Group shot before the off




The first day on the trails, Monday, got up early bunged the bike on a rock and slipped on a mitas 02, packed the tent etc away and organised what I needed on the trails. It was all ready starting to warm up.
My riding group, �The fast/hard�, Charles the leader, Brendan, Fiona, Phil, Seamus. It was mostly ktm 690�s a 450 and a wr250 in our group. We were away about 9.30ish after brekky and straight away into the trails, nothing too difficult, there were 2 river crossings, proper ones, unfortunately the little yam was dropped and Fiona doggedly lifted it out and trudged it across.



] Brendon showing how it�s done



at least It wasn�t too hard to start and on we went. Along the trail we came to a rather technical section and as the other group �easy� had a gs1200 ridden by the American, we closed the trail and left a note. There was a hill climb along the route, not part of it, and yes i chickened out, the tenere had a long journey ahead, i had no desire to add to its damage, bloody hell even Fiona give it a go!, no one cleaned it tho.



We stopped off for a four course lunch which was superb and continued on the often challenging trail to the camp at Sarlat. I live for days like this!, good friends, weather, food and awesome trails
A few more







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Looks like a fantastic trip, thanks for sharing !!

good report been reading it on adv and last years.will be there in five weeks time portsmouth to bilbao calling in to rocamador and sarlat on the way to cean. we are thinking of going there next year, no off roading this year one of are members is on a fazer 1000, but me and the gs might go looking for a few lanes one afternoon

Glad you enjoyed the ride out(I was due to go too but family arrived)...

Not bad here is it?




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Me: Honesty.
The Suit: Honesty? I don't think honesty could be construed as a weakness.
Me: I don't give a f**k what you think.

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Nice one, wish I could have made it.

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I spent a lot of money on travel and racing motorcycles - the rest I just squandered.

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Other bikes >> MT-03 / CG125BR-J / ER-6F
Departed >> ZXR400L3 / EC300 / DR-Z400E / DR800S / GPZ500S / GS400

Looks like a hoot.

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Touratech big guard. Yamaha handlebar guards. Pivot Pegz. Yam main stand. Camel Toe. 30 mm risers. 14 tooth front sprocket. Big balls. Old and not wise.

As Jimmy Cricket would say, there's more! (ulster humour)

We awoke to fabulous weather on the Tuesday morning, so we kitted up and headed off for a much needed breakfast, only the one-way system in Sarlat caught a couple of our group out so it took a little time to hit the trails.
we had the tricky rooty ladder climb to do, no hassle at all!. A far cry from the slippery problems of last year, thought there was a more pronounced gully at the top. I know the other group had to work at getting jethrodog and mighty GS mothership through, so fair dues they were right on our tail!.
The trail goes through the house, near L Ouysee




We joined forces with the other group for grand cafe olay at Souillac before the push to Ramadour (I�ve vistited France at least a dozen times and never felt the need to go there!, until last years trail trip, now this is the third time being there, apparently it�s the next most visited place in france after the tower thing in Paris), there is some steep trails leading into the valley, not really technical just potentially dangerous, a sizeable drop if you get it wrong!

Anyhow a fine lunch was had despite the touristy location. Unfortunately Phil, roast-beof had to return home. On the road into the valley we saw a large bird, no idea what it was, vulture/ eagle. It was semi tame, a couple of ankle chains (classy sort) bloody hell could it nip! I was glad I had my gloves on!

Wahey I�ve pulled a bird in france!


Magnon, showing us some trials skills dropping into the valley trail




Last year the climb out of the valley beat me, I had to receive assistance to make the climb (in fairness I was carrying a new tyre that would have made the difference, if it had been fitted, purchased that morning, enduro excuse no.348) no such problems this time, we all romped up like it was a flat road.

Unfortunately Charles bike was starting to fade a little, intermittedly the power would just drop off, earlier a branch had got rammed in between the frame and tank so we started there, stripping the loom we quickly repaired a frayed wire on the 690, not sure what it was for just, the bodged repair did the trick and we retired to St Cere for the night


After my usual tea of casolote i had a look around the bike, ****** a flat in the rear, so in with the spare tube. Now i found a bigger problem, my LC4 cushdrive bearing had started to collapse only one thing to do, ignore it! At least until it was knackered completely!

Tidy camp, newer tent for me