Obviously when I booked the overnight pasage from Hull to Rotterdam some months ago I could not predict that winter weather and gales would prevail. Luckily (used advisedly) the worst of the sleet and driving rain with 50mph north westerly winds encountered on the Woodhead pass petered out on the east of the Pennine hills. All that remained were biting winds and sunny weather. And the circuit to the electrically heated gloves failed.
A few days before....
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| How to secure a luggage pack containing essentail gluten free products to Spock - some very useful hooks purchased some years ago and found languishing in my oddments box. |
Meet Spock......
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| Born in Thailand with promise to ergo-fit Mr and Mrs, a Kawasaki Vulcan S waits for the Pride of Hull. |
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| Meet Rowan, an Ozzy on his way to Galipolli with his Tiger to attend the 100 year commemorations. |
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| Your proverbial on-board selfie |
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| Your proverbial cabin selfie of sorts |
The next morning and now firmly on the continent one proceded from scenic Rotterdam at a stately pace due to the breaking in restrictions of 4000rpm: Never mind holding up the trucks - I don't want to end up with a "broken down" motorcycle after 1000km as the Kawasaki owner's manual points out on page 70.
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| This stock picture resembles Rotterdam, located across half of Holland, a mostly desolate country with virtually no motorway service areas but with people displaying themselves in their front rooms ("allegedly"). |
After some hours at 4000rpm I divert through Venlo by mistake (taking in the sites and roadworks, diversions etc.) and eventually end up in Germany where I hold up traffic on the A61 until Koblenz.
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| I arrive at Bad Ems - my hands are too cold to operate my camera but suffice it to say the final leg of the journey to Wiesbaden through the Taunus and river valleys was beautiful and memorable. |
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| On arrival in Wiesbaden I unload the cargo of gluten free products and muse that in 100km I can go at 6000rpm. |
Hot Tip: Always keep your hybrid Gernings electric gloves charged up especially when the onboard wiring harness has failed - there is normally a socket available somewhere or other in a German service area.
