Kharkiv Revisited

Let me make it quite clear from the outset, I was not visiting the Ukraine to look for a new wife.

..but this man was.

Provided that you do not mind getting completely lost the Kharkiv metro system gives good value transportation for 5 Grottys.

Spacious communistic era stations

2 rail DC system

Miss Comfort, a typical metro train driver depicted on a recruitment poster - possibly.

Depth of field study

The hotel was on the No.3 tram route, but we went in the wrong direction.

Oh no not another one.

Ukrainian loo

A complicated journey home involving three flights begins

Landing at Vienna

Brussels airport facility - I could have done without the hideous Santa plasma display.

Ronny Goes to Germany

Ronny the BMW F650GS motorcycle is going to live in Germany.  She was bought for Mrs Nikos and will be located on mainland Europe as part of the ever expanding, dispersing and aging Nikos World Motorcycle Fleet.

Ronny posing in front of one of those quintessentially British aviation flops - the de Havilland Trident 3B at my favourite place.  Some twat of a plane spotter parked his Skoda to spoil the scene.

In fact the mission would have at least two extra purposes including bringing back the old heap of a BMW R65 for restoration or burial in England, and filling the car with cheap wine (aka "going on a booze cruise").

 Driving towards the port of Dover - M20 Morning Mist after a dodgy glass or two of Cabernet Sauvignon the evening before at Ashford Travelodge

This is the rig (US style motorcycle touring in comfort and convenience) - Ronny follows me sitting on a Motolug trailer,   Mainland Europe is cut off from England so we catch a Sea France ferry from Dover to Calais (cheapest fare with a trailer).  Here we are at Dover port under the white cliffs.

Luckily the Tomtom urges me not to drive into the sea.  414 miles to go to Wiesbaden.

Leaving Dover port - 23 miles to Calais as the old crow flies.

A decent coffee, and a breakfast pastry at last .

Somewhere in Belgium, Portaloo?

Crossing the Mosel. Better than going near Cologne.

At Wiesbaden - Ronny is rapidly swapped for von Krankenshite for enforced transportation to England

Despite my arrival, the boys are happy.

NOW FOR THE COMESTIBLES.

Mrs N and I cycle to the Rhine and Mrs N treats me.

We carry on a bit and stop at Biebrich for deserts - his.

These look healthy - hers.

In Search of Crocs(tm)

All good things must surely end, and the heatwave lingering over the Eastern Seaboard like the flow from a ceiling fan in a Turkish brothel was not one of them.

We drove to a location New Windsor - I knew that there would be something special waiting for me there:

 

Unique, large and customised crocs(tm) sent to me by the lovely Lori, rider of a BMW R1200R  and owner of this thoughtful blog

Now homeward bound, we had spent the week with marvelous people generous in their hospitality - you know who you are and Thanks!

In Search of Politically Incorrect Cigar Smoke - part 2

Needless to say on exiting the Lincoln Tunnel we ended up going towards Hoboken and Weehawken due to roadworks and a posted diversion via Aberrsywyth.  We are now well on our way to the BMW MOA  International Rally at Bloomsburg PA.

As Jack's voice was not available on the GPS I use Erika who promptly gets upset with me due to the enforced diversion - nice!

I forgot to wave at Jack's sister when passing Lyndhurst but here is a library picture.

I blinked and missed the Delaware Water Gap but here is the River Mosel instead taken from the rather well located service area.

We encounter one of those mighty GSs on migration - we are near the MOA rally at last.

First things first

 At this stage we have not located Jack R as nobody we ask can understand our accents?  We wade through the extreme heat and humidity of the Bloomsburg show ground looking out for Jack and taking in the exhibits on the way.

The awesome Puch Maxi moped - the sort of machine that people living in Horley would hanker after.

I try in vain to purchase this for my front garden.

A lemon of a combination.

A nice honker

Wunderlich go camping on  a grand scale

Nikos wonders why anyone would want to spend all night looking at the final drive of a GS in extreme discomfort (i.e. camping)

This is more like it if one really has to camp

If my memory serves me correctly, we found Jack R.

Sat on the right  - Jack R!

Jack is a member of Mac Pac (an affiliated BMW club) and here is their gazebo where we were warmly welcomed like any long lost colonials would have been.

Anyone for a BMW Test ride?

In the hope of winning the rafflle (prize = BMW motorcycle) we attended the grand Closing Ceremony packed into the grandstand and were warmly serenaded with kerosene flames from some sort of bizarre Northern American atmospehere warming ritual  - as if it wasn't already hot enough!

WTF?

WTF?

The Closing Ceremony was, how should one put it, long winded and we noticed that our friendly Mac Pac team had quietly vanished away!  

Combinations are big and red in the USA

Later that evening .....

The Holiday Inn Bloomsburg welcomes MOA participants

The sun sets over PA

Several cocktails later (made to Jack's exact specification) we launch into the appetisers