Trip to Annecy - the conclusion

Stunning scenery, good company and fun were the rewards. Lessons were learned - wax your boots before you leave, remember your swimming trunks, get some anti-fog spray for your visor so you don't have to leave it slightly open to spray and rain to stop it misting up - visibility is terrible when it's raining on the inside as well the outside at night. Huge experience was gained - the most demanding mountain riding ever, the most terrible weather conditions ever, the longest trip ever (a few miles under 2,000 in 9.5 days). The French roads are marvellous (slightly more population, many more miles of road and all well maintained), the people are very courteous to other motorcyle and Harley riders, moving over to let you pass or cheering you from the pavement. Even the police motorcyclists greet you with a V-sign (Harley-Davidson V-Twin that is, not something rude) as they pass by. But, my O-level French is still sadly lacking for full conversation! Bring on the European Rally in Spain in 3 weeks!

Trip to Annecy - the return journey

For the last night, Roger took us up to a high remote mountain restaurant, which we would never have found on our own, in his minibus together with Suzanne and Veronique, the maid. It was good night but we had to retire early for the long slog of the next day. It was just as well as it was to be demanding due to rain. Roger, Suzanne and Veronique were there to wave us off. We ran into rain about half way through the 300+ mile journey and had to stop on two occasions because of the dangerous conditions. First, we just missed a hail storm, with hail the size of marbles, which would have been perilous had we been riding. The wait here for it to subside was not too long, but the next one to avoid torrential rain was for around 45 mins, so our arrival at the motor lodge was later than expected. We had stuck to motorway as much as possible to make progress, so there was little scenery to enjoy or riding activity to cope with.

Another early night for an even earlier start for the final journey home - a 225 mile sprint mostly in heavy rain and stiff winds to Le Havre, followed by ferocious winds and rain for the 130 mile stage from Portsmouth to home. On the ferry ramp at Portsmouth, the wind caught my windscreen and pushed me a couple of feet sideways before I got control again. The traffic was light from Chievely because of the late hour, but the inactivity of just sitting on the bike in the driving rain and wind mile after mile meant that my legs were shaking with cold by the time one of the group from Bidford and I crossed the Cotswolds. I finally got home at 1:15am and headed straight for a hot shower and an even hotter whisky and bed. Even so, my feet were still cold, my boots having started to take in water in the later stages as I hadn't re-waxed them before we set off. My riding mate told me the next day that he too was shaking from head to foot and his wife had to help him take off his clothes on arrival, having suffered more than me without a windscreen, and his boots had started leaking on the outward journey! The rest of the group went via the M4/M5 to Bristol, Cirencester, Droitwich and Bromsgrove. It was character building!

Trip to Annecy - above the lake

Lake Annecy is very large and Roger took us up another tiny road to a spectacular view of it.

The paragliders use several ramps to take off and glide across the lake. The two ladies riding Harleys, one the same size as mine, showed they were just as capable of taking on the demanding corners and inclines without complaint. Robert commented that several males in the Chapter would have been complaining!

The good weather continued for all five days of ride-outs, peaking at 34 degC on the last day when we took a more leisurely route of some 60 or so miles in preparation for the long journey home starting Saturday.

Trip to Annecy - to Italy

Another long trip was taken over hilly roads, again above the snow line, towards Italy, passing another large reservoir and dam, to a peak where Robert managed to ground his Harley in the snow! Snowballs were thrown by some too! Sadly, the pass into Italy was still closed because of snow blockage and we didn't make it by a few kms, so had to trek all the way down again, passing lunatics (my perspective) training on wheeled skis on the 1500 metre climb up! I found the hard work on the bike around the tight bends quite enough thank you!

Trip to Annecy - to the snow

On the way back from Switzerland, we climbed a steep road to a dam, recommended by Roger, above the snow line to reveal stunning views of the dam and the surrounding mountains. Small icebergs were seen floating in the dam's water.

Trip to Annecy - to Switzerland

A motorway route to the base of Mont Blanc brought rather undemanding riding, but stunning scenery as we journeyed through a valley to near the entrance of the tunnel to Italy.

A brief stop in a small town nestled between the snow capped mountains continued the views and we crossed the unmanned Swiss border for a stop at some natural hot springs. This included whirlpools, massage sprays, sauna, a freezer room where you stood on snow (not for long) and we enjoyed it for some time before having to set out on the return journey- about a 200 mile round trip.

Trip to Annecy - around Annecy

The old town of Annecy and we were blessed again with good weather for the walk about. A known problem of Harley immobiliser fobs not working in France (something to do with cellular frequency interference I think) manifested itself after the walk, when virtually everyone had to disarm their bikes using a manual sequence. Fortunately, I had rehearsed this before I left and it was not to be the last we encountered. We had the obligatory trip to the nearest Harley dealership, a very impressive one it was too in Annecy, before enjoying a lunch near a lake. The weather was getting warmer as was to be the trend for the week, although several late afternoon thunder storms returned as is apparently the norm.

Trip to Annecy - around and about

Roger and Suzanne have run their small hotel for 20 years, were a font of knowledge, and looked after us well. Roger, also a biker, led two rides and took us to places that we would not otherwise have found. First was up many very demanding hairpin bends to a plateau where we enjoyed a leisurely lunch, also joined by Suzanne who came by car. It was a tiny road but the prize of the view and location was well worth it, and character building into the bargain! Roger related a famous story of French Resistance fighters who held the plateau during WWII over lunch. The ride down, via another route, was less demanding, but the scenery still quite stunning.

On the Harley to Annecy - The Outward Journey

Some of the group gathered at Droitwich and others joined at Cirencester and Chievely for the journet to the ferry at Portsmouth. Seven bikes, eight people. The journey down saw some heavy rain and spray, but the last leg was clear, if a little cool. After the overnight crossing, along with some others going to the grand prix at le Mans, we had a smooth crossing and an early start from Le Havre towards our first stop at Bourges, some 250 miles away. Breakfast was enjoyed in Honfleur, a beautiful town, and our route kept us to A roads enjoying the countryside and town after town that seemed to be asleep! That is except Chateauneuf, where we enjoyed yet another coffee. An overnight at a motor lodge was a welcome break after a fairly long day of riding. The next day brought heavy rain and gusty winds for the first 50 miles of our 300 mile second leg to Annecy. Our leader, Robert, called it quits after a while and we stopped at a tiny town where, fortunately, there was a coffee shop open, although we did feel rather embarrassed at the huge amount of water we left on the floor in exchange for our coffees! The skies did clear eventually and we got to enjoy some great scenery and increasingly interesting roads (twisty and hilly) for the last 50 miles or so. Obtaining petrol was a bit of a problem - one of the bikes, a Harley Sportster has only a range of around 120 miles and our route on A roads on a Sunday meant that very few garages were open for business so we had to take it where we could get it. We had crossed the Loire, the Seine and the Rhone rivers en route. The final approach to our village, just outside Annecy, saw huge black clouds, heavy rain, thunder and lightning strikes just off to our right for several miles. We thought we might escape it but it was not to be as we hit heavy rain again a few miles from out hotel. However, a warm welcome from our hosts Roger and Suzanne soon put that behind us.