The Humps Tour

At the start of September 2006 I flew back to the UK to join the gang for a motorcycle tour from the UK to the Algarve in Portugal and back again.

John Mason, Fred Minto, Ian Roy and myself left Hockley Heath in Warwickshire at 6am and headed down the M42 and M5 to Bristol where at 7.30am we met John's brother Ronnie and from there we headed down the M5 to Plymouth.

John was riding his Harley Davidson Heritage Soft Tail, Fred was on his limited edition 100 year annerversary Harley Davidson Fat Boy, limited that is to every bike produced by Harley during their centinary year. Ian rode his very nice Harley Davidson Road King Custom, Ronnie rode a hired Harley Davidson Heritage Soft Tail, bit of a story here so best not asked, but at this moment in time Ronnie owns two Harely's and has a hired one as well. I used one of Ronnie's other bike a Harley Davidson Ultra Glide. This was an old machine that had been inported from New York about 8 years ago.

My historic but reliable Ultra Glide

We all made it in time for the ferry at 12.30pm, I say made it, we just made it as the army guys managed to get lost 2 miles from the docks. Once on board it was time to check out the bar facilities, which we have to report were just right.

The next morning we were cruising into Santander our Spanish port of entry. Once off the ship we headed for Burgos, a trip that took over some wonderful mountains.

Coffee stop just before Burgos, can you spot D Wanka

From Burgos we ploughed along the N62 to Salamanca, our overnight destination. The trip was hot and so a cool beer in a local bar was just what the doctor ordered when we arrived at our hotel. We spent the evening at a nice streed restaurant in the old square area of the city.

That much needed cool beer

A night in Salamanca

The next morning after messing around in the underground car park, we fixed the video camera to the front of my bike and set off out of Salamanca again along the N62 to the border between Spain and Portugal. Once in Portugal we headed towards the coast along the N17, then turned south along the N1 to the capital Lisbon. Again cool beers were the order of the day once we had arrived at our hotel.

In Lisbon the big question was who was going to try and smuggle a chicken into their hotel room without the night porter seeing.

Following a night of drinking, eating sea food and taking in the charms of the locality, I never knew how attractive Lisbon was, we headed south again, to Villamoura on the Algarve Coast.

John models the Harley Davidson Day & Night Sunglasses

The Four Seasons in Villamoura was to be our base for the next three nights, time to hang about around the pool watch MTV and drink yet more beer.

Then it was time to make the return trip, first back to Lisbon, then retracing our steps back to Salamanca and then 100 klms further to the city of Valladolid. We did not arrive here until very late, so after a few beers and a meal we were ready for bed. The next day we travelled to Palencia and then north along the N611 to Santander, where we caught the overnight ferry back to Plymouth and the next day rode back to Hockley Heath.

Post Bike Week Fever

Having just returned from the Daytona Bike Week, Carol and I was off on our bike for a nice afternoons ride. The weather was good, clear blues skies and 32c.

We set off from home at 1pm and headed into Cape Town then along the A1 taking the exit for Wellington. Riding through Wellington and up Bains Kloof where we stopped for a picnic.

Once over Bains Kloof it was the long straight road towards Worcester, before turning right to Rawsonville. Through Rawsonville and onto to Villersdorp around the lake and over the moutain pass to Frascchoek and a late afternoon tea at the French Connection (5pm).

After afternoon tea we made our way back to the N1 and headed back to Cape Town. In Cape Town we took the coast road through Green Point out to Cape Bay and home. Passing through Green Point we just managed to catch sound of the Metallica concert taking place in Green Point Stadium.

The ride around the coast road was perfect and the sunset topped the day off for us.

Daytona Bike Week

Next Daytona Bike week starts 2nd March 2007

Well is it just for cowboys, even if they aren't real ones

I have just returned from Daytona and our annual visit to the bike week, actually the bike week is just a reason to get to America and ride Harley's on their own soil, or swamp in this case as we rode around Florida.

We all met up in Orlando on the evening of the 8th March, I flew in from Cape Town and the rest from London, we met up at the Moon Fish Restaurant in Sand Lake Rd, if anyone knows the place you will now that for what seems to be a very straight forward fish restaurant, it is expensive. Scatter cash Ronnie could tell you exactly how much a very poor bottle of Chardonnay is at this place.

We spent the first 4 nights in a rented 7 bedroom house in Kissimmee, which was just the thing as it had its own swimming pool and jacuzi, albeit it was in the worlds largest budgie cadge. Having our own pool was an advantage as we had Ronnie with us.

Each year we try to take in a slice of American sporting history, as yet we have no found anything that resembles a sport, but the Americans seem to like it. This year we went to see indoor American Football, I find it hard to belive that the outdoor version is any better, so we must conclude that this sport is also a mystery to anyone from outside the net which is Homelands Security.

After the big game we end up in a small bar miles from the tourist traps and low and behold its karoke night, good job we had the Everley Brothers with us.

MEAN WHILE AT DAYTONA BIKE WEEK......

Our visit to Daytona Bike Weeks follows a predictable pattern, first of all study all the bikes that cram into the city.

Then there is an chance to check out the latest in motor cycle safety wear, it seems leather may have had its day, but where to you sew on your badges.

Next its time to cruise the stalls selling just about everything you need for your Harley, from T Shirts to big ends.

Achtung Ronnie, alias ScatterCash Ronnie, alias Popeye Ronnie, alias Dancin Ronnie, finds something that suits his character in a stall at Daytona.

By now you are thirsty so its time for a beer, by the way in Daytona you can meet some very nice people in the bars, opps looks like leather has made a quick come back.

JUST A BUNCH OF COWBOYS.... YES or NO

easy this one YES with slight US Cavlary influence

I suppose YES but she doesn't look happy about it.

Another YES but he doesn't look happy about it.

YES YES but will need to learn how to ride.

Not sure if this is strickly speaking a cowboy hat, but YES YES YES.

Oh no, it must be one of those Brokeback Ridge types.

DAYTONAS BEST HAND JOB









AND WHEN IT GETS DARK....HEAD FOR THE IRON HORSE




Once it gets dark, its time to head for the Iron Horse Saloon.

Chris, our youngest member celibrated his birthday the night we went to the Iron Horse, he sure looks happy to be with such an ageing bunch of Spring Breakers.

Spielberg Ronnie, alias Achtung Ronnie, alias Scatter Cash Ronnie, alias Popeye Ronnie, alias Dancin Ronnie, lost his nerve when trying to snap the bar dancers at Iron Horse and came over all queer with shaking hands.

Ian gets about a bit during our visits to Daytona, but he always has just one thing in mind, yes you guessed it his beloved panhead.

On a sad note this year Daytona Bike Week claimed another record, and not one they will be proud of. In the 2006 Daytona Bike Week 18 bikers were killed on the road.

The next day we headed for Fort Lauderdale for a night in the Holiday Inn, before we could even check in the lads had found a bar and ordered beer. Ian even found a Russia waitress to chat to.

I on the other hand also found someone to do more than chat with, which was just as well as her conversation skills were not up to much.

The Holiday Inn just happened to be full of Spring Breakers, not sure exactly what they are but they seemed to be half dressed kids aged about 20. So who did we send out until 5am to party with them, yes Ronnie and Ian with a combined age of 112.

The view from my room along Fort Lauderdale beach at about 6am, or 1 hour after our very own spring breakers got to bed.

The team photo before we set off, Ian is doing his best at holding his stomach in, since going out with the spring breakers he has found out that there is something else called a 6 pack. Below we all get the chance to show how grateful we are to be spending 10 days with Ronnie, our hero.

Fred tries to secure a discount for the hire of the bikes.

Below on the US 1 heading north through West Palm Beach and Delray Beach.

We were heading for our first nights stop at the Marriott Resort Hotel on Hutchinson Island about 100 miles north of Fort Lauderdale.

The next day we again headed north on US 1 to Fort Pierce and then headed inland on the US 70 to Okeechobee where we stopped for breakfast. No sure if you have tried an Italian meatball with extra chilli 12 inch sub for breakfast but its not to be recommended.

Scatter cash Ronnie, alias Dancin Ronnie alias Popeye Ronnie fill ups at Fort Pierce, he has taken on board some of the dress tips he picked up in Daytona but can't quite take the big step and wear a G string, oh well maybe next year.

Below Ronnie shows off another of his little outfits this was what he was going to wear as he rode into Key West or as it otherwise known Gay West.

Okeechobee is on the shores of the second largest fresh water lake in America, Lake Okeechobee. That said the geographical set up of Florida denied us of any evidence of this lake, except for lots of fishing boats on trailers. We actually rode the 78 around the lake but failed to see any of it, Florida being so flat they actually had to build an earth mound around the lake to prevent it becoming the biggest, but shallowest lake in America. All of which meant you could not see it from anywhere, except I guess the top of the earth mound, which maybe the highest point in Florida, who knows.

Riding the 78, no sign of any lake here.

After the invisible lake we headed due south across the Everglades and as we were informed Florida Cougar country, to Everglades City and the Captains Table Hotel.

Above my bike for the trip a 2005 Road King Classic, below the convoy parked up somewhere in the Everglades.

Below three ways to wear a bandana from the right, correct on the head, correct around the neck, and left wrong, just plain wrong.

Everglades City is perhaps a grand title for nothing more than a fish destination. All anyone does here is sport fish, which means sitting in a small boat in the middle of a vast expanse of water with a pole and some fine cord. The only other occupation seemed to be that of a driver of an airboat, as there seemed to be hundreds of them waiting to whisk tourists across the Everglades. At 9pm the who City was dead, but come 4am it was alive with guys talking about their tackle.

From Everglades City we headed west along the 41, through the Everglades and past the smallest post office in America, we stopped to watch the many alligators in the streams by the side of the road. Our route took us through Homestead and across on to US 1. This time we turned south and headed along the Highway over the Seas to Key West.

One of the good things about this trip is how we all work together like a well oiled machine, everyone singing of the same hymn sheet, no one tries to do the opposite to anyone else. Above one of the Everglades finest and below the beauty of the Everglades.

Above the overseas highway to Key West, (US 1).

Below is the Pegasus International Hotel, our base in Key West. I think the only thing international about it was it seemed to be run by Russia girls.

The Russia girls putting in another hard day at the office.

Below, once at Key West we tend to get grabbed by a magnetic force to The Bull pub on Duval Street, a lot of famous people hang out at the pub, you can see two below just in front of the guy in the tacky blue suit.

After the bars, theres always the tropical beaches and even Americas Southern most point, right at trhe end of US 1, Cuba is just 90 miles south.

After Key West it was a dash back to Fort Lauderdale to hand the bikes back in, then a taxi to Miami airport for the flights back home.

Below the team of 2002

YOU PAID HOW MUCH FOR A BOTTLE OF WINE????????