an expensive last stop in Paris

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From Switzerland just continue East, quiteceasy to stay off paege in France, main roads are good, also keeps a bit of interest. Town planners are devious, signs for toll road but less for alternative routes to same place.

Stopped at a nice Farmhouse B&B in Joneville on D417.



Up to Paris on about 300km, but broke down just outside Paris, suddenly lost all drive, nasty place on a tight slip road - maybe 1ft wide hard shoulder. So ring 112, 'I need recovery!'. After 2 calls they sent a recovery lorry, who delivered me to the Paris Triumph garage. They jumped straight on it, found front chain sprocket fallen off, fixed back together for 5pm. So bit lost time and €400, but also a lesson for me 'cause I put new chain set on back in UK. So more & better preparation would help in long run, and this is a very long run, now 28,000km on clock at channel port.



Quick photo stop in Paris then east through heavy rain to ferry at Caen and 11pm departure. French bikers are very bold pushing though gaps or filtering at 80kph in wet conditions. Yes it was wet and cold but was only the 8th wet day in 100 on the road, even then if rain stops U do blow dry quick at 120kph, but evaporative cooling makes U very cold.



This is the last post of this trip, I hope this inspires U to visit some of the places, they say travel makes younger so go for it. Joe's email [e-mail]

Might drum up courage put some stats togeth.er, like cost and how many times bike fell over etc.

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Photos

Mountains across lake Walensee
A last view of Alps, sad to leave them behind.

Beet harvesting
Different expensive hardware to simple tools further east.

Broken down on N4 near Paris
Not much room, lorries only see U at last moment.

Arc - de - Triomphe
Paris traffic in rain, as tricky as any city so far.

Bike parking anywhere, perhaps.
Not sure of parking rules, no yellow lines, few armed gendarmes on foot patrol.

Arrive at Portsmouth UK
Sad to end such a good trip, but I am ready to go home.