The landlord of the Coach and Horses Inn, Chepstow was an absolute hero. He sorted me a full breakfast at the last minute, stopped to take a photo and wish me well and I was able to head out onto the road by 8:30.
The road from Chepstow to Usk is a biker's dream. Stunning views, bends that you can lean right into, and very little traffic.
I suddenly realise - there are hedgerows. Britain has hedgerows. They are so familiar you miss how wonderful they are. I don't remember seeing hedgerows like ours anywhere on my journey. I'm beginning to appreciate what we have on our doorstep. Wales has everything. Wide vistas, winding lanes, distant mountains and fantastic roads.
I ride down the hill to Lower Town, over the old stone bridge and past the Ship Inn. A couple of left turns and there I am, by the water's edge and home - journey's end. Sian is there with a bottle of fizz and a huge smile to celebrate, Floss wags her tail furiously - and the sun is shining down on us all. Perfect.
I wheel the little Honda into the garage and shut the door. I give it a pat without thinking. It'll need a bit of work but there's time for that later. For now, I just sit in the sun grinning like an idiot. I did it. The bike did it. Wales to Greece and the Balkans on a Honda C90... and back. It's been a most extraordinary adventure.
Thank you all so much for your support and encouragement. I hope you enjoyed the ride as much as I did.
Chris
Well done Chris. Superb Blog.. Absolutely superb..
ReplyDeleteGlad to see you are home safely
I'm disappointed - I thought you'd have Goodwick brass band at least to welcome you back...
ReplyDeleteWelcome home Chris, I've enjoyed your blog so much, many thanks
ReplyDeleteClive
You had such an amazing journey! Very brave and challenging! Greece is a great destination! What inspired you on such a step? Are you planning some other trip on your super bike in the nearest time? It's such a pleasure to read your blog! Keep posting!
ReplyDeleteHi Agatha. Thanks for reading. Yes Greece was stunning. I originally aimed to head to Crete but the logistics of the ferry meant that it would take too long - I wanted to get back home for a festival at the end of May. So... I thought mainland Greece would be nice. I got the map out and realised that I could see a LOT of countries if I did a different route there and back. I was sure the little Honda would make it - they're extraordinarily reliable and of course, cheap to run. 130 miles per gallon! As for future journies - yes! I'm just starting to ferment a plot to head towards the sun again - I missed a few of those countries in Europe (Spain, Portugal, Italy and many in Northern Europe). I'm currently rebuilding the bike to make it stronger and give the suspension a boost. When I got back I found that I'd damaged an eye with all the impacts off road. Luckily it's now healed but I do need to reduce the jarring.
DeleteThe big question is...when are you getting a little Honda and heading off? It seems a big thing, but really, it's just lots of day trips joined up :-)