Game over.

It was with a sombre mood that we packed up camp for the last time on this ride.  We had time on our side before our train back to the UK so enjoyed a brew in the early morning quiet of the French campsite then mounted up and rode north.

This area of France is flat and densely populated so avoiding motorways was a fools erend and we opted for the motorway to the Tunnel.  With one stop for food and fuel we got there quickly and without incident.  Booking in was unremarkable and we were quickly loaded onto the train. 

Once on board James checked the forecast for southern England and found out that we could expect a cold homecoming so we changed into our warm kit and made final inputs to the GPS.  With the final admin done James sat down and slept by his bike while I thought about the ride we had nearly completed.

In no time we were rolling off the train and onto the motorway.  The forecast had been right and we could see black clouds everywhere, it was a good thing we changed on the train as it was cold when we hit the M25.  By the time we arrived back at Elizabeth Barracks the clouds had lifted but it was still cool.  We took the last picture of the ride and that was it. All over, after 3,702 miles we were back where we started and it had passed in a flash.  The only tell was the state of the bikes and the smelly kit we were standing in.  Without the photos and blog to prove we had done it I’m not sure I could believe we had just ridden to the Black Sea and back in only 11 days.  

    

The final countdown.

I didn’t sleep well and heard James start to pack up.  Trying to ignore the fact that it was time to move I rolled over and shut my eyes.  It was futile, soon I was up and feeling all the worse from the bad night’s sleep.  The knock on effect of my idleness was a late departure which, luckily for me didn’t matter this time. 

We headed through Freudenstadt and joined the B500.  As we rode the famous road we were surrounded by trees and the smell of the pine in the crisp morning air was enough to wake me up.

Our wet weather camp in a corner of a field.

After the incredible roads we had ridden in Romania, Hungary and along the Austrian/German border the B500 wasn’t as challenging as we hoped and it was soon behind us.  We stopped in Baden-Baden for more coffee, a second breakfast and some final route planning.  Knowing that the options between Baden-Baden and the Channel Tunnel were limited made planning simple and we set of towards the Second World War Battlefields northern France, collecting country number 10 on the way. 

During our map recce we had seen a few place names that are familiar from the Regimental Colours and so we planned to stop at one of the Common Wealth War Grave Cemeteries in the area that the Welsh Guards had fought in to pay our respects. 

From the cemetery we decided that we had both had enough of my cooking and so stopped in a town for supper before heading to our final campsite of the ride.  Tomorrow we’ve a short hop to the tunnel and then home.  

Deploy the poncho.

Last night was spent with a fantastic Bavarian family I met while I was serving in Jordan.  We arrived to a very warm welcome and, after a shower to take the edge off our not so delicate motorbike musk, a local beer.  We chatted and caught up during the evening and picked out hosts brain for good routes for today’s ride then headed for bed.

This morning, over a continental breakfast including honey from a hive about 20 meters from where we were sitting, James and I agreed that last night’s sleep was not only needed but one of the best of the trip.  After breakfast we helped clear up, said our good-byes and started towards the Freudenstadt.

We had planned for today to be short in order to position us at the start of the B500 (aka Schwazwaldhochstraße) which winds its way through the Black Forrest and is famous for being, in part, an old motorcycle race track.

I'm sure it says "Get your knee down here." in German.

We rode out of Bavaria on lovely open country roads through some spectacular scenery and made good time before our first fuel and coffee stop.  After a quick fill we were on the move again, ready to push on until the bikes were running on fumes.  That was the plan anyway….

A simple little orange light on Special Ks dash put a stop to that.  The thirsty old girl wanted some oil.  I took the opportunity to check the Triumph and found her to be low as well, with the bike maintenance done we moved off towards lunch in Tuttlingen. 

More roadside motorcycle maintenance.

Once again we failed to uphold the rough biker image and had a simple lunch in an Italian restaurant.

With tummies and tanks full we left to cover the final 2 hours to Freudenstadt and a local camp site. 

The first place we tried wouldn’t let us leave before 7:30am which is no good for us so we moved off to another.  This one is on top of a hill overlooking the town but is a bit further from the B500.  They also have a set departure time that doesn’t work for us.  However, the barrier has a gap just large enough for a bike to fit through so we’ve paid in advance and will leave when it suits us.

In the meantime the weather has taken a turn for the worse and most of today saw the temperature hovering around the low to mid-teens with short showers and ever present black clouds.  Finally, as we set up out tents the heavens opened and everything that wasn’t covered was instantly soaked.  It was time to deploy the poncho and give ourselves some cover to cook and administrate ourselves.  Now its blog and route planned before an early bed.

Wet and getting cold.  Time for a brew then.