4(-1) idiots and a motorcycle diary - the final episode (for now)

Updated: Feb 3, 2021

Miles today = 155

Miles tomorrow = about 120

Miles for the whole trip = 2650

Where are we? Aldbourne, a charming little village in Wiltshire

Where will we be tomorrow? Home!

Countries visited = 7 (but that now includes England for the 3rd time!) Its actually 4, as I have been informed that Somerset doesn’t count!

Well, we survived the night in the wilds! Turns out there are plenty of locals, though where they come from who knows!? Luckily nobody wanted the pool table which allowed Rob to thrash us, even though we were taking it seriously!

Also, luckily, the food in the pub was excellent, and with a bottle of Malbec to wash it down we were happy bunnies when the bar shut (just as well) at 10pm. So an early night with only the sheep to keep us company.

Today has started to feel like a going home day. The roads have slowly got busier, less windy, and we are back in England for the last time. But we managed to punctuate the journey with a visit to Gloucester cathedral and the largest mediaeval glass window in an English church - and magnificent it is. In fact the cathedral is pretty damn fine, and since none of us had ever visited before it rounded off the trip pretty well.

Its also the final resting place of Edward II, impaled on a red hot poker, not a way you would want to go. And Robert of Normandy, eldest son of William, but unfavoured by the king and never acceded!

But to be honest there isn’t a lot more to report today - a couple of pretty views over lakes in Wales and a final selfie with a Dalek (no, not sure of the link between this pub and Daleks, or indeed Dr Who) outside the Crown Inn in Aldbourne, our accommodation for our last night, which as it turns out is also the "home" of Band of Brothers.

So time to reflect on the trip and end this blog. We have covered the best part of 3000 miles, and if you include the ferries that rises to 4500 or so. We have been in Portugal, Spain, North Wales, North Yorkshire and Barrow - a pretty eclectic mix in anybody’s book! And a few other magnificent places!

From sublime mountain roads to fast dashes along new deserted motorways. From Victorian bridges to soaring viaducts. From pretty villages to bustling cities. From talking rubbish in languages we barely understand to talking rubbish in our own - in a Welsh accent, that one day will get us lamped by a local!

And the kindness of strangers almost wherever we have turned - I won’t forget quickly the time the Portuguese tyre fitters spent trying to fix Rob’s front tyre on a Sunday afternoon in the baking heat. Had they failed we would have missed our ferry back and shelled out another thousand quid! Some days we have switchbacked turn after turn, others we have barely had to shift the handlebars or lean the bike! Days of 250 miles and a some of none at all. Wouldn’t have missed a day in Porto for anything, and it deserves another visit. Equally wouldn’t have missed the night in the Star Inn, in the middle of nowhere, and we have vowed to do more of those.

So tomorrow we will say our farewells and head in different directions - me to Hove, Eric and Rob to Welwyn. We understand that Steve is OK, or will be soon, and has put his feet up for the last week, reading this rubbish.

There will be nothing to report tomorrow, I’m just heading straight home with probably a short stop for second breakfast and coffee - this leopard doesn’t change his spots! So that is is for now, till the next trip…

Finally, I have been told in no uncertain terms that I must acknowledge that some of my photos were actually taken by Eric and Rob - not that I care, but that is all they are getting - an acknowledgment! (I love them really x)

And really finally, the last few pics that I can't squeeze in above ('cos it buggers up the formatting)