29th May Away Day

Well , we set off on our trip on the 29th May the weather was dry, but there is always the threat of rain , as it has been all over Europe for the last couple of weeks. We got onto the Eurotunnel, there was a large number of bikes, cars and families going on hoilday, quite and ecleptic mix, including Hells Angels and off duty police officers, not with each other! but all excited in going off on thier trips, including us.

The weather stayed dry for the whole day, we had the usual ride on the French autoroutes, our first stop was at a petrol station where we saw two Ferraris and a Mclaren supercar, almost crashed into by a doddery old car driver, everybody screamed at him, before he made contact with the Mclaren. Not sure his insurance would have covered the damage.

We drove off the autoroute and along the short drive through the Compegnie Forrest to Pierrefonds. When we arrived we were greeted with this quaint village overlooked by the castle, (it is the one Merlin TV programme is filmed), we tried to book into the hotel which overlooked a lake. But we were too early the hotellier let us leave our crash helmets and we walked round the castel for much of the rest of the day.

The Castle was in ruins until rebuilt for Napoleon III in the 19th Century. It is full of strange statues and carvings, it was obviously during a Gothic/Romatric period, Jackie was given a flower by the gardner of the castle, who thought us mad when I asked him to pose for me for a photo, still we chuckled together.

We went to town after our visit to the Castle and ordered some food and drink at the cafe, trying hard in our pigeon French to speak to the waiter, only to find later on that he was from London and a Triumph rider, should have guessed by the big sideburns!.

We got into the hotel, the room was small and comfortable, and ate a very noice meal in the restaurant.

30th May Crash Bang Wallop!

All packed and ready to go, then the Sat Nav starts misbehaving and we drive round the town, it sends us in the right direction it is raining/damp. We stop off for our photo for our ABC (its a Harley thing) then drive on, we go down a small road, which is wet and muddy, so we are riding very slow, then I see a lake of a puddle in front of us, Jack is behind, next I hear her shout on the intercom, she has come off. I park up and see her lying on the ground covered in mud upset and limping. The bike is a bit bent, the gear lever is broken, screen/handlebars and other bits look damaged. So I pick the bike up and Jack somehow manages to ride the bike back to the town, she is in discomfort with her leg and wrist. We spend a bit of time trying to get our heads together and decide what we should do, even try the insurance but realise Jakcs has not got any, and oversite I know.

Back to the Hotel, they do not have any rooms but arrange for another Hotel for a couple of Days, to get the bike sorted and Jackie more importantly.

Once in the room, Jack decides to rest, and maybe visit the local Dr, we was not open at his usual times. I ring the local Harley shop, they have a gear lever, if I can fix that we can always get home or to the shop for fuller repairs. so I dash to Paris, in rush hour, (what chaos that place is) and get the spare part. On my return, we decide to rest up for a couple of nights and see how Jackie is.

31st May Drs and brass band

Next day Jack's knee has swollen up, so off to the Dr's. First I repair the bike and take it for a spin, to make sure it is safe to ride, and it is. Jacks waterproofs are repaired with tent repair tape should they be needed on the homeward journey. Next Jack to the Dr's.

Nothing like NHS here, we sit in the waiting room, every time a person enters all the people waiting say bonjour, in the UK they do not even look at you, Jack sees the Dr who does not speak English, we have no French, but the long and the short of it is, we need to get home for Jack to get an Xray, he writes a couple of prescriptions for strapping and anti-inflamitaries. We walk to the Pharmacy Jack sees a very nice lady there who helps her with what the Dr has written. In the town a Brass band from Manchester has set up and is making all the town happy playing queen tunes and the like. A small market has also set up selling wares to the mainly English tourists, we settle down for a coffee at the cafe and watch the Brits stumble over the French language to make thier orders, to the London waiter! he treats them with respect, but with the odd wry smile. We chat to him, in London talk of course, as he is used to seeing us after a couple of visits.

We eat in the Hotel in the evening, and watch the 12 year old Maitre'D manage the restaurant, obviously he is learning the family business, and a good job he does, puts some of our kids and adults to shame. We decide we are going to ride home tomorrow, as it is mainly motorway and get to hospital.

1st June Home and Hospital

We set off very gingerly at first, but as the day moves on Jackie has mnore confidence and swings along we make the Tunnel early, and bump into a load of my old work mates back from a bike trip in the Alps, they have had nothing but wet weather, today it has been dry and fine, typical.

We get home and Jack sees the Hospital, long and short she had bruised her knee and wrenched her wrist, good to go again at the end of the week, but she is on the back of my bike.