This years Epic Summer trip

barryd said:
Honestly Bill. It's easy peasy. Just don't try and drive round Grenoble or over the main Alpine route from Italy to France on the busiest weekend of the summer 😂

Seriously as Kev says France is a doddle.
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Oh I am up for it Barry.

As I said the problem is my better half.
She’s even worried about driving in Ireland.
I had to convince her on that one.
Anyway we’re off to Fife tomorrow, eat your heart out Barry. :p
 
Fisherman said:
Oh I am up for it Barry.

As I said the problem is my better half.
She’s even worried about driving in Ireland.
I had to convince her on that one.
Anyway we’re off to Fife tomorrow, eat your heart out Barry. :p
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I’ll gift your good lady my welding helmet, Bill. I’ll set it for 13EW, which is the darkest setting, she won’t see a thing when you are driving 🤭
 
Fisherman said:
I am green with envy Barry, never even cycled in Europe never mind driving a Moho on the wrong side. I would have given it a go, but my better half would only end up a nervous wreck, and I reckon that would spoil any trip abroad. So sadly for us, it’s the British Isles, but lots of places left to visit, and I won’t see them all. Enjoy the rest of your trip Barry.
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I have had motorhomes for 30 years until 3years ago never left UK. Tried Ireland then First trip to mainland Europe. Worried about driving on wrong side for half an hour. Now driven in 20 mainland country’s and not worried about it. The van we have has done 38k. 8 in Scotland 30 mainland Europe. It is much easier over the channel.
 
Decided to create an image of the Alps to our back garden, Barry. Looks the part, eh!!

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Fisherman said:
Oh I am up for it Barry.

As I said the problem is my better half.
She’s even worried about driving in Ireland.
I had to convince her on that one.
Anyway we’re off to Fife tomorrow, eat your heart out Barry. :p
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Is it sitting on the wrong side of the van Bill or just out of England.
 
Pudsey Bear said:
Is it sitting on the wrong side of the van Bill or just out of England.
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I have no problems about driving in Europe, I would love to. I had an A class before this and some of the roads I drive that on were extremely challenging. I have driven in the US no problems Kev. It’s my wife she would not enjoy Europe, and because she would be nervous I would not enjoy it either.
 
It was your wife I meant Bill, Liz was petrified when we first went; I told her, we'd go across, drive to Gravelines, stay the night, and if she wanted to come home, no problem. I'd have been a bit cheesed off, but then again I had the same get out as I hadn't driven on the right since the 90's and that was in Greece in a car on a back road, so no real comparison, I got a chap in a Landy to just let me follow him for a mile or two toe get my bearing towards Beligium, I was fine after a mile or so, but I wouldn't inflict it on her.
 
Having a soak in the hot tub in the Maldives 😂

These cloth murals are great, you can imagine being anywhere 🤭
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What is she nervous about Bill? Maybe show her Kev's post. Knowing how much you love Scotland and the scenery there you would absolutely have loved our trip so far. The roads, passes and tricky bits in the UK are generally much worse than anything here you would go in a motorhome, just longer and higher. Except some of the bits we do on the bike of course and you can't take a motorhome up most of them anyway.

Do what Kev did. Tell her if she hates it you will go straight back to Dover. I guarantee 100% you won't be going back to Dover. Try Brittany as a shake down. The western end is a bit like the west coast of Scotland. Total doddle in a motorhome and more motorhome parking than you can shake a stick at.
 
A fairly relaxed day here today on the top of Mont Dauphin. Found a lovely peaceful river down below that looks ideal for a bit of white water tubing. :D I used to do a lot of that in the Alps. Basically you just blow up one of those inflatable, beach toy tyres, throw yourself on it and see where you end up. The only trouble is the water is freezing and its only topped 21c today here. A bit warmer tomorrow. Will see how brave I am. The view down the hill from here on the bike is fabulous. Gorges du something or other tomorrow and another scary balcony road I think. Still need to see some Marmots. I think Michelle stands more chance if she takes off early in the morning on the trail.

Contemplated a detour into the Italian Alps earlier in my planning session but we now only have eight weeks left thanks to the 90 day restrictions so all the stuff we want to fit in might be tricky if we do that.

The holiday traffic on the main road is still pretty busy.







 
I was just wondering, will you be crossing the Millau Bridge Barry? We went under it, but Liz would go on it.
 
Pudsey Bear said:
I was just wondering, will you be crossing the Millau Bridge Barry? We went under it, but Liz would go on it.
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No. I have been over it once but its just a bridge. Much more impressive from below around the Tarn area which we do indeed have plans to go to. Looks like my favourite wild spot near there has now gone though sadly at St Rome de Tarn. I seem to remember going to a museum about the bridge in one of its pillars years ago.
 
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Fabulous day today although not so great an evening last night up on the top of Mont Dauphin. Around 9:30pm three Spanish vans and a car arrived together and were extremely annoying. Not that they were doing anything wrong just a group of 30 somethings that stayed up outside yacking until well after midnight. Despite the great views there was a lot of coming and going there so we moved to the Aerodrome down below this morning by the Durance river. The spot is nothing special but tons of space, just two or three vans spread out and it was really interesting watching the gliders get towed up and a "Little Nelly" Gyrocopter! :D

More Balcony roads today both above Mont Dauphin and down through the Gorges du Guils. Then late afternoon early evening a bloody great mountain for a Marmot hunt. :D Nice meal tonight. Weather has been superb if a little windy at times. White water tubing river (Durance) was flaming freezing!

Tomorrow though its Serre Poncon lake. Least thats the plan. The only place we might get in is the Camping Car park Aire and its full most of the time. If it don't work out I guess its Lac St Croix!

Oh and finally I saw a great big Marmot tonight. Michelle is up to nine now!

















 
We managed to get on the camping car park aire at lac Serre Poncon. I'm still trying to process what happened there. When we arrived there was a queue of what turned out to be three British vans trying to get out. One of the women was on the phone to cpp. Space was tight outside where I was waiting so went for a chat. Her partner mumbles something about a card issue but then tells me it's great there and you can use the showers of the campsite next door. Really? Says I (not that I would) is that Included? Oh probably not says he but we used them anyway. 😵‍💫

So I went and sat back in my van and waited. Eventually the barrier went up and the first van left. One of their party though was stood gripping onto the barrier which was then trying to close. It looked like a proper fight. Then the other two British vans left while he hung onto it.

Now id like to give them the benefit of the doubt but given the campsite showers story I'm not so sure.

The Aire I have to say is pretty grim and we almost left. Then Michelle spotted a wider section with more space up the top end. Might be a one nighter.

Had a ride into Embrun which was surprisingly nice to the market but very busy. I remembered why I was never that keen on this lake. The two main roads around it are like the M25. Not great roads for biking on but I have planned a ride out up into the hills. Maybe a swim later.

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Well Kev! Never take Liz on the drive from Lac de Serre Poncon to Lac St Croix through the southern French alps. :ROFLMAO: After a rather disappointing and noisy visit to Serre Poncon leaving it was absolutely spectacular. 85 miles of literally col after col, switch backs, high up lake views and mountains. The only straight bit was a bit through Digny les bains for about two miles. Thats us out of the Alps proper but what a way to exit. Found the most awkward Total LPG station ever which involved a lot of jiggling about to get to but we arrived at Lac St Croix about an hour ago.

The new Aire up the top is nowhere near as bad as I was lead to believe and its almost empty. For now at least. Already I feel like I am "home". We loved this area so much in the past and sometimes you can never remember why until you "feel it" again when you get here. Will probably check out the little campsite up the hill just in case its better.

Deep blue skies and Scorchio! :D Let the fun begin!

The Aire at the moment. Midday.

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I think that you two are having a better time than us, we were pretty much confined to the van apart from the few times we had somewhere to get the scooter out and wander around a bit.

We are going back next year if we're spared, just France this time and slow down a bit, take more in, I have a carbon fibre wheelchair now, only 13kilos so easier to get in and out of the van, 29kilos for the scooter and a phaph to get in and out.
 
Cracking afternoon and evening. Little trip down to the Gorges Baudinard and the series of little lakes on the Verdon which are beyond the dam at the bottom end of the Lac Croix. So I got to swim in two lakes today. The Lake in the gorges was really cold though. Lac st Croix though was spot on. Had a proper long swim late afternoon there. May either go sailing or kayaking tomorrow morning. Depends if there is any wind or not as to which one ill do. Bite to eat down by the lake and we went to look at the old Aire which is now cars only. Happy memories of that place. The new Aire I think will be ok. Its busier since we got back but still not remotely full.

Its like another new leg of the trip. Everything now feels and looks very Mediterranean (well we are only about 60 miles from the Med now) and it always amazes me how the landscape changes so suddenly. Even the crickets or whatever they are sound more Mediterranean. :D

Few more pics











 
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