At last we have a sailing date! We’re due to leave on 4 February 2014. We’ve been waiting like cats on hot bricks for Grimaldi shipping company to release the schedule. This will be the first sailing of the year although we were hoping to depart in early January; at least it gives us more time to save. For those of you who don’t know, we’ll be shipping our bikes to South America by a freighter ship. We will also be travelling with the bikes, ‘ride on, roll off’ style. We’re talking up to 300 metres long weighing in at 170,000 tons. And we’ll be two of just twelve passengers on board. Our container ship will sail from Antwerp in Belgium stopping at Dakar in Senegal, Santos in Brazil, Zarate in Argentina and finishing in Montevideo (Uruguay). The crossing should take about 25 days if there are no unscheduled delays.
Blog
20 Oct 2013 – Jason’s riveting ‘Replacing your steering head bearings’ tutorial
[Jason] I got stuck in, replacing the steering head bearings on my BMW F800GS today, which went better than I was expecting. The old bearings were out and the new outer races were in. I’ve just got to fit the inner bearing races, rebuild the front end and the job’s done.
4 Jul 2013 – A dummy run: Touring Europe ‘two up’ on the R1200GSA
Below is a collection of pictures from our two week, two wheeled trip ‘two up'(!) around Europe including the film made by our friend Andy Cole.
31 Mar-1 Apr 2013: BMW Off Road Skills, South Wales with Simon Pavey
So the pair of us have just finished our levels I (me) & III (Jason) at the BMW Off Road Skills two day courses in South Wales. You should see my inner forearms, I’ve developed pumped up little muscles that were aching for quite some time post the fun and frolics in Walter’s Arena.
30 May-2 Jun 2013: Horizon’s Unlimited! (Pursuit of good living)
Wow! Why? Horizons Unlimited UK just happened, that’s why. This gathering wins first place in the 2013 travel event calendar on home soil as hundreds of overlanders assemble to meet like-minded folk sharing a passion for exploring on 2 or more wheels. This year we spent 4 days in the lush grounds of Castle Donnington’s Farmhouse Hotel. It was travel presentation heaven and some…
26-28 Jul 2013: Having a Wales of a time with the boys
Pretty damn fine weekend spent in Oswestry and mid-Wales. Rocked up to the Royal Hill campsite on Friday, found a perfect little spot and wound down with a chilled Shropshire Gold.
16-18 Aug 2013: The UK Adventure Travel Film Festival 2013
Feast your eyes on the UK Adventure Travel Film Festival; presented an overwhelmingly rich opportunity to immerse yourself in a sea of brilliant people. Back-to-back travel stories, presentations and filmed adventures – undoubtedly spoilt for choice. Somehow still managed to catch up with friends, learn a truck load about what I love doing most and rock the night away with The Jolenes followed by drunken songs around the campfire.
Great to meet David and Louise from twowheelexploring.com
Lisa with Graham Field and Sam Manicom
The Jolenes rockin’ it at the ATFF
The Adventure Travel Film Festival ATFF
We got blistering sun and monsoon rain but the spirits weren’t dampened, it just whet the appetite for more indoor unique films.
Top five films: Alone across Australia, The boy that flies, The silk road, African odyssey and Mondo Sahara. Loved Louise Wilson‘s talks too! And when Ben Fogle popped in to make a guest appearance on Friday night, I gained a new found respect for this ‘Yes’ guy who redefined perseverance for me.
Thank you Austin Vince, Lois Pryce, Sam Manicom and the entire ATFF presenters and volunteer crew for giving us and everyone such a memorable weekend. Superb effort guys.