Geordie Broon mcc

                                  GEORDIE BROON EURO ADVENTURES

Welcome to the Geordie Broon out and about section . As we are a very active club we will be putting photo's and stories on this site with comment on our latest escapades with the club.

When in doubt TURN LEFT is often metioned when WE go away. 

EURO TRIP 2012 

After years of trying to get everyone to go to LAKE COMO I finally decided to go it alone.Ferry booked for the two week trip on a 3000k tour of Europe. Bike fully serviced new tyres etc.etc.

SUNDAY:

 Bike fully loaded as doing both B&B and camping, down to Hull for the ferry sunshine all the way and on board with no problems.

MONDAY GERMANY:

Up nice and sharp bing bong hurdy gurdy, hurdy gurdy welcome to Zeebrugge. Off the ferry and sets sat nav for the Rhine Ruppertshoffen biker B&B. Well the sat nav got me there OK 280 mile,but I could have got there quicker going by my old route which is about 40 mile less. Arrive at Andre's B&B no problem 3pm, at 6pm Andre decides to show me my room, by he tells a canny tail. Showered and changed then of to Bogel the next village about 1 mile away with a nice couple from Beverley Andy & Deb for the best steak in Germany in the village pub.

TUESDAY BLACK FOREST:

Up sharp 270 mile to go the Black Forest and the Grunnenburg B&B. 9.30AM ready to go Andre comes over leave 10.30AM. Temperatures are starting to rise now 28o. Reached FRIEBURG and gets stuck in traffic very busy place one road through for me so no choice,lots speed cameras, don't no why stuck in traffic most of the way through. Reach the B&B just off the B500 fantastic road and scenery passed lake TITTESEE and climbing up the mountain side to the village. What a great B&B I would recommend this to anyone lovely village 6 restaurants to choose from Phil the owner recommended the one across the road very nice meal on the veranda in bright sunshine couple beers and back to B&B met Barney & Rachel from Redcar had a few beers from the fridge 1 euro a bottle, this is the life.Good food great digs and cheap beer, Only booked here for one night should have made it two with great roads and plenty to see.

WEDNESDAY-THURSDAY SWITZERLAND & ITALY:

Sets off 9.30am for Lake Como Italy takes 8 hours. Taking the B500 through the forest to Switzerland, brilliant roads mountains lakes etc. sat nav says 140 mile to Como ! it goes haywire sends me into the wrong tunnel and end up on the Lucerne ring road eventually get myself back on the correct road, the sat nav then sorted itself out then said 240 mile after this I kept a check on the mileage prediction. Now I'm starting to enjoy myself fantastic scenery by Lake Lucerne found myself humming the great escape and laughing my pods off. This is what I've been looking forward to ahead the GOTTHARD PASS never been on a mountain pass so a bit apprehensive . Up I go climbing higher and higher the views are great and the bends are tight, stop for awhile for photo's then take the descent WOW you can see for mile's much easier going down than up you can see the bends and judge your line much better. Then  the FURKA PASS climbing again going through the tunnel a car breaks down manages to get passed sorry for the guy's coming the other way traffic back for 1 mile.This is some road very tight bends and some fantastic views.I come to this bend and it's so tight they built the road to go out on a ramp whooooh it's a long way down there mate. Eventually get down and stop at a service station, another bottle water and some ice cream, was going to get some petrol but seen the price 2.20e litre bollicks to that checked tank ok for about 100 mile so said good by to garage. Sat nav now getting on my tits says 108 mile then looks again and says 120 mile then realised it was not taking into account the twists and turns on the mountain passes. After going through a series of tunnels I come to the lake side this is great scenery not far now 25 mile,the sat nav sends me up a side road I'm now climbing up this mountain comes to a bend cant get round had to stop back up then turn bloody hell cant get tighter than that. Down the other side 20 mile to go great then the rush hour traffic hits 1 hour later arrive at B&B. MAMA CICCIA 150yds from the lake side great food and very nice selection of wine.(try the OPERA 13.5% proof) family run very friendly and as I said the food is superb. There is a church near by that rings it's bell 50 times at 7am and 8am does not bother you to much if you drink plenty OPERA and you want an early breakfast.  Up sharp them bloody bells walks round village MANDELLO DEL LARIO very nice all back alley's and cobbled streets takes a boat on the lake this is absolutely great. Back and forward across the lake stopping at all the villages you can get off and on whenever you want. I thought you paid when you got on but apparently you pay at the ticket office, ah well another free trip temperatures reaching 36o that's bloody hot! Another night eating and drinking and off to bed, off to Switzerland next morning no doubt the bells will make sure I dont sleep in Ha Ha.

FRIDAY FLIMS SWITZERLAND:

Sets off 9am next up the SPLUGA PASS well after the GOTTHARD PASS and FURKA PASS I'm ready for anything. Once again fantastic scenery all the way. Now reaching the pass 20 mile long 6400ft high . This is by far the hardest of the three passes dark tunnels no lights water running through road works in and out the tunnels, very steep most of the time you cant see what's coming the other way. Nearly got wiped out by a bus coming down yes I said bus. Gets to the top meets two guy's one from Wales the other from Sheffield they tell me to be careful roadworks and tight bends. They said it's about 3 mile long,I laughed and told them about my side.Then this guy comes along and asks if I passed a restaurant I said yes about 5 minutes away ,he then sets off taking his dog for a walk ! what the hells he doing 6400ft up taking a dog for a walk. It takes all sorts I suppose. Down the other side nice run what the hell where those two guy's on about they where in for one hell of a shock going down the other side. The scenery just gets better and better never seen anything like I have in the last few day's. Now coming up the mountain into Flims this is where the famous CRESTA RUN is what a fantastic little village and a superb hotel the ALPENHOTEL is right on the mountain side with fantastic views from my third floor window. Had a very nice meal and bottle wine at an Italian restaurant next door.

SATURDAY LITCHENSTIEN, AUSTRIA, LAKE CONSTANCE:

Down the mountain and pass through Litchenstien onto Austria and Lake Constance superb roads and scenery till I reach the tunnel from Austria to Germany one tunnel closed for road works so traffic had to go through other tunnel no overtaking nose to tail for 5 mile spewed up when I got to other side due to the fumes as traffic was stop,start all the way. Reaches the B&B in the wilds of wanney no one there so carried on (got refund when back home) and stopped in the Black Forest lovely B&B the wilderman very reasonable family run very friendly and they speak English. As usual lovely roads through the Black Forest .

SUNDAYTHE RHINE GERMANY:

After a very good night talking to the owner and having a few beers it was time to get up sharp and head back to Andre's on the Rhine for another night and pick up my tent and camping gear.Arrived 4pm no one there so raided his fridge and had a couple beers till he arrived then started talking again and eventually got my room two hours later.Showered changed off to the local pub for a few beers with Andre.

MONDAY-WEDNESDAY DIEKIRCH LUXEMBURG:

Up and just about ready to go at 10.30am Andre comes over and I leave at 1pm for Luxemburg. Sat nav is now behaving itself as no tunnels and no tight bends. Nearly gets wiped out near BITBURG this idiot German decides he needs all the road as I come round a left hand bend he is on my side of the road thinks he might hit me so swerves right to miss me he has a trailer on the back which swings out towards me I had to swerve right nearly hitting a stone wall and down a gutter all over the road eventually gets the bike up and straight again without coming off. (B*****d) Arrive Diekirch for a three night stay camping and relaxing by the river.The camp site has a new bar and patio very nice and they have also improved the menu, don't worry they still do the spare ribs.Didn't do much just lazed around getting sunburnt 26o.Well I am on holiday.

THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY NIJMEGEN HOLLAND:

After three very good days in Diekirch it's back to Holland for the KEIZER KAREL RALLY, I meet up with Andy,Geordie,Peter,Angela and Marg and have three days and nights of the usual drinking and merryment.

SUNDAY FERRY BACK HOME.

EURO TRIP 2009

This as usual did not quite go to plan. We did intend going to Holland for the Keizer Karel rally but booked the wrong dates. Easy done the rally is held every second week in August unless August starts on a Saturday. Well you guest right this year it started on a Saturday so we ended up there a week early.We realised too late to change our ferry etc. so we went to Luxemburg then met up with the Keizer Karel members for a BBQ and a few beers.

 EURO TRIP 2010

O.K. O.K. We are Geordie Broon mcc and as usual we have a story to tell;
After booking for the correct week this time we thought here we go no problems. This time it would be different, well different it was no breakdowns , hurray. Reached Luxemburg only having to adjust Gash's bungee's (tent falling off). So hope's high, tents up, showered, and off for food and drink.
After last year when Larry fell into  A LARGE PLANT POT WITH FLOWERS HANGING FROM HIS HAIR. We found a nice quiet pub in the DIEKIRCH village centre. Quiet pint you must be joking as usual we start off sensible then it's all down hill from there. After local beer switch to jagermeisters then zambucas 8 made it back to the campsite.
Chris carry's Gash on his shoulders falls over and collapse into a door way Gash has split head a large egg on his brow bruised back and sore knee. Mick finds them in a doorway gets them up Chris heads back to the tent . Mick sends for ambulance for Gash gets sorted at hospital taxi back to tent had to ask ambulance driver where there tent was as no idea ?. Gash and Mick arrive back at 4am. Chris returned at 5am. BUT WHERE WAS MATT !!! 7am Matt returns. He turned right instead of left out of the pub and ended up in the next village (about 2 mile  away) realising he was lost turned back to look for the campsite next to the river. After getting his trouser bottoms and shoes wet realised he had found the river HE WAS IN IT ! eventually 7am tent found and into bed.
Tuesday was a quiet day zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. Relaxing by the pool and generally doing bot all.
The evening was spent in the village having a slap up meal for them that where still on this planet.
Wednesday ride out to Vianden Castle. On the chair lift Peter decided he was much better off at high speeds than high chairs HA HA. The evening was spent having BBQ ribs in the campsite pub where we met Sandra and Gordon  from Diekirch we met them last year and once again Sandra was in top form keeping us laughing all night.

Thursday and off to HOLLAND to meet up with our friends at MC KEIZER KAREL. We had all been invited to the wedding of SASKIA and JOOST who have been our very good friends for a long time. What a fantastic time we had everyone was dressed in cowboy outfits free bandana's for all of us + free drink's and food all night. Live music by a country and western band  and a disco YEE HAA ! What a night one that will live in our memories for a long time, especially Chris doing his impression of  cotton eye Joe. Met up with Team Sober mcc and Dambusters mcc and spent the day talking to all our friends from HOLLAND and GERMANY. Some went into Groosebeek (next village) and some into Nijmegen the club organised a run out along the rivers,canals and dyke's. If you go to Holland make sure you go on the run it is very good, single track roads for bikes and motorbikes only, for most of it. Stopped halfway for refreshments by the canal.
About 90 mile round trip it was red hot that day 31 o hottest of the tour.

Only had rain on Wednesday night and that was when we where in the campsite pub having our spare ribs.

Well a pretty quiet holiday for the Geordie Broons so off home in very strong winds on the way to the ferry at ROTTERDAM . No problems and everyone back home on Monday in one piece. Well that's it for now keep watching more adventures to follow.

 EURO TRIP 2011

Well of to Holland again to meet those lovely people from Nijmegen.

Off to a miserable start rain , rain ,rain, ANDY, ANGELA, LARRY, MATT and PETER met up at the coach & horses and set away 5 mile then sun hurray but it was rain sun rain sun to HULL. ARRIVING BEFORE 3-30PM SO YOU CANNOT GET IN  HAD TO WAIT AND IT TIPPED IT DOWN FOR 1/2 HOUR ABSOLUTELY SOAKED AS NO SHELTER THIS SIDE OF THE LOCKED FENCE. Arrived Holland Thursday bright sunshine all day stocked up with beer food and more beer. Even managed a bit of a tan but it was short lived spent rest of the time getting wet.

As you now by know something always happens when the Geordie Broon's tour this time we got there and back with no major problems till 1/2 mile from home and Matt's head gasket blew.

But this was nothing compered to Team sober. Ged on the way to the ferry lost his front wheel off his trike would you believe it , it sat straight as he had that much gear on the back the front end did not drop. Well we could not miss a good opportunity and had everyone singing LUCILLE at the disco for two nights.  Slight change to the words instead of you took a fine time to leave me lucille . We changed it to you took a fine time to leave me LOOSE WHEEL. Everyone DUTCH and GERMAN sang it was absolutely brill EVERYONE SWAYING SIDE TO SIDE HOLDING HANDS I think this will never be forgotten.

It is with great sadness that I have to report that the gazebo is now defunct, the heavy rain took it's toll shame. But Danny, Keizer Karel is getting a replacement for us for next year hurray. Cheers mate no doubt the beers will be flowing when we arrive.

Oh and by the way LARRY won the OLD FARTS TROPHY say no more !!!!

 EURO TRIP 2003               (Found this old report from 2003)

Well we finally decided to do a 10 day tour instead of our usual five. The plan was to take the scenic routes and stay off motorways the route was planned to take in Belgium, Luxembourg, France, Germany and Holland.
We set off on Friday 2nd August to catch the ferry from   Hull - Zeebrugge so far so good. After a good nights rest (that's a bloody joke) we awoke refreshed and ready to take Europe by storm. Was the EU ready for Geordie Broon mcc ??
Off the ferry and straight onto the wrong road and ended up in Ostend nice place but we should have been somewhere else. Never mind as we always say when lost turn left, it worked we ended back on the road we should have taken and had our first stop in NAMUR. Now onto Luxemburg and camping Bissen.

THE SUIR VALLEY

We arrived at camping bissen after a tour of the suir valley it was great, nice roads beautiful scenery and after the nightmare of Belgium road signs, it was nice to find decent sign posts that told where the road was before you past it. SCENIC ROUTE THROUGH BELGIUM NEVER AGAIN !!!

CAMPING BISSEN LUXEMBURG

The campsite was very good cheap beer very clean toilets and showers. On the Saturday night we were entertained by a German ELVIS top show and included in the site fee's. After a great night we set off for  FRANCE

 After a scenic ride south and a few wrong turns we eventually arrived at Fontenoy - Le - Chateau . This is in the VOSGES mountain area after a couple of drink stops much needed as the temperatures are now hitting 115o YES 115o we arrived at the sight later than intended. Tents up showered ( yes we are a clean lot us geordie broon's) ANDY got the barby going the campsite owners provided steaks chops salad etc the beer then started to flow what a great night with brilliant Dutch hosts

The campsite has very good toilets and showers also a small swimming pool and BBQ area. The bar is small  but you can sit outside and have a few beers with your barby the Dutch hosts are very friendly and make you most welcome . Going back next year .There is a moto-trial track next door with bikes for hire

Well up not so early and off to Germany and the BLACK FOREST. Well we tried very hard to follow the map but the Germans had other ideas diversions everywhere road blocks wrong signpost directions etc etc. We then made the mistake of trying to go through BADEN BADEN (so bad they named it twice) at one stage the directions told us to go north after 10 mile the sign told us to go south ON THE SAME F###ING  MOTORWAY. At last we found our way into Baden Baden and luckily this German biker escorted us into the black forest he lived in the village next to where we wanted to stay at .(TOP MAN). The HOFEN campsite has basic wash and toilet facility's but a new toilet block is being built and should be ok for next year the area has brilliant biking roads and plenty of restaurants and bars watch out for the GREEN SPEED CAMERAS fortunately they are all head on. The temperatures are still well over 100o we are melting. The campsite is the village of HOFEN it is next too the ARAL petrol station and has a pizza/bar next door go there try the food SUPERB Gabriele and his dad  (Fifi) are from Sicily what a night we had laughs all night good food and great

NEXT STOP SAARBRUCKEN LUX/GERMAN BORDER 

Up late as usual and off to Holland for our 8th visit to the Keiser Karel  tententreffen this is a great rally that we attend every year. The people in Holland are great and we really look forward to meeting up with them every year. If you have never been to Holland give it a try ride the dyke's and watch the barges go by, relax and have a few beers have a laugh and enjoy your time with the Dutch NICE PEOPLE.