Weekend in Kent

For this second weekend of October, I got invited by some motorbike friends to spend a three day motorbike fun in Kent, UK.

This time I got to cross the narrow sea by boat instead of by train like last August when I went to Oxford.

And strong of my knowledge from that trip, I decided to spend the night over in Oostduinkerke in a Youth Hostel (de Paerdevisser) so I would be halfway to Calais already ^_^

I left work around 16.00H on Thursday afternoon and head to Oostduinkerke. After I took my quarters in my (private \0/ ) room I decided to go and have a look at the sea (and also grab a bite actually).
I drove to the nearest (bigger) city: Nieuwpoort where I could enjoy a very nice sunset:

I kinda got absorbed by this view and forgot my initial intention wich was grabbing some food!
Once the show was completely over I made it to Nieuwpoort city and got myself some meat 'n chips.




The night was cold with a bright open sky, which was a very promising thing for the weekend to come.
Finally a motorbike trip in the sun :)
And this in October AND in the UK :D

On Friday morning I left Oostduinkerke around 08.00H for a bit more than an hour ride to Calais. It was freezing cold! I had to think of my sister and our friend Baard. They got me some Norwegian thermic underwear (pants and pullover) two Christmas ago ... darn is really good material! Bless them both!

Once in Calais I was a bit nervous because it was my first time with my motorbike on a boat. I was completely wondering about how it would be attached and stuff. As it came out it was as simple as for the Chunnel :D
With only one strap more ;)

Once in the UK it was riding, riding, riding. The weather was just brilliant!

On Friday we went to Bodiam Castle, a 14th century moated castle.

And as you can see on this pictures, the weather really was magnificent :D

Sunny and even really warm if you stayed in the sun.



Planning for Saturday: riding to the Ace Cafe in London taking the long way.
The Ace Cafe is on the West Side of London, approx. 120km away of our hotel in Maidstones but we decided to make 190km out of it, avoiding highways as much as we could and choosing the smallest roads we could :)


First things first: get the frost off our saddles! That's also what you get with a clear sky, in October, it's freezing by night.
But honestly, I really prefer freezing my ass and riding on dry roads than rain most of the day ;)

After that was done we had a big traditional English Breakfast in a motorbike breakfast place (the Oakdene Cafe) and then head out for the day. There we got to meet Brian, a friend of our trip organizer.


The gang  at the Ace Cafe:

(left bottom to top: Brian, André and Chris.
right from bottom to top: Ann, Jan and me)


Sunday was a bit of the same planning: big English breakfast and small curvy roads to Dover.

But I took another option ^_^
As it turned out, Brian and I found out we share a couple of same interests. Besides some Star Wars quotes and being found of Science Fiction ... we both have what some people could call; speed issues ^_^

Brian proposed me to leave the hotel around 11.00H on Sunday and take "the fast road" to Dover.
My friends left around 08.30H, I stayed in bed, watched the Rugby World Cup Semi final New Zealand v Australia, checked out and was ready at 11.00H sharp when Brian arrived.

We left Maidstones and were at 15km from Dover 1hour and 15min later ^_^
So we decided to have breakfast on a famous motorbike rendezvous cafe along the way.
We waited, and waited, and waited, and waited some more. We took a look at all the bikes around us, talked about life, the universe and everything. And waited ...
Around 12.45H my friends called me to know where we were because they were waiting nearby the ferry check-in in Dover.
We got our forgotten breakfast refunded and raced to Dover.

This weekend was great! We had wonderful weather, brilliant company and amazing roads!
And I really hope to be invited again for next years "Ace Cafe tour" :D

Thanks a lot my friends for a very, very nice weekend!