Brno on the way back

Mmmm.  I emailed all my friends in Czech last week to say that (covid depending!) that this trip was on and after the rally I was thinking about returning via Brno. No replies!  

I did get one from my former student (in Zastávka) Rosťa who now lives in Hradec Králové. I planned to visit as we pass by on the way to Vernířovice. Phew!

I might plan an alternative route for the start of the ride home from the rally with a stop in Brno rather than a stopover. It will be Sunday.

More on this as time goes by.

Routes - Day 8 - Bastogne Added

A small change to the route home is a detour off the existing route to drop into Bastogne and the Battle of the Bulge Museum.

It does add time and a few miles to the original route.

Routes - Day 3 - Plzeň to Vernířovice

A change I made some weeks ago and didn't update the blog. I added Church of Bones near Kutná Hora to the the route across from Plzeň. 

It is only a short detour off the D11 to the Ossuary and then back to the D11. 

The original route does take a stop off at Rozhledna Doubravka XIV.

It's just a short walk from the main road. 

Plus of course the slight detour to Poland and Boboszów!

Cross Country or Motorway

So once I get around to telling my Czech friends that I am in the area, I can think more about the way home afterwards...

So far I have these two options.

Cross Country via route 19

Via Motorways

Travelling Companions?

Welcome to Phil Hingert and Giles Denning from our Old Socs Facebook group who have joined me on the trip.

At least for the outward leg anyway. They are going to come over from the West Country and stay in Dover the night before. 

We have yet to decide how to cross to France. Either by ferry or Eurotunnel train.

I have been toying with the tunnel out and the ferry back. A hybrid working arrangement.

Why?

We have a pretty stiff schedule once we set wheels on the other side of the Channel. It's quite a long day with stops for fuel and snacks/lunch.

So maybe going over on the Shuttle with three crossings an hour would give us more flexibility.

Coming back, after a longish ride (for me) from Luxembourg, a more relaxing ferry crossing from Dunkerque to Dover seems to fit the bill. 

Of course, it all still hinges on access to Europe. The UK government is allowing all and sundry in to our country, with the minimum two jabs, but the foreigners aren't reciprocating.

Another hotel change!

All part of the fun when planning. I was looking at the Michelin map of Germany (718 National) and decided to push the envelope at little further on day 6.

Instead off Ellwangen I have moved a little further west to Heilbronn. I think we have stayed there before and I need to check and see. Maybe back in 2004?

So the Hotel Urbanus steps up for this overnight.

Why the change? Well to give me more time at the technical museum in Sinsheim. Simple as that really. 

The hotel is a similar cost and also has included breakfast and parking. It also has a restaurant on site for an evening meal.

I just need to amend the route in MyRouteApp - again!

Once I leave Brno I can decide whether to go all motorway westwards, or stick to my route to finally cross the Vltava on the bridge near Orlík.

Travel Insurance

I have been checking around for travel insurance that covers use of the motorcycle over 125cc.  There are quite a few of them and are claiming to be cheap.

They aren't.

Pre-covid I was quoted £40 for a week's trip to Spain in April 2020. That included pre-existing condition of having an arterial stent (just the one) in my heart in April 2015. I have not suffered any further problems.

Today's quotes are starting at £72. Same old questions.  Okay I am two years older than I was in 2020 but the mark-up is quite pronounced.  At least this one covers me to ride that bike over 125cc on-road.

If I change the quote to annual multi-cover Europe only it's a mere £570 for me. Given the number of weeks I'll get away, if I am lucky, paying by the week seems best.

If you want a quote then try Orange & Black's website.

In the past I have used MAG's Travel Insurance. It's about the same price for short term as O&B but their annual cover is cheaper.

Covid Tests?

In their brilliance the UK Government has decided that as long as travellers are double or triple jabbed against Covid that they can wander as and when they feel like it into the UK. Whether this is by boat or plane! 

Unfortunately this is only so much good to UK travellers wanting to go to Europe, and no dound further afield, as other countries still want a pre-departure test, whether PCR or lateral flow, and paperwork to say what a hero you are and guarantee you aren't gonna spread it.

What a f*cking joke.

The Way Back via Brno - Days 5-7

As the trip date gets nearer I am refining routes.  This part of the trip depends on being able to stay in the Brno area of course.  I don't want to be a burden and it will be a working day for my friends and I'll need a bed for the Sunday night. Sunday is Day 5 of my trip.

To fit in a visit to the Sinsheim Technical Museum (on Day 7) I have changed to hotel for the end of Day 6. I have moved it further west to Ellwangen. This will give me a longer day on Monday, but cut the mileage the next day by a lot so that I can have some time at the museum.

So I have chosen the Gasthof Kronprinzen in Ellwangen. Looks good and of course is booked using the same free cancellation and no pre-payment system as all the others. If covid interferes again for a third year, then cancelling is okay.

https://www.booking.com/hotel/de/gasthof-kronprinzen.en-gb.html

I have dropped the ride across on (silnice) S23 from Brno in favour of a quick blat up the dalnice to Jihlava and then across country to the south of Prague on what looks to be one frog and toad, the S19! I will still be taking in the Žďákov Bridge. After 2016, and the massive detour on our way back from the MotoGP,  when it was closed,  I need to go across it!!

This route mixture of some ordinary roads and motorways. MyRouteApp calculates it to be around 350 miles for the day and 6 hours in the saddle.

After the Technical Museum I planned to head up the autobahn to stop somewhere around Trier and back on the Mosel/Moselle but hotels were more expensive and so I decided on Luxembourg where it is cheaper. Although one never knows does one?  😉

Day 5 to 7 Route

If the visit to Brno doesn't actually go ahead I will need to plan an alternative route and maybe this will all change.

Hotels on the way to Vernířovice

Just confirming the hotels on the way over to the rally hotel in Vernířovice. 

It is two longish days on the road to Fachbach/Koblenz and Plzeň, but I have tried to build in some "sights" and scenic roads on the way, rather than squaring the tyres on the A3!

Between Fachbach/Koblenz and Plzeň I have built-in a trip into the Christmas Town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber. Who could resist the charm of the place?  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rothenburg_ob_der_Tauber

Photo by Berthold Werner/Rothenburg

Anyway hotels.

Hotel Stadt Coblenz - Check-in Wednesday, 25 May 2022 - https://www.booking.com/hotel/de/stadt-coblenz-fachbach.en-gb.html

Hotel Plzen - Check in Thursday 26 May 2022 - https://www.booking.com/hotel/cz/plzen-r.en-gb.html

I booked myself a single room where possible, or double when not possible. Not because I am a miserable bugger but with a few personal problems mean I sleep fitfully and disturb others.

Days 1 & 2

Whilst we have been up to our eyeballs in Covid I have been refining some of the routes from Eurotunnel at Coquelles to the stop in Plzeň. 

It's two days on the road and I have been looking to avoid the autoroutes/autobahns as much as possible.

I have added a few extra loops mostly into Day 2.  Plus a few changes to the Day 1 route to make the stops at Bad Münstereifel.

Day 1

Day 2A

Day 2B

Small changes but on Day 1 a nice scenic ride through the Eifel Mountains and then along the Moselle. The route is just short of 7 hours on the road plus lunch and any other stops then we are looking at along day. But at least most of it will be off motorway.