Friday 21 October 2011
Tuesday 13 September 2011
MotoGP 2011
Its close now and all accommodation is booked, starters have their orders, make sure you check the guide for 1st timers on the "Upcoming Events" page
Thursday 2 June 2011
The Wakefield Park GP 2011
Check out "Casey" Bolke's report on the recent Wakefield Park Track Day attended by only a few FL'ers on the Recent Events page
Saturday 28 May 2011
Geoff & Lisa's Excellent Adventure continues
Salutations from beautiful Salzburg.
Oh how the adventure continues!!
We boarded out Insight Tour at 6am on the 21st (yes that did mean we were up at 4am!!)
Got ourselves settled into a brand new, very nice coach, and headed for Dover.
The group consists of Canadians, Yanks and Aussies, so we all speak the same language – sort of! and we are all getting to know each other quite well.
Lots of good natured ribbing going on and also fascinating discussions about how our different countries do government, superannuation and pensions.
Riveting stuff I know – did I mention we are all of a certain age? (old farts)
The tour director is Dutch and is putting up with us all quite admirably!
The trip over the ditch to Calais was smooth and took only 1 1/2 hours. Bit like the trip on the ferry to Tassie only much quicker. Then we were back on the bus and off to Bruges in Belgium where we had a stop for lunch. Very pretty medieval town with canals and churches. Geoff particularly liked the fact that you can buy beer in cafes there – very convenient!
Then off to Brussels for our first night. Had a couple of Belgian beers in the hotel with the rest of the group. They make a really nice strawberry beer girls – Yum!! Then we went to see the local tourist attraction which is a small statue of a young boy peeing!!!!! It’s called Mannekin Pis.
Sounds like something we would have in Oz as a tourist attraction! Took the obligatory photo though, and then walked through an ancient square with a cathedral, to have dinner in a street like Lygon Street in Melbourne.
They all stand outside and try to make you come in with promises of free drinks etc. Food was OK, but I was still pretty sick with this cold and didn’t really appreciate it! Geoff had mussels followed by rabbit, so that really helped – NOT!
When we returned to our room we discovered that someone had gone through our belongings and had taken Geoff’s work phone. Luckily we had everything else of value on us, so we considered ourselves fortunate. Although with this rotten cold, losing my luggage and now being robbed we were starting to wonder if we were jinxed! Then we thought, what the hell – why worry! – so we didn’t!
Next day we visited Cologne and another stunning cathedral. Then we joined a cruise along the Rhine looking at various ruined and not so ruined castles. Very picturesque and relaxing. Then on to Heidelberg to see more ancient medieval cathedrals and castles, before finally arriving at our hotel.
One of the Aussies on the trip told us about the ABC Tour. Another Bloody Cathedral, Another Bloody Church and Another Bloody Castle!
We were on it !!!
They are all beautiful in their own way though and I am informed that the ones we are yet to see in Rome are even better! ABC here we come!
Next we arrived in Munich and joined the optional tour to the German food and beer night. A very entertaining man on the piano accordion played for us while we ate our pork knuckle and sauerkraut, and nearly brought the house down when he played Waltzing Matilda! Go the Aussies!
Arrived in Salzburg and surprise, surprise – more castles & cathedrals. Must say though that they all blitz our churches in the age stakes. I can’t even really comprehend buildings still standing from the 14th century! Of course everything is very ‘Sound of Music’ – the hills being alive and all that jazz! The movie plays in our hotel room on a continuous loop and I must say after walking around the city and then watching the movie, it’s amazing to have actually seen all the scenes and buildings that they filmed!
Had a trip up to Eagles Nest which is a building built for Hitler for his 50th birthday (there goes all that history again!!)
It’s on the top of an inaccessible mountain and is an engineering marvel. You motorcyclists should see the switchback road to get up there. Geoff was salivating despite his height phobia!
Bit of a rest day today as we travel to Venice. Really looking forward to it. Geoff should be entertaining as a singing gondolier?? He won’t be able to help himself. The weather has been unseasonably warm, so we are benefiting from that with fabulous views everywhere we go.
Talk to you again after we sample some of the delights of Italy!
Lisa & Geoff
Oh how the adventure continues!!
We boarded out Insight Tour at 6am on the 21st (yes that did mean we were up at 4am!!)
Got ourselves settled into a brand new, very nice coach, and headed for Dover.
The group consists of Canadians, Yanks and Aussies, so we all speak the same language – sort of! and we are all getting to know each other quite well.
Lots of good natured ribbing going on and also fascinating discussions about how our different countries do government, superannuation and pensions.
Riveting stuff I know – did I mention we are all of a certain age? (old farts)
The tour director is Dutch and is putting up with us all quite admirably!
The trip over the ditch to Calais was smooth and took only 1 1/2 hours. Bit like the trip on the ferry to Tassie only much quicker. Then we were back on the bus and off to Bruges in Belgium where we had a stop for lunch. Very pretty medieval town with canals and churches. Geoff particularly liked the fact that you can buy beer in cafes there – very convenient!
Then off to Brussels for our first night. Had a couple of Belgian beers in the hotel with the rest of the group. They make a really nice strawberry beer girls – Yum!! Then we went to see the local tourist attraction which is a small statue of a young boy peeing!!!!! It’s called Mannekin Pis.
Sounds like something we would have in Oz as a tourist attraction! Took the obligatory photo though, and then walked through an ancient square with a cathedral, to have dinner in a street like Lygon Street in Melbourne.
They all stand outside and try to make you come in with promises of free drinks etc. Food was OK, but I was still pretty sick with this cold and didn’t really appreciate it! Geoff had mussels followed by rabbit, so that really helped – NOT!
When we returned to our room we discovered that someone had gone through our belongings and had taken Geoff’s work phone. Luckily we had everything else of value on us, so we considered ourselves fortunate. Although with this rotten cold, losing my luggage and now being robbed we were starting to wonder if we were jinxed! Then we thought, what the hell – why worry! – so we didn’t!
Next day we visited Cologne and another stunning cathedral. Then we joined a cruise along the Rhine looking at various ruined and not so ruined castles. Very picturesque and relaxing. Then on to Heidelberg to see more ancient medieval cathedrals and castles, before finally arriving at our hotel.
One of the Aussies on the trip told us about the ABC Tour. Another Bloody Cathedral, Another Bloody Church and Another Bloody Castle!
We were on it !!!
They are all beautiful in their own way though and I am informed that the ones we are yet to see in Rome are even better! ABC here we come!
Next we arrived in Munich and joined the optional tour to the German food and beer night. A very entertaining man on the piano accordion played for us while we ate our pork knuckle and sauerkraut, and nearly brought the house down when he played Waltzing Matilda! Go the Aussies!
Arrived in Salzburg and surprise, surprise – more castles & cathedrals. Must say though that they all blitz our churches in the age stakes. I can’t even really comprehend buildings still standing from the 14th century! Of course everything is very ‘Sound of Music’ – the hills being alive and all that jazz! The movie plays in our hotel room on a continuous loop and I must say after walking around the city and then watching the movie, it’s amazing to have actually seen all the scenes and buildings that they filmed!
Had a trip up to Eagles Nest which is a building built for Hitler for his 50th birthday (there goes all that history again!!)
It’s on the top of an inaccessible mountain and is an engineering marvel. You motorcyclists should see the switchback road to get up there. Geoff was salivating despite his height phobia!
Bit of a rest day today as we travel to Venice. Really looking forward to it. Geoff should be entertaining as a singing gondolier?? He won’t be able to help himself. The weather has been unseasonably warm, so we are benefiting from that with fabulous views everywhere we go.
Talk to you again after we sample some of the delights of Italy!
Lisa & Geoff
Friday 27 May 2011
Soup Run 2011
Check the "Upcoming Events" page for the Soup Run Challenge being planned for 22 July. JB had some tips on heated vests recently... this day ride would be perfect to test it!
Sunday 8 May 2011
Brett takes the Championship
Have a look in the Myths Busted tab for a reprise of a significant event in FL Tourers history
Orange to Bathurst (Alternate Route)
The White Rocks road from Icely road Lewis Ponds through Rock Forest and into Eglington is now tar sealed all the way.
This road runs north of, and parallel to, the Mitchell Highway and is more interesting albeit slower than the main road. Its also relatively free of traffic and now offers another alternative of getting east or back. So between the Canobolas High School and the Eglington road intersection with (what Bathurst call)Ophir Rd, you can enjoy the undulation and countryside without the B Doubles and mad car drivers.
The tar is new on the western end and lots of gravel still on the edges, plus sighting distances through corners is limited so pay attention
BB
Thursday 5 May 2011
Part Time FL Tourer gets in Tune
Jacob went well last night cheered on by a strong crowd of 100 or so!
Tuesday 3 May 2011
Welcome to the FL Blog
As a new Blog site, "Core Elements" has set us up so that we can share some info, picures and videos for our activities in a more permanent capacity to complement the current Yahoo web email group.
At this stage only "Core Elements" and BB have the Admin capability to manage the pages but we will soon add a few others such as Fearless and perhaps other organisers of trips to assist in spreading the word.
As I understand it all those on the current email group can have the post message capability, all that is required is a Google Account access, simply click on the "Subscribe to Posts" link below, set up a Google sign in (unless you already have one...) and your away.
You can also become a follower by clicking on the link on the RHS of the home page, each updated blog will then send you an email to alert you to fresh news.
As the Blog site is open to the world I have not used any names, just either nicknames or initials.....simply to protect the innocent!
BB
At this stage only "Core Elements" and BB have the Admin capability to manage the pages but we will soon add a few others such as Fearless and perhaps other organisers of trips to assist in spreading the word.
As I understand it all those on the current email group can have the post message capability, all that is required is a Google Account access, simply click on the "Subscribe to Posts" link below, set up a Google sign in (unless you already have one...) and your away.
You can also become a follower by clicking on the link on the RHS of the home page, each updated blog will then send you an email to alert you to fresh news.
As the Blog site is open to the world I have not used any names, just either nicknames or initials.....simply to protect the innocent!
BB
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