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I was on the train with a whole bunch of bikers.I was chatting to a nice couple who were venturing out of England for the first time as I was.As the train jerked away one of the bikes in the group didn't like the rough treatment so the alarm went off.The owner, who had quite handily gone off somewhere had forgot to disable his alarm.Fool.
France, as ever is France.Nothing much to say about it, except, I found the road leading out, and went down it towards Belgium.No sooner had I got onto the motorway the heavens opened again and visibility wentto just above zero.This was not the best start to the trip as I am now soaking wet.I had to rise on for some time before I could find somewhere to get the waterproof suit on.SO I have another 250 miles to ride in wet clothes in the pouring rain.
I travelled through Belgium and as ever, was met with a mass of stationery traffic stretching off as far as the eye can see.Not knowing the legalities in Belgium, I sat at the back of the traffic, for 30 minutes, in which time I had travelled a mile.Suddenly I saw in my mirror just what I was waiting for, a bike was making its way through the traffic.I let this pass and then followed it through the traffic for the next 4 miles, which took minutes.
Pressing on, the rain stopped, and the sun came out.By the time I arrived in the Netherlands, it was sunny and 21oC, and by the time I had left it was 26oC.It was a strange sensation feeling the air dry and heat up as I was riding through it.I lifted my visor and felt the warm air on my face.
So nothing else to say about the trip to my 1st stop ,Essen, but getting to the hotel was great.I must have circled the same road 10 times before I remembered to take the turn into the hotel.1 thing I will say about traffic lights here, is they are situated ONLY on the side of the junction, unlike in the UK where there is usually a set on the other side of the junction.This is a little difficult to adjust to and have ended up sitting at the junction with e the lights on Green, not a popular move I guess as I had a few irate drivers behind me.
Well I am here, at the hotel, drying all the clothes I have to use tomorrow.
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