Sinterklaastreffen - The Day

I was up at 6.50am and out before 7 30am.

Pepé needed the dbPower unit to start as I had expected. I had had it on charge to make sure it was at 100%. Why? I expected to use it a few times in the day.

The first obstacle was J11 was closed other than northbound on the M20. A truck had overturned and the carriageway was damaged. A little self made detour (turning around the end of the centre verge (median),  and I continued onto the A20 to the Shuttle.

Both UK and French passports were taking time to get through. A terrorist attack in London the day before was probably a contributor. At UK I had to take my helmet off. I had chosen the Shoei over the LS2 flip-up.

It looked like I was going to miss the booked shuttle as I waited for the queues to move. In the end it was gone 8.30am before the barrier lifted and I was off to be squeezed into the last carriage. Or so it seemed. I was told to park, as usual front wheel into the kerb. The cars shuffled forward. 

And I was on my lonesome.

The crossing went off okay and I had the dbPower unit ready but it wasn't needed.

By the time I got into Belgium my fingertips were frozen. I stopped for a pee and coffee break at the Manneken services. I started off wearing my Belstaff Hypora gloves and changed into the Dainese Scout with Goretex.

The problem with wearing bike trousers with a gusset front and long-johns is visiting the loo. I don't need to drawer a picture or say anything more!! Let's just say there are complications....

I finally arrived at the Velodroom at about 12.20pm. Tony was already there with his Boom trike. It has some rather interesting embellishments and a Ford 1600 engine.

Tony's Trike

We  had a coffee in the marquee and then had a walk to buy some Christmas stuff, chocolates and biscuits etc. 

I took some pics of the assembled bikes...

R1150GS with sidecar

V-Max

Belgian couple with nice CBX

Very nice Z900

A few random shots here and below!

Pepé

I bought some Brugge Tripel as well. It billed as "spicy bier". See how that it when I get home.

Finally the run set off for the short convoy ride to the square by the fisherman's quay. Tony and I had a spot of lunch at the nearest Frituur. Chips with mayo and a meatball.  

St Nick arrived at the quay near the Aquarium and we walked up there. There were loads of people up there and many with kids and dogs. Nick was kind enough to pose for a photo.

The Last MTvO St Nick!

We decided as it was getting late that we would swerve the run and head back. We had further chocolate shopping to be done as it was.

More random "street" shots and below

Once they had all gone we set off with my TomTom taking us a rather long way around via the A10 and in the direction of Brugge. It must have thought it was quicker as that's the way it brought me in as well!

It was just as cold.

First stop was the Manneken services on the westbound side. Pee and coffee for both of us and fuel for Tony.

When we set off from Ostend the Pepé's "miles to empty" gauge (MtZ) showed 74. It went up whilst cruising on the motorway to 85. Once out of the walking pace traffic it could recalculate.

I needed the dbPower again to start and MtZ had suddenly dropped to 35 whilst stopped!

We pulled off again at Adinkerke to stop at what must be a mecca for tobacco addicts. The volume of cars must have matched the volume of tobacco smoke in the air!

Attached is a Leonidas chocolate shop. I bought twee/two/deux 375g boxes!

And then we were off with Tony leading and setting the pace. We stuck to around 60-65mph unless overtaking one of the many trucks.

Over the 40 or so miles to the Shuttle the MtZ hardly changed. I took the lead just before the ferry turnoff junction and MtZ was now down to 21 when I got to the ticket barrier.

Both of us opted for the 6.20pm train rather than our booked 6.50pm. MtZ had now dropped 0 whilst on tick over doing the ticket operations on the screens! I had my Eurotunnel clothes peg for the ticket hanger!

Once through both countries passports and customs we split up. The trike through the car lanes and me on the bike through the higher vehicle lanes. I had no time to queue and luckily Pepé started without assistance and I  loaded onto the 5.50pm train. 

I was in the second to last carriage. Once again on my own. I saw the one in front was empty too!!

Tony had got on the same train and was the last 3/4 wheeler on the lower deck. I found this out when he came back to see me. The conductor told him I was on. It turned out the were three empty carriages between me and him as the last in his carriage!

Where is everyone?

As we came out of the tunnel at Folkestone end I had the dbPower setup and fired Pepé up. By now I wasn't going to waste time trying and then setting it all up. Pepe fired up okay.

With MtZ still showing 0 I decided to go to Tesco and fill up. I went slowly down the A20 to Cheriton to fill-up.

It took 17.66 litres to fill the tank.  The specs show that the R3 has a 24 litre tank. Miles to empty at 0 seems a little inaccurate.Even quick maths show that there ought to have been 6 litres or so in the tank.

Pepé fired up without dbPower assistance at Tesco.  It was still very cold and I was back in the Belstaff gloves.

I was back home not long after and an hour earlier than planned.

Another enjoyable day out despite the cold and  battery problems with Pepé.

Great to meet up with Tony after many years. Also good to revisit the St Nick's together 34 years after our first visit, back in those days when we were both younger, slimmer and with fewer ailments!