On the Road Again!

At this time we'd be looking forward to the almost annual crossing to France and to Ostend to the Sinterklaastreffen itself. But. There is a gap in the calendar now as 2019 saw the very last one.  I was glad that I was there.  After so many events were cancelled in 2020 and into 2021 by the Covid Pandemic it would have been a highlight for us charitable bikers. What a shame that the  MTvO club couldn't keep it running.

It looked very murky as we went parallel to the French coast.  The crossing in the end took just 90 minutes. There seem to be far fewer people on this ferry than on the rival P&O ferries on the same route. This is a good thing. Far less pushing and shoving on the stairs to get to the car decks! Fewer people filling the brasserie and bars. Once ashore I fell into a rhythm with the cruise set on 70mph. I should have changed to kilometres but forgot. I missed the Middelkerke turning and ended up going to Jabbeke and the A10 entry into Ostend. It seemed eerily quiet. Very few bikes. Shit! Wrong date. The rally site has moved to a new venue and I guess that means that fewer bikes are parked in the city. I did a ride-by where we have met St Nick every year I have been since 1985.  Lots of metal fencing and entry forbidden signs. I parked around the corner as it looked more hospitable. There were some other bikes there too. I went to look for a coffee and the chocolate shop we al...

My first St Nicks was back in 1985. I went with my then partner Audrey on my MZ250ETZ and Tony and Heather Young on, if I remember rightly, a BMW R100RT. We went for many years and stayed at the Polaris Hotel. Then with wife Claire we went until it closed we dropped weekends to become day-trippers. The last few years have been less good, breakdowns, sickness and bad weather have all stopped me from going. I booked on Seafrance for £12.50 return and will go over and see how it is. Billy No-Mates?