On the Road Again!

Day 5 - Dali Day Well, it was supposed to be Dali Day. We got up relatively early and breakfasted and then the battle of the GPS' started with both of us trying to make sure our GPS had the best route and could find the centre of Figueres! I led (as usual!) and we opted for a motorway run down into Spain, have the usual coffee break and then go into the Dali Museum. Part 1 accomplished but part two... err never happened. So for the second time we saw the outside and didn't get in. Last time back in 2001 it was closed for lunch, this time the queue to get in was about 300 yards and moving at about a yard every five minutes. It was over 90 degrees in the  Fahrenheit scale and the queue wasn't in the shade at all... Dali Museum & Theatre (N42.16096 E2.57587) Dali Theatre So after a drink outside a bar we buggered off on the next leg of the trip that would take us to Rosas/Roses for lunch and then the coast road back to France and then home. The GPS was set and off we went,...

Back in 2001 I was invited to attend the event held at the Montlhéry circuit to the south of Paris. So one Friday we set off, Claire and me aboard the Kettle for the relatively short run to Paris, it's about 199 miles. We took the A26/A1 route from the Channel.  I chose a Campanile hotel at Porte de Bagnolet, although those in cities were called Campaville at the time.  This one was within easy access to the city on the metro.  Parking was a bit crap as it was a multi-storey building. The problem was getting in and out through the barrier and no marked bike spaces. Once checked in we set off for the city on the metro line a few hundred metres away.  It was also close to the Boulevard Périphérique. We had a good wander around the sights like the Eiffel Tower etc. Had a meal and then back to the hotel. After breakfast on Saturday we togged up and checked the maps to Montlhéry. A mere 35kms or so from the hotel.   It was an easy run on the Pér...

The World in Pictures - Day 5 I have been challenged by Neill Devall to post a picture, every day, for the next 10 days. The picture can be of anything you like but each picture must have been taken in a different country. You can tell us about the photo or not, as you wish but must at least specify the country. I'm not going to challenge anyone, but if friends want to take part so well and good! France - Paris 2005 - like all the photos in this challenge I took it.

In France there is a move towards reducing the level of congestion in the city and on the périphique and as a product of this to reduce pollution. The system is called Crit'Air . The movement is spreading to other areas of the country with major cities and départments signing up to the "lower emissions zones" (LEZ) idea. Essentially the idea is that when the air becomes bad, and it is usually in summer when the warmer air holds the smog in the air, that they can close areas of the city, and open them to lower emissions classes of vehicles.  And that is determined by the CO2 output of the vehicle. Every vehicle accessing the city must carry the crit-air sticker on the windscreen/shield on the right side lower. On the bike it goes on the upper right of the fork leg.  They even produced a video on how to affix it! Pepé is Cat 2.   As we intend to go to France in the summer, I have applied for a sticker at a cost of €4.21 including postage.   There is also an ...