After a drive-free day with my family in Avignon, my wife and I get up bright and early. This will allow us to drive a portion of today’s trip in relatively acceptable temperatures. Speaking of which – I’ve charged the TWIKE’s batteries very slowly – even with this the batteries haven’t been able to cool off completely. 8°C difference to the outside temperature remain. 32°C is a perfect temperature to drive and get the most out of our pack. The roads are empty and the cool breeze makes for perfect TWIKEing. Today, we’re going to drive slightly more than 300 […]
TDE2022 – Day2: Chambéry Avignon – Staying above the heat!
I’m awake early since I usually am out running early. I’ve reserved a breakfast slot at 7.30 am to be sure I’ve got some space and can leave early…and am surprised to be the only one in the breakfast room at that time. This isn’t a bad thing, however, as I’ve got ample time to ask the owner about his life and how he and his wife chose to give up their previous lives and buy a budget-hotel franchise … during Covid-19, nothing less. Long story short it was a decision made with their heart, wanting to leave the corporate […]
TDE2022 – Day 1: Crossing Switzerland … in an oven
Today is the day! It’s always great to wake up bright and early, knowing everything is already packed and the only thing between a TWIKE adventure and me is some slow brewing of tea and enjoying some quiet minutes with my wife before leaving on some days on my own. I’m really in need of some solo-decompression time. To support this, even more, I’ve decided to take it slow and not drive on the motorway to Geneva but rather drive on equally interesting national roads. After finishing my tea I’m ready to start TDE2022 for real. I say goodbye to […]
TDE2022 – this year’s TWIKE adventure
A quick update on this year’s upcoming long-distance trip with TW560 – TD2022, a two week break with a TWIKE The date is finally set and the general direction chosen: France & Spain. TW560 just got back from a pre-vacation check-up and in a radical change to previous years will start on a new set of tyres. TDE2022’s main trip page is active and GPS tracking of TW560 is ready for activation, too. Looking forward to some days off, It’s been a tough 6 months.
ODT: Adding the Nufenen pass to TW560’s list
Picture this: Mid-June – a beautiful day with very clear skies: I get up early and see the alps beckoning in the distance. Swiss Meteo’s prediction of the day was spot-on and the reason why I had started a full-range ‘trip-mode’ charge for my TWIKE the evening before. With a full day at my disposal, the evening before, I had started wondering where to go and what to visit. I’ve traveled extensively across Switzerland and have been to more places than many Swiss, including many of Switzerland’s beautiful road passes. There aren’t many left TW560 hasn’t been! Whilst looking at […]
TDP2021: Day46 – Genoa -> back home
The ferry arrives on-time in Genova. With the help of a tugboat, we find our way into the port like an oversized log. This process takes a while and whilst everybody else is on the upper deck watching our arrival in Genova, I, having seen this process last time, I stay in the bar and get a piping hot coffee and a cornetto, fresh from the oven. With this I’m ready to start my day – the only one in Italy this trip -and drive home. No-one seems to care about any reduction of the virus’ spead when the time […]
TDP2021: Day45 – Barcelona – Genoa
I splurged on my last hotel on this trip – complete with all the trappings and a rooftop swimming pool. Today’s breakfast, however, was quite muted and did not live up to the expectations. This didn’t have anything to do with the hotel, though – local health regulations reduced the offering dramatically. I’ve definitely had enough restrictions by this current situation. Let’s hope that it will not last too much longer until we can get back to ‘normal’. I’m not an advocate of going back to the good old way of doing things for everything… but: let’s do it at […]
TDP2021: Day44 – Lleida – Barcelona
My last full-day drive in Spain has begun. Yesterday evening I researched a little as to which kind of options I had to get to Barcelona as I wasn’t keen on 150km of main road driving – today I’ll take some smaller roads to Tarragona, visit the city and then take the road along the coast to Barcelona. Add some hills to cross into the mix and this should turn out to be a very nice day of TWIKEing. The last hill before Tarragona turned out to be a real surprise – complete with a steep winding road up the […]
TDP2021: Day43 – Atienza – Lleida
Waking up early is a blessing and curse of being at a certain age. In my case, today, I was very happy to be wide awake and refreshed whilst having the luck to see the sun rise over the hills and illuminate my room in a warm orange glow. After enjoying a last few words with the owner and my prepared-just-for-me breakfast. I pack the TWIKE and hit the road again – driving eastward. As it’s only 500km to Barcelona from here and I have 2 days to go, I can either drive further today to reduce the remaining distance […]
TDP2021: Day42 – Gredos – Atienza
What a change to the last few weeks this night was: Cold 10°C air was filtering into my room during the night and I slept very well. Felt a little bit like Switzerland. Refreshed, I go to the breakfast room and am greeted by the Refugio’s owner lady with a friendly smile. There isn’t much to chose from and I go with the most Catalan version of breakfast possible: Pan con Tomate! Ah! What a Mediterranean treat this is! The owner and I had discussed Mediterranean and Catalan delights the evening before – she even brought me multiple types of […]