The Dawn Chorus

Lima certainly know how to do a Traffen. Great music and dancing, kept us well fed, breathaliser available before leaving. A Traffen is what it is. It isn't anything else.

Lars foretold the future. The guy is an oracle. Lars said I would ride 300 miles north into the wilderness, get very drunk, take two days to recover, then ride 300 miles back to sleep a lot. The only thing he missed was the torrential rain in both directions, and the supurb company. As I rode through the pooring rain heading north...............

Sorry about this:

Thor the god of thunder was riding upon his filly.
"I'M THOR" he cried, and the horse replied,
"Your forgot your thaddle thilly!


It is not compulsory to get totally drunk, and I resolved not to. If others want to do that fine, I will show restraint. As we pulled up outside the football ground where the motorcycle meeting is held, I knew it was going to be difficult. A ten foot chain link fence kept the drunken bikers in. It looked like Guantanamo except that the inmates were dressed in biker leathers, and very happy indeed. "HEJ KEVIN!" Oh shit. The drunken bikers in question are OURS! Boy they are having fun, and have been for some considerable time. Having registered and eased the bike through the hole where tthe turnstile should be, I faced the wet, grassy drop to where the hoard watched my final approach. I didn't drop Elsa. It was however hard to get her safely onto her stand holding the glass of whisky someone had thrust into my gauntleted hand while I was still on the bike. Yikes!

Happy bikers helped me get my tent up in the rain. I counted drinks. I can count quite high in Swedish. You could feel the energy in the crowd as we waited for the dinner hall/dance floor to open. We're off! What a fabulous night.

I fogot to go to bed. So did others. Two young guys were playing their guitars to an appreciative group well into the early hours. As I picked up the lyrics to Streets of London, the sun was rising in the East. I really let it go. An English voice singing a very English song. I honestly didn't care just then. The moment was very sweet indeed.

A mention for my riding companions for the weekend, Linus and Monica. This pair cross continents together. I can see how they do it. Their riding style is light and efficient. No fuss, but progressing nicely at a fair pace. Threading their way forward. Travelling with the traffic, but not in it. Very nice people as well.