Trip Log
Day 1 - 11 Summary of trip
Distances, Costs, Fuel Consumption and Maps
Lads, this is just a summary of the recent trip with some stats for ye, and some comments. Feel free to add any wisdom from your own trips and any advice for everyone planning their summer trips at the moment.
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Total KMs ridden: 4,257
Total Costs: €1,600
Total Spent on beer:Not Documented
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Number of times I was rude: 0
Number of times I almost was rude: 1
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Reason for almost being rude
I was having a coffee outside a services near Birmingham in my new green €300 Hein Gerike hi-vis, hi-tech, hi-fashion jacket. A middle aged English lady came up to me and asked if it was ok to let her pets out of the cage to play in the flower beds. Without saying what I really wanted to say, and me just remaining quiet, she then looked at my facial expression and followed up with "Oh, I am so sorry, I thought your were one of the staff"
Things I brought with me that were useful
Two piece rain gear
GPS,
Two sets of gloves,
On-bike USB charger for phone,
Smartphone with camera
Chain Lube
Laptop / Charger / Euro adapter
Small jar of Tiger Balm for when feet were smelly
Oxford Products plastic clip on cruise control
90 degree connector for tyre air pressure (not used but good to have)
Jumper
Honda Toolkit on the bike - not used
Breakdown details - not used
Things I brought that I did not need or use
Mits for handle bars
Ear Phones
Music on the GPS unit
2 pairs of socks and jocks
2 TeeShirts
1 pair of trousers
Black Sacks and double bagging of gear (Honda Panniers were water proof)
Notebook and pen
Polish Currency - Zlotys - credit card was ok
Garmin Blank Cover
What things should we all bring that I have not mentioned?
CRF1000L
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Comments on the bike
If I had not brought the stuff not used, I would have had more space in the three panniers. I travelled light but still the panniers were a little cramped, that is a PITA when loading and unloading. In future, I will try to travel even lighter. I thought I would need the mits because the handle bars are not heated but I was anxious they might cause me problems so never used them in the end. Still in two minds as to whether to fit heated grips to the bike.
The touring screen was probably also a great benefit.
I never needed more fuel, so the standard 18.8 liters from Honda is enough in Europe, could be different in Kazakhstan.
Fuel Economy
This is the fuel usage since I got the bike. I had about 1800 KMs on it before the trip.
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And for the older men in the audience, watery eyes and a slight hint of a smell of wee, think Percy Sugdeon
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And for our friends that use the Canadian and US Gallon which for some reason is different to the Irish Gallon, I also made this for you.
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Comments on the log
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As I mentioned on one of the days posts, this was the first time I did a trip log. Doing it in real time meant that each day, I really felt like I was sharing it with friends. This made each thing I saw a micro-memory to note. The sad thing is that, like photos, if you post everything, then it all becomes drivel. You had to leave out much of the stuff. Things like an interaction with an Aston Martin driver, racing a golf out of the toll bridge, friendly encounters with groups of Latvians, watching a guy playfully threaten to punch his beautiful girlfriend three or four times while buying thousands of cigarettes and tobacco. There are lots of things that you cannot record because it would make the whole thing even more boring that perhaps it already is.
Would I do the log again? Yes.
Comments on the costs
I brought lunch with me on the first day, that avoided some costs. I stayed in cheap hotels when it was convenient. That also avoided some costs. When I did not have the time or inclination, I paid a bit more for hotels, eg €109 per night and did not whinge to myself. On the boats, I always booked either the club lounge for €20, or a commadore room for an extra €100. These extra costs probably added about €400 to the trip. Overall, they added to the experience and on balance, I was happy to mix economy with a little bit of luxury from time to time. Same for the food, some days I fed myself from petrol stations and then when I was in Germany I went to a posh restaurant and dinner was abouy €60 including some wine. Yer man was giving me a few quare looks in my tatty jumper but I had a deadly dinner and he got his sixty quid, so everyone was happy.
I could have skimped on everything but it would still have cost over a grand, so I had a trip with some luxuries and still did not cost a fortune.
PO Ferries Club Class Travel
This beats the dirty channel tunnel I took on the way over. Approx same price but very different way to spend your time.
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Maps of each day
Day 1
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Day 2
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Day 3
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Day 4
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Day 5
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Day 6
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Day 7
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Day 8
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Day 9
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Day 10
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Day 11
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Thank you all for reading this log, it has been mostly my pleasure to write it up.
Thank you also for the kind comments you posted. Not unsurprisingly, that makes a big difference to know that a couple of people are enjoying it.
Click here to read Day 1
Click here to read Day 2 - 3
Click here to read Day 4
Click here to read Day 5
Click here to read Day 6
Click here to read Day 7 - 8
Click here to read Day 9 - 10
Day 1 - 11 Summary of trip
Distances, Costs, Fuel Consumption and Maps
Lads, this is just a summary of the recent trip with some stats for ye, and some comments. Feel free to add any wisdom from your own trips and any advice for everyone planning their summer trips at the moment.
Total KMs ridden: 4,257
Total Costs: €1,600
Total Spent on beer:Not Documented
Number of times I was rude: 0
Number of times I almost was rude: 1
Reason for almost being rude
I was having a coffee outside a services near Birmingham in my new green €300 Hein Gerike hi-vis, hi-tech, hi-fashion jacket. A middle aged English lady came up to me and asked if it was ok to let her pets out of the cage to play in the flower beds. Without saying what I really wanted to say, and me just remaining quiet, she then looked at my facial expression and followed up with "Oh, I am so sorry, I thought your were one of the staff"
Things I brought with me that were useful
Two piece rain gear
GPS,
Two sets of gloves,
On-bike USB charger for phone,
Smartphone with camera
Chain Lube
Laptop / Charger / Euro adapter
Small jar of Tiger Balm for when feet were smelly
Oxford Products plastic clip on cruise control
90 degree connector for tyre air pressure (not used but good to have)
Jumper
Honda Toolkit on the bike - not used
Breakdown details - not used
Things I brought that I did not need or use
Mits for handle bars
Ear Phones
Music on the GPS unit
2 pairs of socks and jocks
2 TeeShirts
1 pair of trousers
Black Sacks and double bagging of gear (Honda Panniers were water proof)
Notebook and pen
Polish Currency - Zlotys - credit card was ok
Garmin Blank Cover
What things should we all bring that I have not mentioned?
CRF1000L
Comments on the bike
If I had not brought the stuff not used, I would have had more space in the three panniers. I travelled light but still the panniers were a little cramped, that is a PITA when loading and unloading. In future, I will try to travel even lighter. I thought I would need the mits because the handle bars are not heated but I was anxious they might cause me problems so never used them in the end. Still in two minds as to whether to fit heated grips to the bike.
The touring screen was probably also a great benefit.
I never needed more fuel, so the standard 18.8 liters from Honda is enough in Europe, could be different in Kazakhstan.
Fuel Economy
This is the fuel usage since I got the bike. I had about 1800 KMs on it before the trip.
And for the older men in the audience, watery eyes and a slight hint of a smell of wee, think Percy Sugdeon
And for our friends that use the Canadian and US Gallon which for some reason is different to the Irish Gallon, I also made this for you.
Comments on the log
As I mentioned on one of the days posts, this was the first time I did a trip log. Doing it in real time meant that each day, I really felt like I was sharing it with friends. This made each thing I saw a micro-memory to note. The sad thing is that, like photos, if you post everything, then it all becomes drivel. You had to leave out much of the stuff. Things like an interaction with an Aston Martin driver, racing a golf out of the toll bridge, friendly encounters with groups of Latvians, watching a guy playfully threaten to punch his beautiful girlfriend three or four times while buying thousands of cigarettes and tobacco. There are lots of things that you cannot record because it would make the whole thing even more boring that perhaps it already is.
Would I do the log again? Yes.
Comments on the costs
I brought lunch with me on the first day, that avoided some costs. I stayed in cheap hotels when it was convenient. That also avoided some costs. When I did not have the time or inclination, I paid a bit more for hotels, eg €109 per night and did not whinge to myself. On the boats, I always booked either the club lounge for €20, or a commadore room for an extra €100. These extra costs probably added about €400 to the trip. Overall, they added to the experience and on balance, I was happy to mix economy with a little bit of luxury from time to time. Same for the food, some days I fed myself from petrol stations and then when I was in Germany I went to a posh restaurant and dinner was abouy €60 including some wine. Yer man was giving me a few quare looks in my tatty jumper but I had a deadly dinner and he got his sixty quid, so everyone was happy.
I could have skimped on everything but it would still have cost over a grand, so I had a trip with some luxuries and still did not cost a fortune.
PO Ferries Club Class Travel
This beats the dirty channel tunnel I took on the way over. Approx same price but very different way to spend your time.
Maps of each day
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Day 6
Day 7
Day 8
Day 9
Day 10
Day 11
Thank you all for reading this log, it has been mostly my pleasure to write it up.
Thank you also for the kind comments you posted. Not unsurprisingly, that makes a big difference to know that a couple of people are enjoying it.
Click here to read Day 1
Click here to read Day 2 - 3
Click here to read Day 4
Click here to read Day 5
Click here to read Day 6
Click here to read Day 7 - 8
Click here to read Day 9 - 10
