From Alsace to Finisterre – East to West across France

From Riquewihr it’s into the mountains again

Heading west

Over the Col de la Schlucht

It was to be an eventful trip

Partly by truck

But all life is a learning

I take the by roads rather than the motorways

It has its risks but many rewards

Such as the entrance to the old city in Parthaney

The picturesque Vouvant

Or the amazing boulders at le Rocher Blanant

And onto the little coastal harbours of Brittany

Divine intervention

By Brest in Brittany I realised nearly 10,000 km of mainly mountain riding had taken its toll on the front tyre

The left hand side had totally worn out.

But it was holiday time in France.

The Moto Guzzi dealer was shut for holidays.

The big parts store had a tyre but the mechanic was on holidays.

I was searching my phone to find another store

Then divine intervention

This young lady comes out of the store and says “follow me”

Who was I to argue as she climbed onto he Kwaka 1000.

She let me around the back streets of Brest to the Kawasaki dealer

The only shop that was open over the holiday period.

It was kisses all around. A bit of quick French I didn’t understand

Then I was told to take the bike into the workshop and choose the tyre I wanted.

Had to have the pirelli angel to match the divine intervention

S! *t happens

The weapon

Nicely sharpened by being dragged behind a wedding car

Then fallen off on the road to await its victim

The victim

The mighty breva II

The sharpened chain slashed the tyre and flew up breaking the rear lens and numberplate cover

The plug that couldn’t last the distance

Need for rescue

Wow now wasn’t that wise to buy European recovery insurance.

The heroes

Pete and Vikki, fellow guzzista who run a BnB in France

Pete also runs Reboot Guzzi Spares

So wonderful Carole Nash agreed to put me in a hotel for the night and transport myself and the mighty breva the 200 odd km to Pete and Vikki’s Fortified Farm.

Which was my intended destination.

Pete had a near new tyre off a breva in his shed and a lens in stock.

So the next day the might breva was ready to roll. But I was not ready to leave Vikki’s fabulous food and the fantastic company quite yet.

One of the reasons you own a Guzzi was encapsulated in Pete’s words when I thanked him for all his help.

“well we are all part of the Guzzi family.”

As it turned out another guzzista from Melbourne arrived that night. 15,000 from home in the middle of France I was drinking red wine with a bloke that lives just the other end of Melbourne from me.

Its a small but special guzzi world.