Welcome beers in Baden Baden! A really great group and fantastic weather made for a fab tour.
In Calais the night before the tour starts
There’s live music in the square
Secure bike parking
Jen’s riding as back-marker!!
Ready for a good holiday?
We start with a pre-tour briefing
Morning coffee stop
There’s only one cafe open!
We ALWAYS regroup for any motorway
“Our 4th tour with BN and it did not disappoint. The scenery, the wonderful road choices – from country lanes to twisties and hairpins in the Vosges Mountains; and the sweeping bends of the B500 and other great roads of the Black Forest. It was such a wonderful experience for both rider and pillion. We were so fortunate to have the additional company of John and Jen, as well as BN’s new owners Rich and Heidi; together they ensured a good guest experience through the hotels and evening socials. It was just so great to see J&J on one of their last trips, and we will miss John’s jokes!”
Paul & Marion Matchett, 4th tour, Triumph Tiger 660 Sport, East Sussex
Paul & Marion – Tiger 660 Sport
Darren & son Buster – BMW R1200GS
Mike & Tracey – BMW R1250
Dick & Jackie – Honda Africa Twin
John & Sandra – Honda X-Adv 750
Gaz – BMW XR 1000
“Hi John, Jen, Rich & Heidi, another great tour with great roads, lots of fantastic scenery, lovely hotels and a fantastic group of people. Really enjoyed getting to know everyone. Having the luggage van is what makes your tours stand out from others, it’s great to have all your luggage off the bike with the convenience of putting your gear into the van at lunch stops etc. I’ll be along for another tour next year. All the best“
Garry “Gaz” Matthews, 5th tour, BMW XR1000, Nottinghamshire
Daz – BMW F900
Greg & Rachel – Kawasaki Z1000 SX
Josh – Kawasaki Ninja 650
James W – Ducati Desert X
“Thank you guys…an amazing trip!!! Still buzzing (and not just from the bike vibration)!!”
James Wilmot, 1st tour, Ducati Desert X, Cheshire
Nigel & Bryany, BMW R1250 GS
Andrew – BMW R1200 GS Adv
Nigel B – BMW R1300
Andy – Ducati Diavel V4
Sam – BMW F850 GS Adv
James P – Triumph Tiger 1200
Ken – Triumph Tiger Sport 1050
Jen – Suzuki GSXS 1000
Parking at lunch stop
En-route to coffee stop
Afternoon coffee parking in the square
Ready to set off…
Lovely scenery in the Ardennes
Secure courtyard parking
“This is my sixth trip with BN European Tours and I keep coming back, I think the only reason I don’t do more is that I have to work! We had some challenges on this trip which were overcome with grace and ease, exactly what you need. I am looking forward to hopefully a couple of trips next year, why would you go anywhere else.“
Andy Stevenson, 6th tour, Ducati Diavel V4, Essex
Our hotel is next to Europe’s largest Fort
Drinks before dinner
With Josh this time!
Dinner is included tonight
John’s telling the vegetable joke – AGAIN!
Having fallen for it TWICE – Mike won’t do it again!
” Hi all, the hotels were fine and the food provided was really good. I wonder how they get such good chefs in such small hotels! Dick loved the twisty routes -especially the B500 and the hairpins in the Vosges mountains…and the scenery was fab on those back roads.
As I’ve said before, having the van is a game changer for us, taking the weight off the bike to enjoy playing on the roads is huge. Dick always complains about the luggage when we have to put it back on at the end of the trip!
We were glad to see you both on one of your last trips and to meet Rich and Heidi. We will miss you both, and John’s jokes. “The pillion is always in charge!” I shall be disappointed if Rich doesn’t continue that tradition next year 😉 and yes, we will be back.”
Dick & Jackie Wall, 2nd tour, Honda Africa Twin, Berkshire
Coffee stop next morning
Parking at lunch stop
After deviations & problems with Rich’s bike…
Welcome beers in Baden Baden – John too!
Many dine in the hotel restaurant
We meet up with John’s cousin Wolfgang
It’s a lovely spa town
Although it’s late, it’s worth a wander
The Theatre
Wolfgang & John
Sculptures in the park
The Casino
It’s really pretty
Breakfast is in the cafe opposite
Then we ride the B500 – Josh
John & Sandra
Mike & Tracey
Daz
Gaz
Paul & Marion
Greg & Rachel then Dick & Jackie
Andrew
Andy followed by James P
Nigel & Bryany
Ken
Nigel
Jen
Wolfgang on his Ducati Panigale V4
It’s a brilliant road
Daz
Gaz
Nigel & Bryany
Paul & Marion
Andy
James P
Greg & Rachel
Nigel
Sam
John & Sandra (others were too fast!!)
Tracey!
The group at the end of the B500 – missing Rich, Darren & Buster who were trying to get a battery for Rich”s KTM
Coffee stop at Freudenstadt
Jen’s sunning herself as usual!
Such a pretty town
Another deviation – but this one’s great!
Fab scenery
We visit the world’s largest cuckoo clock
So many cuckoo clocks
Someone paid a euro
Jackie & Marion have a waltz!
Triberg for lunch
Daz (& Gaz) are having gateaux
Our next hotel for two nights
Drinks before dinner
Dinner’s included tonight
Black Forest gateau all round!
Greg & Rachel are having a romantic day off!
Jen’s leading the ride-out, Josh goes back-marker
Good idea to remove the disc lock John!!
More great roads
Sam’s favourite!
Basilica at coffee stop
Dick & Jackie
So pretty
The guys enjoying ice-creams
John & Sandra
Dick & Jackie
Gaz
James P
Daz
James W
Andrew
Sam
Ken
Josh
More great roads
Those who rode to the High Rhine Waterfalls in Switzerland
Fab waterfalls
Bryany & Sandra are too hot…
So John helps them cool down!!
Rich’s KTM now has a new Stator !
It’s a lovely town
With lots of flower displays
Head down to the lake
John has a wheelbarrow “of manure”!!
As does Gaz
Sandra & Nigel have huge desserts
Darren & Buster
Always a morning briefing
Rich is back in the lead
And Jen’s at the back!
We stop at a viewing area
The group with Rich…
The group with Jen…
Paul & Marion
Our sticker’s there!
Twisty roads next
En-route to coffee stop
Morning coffee stop
Sam & James P
Kids having fun
At lunch stop take the chair lift up…
And race the luges down…
Young Buster…
Beat Sam !!
Lunch stop
Stop at another viewing area
In the Vosges Mountains
Josh
Nigel & Bryany
The Group in the Vosges Mountains
At afternoon coffee stop
The Gendarme pull us over…
Four are fined…
They let the rest of us leave
Drinks at our next hotel
We stroll into town
John has a hareem – but where’s Jen?
Epinal town centre
The Basilica
Most of the group – the 5 guys were missing
Us, Mike & Tracey, Paul & Marion
A fabulous meal…
John had a whole camembert!
A delicious seafood salad
Huge meringues!
The guys are in the same restaurant
Others are just down the road
Always a morning briefing
Lunch stop
Rich’s KTM 1290 Adv is OK now
Brothers James W – Ducati Desert X
Sam – BMW F850 GS Adv
and Andrew – BMW R1200 GS Adv
Our final hotel
Nigel & Bryany
Tracey
James & Sam
It’s in a lovely setting…
With a fab view of the Castle
Not such a good view of Paul in the garage!
John manages to smash a few glasses!
Dinner is included tonight
It’s warm enough to dine outside
Daz presents a whip-round towards the speeding fines
Rich thanks Jen & newly promoted Josh as back-markers!
We have a game of Mr & Mrs…
Rich & Heidi go first – another match!
And another…
And another!!
Greg & Rachel are next…a match
Oh no…no match!
Come on Rachel…
We need a decision!!
It’s a match!
John & Sandra are next…
It’s a match!
No match!
A match!
We get brothers Sam & James…
Another match
And another!
And another!
No match!
The winners are – Rich & Heidi!
Marion has a few words to say to us…
All of which got pretty emotional…
We’re presented with a gift…
HUGE thanks to everyone!
John, of course, has to tell the Penguin joke!!!
Enough!!
It’s Dick’s turn next
Then Greg
John’s up again!
Next morning some leave early
We pass the Airbus factory
We stop at Albert
There’s a new statue
How many men does it take to fix a puncture?!
A lovely final lunch
Time to leave
But first the t-shirt shop is open!
Darren & Buster
At Eurotunnel the queues are horrendous!
Our route – thanks to Dick!
Thanks to everyone for some really great riding & for making this such a fun tour. Thanks to our back-markers (me & Josh!!) and thanks to all those who have sent in feedback. Thanks to those who posted photos on the WhatsApp group (which I’ve nicked!) and others sent by email. We look forward to seeing many of you again in the future. Ride safe – John & Jen, Rich & Heidi.
And finally, another massive thank-you to everyone who contributed towards our present, it was really overwhelming and very much appreciated. Just so the cash doesn’t burn a hole in my purse we’ve been shopping already and have ordered a Jeremy Fisher garden statue to sit by our pond. We shall think of you all everytime we see him, J&J xx
Jeremy Fisher!
He’s arrived! He’s fab!!
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