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Testimonial Rhine in Flames 2018

Testimonial Rhine in Flames Tour 8 – 13 August 2018

The Group as we board our cruise ship - another fabulous tour, a great bunch of people and an amazing firework display - not to mention the dancing!

The Group as we board our cruise ship – another fabulous tour, a great bunch of people, an amazing firework display and not forgetting the dancing!

” Many thanks to John and Jen for organising and running yet another fantastic tour. This is the third tour we have done with them, and the second time we have been on the Rhine in Flames Tour. The fireworks are something not to miss. The organisation and hotels are brilliant. You are made to feel most welcome as soon as you arrive, and looked after during the whole tour. How they find such brilliant roads and historic towns must take some planning. If you are thinking of going on any of their tours, you will not be disappointed”
Dave & Val Burlingham, 3rd tour, BMW R1200RT, North Yorkshire.
We start with a pre-tour briefing

We start the Tour at Eurotunnel

First coffee stop

First coffee stop

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Lunch stop

Lunch stop

“Hi John & Jen, our first ever bike tour was amazing and everything we had hoped for and more. Meeting new like-minded people with great socialising along the way. Didn’t even matter about the rain on the last day, the experience of riding as a group across the journey was faultless.
The hotels, routes, roads, coffee & lunch stops, excursions and your hospitality speaks for itself and is why you have so many returning members. Eve and I hope to very much be one of the returning people in the future.
Many thanks for the memories made over those six days (and learning the slosh!). Very best wishes to you both for the future. Now it’s time for me to go playing with race cars again!

p.s. the T-shirt is safely stored for another day!”

Alan Field & Yvonne Davey, 1st tour, BMW K1200 RS, Surrey
With a Punch & Judy Show

With a Punch & Judy Show

A beach

A beach…and

A swimming pool !

A swimming pool !

Plenty of cafes to choose from

Plenty of cafes to choose from

“Hi guys, just a few words to say thank you for the Rhine in Flames trip. Another 10 out of 10 trip. A perfect journey with excellent hotels, excellent food, a great boat trip and of course, the ribbons of tarmac. Now the biggest question is what to do next year? See you both soon and best regards”
Steve Hendra, 5th trip, Honda NC750, Kent
Afternoon coffee stop

Afternoon coffee stop

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Our first hotel in Belgium

Reclining on a Porsche !!

Reclining on a Porsche !!

Drinks before dinner

Drinks before dinner

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Hi John Jen, thanks for another superbly organised tour. As always, great roads & routes, fantastic hotels, lots of laughs and some terrible jokes… The multiple firework displays from the various castles along the River Rhine were amazing and the associated festivities were unforgettable – especially the ‘Do the hokey cokey’  – don’t think I’ve laughed so much for ages!! Looking forward to our next tour with you to the Italian Lakes and Swiss Alps – can’t wait!! “
Simon (4th trip) & Helen (3rd tour) Brown, BMW S1000 XR, Surrey
Dinner is included tonight

Dinner is included tonight

John welcomes everyone to the tour

John welcomes everyone to the tour

And sets the bar low for joke telling!

And sets the bar low for joke telling!

Always a morning briefing

Always a morning briefing

Jen leads on the Tracer !

Jen leads on the Tracer !

“Having never done more than a couple of days abroad on a motorcycle before we decided that an organised tour was the way to go. I honestly don’t believe we could have picked a better company to go with.
 John & Jen have obviously done a heck of a lot of research to find such great roads and hotels. The ‘second man drop-off’ system used to ensure nobody gets lost works brilliantly. It takes all the stress out of finding your way in a strange land, thus allowing you to enjoy the ride, and breaks are at sensible intervals. Our sat nav packed up in the middle of Germany which would have been a disaster had we been on our own, but no problem as part of a group.
If you are looking to take a trip abroad, particularly if it will be your first time, you will be hard-pressed to find a better company than BN.”
Paul & Becky Sewter, 1st tour, BMW R1200RT, Norfolk
Morning coffee in Luxembourg

Morning coffee in Luxembourg

Lunch stop !

Lunch stop !

We have all the balcony rooms...

We have all the balcony rooms…

Steve's on the roof !!

Steve’s on the roof !!

Fab views of the Rhine

Fab views of the Rhine

A lovely sunset

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Most eat at the hotel

Most eat at the hotel

Steve relaxing

Steve relaxing

Helen & Simon

Helen & Simon

A photo fo Jen !

A photo of Jen !

A lovely sunset

A lovely sunset

A gorgeous morning

A gorgeous morning

We have to move some of the bikes...

We have to move some of the bikes…

How many SHIB members on a Rocket lll ?

How many SHIB members on a Rocket lll ?

Our cruise ship for the next night

Our cruise ship for the next night

Paul & Becky

Paul & Becky S

We all take the train to Rudesheim

We all take the train to Bingen

All aboard !

All aboard !

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So cute !

So cute !

Then the ferry to Rudesheim

Then the ferry to Rudesheim

Relax on deck...

Relax on deck…

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Explore lovely Rudesheim

Explore lovely Rudesheim

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We enjoy ice-creams

We enjoy ice-creams

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Andy & Jane do too

Andy & Jane do too

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Quaint back streets...

Quaint back streets…

Fab bell tower...

Fab bell tower…

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Taste a strawberry & "champagne" cocktail

Taste a strawberry & “champagne” cocktail

Visit the wine caves

Visit the wine caves

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Entertainment all afternoon

Entertainment all afternoon

Andy & Jane have Rudesheimercafe's

Andy & Jane have Rudesheimer Kaffees

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SHIB take the ski lift...

SHIB take the ski lift…

Alan at the top...

Alan at the top…

Tony - a.k.a. "Sams Son" !

Tony – a.k.a. “Sams Son” !

How many SHIB 's ??

How many SHIB ‘s ??    (Thanks Paul R for the photos)

SHIB with ice-creams

SHIB with ice-creams

Mind the train !

Mind the train !

More strawberry cocktails

More strawberry cocktails

We take the boat back to Boppard

We take the boat back to Boppard

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Amanda & David

Amanda & David

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Us !

Us !

Lots of castles en-route

Lots of castles en-route

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Helen & Jane enjoy a few glasses of wine...

Helen & Jane enjoy a few glasses of wine…

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That evening...guess who?

That evening…guess who?

Pete !

Pete !

The next day we take the little ferry...

The next day we take the little ferry…

Most go for a ride-out

Most go for a ride-out

Paul M on his Tiger 1050

Paul M on his Tiger 1050

Alan on his BMW K1200RS

Alan F on his BMW K1200RS

John on his Tracer 900

Tour leader John on his Tracer 900

Alan B on his BMW R1200GS ADV

Alan B on his BMW R1200GS ADV

David H on his Triumph Explorer

Andy on his KTM 1290 Adventure T

Paul "Rocketman" R

Paul “Rocketman” R

Tony BMW K1600GT & Mark S1000XR

Tony BMW K1600GT & Mark S1000XR

Darly & Sarah - Tiger 800

Daryl & Sarah – Tiger 800

David & Amanda - Triumph Explorer

David & Amanda – Triumph Explorer

Karen on her KTM 790 Duke

Karen on her KTM 790 Duke

Steve on his Honda NC750

Steve on his Honda NC750

Pete on his KTM 1290 ADV S

Pete on his KTM 1290 ADV S

Simon on his BMW S1000 XR

Simon on his BMW S1000 XR

All wave - & Jen gets told off !!

All wave – & Jen gets told off !!

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John has a passenger !

John has a passenger !

Alan B's off first

Alan B’s off first

John

John

Alan F

Alan F

David & Amanda

David & Amanda

Simon

Simon

Paul McG

Paul McG

Pete

Pete

Steve

Steve

Karen

Karen

Daryl & Sarah

Daryl & Sarah

Andy

Andy – with Jane – our “back-markers”

Paul R

Paul R

Mark

Mark

Tony

Tony

Alan B's in the lead

Alan B’s in the lead

Pretty villages

Pretty villages

Rocketman marks a junction

Rocketman marks a junction

Great roads

Great roads

Paul McG

Paul McG

Alan & Yvonne

Alan & Yvonne

Lovely scenery

Lovely scenery

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Nice one Karen !

Nice one Karen !

Alan followed by Mark & Jackie

Alan followed by Mark & Jackie

Mark & Jackie

Mark & Jackie

Steve

Steve

Twisty enough ?

Twisty enough ?

David & Amanda

David & Amanda

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Tony & Di

Tony & Di

Pete

Pete

We regroup before any motorway

We regroup before any motorway

Simon followed by Paul McG

Simon followed by Paul McG

Simon

Simon

We take the rack-railway to thte top

We take the rack-railway to thte top

Passing a castle en-route

Passing a castle en-route

Fab views of the Rhine

Fab views of the Rhine

To Bonn and beyond

To Bonn and beyond

Have lunch at the top

Have lunch at the top

Take the train down again

Take the train down again

Thanks to Karen for letting me [Jen] ride her KTM back to the hotel while she rode pillion with John. And this evening is the main event – the fabulous Rhine in Flames…
Alan F is stripped of his shirt to reveal his new top!

Alan F is stripped of his shirt to reveal his new top!

We embark for the evening cruise

We embark for the evening cruise

Sing-along if you can !

Sing-along if you can !

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The boats start to arrive

The boats start to arrive

Wave to our neighbours

Wave to our neighbours

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Lots of boats arrive

Lots of boats congregating

Tony & Di hit the dance floor

Tony & Di hit the dance floor

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Then it's up on deck for the fireworks

Then it’s up on deck for the fireworks

Each village lets off fireworks en-route

Each village lets off fireworks en-route

The castles are lit up in red

The castles are lit up in red

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We arrive at Koblenz for the big display

We arrive at Koblenz for the big display

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Wow !

Wow !

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And that's it - absolutely amazing !

And that’s it – absolutely amazing !

Then it's back inside for dancing...

Then it’s back inside for dancing…

We start with the "Slosh"

We start with the “Slosh”

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Alan joins in

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The Y.M.C.A. !

The Y.M.C.A. !

Tony's really getting down !

Tony’s really getting down !

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Di has an admirer !

Di has an admirer !

John's up as well

John’s up as well

Everyone's having a great time

Everyone’s really enjoying themselves

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The young lady had a great time

This young lady had a great time

SHIB on the dance floor

SHIB on the dance floor

Paul S, Dave & Alan F dress to impress !

Paul S, Dave & Alan F dress to impress !

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Simon & Helen

Simon & Helen

Amanda & David

Amanda & David

Helen !

Helen !

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Mark & Jackie join in too

Mark & Jackie join in too

It's the Okey Cokey !

It’s the Okey Cokey !

All form a circle...

All form a circle…

Then sit down !

Then sit down !

Another gorgeous morning

Another gorgeous morning

Alan's keeping his shirt on over his bike gear !

Alan’s keeping his shirt on over his bike gear !

A briefing before we set off

A briefing before we set off

Leaving Boppard

Leaving Boppard

Paul & Becky S on BMW R1200RT

Paul & Becky S on BMW R1200RT

Dave & Val on BMW R1200 RT

Dave & Val on BMW R1200 RT

Lunch is at Cochem

Lunch is at Cochem

Alonside the River Mosel

Alonside the River Mosel

Andy & Jane with Simon & Helen

Andy & Jane with Simon & Helen

I couldn't resist ! A huge Bernese !

I couldn’t resist ! A huge Bernese !

Pretty town centre

Pretty town centre

Just a few bikes !

Just a few bikes !

At our last hotel...

At our last hotel…

time for a swim !

time for a swim !

Drinks before dinner

Drinks before dinner

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We walk into town for dinner

We walk into town for dinner

The group (minus Alan B who left early) on our last night together

The group (minus Alan B who left early) on our last night together

Dinner is included tonight

Dinner is included tonight

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John thanks Andy & Jane our "back-markers"

John thanks Andy & Jane our “back-markers”

Paul R with one of many jokes !!

Paul R with one of many jokes !!

A double act !

A double act !

It's Paul again !

It’s Paul again !

John shows Paul S how to waft a towel!

John shows Paul S how to waft a towel!

Paul R again !!

Paul R again !!

Helen knows a wide-mouth frog !!

Helen knows a wide-mouth frog !!

Mark takes a turn...

Mark takes a turn…

Then it's the "Penguin"!!

Then it’s the “Penguin”!!

A final morning briefing

A final morning briefing before coffee & lunch stops then motorway back to Calaias

And best wishes for a speedy recovery to Esther who with Kevin tumbled off before the tour started and broke her leg above her ankle!!

Best wishes to Esther who with Kevin tumbled off before the tour started and broke her leg above her ankle!!

Thanks to everyone for participating and making this a really fun tour. We never cease to be amazed by the fireworks and thanks to Dave B for picking up my camera and taking many of the photos of us all on the dance floor. A great night to remember. We look forward to seeing many of you again on future tours. Ride safe, John & Jen.