I knew I should have taken a left at Albuquerque!
#41
08-09-2015, 08:20 AM
Crazy CBR Salvage Guy. RIP
#42
08-09-2015, 09:28 AM
#43
08-14-2015, 12:14 PM
So a quick update. The ladies and I spent a day walking to and from the beautiful medieval city of Minerve on what proved to be a day too hot.
21 kilometres in total and we ran out of water on the return journey and had to knock on a door to refill our water bottles.
The village is situated on top of the gorge of the River Cesse in a naturally strong defensive position. Near the village the river disappears underground in a large, naturally-carved tunnel.
From Wiki: In 1210 a group of Cathars sought refuge in the village after the massacre at Béziers during the Albigensian Crusade. The village was besieged by Simon de Montfort, 5th Earl of Leicester. The attacking army besieged the village for six weeks before it capitulated. They set up four trebuchets around the fortification: three to attack the village, and the largest, Malevoisine, to attack the town's water supply. Eventually the commander of the 200-strong garrison, Viscount Guilhem of Minerve, gave in and negotiated a surrender which saved the villagers and himself after the destruction of the town's main well. However, 140 Cathars refused to give up their faith and were burned to death at the stake on 22 July.
The Candela
Minerve has been selected as one of Les Plus Beaux Villages de France ("The Most Beautiful Villages Of France"). Historically, the village has been the capital of the Minervois wine region. The main bridge leading into the village is closed to all passenger vehicles not owned by residents of Minerve. Of all of the original fortifications, only a slender octagonal tower, known locally as the Candela, survives.
My only friend in the world, his name is Marty, Marty the Mantid. Meet Marty. Marty is probably a female, but only another entomologist would know that................
The Dolmen, a very old archaeological feature. Translated from the French - "The dolmen is known by several other names, including Pierre lifted Bouery wood, stone lifting or Bouery to Pierre Martens. It has the distinction of being spotted several holes dug into the rock on the top. Some in the area, including the task, consider these holes reflect the position of stars on a specific date of the year, although this date is known"
Couldn't have said it better myself!
We had to descend and climb out the other side of this gorge on the River Cesse. Keep in mind one of our party had broken her upper left arm and right wrist only a few weeks ago. If you look closely in the air above the gorge you can make out 4 aircraft - water bombers - that were fighting a fire, the smoke can be seen on the horizon to the left in the picture. It was hot, very hot and slow going and by the time we had climbed out the other side we had run out of water. Still, the town of Montcelebré was at the top of the hill, so we knocked on a house door and had our bottles filled. Enough moisture to get us back to Cesseras where this was waiting for me..........
Marty was my only friend until the barman put this on the table........ Three of them disappeared before you could say 'alcoolique'
The next day it poured and we were glad for the rest day.
Today we walked 10 kms along the Canal du Midi to a marvellous restaurant for lunch. It restored my faith regarding walking in France, that there is always good food and good wine at the halfway point or destination
A barge plying the canal
Destination in sight!
Entreé in sight!
A group of happy campers after the meal. We may have cheated a little and called up Derek and Rosco to join us for lunch so we didn't have to walk the 10km home. I'm soooooooooo ashamed!
Cheers, SB
21 kilometres in total and we ran out of water on the return journey and had to knock on a door to refill our water bottles.
The village is situated on top of the gorge of the River Cesse in a naturally strong defensive position. Near the village the river disappears underground in a large, naturally-carved tunnel.
From Wiki: In 1210 a group of Cathars sought refuge in the village after the massacre at Béziers during the Albigensian Crusade. The village was besieged by Simon de Montfort, 5th Earl of Leicester. The attacking army besieged the village for six weeks before it capitulated. They set up four trebuchets around the fortification: three to attack the village, and the largest, Malevoisine, to attack the town's water supply. Eventually the commander of the 200-strong garrison, Viscount Guilhem of Minerve, gave in and negotiated a surrender which saved the villagers and himself after the destruction of the town's main well. However, 140 Cathars refused to give up their faith and were burned to death at the stake on 22 July.
The Candela
Minerve has been selected as one of Les Plus Beaux Villages de France ("The Most Beautiful Villages Of France"). Historically, the village has been the capital of the Minervois wine region. The main bridge leading into the village is closed to all passenger vehicles not owned by residents of Minerve. Of all of the original fortifications, only a slender octagonal tower, known locally as the Candela, survives.
My only friend in the world, his name is Marty, Marty the Mantid. Meet Marty. Marty is probably a female, but only another entomologist would know that................
The Dolmen, a very old archaeological feature. Translated from the French - "The dolmen is known by several other names, including Pierre lifted Bouery wood, stone lifting or Bouery to Pierre Martens. It has the distinction of being spotted several holes dug into the rock on the top. Some in the area, including the task, consider these holes reflect the position of stars on a specific date of the year, although this date is known"
Couldn't have said it better myself!
We had to descend and climb out the other side of this gorge on the River Cesse. Keep in mind one of our party had broken her upper left arm and right wrist only a few weeks ago. If you look closely in the air above the gorge you can make out 4 aircraft - water bombers - that were fighting a fire, the smoke can be seen on the horizon to the left in the picture. It was hot, very hot and slow going and by the time we had climbed out the other side we had run out of water. Still, the town of Montcelebré was at the top of the hill, so we knocked on a house door and had our bottles filled. Enough moisture to get us back to Cesseras where this was waiting for me..........
Marty was my only friend until the barman put this on the table........ Three of them disappeared before you could say 'alcoolique'
The next day it poured and we were glad for the rest day.
Today we walked 10 kms along the Canal du Midi to a marvellous restaurant for lunch. It restored my faith regarding walking in France, that there is always good food and good wine at the halfway point or destination
A barge plying the canal
Destination in sight!
Entreé in sight!
A group of happy campers after the meal. We may have cheated a little and called up Derek and Rosco to join us for lunch so we didn't have to walk the 10km home. I'm soooooooooo ashamed!
Cheers, SB
Last edited by Sebastionbear1; 08-14-2015 at 01:33 PM.
#44
08-16-2015, 03:49 AM
#45
08-16-2015, 08:18 AM
I do see another sidecar in my future though.
This one, if I can track it down...........
It was possibly sold in SA sometime 2013/2014. I like it a lot. GSX1100EFE with a DJP or Premier sidecar Mmmmmmm
Cheers, SB
Last edited by Sebastionbear1; 08-16-2015 at 08:50 AM.
#46
08-16-2015, 09:08 AM
Well... merde then...
The couple that's behind the thing has an Ural shop and a dealership somewhere in the town of Clermont Ferrand. They're currently on a holiday in Lapland, nothern Finland, with a sidecar Ural... towing a tiny camper
A few links at the end of the article you might want to check out.
The couple that's behind the thing has an Ural shop and a dealership somewhere in the town of Clermont Ferrand. They're currently on a holiday in Lapland, nothern Finland, with a sidecar Ural... towing a tiny camper
A few links at the end of the article you might want to check out.
Last edited by Mattson; 08-16-2015 at 09:10 AM.
#47
08-20-2015, 03:40 PM
This is turning into a weekly update, so away we go....................
It's been a busy week at the Gear-grinders' Arms.......(Thanks PT)
Take a stroll through the Tuesday Olonzac Market with this photo montage and suitably French accordion music.
Then there have been the walks, up mountains, down dales, but always with good food and wine somewhere along the way.
A Shepherd's Hut on the way to Aigues-Vives.
Chalk ovens
Figs are in season apparently!
The restaurant at Aigues-Vives where we had a fantastic Plat du Jour. Charcuterie entrée with fresh salad, seafood main and a panna cotta dessert all washed down with a few glasses of wine.
Shutters, I just love shutters!
I think the 14 km we walked that day might just have nullified the calorie input from the lunch.
Today was Narbonne Market day, so an extended walk through the town taking photos and a lunch at Chez Bebelle. If ever you find yourself in Narbonne at lunch time, Chez Bebelle is an experience not to be missed. The owner orders the meats from one of two butchers adjacent with a bull horn, then when the meat is cut and wrapped the butcher whistles and throws the meat to Bebelle. The second part of the next video shows some of this.
So to the photos of Narbonne.
The buildings are superb............and old
I thought the statues of the four guys supporting the upper floors wonderful.
Their faces are wracked with pain!
The Canal de la Robine in all its calm serenity amid the bustle of market day
Aren't the flowers so.........well.............summery?
The main market and a view from the WW I Memorial
The Place de l'Hôtel de Ville (main city square).
The Via Domitia was the first Roman road built in Gaul, to link Italy and Hispania. A section of the Via Domitia is exposed in the Place de l'Hôtel de Ville.
The remains of a once grand Cathedral.
Street scenes.
A VFR800 in a smaller square.
The promenade both sides of the canal full of market stalls.
Inside the main market and Chez Bebelle catching your lunch!
A water fountain in the Place de l'Hôtel de Ville.
An early 50s 2 stroke Ravat. This was in a Tattoo shop - best you don't ask!
A Kawasaki GTR1000. I have only seen 1 CBR1000F on the road.
Anyway guys, end of the update.
Cheers, SB
It's been a busy week at the Gear-grinders' Arms.......(Thanks PT)
Take a stroll through the Tuesday Olonzac Market with this photo montage and suitably French accordion music.
Then there have been the walks, up mountains, down dales, but always with good food and wine somewhere along the way.
A Shepherd's Hut on the way to Aigues-Vives.
Chalk ovens
Figs are in season apparently!
The restaurant at Aigues-Vives where we had a fantastic Plat du Jour. Charcuterie entrée with fresh salad, seafood main and a panna cotta dessert all washed down with a few glasses of wine.
Shutters, I just love shutters!
I think the 14 km we walked that day might just have nullified the calorie input from the lunch.
Today was Narbonne Market day, so an extended walk through the town taking photos and a lunch at Chez Bebelle. If ever you find yourself in Narbonne at lunch time, Chez Bebelle is an experience not to be missed. The owner orders the meats from one of two butchers adjacent with a bull horn, then when the meat is cut and wrapped the butcher whistles and throws the meat to Bebelle. The second part of the next video shows some of this.
So to the photos of Narbonne.
The buildings are superb............and old
I thought the statues of the four guys supporting the upper floors wonderful.
Their faces are wracked with pain!
The Canal de la Robine in all its calm serenity amid the bustle of market day
Aren't the flowers so.........well.............summery?
The main market and a view from the WW I Memorial
The Place de l'Hôtel de Ville (main city square).
The Via Domitia was the first Roman road built in Gaul, to link Italy and Hispania. A section of the Via Domitia is exposed in the Place de l'Hôtel de Ville.
The remains of a once grand Cathedral.
Street scenes.
A VFR800 in a smaller square.
The promenade both sides of the canal full of market stalls.
Inside the main market and Chez Bebelle catching your lunch!
A water fountain in the Place de l'Hôtel de Ville.
An early 50s 2 stroke Ravat. This was in a Tattoo shop - best you don't ask!
A Kawasaki GTR1000. I have only seen 1 CBR1000F on the road.
Anyway guys, end of the update.
Cheers, SB
Last edited by Sebastionbear1; 08-20-2015 at 05:00 PM.
#49
08-21-2015, 09:36 AM
...and not a speck of a cloud in the sky.
That narbonne market rings a bell. I remember watching a document from the tv of french "near food" (it's what everyone fusses about up here nowadays) which was pretty much all about this one market hall, I cannot remember was it Narbonne or not but the scenery looks very familiar, to a point that even the mentioning of "chez bebelle" sounds familiar.
That narbonne market rings a bell. I remember watching a document from the tv of french "near food" (it's what everyone fusses about up here nowadays) which was pretty much all about this one market hall, I cannot remember was it Narbonne or not but the scenery looks very familiar, to a point that even the mentioning of "chez bebelle" sounds familiar.
