Posted on by Brian Kinsella

Diversity

I ride south along the A1M with the cruise control set to its usual – just over the speed limit, but not enough to warrant three penalty points on my licence. I don’t have a great deal to occupy the emptiness in my head, other than thoughts of this latest bike trip, and how it differs from the three I’ve done over the previous three months.

In my own little world of Euro motorcycle travel, I think of the phrase ‘variety is the spice of life’, and try to kid myself that I have some spice in a life of diverse motorcycle trips.

But at this moment, other than my beautiful and amazing family, I live in a world of motorcycles and travel, it’s sort of my default, my comfort blanket, safety net, call it what you will, but it’s the place I know, or at least used to.

So my ‘spice of life’ at this moment comes from the relative safety of different bikes and different places, but I will eventually open the door to all the other hobbies that are knocking to be let into my little world.

Back to Travel

I believe this latest trip has, yet again, a different spice from each of the previous. I may again be travelling with people, my longstanding (and long suffering) friends Nige and Sue, but also two of their friends I have yet to meet, Ernie and Jenny from Utah.

As Nige, Sue and I travel south on probably one the busiest days of the year, Ernie and Jenny are flying high above ‘the pond’ into Heathrow. Tomorrow the five of us will meet up to become travel buddies over the next three weeks. 

The English contingent chew the fat over a few beers in Banbury’s Premier Inn, and joke about this whole bike travel thing. Nige and Sue haven’t had a decent ride out since before Covid struck, so this really is a holiday for them, and something to be truly excited about! Excitement isn’t really my thing, maybe because I never really do anything exciting, or possibly because I’m just a boring old sod? But I still get a lot of enjoyment from it, being a boring old sod!

Tomorrow evening we set sail from Portsmouth to Santander, we arrive there Wednesday morning to start our trip of Spain, Portugal and France, why not come along (virtually)?

The Cumbrian contingent meeting up at Rheged

23 Replies to “Diversity”

  1. Another adventure Brian – at least your electricity bill won’t be expensive as your never home 😂. I look forward as always to some great reading – enjoy. Deffo meet up with Phil and I at Spoons on your return x

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  3. I’m conflicted. As both avid blog reader and commenter, as well as one of the Cumbrian contingent, am I allowed to comment? 🤔

    Maybe this time I’ll keep quiet 🤫

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  5. Thanks for the invite Bri, regards to Nige and Sue and I’ll look forward to ‘meeting’ Ernie and Jennie on your trip! Safe travels x

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  6. Another great adventure Big Bird on yet another bike. Is that your original GS or a replacement. If you need a bigger garage I now of a good builder. Enjoy you trip and making new friends. Looking forward to the next instalment of The Life of Brian. Enjoy.

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  9. You are definitely not a boring old sod! Your blog and photos let me explore all parts of the world I may never have seen. I await your next adventure travel safe 🙂 x

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  10. Sounds great Bruan. Hope you have a good time and say hi to Sue and Nigel.
    We’ll be going up to St Andrews again at the weekend to see Esme , Eugene and Ivan! Won’t be able to keep away!
    Safe journeys

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  13. 👋 Hello from the Sunny Lake District, (well at least it was today for at least 4 hours !), I will be with you on your Travels via your blog Big Bird, thanks for this, I hope you all have a great trip. Take care of my Big Sis, she is very precious to me. 😊

    Reply

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