The Important Stuff
Part 5 - People & Machines.
Europe in the late summer is nearly unbeatable, especially on a motorcycle. Too hot? Twist the throttle a bit more. Too cold. Same. In a hurry? Don’t be!
Beyond the postcard scenery and centuries-old pictorama, the important stuff to Jean, Brian and myself were the people and machines in our touring group.
After all the planning and preparation to arrive in Aix-les-Bains for our 12-day journey, it was important to be fully present and receptive to the “strangers” who rode their bikes from the far reaches of Switzerland, France and Belgium to join us English speaking Californians and New Zealanders in a French parking lot on Sunday, August 13, 2023.
With riders’ ages ranging from 30 - 68, 11 men and five women bonded together over the 1,491-mile European motorcycle Alps tour. Most had traveled widely by motorcycle, but not all had crossed the Alps slated on this guided tour, making it a trip of discovery as well as an exercise in adapting to several factors as a group.
When choosing a touring company, it’s important to learn as much about the touring operators as the company itself. How long have they been in business? How experienced are they with medium-sized groups? Are they easy to communicate with leading up to the tour? Our tour operator Loïc Labalme was prompt, professional and courteous, answering all our email questions and providing counsel via WhatsApp.
Jon, Brian and I were the only riders needing a rental. Check in and check out was easy, and the bikes performed admirably.
It was also a kick seeing the range of bikes in our group:
Ride leader Michael (France) on his KTM 890 R Adventure; Jean-Yves (Switzerland): Triumph Rocket 3; Patrick (Belgium): BMW K 1600 GT; José (France): Honda CRF 1100 Africa Twin; Michel (France): Yamaha Tracer 900 GT; Renée and JP (France): BMW R 1200 RT; Nathalie (France): Suzuki Gladius 650; Jon and Vivienne (New Zealand): BMW R 1250 GS; Franck (France): Honda CBR 500 R; Laurent and Christina (France): BMW S 1000 XR; Jean and I (United States): BMW R 1250 GS; and Brian (United States): Yamaha Tracer 900 GT.
I’m grateful for the camaraderie that developed among our posse last August. Many continue to share ride photos and videos on our Alps Tour 2023 WhatsApp group, including recent holiday greetings and our ongoing inside joke based on the teaching method used in French schools for learning English throughout the 1980s and into the ‘90s:
There are some who would prefer touring Europe in a small group with familiar faces, and that’s safe. But the joy in sharing an adventure with strangers in a strange land has its rewards, as my parents experienced in New Zealand nearly 22 years ago. We have open invitations to visit new friends in Switzerland, France and Belgium, and our next Atlantic puddle jump might be more enriched as a result.
