Pre US-trip motorcycle warm-up

As my riding skills might be a little rusty before my US bike trip in June I decided to get a motorcycle for a few days and travel to Pembrokeshire and back. Started off in Manchester on Saturday morning and took the M56 towards northern Wales.

Great journey but very exhausting at took me much longer than it does in the car, I had to do quite a few stops on the way, on one of them even got to help a fellow French biker near Ruthin who was trying to get to Anglesey . As I am not a very experienced biker and I have hardly any experience in the UK I was a little surprised about the courtesy the bikers show to each-other. I am talking about the waves and nods that you see them giving each other. I even got a nod as I was walking down High Street in Haverfordwest and the biker riding his motorcycle recognized my biking jacket. Really makes you feel welcome and part of a group. I didn’t realize I was joining one when I passed my test. I think they might have left that part out or I just didn’t get the memo as usual ;-)

The day I travelled back to was even better than the trip down - stunning Bank holiday sunshine, very warm, summer-like temperatures - I mean British summer-like temperatures, of course and loads of other bikers on the road. Had a lunch on one of the picnic tables at the Corris rest site at Tan-y-Coed.

I was was nicely surprised when I drove up to the Mersey tunnel as I was dreading having to pay the toll: trying to get the right toll booth that was attended, getting my gloves off, finding my wallet and hoping I would have enough money and that I didn’t pack the wallet in one of the panniers. It turns out the tunnels are free for motorcyclists - all you have to do is to drive on the far left side of the tolls and there is a narrow drive for bikers only. Cool :-)