Pre Ride Organisation Day

Our pre ride organisation day was a day to get ourselves together and prepared for our ride. A day to sort things out, settle logistics, get everything packed, work out team dynamics and plans, get maps and routes sorted and be confidant in what we were about to undertake. But, like all things on this trip so far, nothing is ever that easy.

Half of our support crew had arrived the day before, John and Nancy (Damian’s parents) so at breakfast we made a plan for the day.

We had to pick up the two support cars from the airport, our English riding buddy Chris who found out about us on the internet, quickly deck the cars out with the bike racks and luggage and head to Monaco picking up Tara who was part of the support crew (and Damian’s sister) along the way. That way we could check in by 5 and have an early night.



We camped out at the hotel we’d stayed at the previous night (even though we’d checked out for the day) and waited for Damian and John to pick up the cars. And waited. And politely smiled at the hotel staff who were wondering why we were still using their facilities and free internet. And waited.

Finally Damian came back. John was apparently right behind him. When an hour went by and John still hadn’t showed up we started to worry. He put our nerves at ease though when he phoned through to the hotel to let us know he was ok, then let them sky rocket again when he told us he’d run into a concrete barrier and the car was not going anywhere.

Three hours later and one missing hub cap the whole team had regrouped out the front of the hotel thanks to the help of some very nice French people and conveniently located mechanics. By now it was about 4.00pm and there was still so much to do. And Damian decided the best place to do it was right out the front of the hotel. So we pulled the cars right up to the doorstep, blocking their parking as well, and put the bike racks together there. We worked away out the front of their hotel until 7.00pm. When the staff finally saw the bikes on the roof, the cars all packed and all of us ready to go they nearly threw us a going away party. That was until Damian decided to use their free internet one more time.



Smooth sailing for the rest of the night, if you don’t include us getting lost for about an hour on the way to the new hotel. Our apartment was amazing and had the best view (see below). We had tea and got to bed at about 12.30, not the greatest start for our tour but a start none the less.