Day 30 - Back Home

Saturday 22nd July 2017

Fittingly it is a grey and drizzly morning for our return home. I always feel sad when a trip comes to an end. The final grind of M20, M25, M11 and A1 back up to Yorkshire is familiar and seriously boring. Has to be done though.

I'm already thinking of making an autumn tour to Spain before the season ends. Mick has too much granddad duty lined up for him to join me so it will have to be a solo trip.

We arrive at rhe Eurotunnel tunnel early and are able to select an earlier train than our booking specifies. However there is a delay due to a cancelled train and the UK customs are backed up. Only 3 of the 8 customs lanes are manned and we sit for almost an hour in the driving rain before we are through. I can't help feeling that this is a sign of things to come as Brexit follows its depressing course. My opinion only - Mick is a confirmed Brexiteer but somehow our friendship survives!

 As we approach the Dartford crossing there is a huge cloudburst. Bloody typical! Finally the traffic clears and we are on the long blast home, arriving in Doncaster around 14:30.

We have completed 4,400 miles since we set out one month ago. The sturdy K1200 has used no oil at all on the whole trip. We have had no mechanical issues, no accidents and no losses. Pretty good going I reckon.

Favourite place visited? Well that has to be the Bridge on the Drina. I had been looking forward to that for 13 years.
 
The bridge on the Drina at Visigrad

Favourite ride? it's a familiar one, the evening ride without luggage up the Umbrail Trail to the Stelvio summit and back again. Hardly any other traffic, beautiful weather and perfect tarmac. I was definitely 'on it' that evening (bikers will get this!)
 
On the Umbrail Trail

Scariest moment? I have to choose my first sight of that 12-foot killer snake that almost had me on the Croatian coast. It gets bigger every time I think about it.

That 20-foot deadly snake

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