From: mcardle@prl.philips.nl (Owen McArdle)
Subject: Trip-report: long & boring.
Originator: mcardle@prl.philips.nl
Organization: Philips Research Labs Eindhoven
Date: Mon, 5 Oct 1992 14:35:22 GMT


Snore,
snore,
snore.


	And that basically is all I want to do right now, as I recover
from my 1st all-nighter on the bike. Totally self-inflicted, voluntary,
& unforced, which only makes it all the better.

	Each Autumn on the 1st w'end in Oct, the KNMV organises the
Herfstnachtrit (~= Autumn night ride), which is an all-night tour through
the Netherlands. This year the route was through the North of the country,
and was about 600-700 km (which totalled 1,000km when I'd added in my 
drive to/from the start/finish), ridden by several hundred riders.

	Compared to last year, we were very lucky, with a beautiful clear 
night, which made for some lovely moonlit stretches along various canals 
& rivers, through quiet villages, past burning cars (I didn't stop to 
investigate that one - it was in the middle of nowhere), and into a 
bright, clear sunrise. The atmosphere was great, with everyone being in 
various stages of tiredness/2nd wind, though I feel I missed out on the 
real feel of a mass tour by being one of the last half-dozen to leave the 
start, and so continually being in among the tail-enders (I took a wrong 
turn getting to the start - the first of many!).

	The route was laid through twisty country roads, past farmhouses, 
rivers & through the odd little village. To get from N.Holland to 
Friesland we crossed over the Afsluitdijk, something which I always 
wanted to do, but at 05.00 you don't see a lot (but you definitely feel 
the wind). No hills (hey, we're in the Netherlands) which may have 
reduced the `biking-pleasure', but those little roads were challenge 
enough - especially if your headlight isn't focused far enough away: every
corner becomes a blind corner. I tagged along with couple on a Goldwing 
for a while - now they had SERIOUS wattage up front.

	It being fairly nippy on such a clear night (down to 7-10 C), I 
was well bundled up, but still succumbed to the early-morning shivers 
around 06.00. I passed several who were nowhere near as well covered as 
myself, and either I'm the biggest wimp in the world, or the Dutch are 
hardier than I give them credit for. Driving 700 km at night with only a 
pair of trainers on my feet would leave me with non-functioning ankles.

	The organisation was well-prepared, knew their audience, and did 
a great job (OK, they're on number 20 of the Autumn- & #50 of the 
Midsummer-night trips, so they know the ropes). Rest-stops were every
150-180 Km, with coffee, soup, sandwiches etc provided, no queues, and
24-hour petrol-stations included here & there to aid the flow (though
there was a hiccup at our 2nd stop: no petrol-pumps working! After about
3/4 hr. we got going, so cut off about 80km of the route to make it to 
the next checkpoint in time). There was a loudness-check at the start,
and lot of emphasis on quiet riding in the vicinity of houses/in towns,
and I must say that there were no extremely noisy bikes buzzing around
the back-markers.

	The amount of single-travellers like myself was minimal, pairs/
trios being the main grouping in the tail-enders (with a group of 8 
TransAlps in there as well), though at the rest stops it was just sit down
& chat with all & sundry. I hooked up with the couple on the 'Wing for a
while, as the passenger was along to do the navigating, which at night, 
with a torch was a pain for me. Come daybreak I took off again on my own, 
though meeting up again & again as one or other of us took wrong turns & 
doubled back, to catch up again.

	Would I do it again ? NOT in the next month, that's for sure,
but I'll certainly give it a look next Midsummer - & I'll be better 
prepared (guess who forgot a map-holder: my route description did not
take kindly to being shoved down behind the windscreen). I did get the 
customary souvenir t-shirt, and noticed this am. that it was made in 
Ireland!


	To the reader who wanted to know about the comfort of the 
Seca-II's seat (over here the XJ600S goes under the name `Diversion'),
I was in the saddle almost continuously, with about 4/5 x 1/2hour 
breaks, and the old butt was in good shape when I finally hauled myself 
up the stairs yesterday - to immediately fall into bed. That coupled 
with ~500km straight (stopped only for petrol) recently has definitely 
made me appreciate that saddle.

	Speaking of saddles - saw a Harley parked outside the pub Fri
night with a horse' saddle instead of a normal one - pommel & all. I hope
- if it's a guy who owns it - that he doesn't have too many emergency
stops. I've never ridden a horse, but it sure looked potentially damaging
to me.

Owen.
-- 
Owen P.McArdle          || e-mail : mcardle@prl.philips.nl
Philips Research Labs.  || 'phone : +31-40-742824
Eindhoven, Nederland    || vice	  : XJ600S      DOD#0335
Newsgroups: rec.motorcycles