Museo Ferrari

Well, that's one visit sorted, to the home of the prancing horse!

Day 8 will see us taking a leisurely ride down from Lake Garda to Maranello. It's just over 2 hours. Our destination is just outside the town but before heading for the hotel, we'll be paying a visit to Ferrari. I've booked us tickets to get into the museum, which should be quite interesting to say the least. I've also taken the liberty of spending some more of Grizzly's cash and booked us on a minibus trip that will take us out onto Ferrari's own Fiorano test track, purpose built for giving the prancing horses a run out, plus a tour through the factory complex. The bus tour only happens twice a day and is limited to 10 people. We are booked on the 13:30 tour, so leaving Garda around 10am should give us plenty of time.

Day 9, we'll be heading to Bologna and visiting the two wheeled red stallions at Ducati or Doocardie, as the Americans call them.  Unfortunately, their booking form seems to have a bug and I've been unable to book the tour there as yet. Later that day, we'll arrive in Pisa and I'm hoping to get us in the Leaning Tower, though I can't book for that until 24th June. Time enough for Grizzly to decide whether he thinks he can manage the 294 steps to the top!

More news as and when I have some.

The Ferrari California T

Bits and pieces

Just a couple of things as departure gets nearer. As previously mentioned, I plan to get some new tyres fitted. I have sourced a pair of Michelin Pilot Road 4s, which I am hoping to get fitted in the week. I had MPR3s on the Bandit and they were superb. I shall also be getting a Scottoiler, though as yet, I've not decided whether to get it fitted or attempt it myself. I've read it's an easy DIY job but I figure if I pay for fitting, if something goes wrong, I have some comeback. If I screw it up myself, no comeback. That should be sorted in the next couple of weeks. Before that though, next Sunday, Biggsy and I are riding The Ride of Respect at Brize Norton. Dudley was to be on it with me, so Biggsy has taken his place. I'll be giving Dudley's bandana a run out though, in his memory. Also hoping to hook up with Dudley's son and daughter, Lewis and Suzie, for a coffee, if possible.

Back to the tour, I've managed to switch the tunnel crossing I had booked for Biggsy to the car and now Cath and I will be using it for a long weekend in France, over August bank holiday, staying at a little place called Senlis, just north of Paris and a few miles east of Chantilly.

Next on my tour agenda is to book the museum/Pisa tickets.

Watch this space.

Then There Were Two

Nothing to do with Genesis but it is now official, that there will only be myself and Grizzly on the tour. Time has run out for Biggsy and we have decided to accept defeat. His house isn't even on the market yet and though I suspect he won't have much trouble selling it, I don't think there is the slightest chance that he would have moved and be holding the folding in time to set out on 6th July. He'll just have to wait fo the Scandinavian tour in 2015!

With it confirmed we are a two, I set about cancelling the excess hotel rooms, most of which were twins and going forward I can look to book tickets for some of the attractions we plan to visit, such as the Ferrari museum and Pisa's leaning tower. There's also some bits to sort out on the bike before we set off too. I'm going to need some new tyres, the current set have done over 7000 miles and have flatted, meaning they follow the road contours quite badly. I'm also contemplating getting a Scottoiler fitted, to keep the chain lubricated over the 2700 miles of the tour. Learning from experience, I didn't touch the chain when we did the Reservoir Hogs tour in 2012 and that was well and truly shagged at the end of 2200 miles, though the Scottish rain probably added to the damage. I'm not expecting any rain on this tour but you never know.

Only 60 days to go now.