in the garage and take the Z1000St for a bussiness trip to France.
A research made me sure about the fact, that it might be a little cold but dry for the next days.
Preparations
On wednesday evening I used the bike for my weekly visit to the
water gmyn about 16 km from home in order to make sure
it runs well.
As expected everything went smooth, so I was sure that
no probs will come up on the 650 km (one-way) trip to Paris.
Departure
On thursday around 10:30 Uhr I was ready to leave. The Z1000ST
rested on the terrase at temperature around zero over night.
Everything was packed and a fare-well-picture was taken. All in
a sudden here it was - the problem. Due to the very cold night
the battery had not enough power to turn the strater, so that
it became a push-bike. After 20 m of pushing it fired up and I could leave.
Approx. 80 km from home in Hockenheim I did the first pit-stop for
fuel filling and to change the jeans against some isolated biker-pants.
Following the highway along Kaiserslautern, Saarbrücken the border to
France was crossed at "Goldene Bremm". Via Metz and Reims I went to
Verdun, where I left the highway to enjoy some country roads.
After a trip of approx. 600 km I decided to find an accomodation and
booked into a hotel around 17:30 Uhr located at the RN3 at the
shore of the Marne-river in th suburb of Meaux.
A hot shower took me back into life.
Candle light dinner with the great-grand-child of Frankenstein
I went downtown to fine an apropriate restaurant but onloy found
some Turkisch Kebab shops or Pizzerias. But that was not the real life
in Fance. Since the shops where still open, I bougth myself a nice
Baguette, a slice of Paté with Corichons fins and the standard quarter vin
rouge. As a dessert I decided to go for a tarte de flan from the local Patissier.
The great-grand-child of Frankenstein already has taken place at the cosy
table underneath the pavilion in the gardens. The table has been set up with the food bought.
At convenient temperatures, I enjoyed the diner, since my opposite
took 1/2 l 10-W40 which I offered her. As the landlady saw both of us
having our tête-à -tête, she brought two candels in order to complete
the candel light dinner.
The morning after
A short french petit-déjeuners was finished quickly so I jumped onto the
bike to cover the remainingl 50 km to the customer whom I had to visit.
During my meetings, the guys at the gate took good care of the Z1000ST.
Around 15:30 Uhr the day was over so I changed clothes at the
security house and put my jeans back on for a nice city tour down town
Paris. The navigator guided me along the Moulin Rouge towards the
Arc-de-Triomphe.
It is always funny to go around the cirlces in France. I stopped for a
photo shooting on the Champs-Elysée.
What did notice - a Kawa - Shop ! I entered it and Fabrice was happy
about my visit. I distributed some flyers of the vom Z-Club-Germany e.V.
It's a pitty, he did not have any old Z.
At another photo stop some Chinese came along to pose with the Z1000ST.
On the trottoirs of the Champs-Elysée the christmas market already was built up.
A short trip around the block to the Tour-Eiffel for some pics.
The I left the city in its traffic jams heading to Reims, for another stay over night, where I arrived after 2 h of travelling.
The Grand Hotel Continental was a nice one. Here I could park the bike
in the central garage right in front of the hotel.
After a refreshing shower I took a walk around the christmas market and
had a Cidre chaude along with some Crépes after the dinner.
I took my dinner in an Irish-Pub to have some Moules marinières asided
with some Guinness.
At 9:30 Uhr I left Reims and after another 5 hours ride I arrived
home dry and safely.
All pics here in the gallery ...
