C90 Dreams, the blog!

Blog about Nothing

2010-01-05T11:15:00.001-08:00

It has been a little while since I have written on the blog so thought I’d make a quick contribution. It’s now far too wintery to be riding around on C90’s but Bon has managed to buy 2 anyway. Thats right...2! He found some dude online, once again based in Southampton who has a shed full of old shit relating to scooters. He bought 1 MOT’d and intact replica of Maurice and 1 knackered old streak of piss with bits dangling off it. Chucked in were what seemed like 30 or 40 engines that had various parts missing and stuff, but I think its Bon’s idea of a good time so thats alright by me.

Either way things are looking a bit C90 again. I re-upholstered my seat and have had Red C90 MOT’d, even bought him some new white legshields. I am hoping that we will be able to plan some escape for next year.

There shall be no stupid philosophical musings because I just don’t have the energy. I’m thinking of starting another blog related to that kind of thing alone anyway because it seems a bit weird that every time I want to express some thought or theory I have to relate it to C90’s to fit it on this blog. One day I’ll get a brain and structure all this nonsense anyway, release a book around christmas time with a ridiculous cartoony cover depicting like maybe Socrates or Aristotle kaning a C90 around a Greek Island in a toga. I imagine it’ll be called something like ‘Moped’s and Minds: Enlightened Thinking for the Nathan Barley Generation’, bleaurgh.

The more disenfranchised I get with the world without the daily task of bum-aching, whinge inducing, snail-paced scooter riding the more I wonder what is wrong with the world that it honestly seems like a viable alternative.

Over and out! What a caffeine fueled load of old bollocks

Theft

2009-11-10T12:34:00.000-08:00

Two blogs in a very short space of time. I hope the few people who are reading this don’t have heart attacks. That morning I wrote the previous one, I was having other thoughts that I just thought I would like to share.

The topic is theft. We will leave aside for the sake of simplicity the theft conducted by organised bodies, legal or illegal, and focus more on random acts of petty theft (although much well thought out ‘white collar’ theft is indeed petty). Since C90 Dreams was a gurgling baby of an idea the three of us have collectively suffered roughly 4 or 5 attempted thefts (the simple attempt to cut locks with bolt cutters or hacksaws), 1 theft and recovery (Bon’s Maurice ended up in a graveyard with bits missing last year), 1 actual theft (Jamie’s first C90 stolen from outside our place of work) and most recently 1 brutal torching.

The most tangible impact of this is that 2 C90’s have been permanently lost. Jamie’s stolen one was never to be seen again, anyone that reads the Oxford Mail or Oxford Star may already know this. It was front page news on one of them (I forget which). Bon’s faithful Maurice however, was burnt to cinders the night we got back from our trip to the New Forest (September 2009).

The implications of Jamie’s lost one were fairly minimal apart from in monetary terms. It was a week before we were due to set off for Greece but Jamie admirably took the bull by the horns and bought another one by scouring ebay the day after the theft. In the end no disruption was caused other than to Jamie's bank account. Maurice being burned to bits however, is a pretty significant event. That bike hadn’t been taxed since the 80’s when Bon acquired it in the Spring of 2008. He restored it to MOT standard and rode the fucker all the way to Greece and back at 40mph since it wouldn’t go any faster. When we got back he continued to work on the bike on and off for a year (never going more than 40mph, sorry Bon). Then, for absolutely no apparent reason that night after the New Forest, while we were all still on massive natural highs the bike was placed in the centre of the road and set on fire. He now has no bike. It wasn’t just a bike but an embodiment of the original idea, a signifier for everything that C90 Dreams has been about. All those who go inter-railing on gap years or around the world on planes rarely have that vehicle to shower love and meaning upon whenever one feels like it. It is a true shame, and it is massively massively shit.

The battle rages on. I went to pick my C90 up from Jamie’s a couple of weeks ago to take for a service and low and behold, the lock and chain was half severed by some bolt cutters, another failed attempt that next time could be a ‘success’. C90’s appear to be massively desirable trophies to fucking oiks who long to ride them around a field and set them on fire. It makes my blood boil. People leave their keys in the ignition in Greece and don’t fear this kind of treatment.

Get the fuck off my C90, get the fuck off Jamie’s C90 and when he has another one, get the fuck off Bon’s C90. Why do these little pricks want them so much? Do they know what they mean to this whole thing? Of course not. They don’t know anything because their brains are made of chips.

Bon with Maurice & my Red C90 having happier times at the foot of the Acropolis:

RIP Maurice

Ends in themselves

2009-11-08T04:29:00.000-08:00

I have spent a reasonable amount of time lying in bed this morning doing a bit of musing on stuff and generally feeling a bit sorry for myself. This situation can sometimes call for an ipod exploration. Is there anything I can listen to that will sooth my aching bones? What I ended up with was a test video of one of the days just getting into the alps during our trip. I began to feel that sensation that I often get when my mental energy is truly focused on the trip. Now, I’m fully aware of the amount of time I’ve spent going on and on about the significance of the trip to me, but the feeling I had was immediate and very powerful. I proceeded to watch a little trailer I made around a year ago. I don’t mind admitting to whoever is reading this that I was welling up at this point. It may seem a little pathetic but really thinking about that stuff sends me somewhere else, somewhere where I truly value things for what they are.

Treating people as a means to an end happens all the time in ‘real life’. Our jobs depend on those kinds of relationships to allow us to flourish both emotionally and financially. Much of the philosophy of ethics makes an attempt to teach us the exact opposite, which is admirable of course but ultimately impossible much of the time. Using people is something that has just become part of our daily lives.

That ‘exercise in the ridiculous’ that occurred last summer however, was a shining beacon of an example for treating people simply as ends in themselves. During that trip I really did feel that much closer to friends and strangers alike. It honestly felt as though nothing was a given, everything was a bonus and that made me very happy. Our inane chit chat, petty arguments and acceptance of the fact that what we were doing was essentially meaningless brought us closer together and formed a kind of relationship where it felt as though nothing could go wrong. As a result, nothing did. I do hope that my fellow road dogs had a similar experience.

The general public played a huge part in my experience too. A freebie bolt fitting from a kindly frenchman in a motorbike garage, a community of four households in rural Italy on a Sunday afternoon asking around for the correct fuse for a bike almost 30 years old or a simple toot of the horn from a Greek guy warning us that the corner we’re about to hit is full of pot holes. Not to mention the woops and hollers of every nationality, race and gender in support of these three idiotic brits on pizza bikes. These things make me insanely happy. If nothing more significant happens in my life I may start to regale this blog with these stories, because they make me love things.

What a stupid and life affirming thing.

The weekend is almost upon us

2009-09-02T10:20:00.000-07:00

This weekend...

The time is nearer...the weekend is almost upon us...MOT’s can wait and just because we haven’t had an outing together beyond 1 or 2 miles since last October it doesn’t mean we can’t make it a few miles more to the south coast (or there abouts) of our country with a tent and pair of pants attached. Eating as cheap as poss, drinking booze to numb the pain, talking in sleep and most importantly the sort of camaraderie that only happens once in a while. Personally I can’t wait.

The weather could well be a bit bleak and the task at hand is strangely a little daunting considering the success of such a much more mammoth journey in 2008. Obviously the other thing is that we’ve no idea where we are going to go yet. I think probably the best idea is to get a few beers in Friday night and get a map out. Its not like we haven’t done it before.

For 3 days at least....Street Hawk, Teen Wolf and The Guy From The Sweeny shall be free again.

For C90!!!!

The Wrath Of Poseidon C90 Dreams

2009-08-27T04:29:00.000-07:00

The Wrath Of Poseidon.

General ramblings

2009-08-21T11:55:00.000-07:00

Its a beautiful summers day and I am on the Oxford Tube heading to see my brother in Brixton. This should be a great thing really, but it has only just dawned on me that it would be the most perfect day possible to ride C90, and I am in a constant state of regret right now, just wishing I had taken this opportunity to cruise my way there. I know I had a bad experience last time but it really shouldn’t put me off having another lone trip to the capital and I feel a bit of a loser, a bit ashamed. What would my C90 think? He’s probably not going to be speaking to me when I get back since it was such a perfect chance to stretch his legs, he is a hardcore tourer after all and must be ridden great distances and for as long as possible.

I can only hope that Bon, Jamie and I finally get round to doing this reunion trip that we’ve been talking about. I think we are planning a little weekend away to the coast very soon. It will be an honour to ride with my C90 brethren again and I do long for it.

Editing the movie is going pretty well. It has taken a long time to get used to editing with Final Cut and the best techniques to using it but I am becoming more adept at it daily and have tried to let it consume me. The results so far however, are a little worrying. The entire production now weighs in at a mammoth 4 or 5 hours, and there must be some severe culling of boring clips involving riding, eating lunch or winging. We will probably keep a ‘directors cut’ for ourselves just so that we have a record of our adventure and can still relive the moments that we find hilarious even though nobody else would get it. Saying that, we are humans, and humans have a lot of things in common with each other even if they pretend not to. I suppose people might like listening to Jamie moan about how chocolate in France isn’t chocolate its always Nutella, or watch Bon fiddle with the arrangement of his bags, or witness my birds nest hairdo mumble incoherently from exhaustion atop a ferry.

Bring on the Cannes Film Festival!!!

New Honda Super Cub

2009-08-15T04:01:00.000-07:00

Apparently a NEW Super Cub is being released in Japan in 2010!!!!

Problem is I seriously doubt we’ll see it over here which is a huge shame, would be so brilliant to see loads of them combating all the chav-tastic machines making so much noise about the place. Check it out anyway, its a beaut! Personally I really like it as it takes a lot of the old styling and modernises it a bit. I really do hope that we’ll see some over here at some point but as I say...I’m not holding my breath.

Knackered musings on Enlightened dreaming....

2009-07-31T14:11:00.000-07:00

I find myself sitting alone in my living room on a Friday night having just drank 2 cans of lager in about 10 minutes, not cool you may say...but I’ve gotten to thinking a bit and anyone who has ever read these blogs (or spoken to me, ever) probably knows what that means. I thought I might put that fact to good use and get finger tips to keys in an outburst of meandering ‘think bits’ just to try and make life a little more coherent, for myself if nobody else.

Anyway. While eating my din dins and necking those beers I sit in silence with a book by A.C Grayling about the history of the Enlightenment. I’m not pretentious, trying to be clever (I’m not) or a pompous twurp, I just found it in a charity shop in Notting Hill. I inevitably relate this evenings readings to myself, I am human after all and humans do this an awful lot.

(Please bear with me, this will eventually relate to C90’s, sort of)

I’ve not finished the book but so far Grayling has mostly been giving an historical account of the oppression of ideas, science, creativity and human flourishing exercised by absolute monarchy and its relationship with organised religion, mostly Christianity: “For religious orthodoxy attempts, in the interests of holy truth, to constrain not just enquiry and expression but thought itself”. As he approaches the time of the enlightenment however, he begins to speak about an exciting time of the movement towards the freedom that many of us in ‘the west’ currently enjoy (or take for granted). My mind is humming with the excitement that must have been felt by the intellectuals engaged in this project and I try to realise just how fortunate I am to be in the position I am. I will be in no way dubbed a heretic, burned at the stake or both for disagreeing with the values of a monarch or poxy government, in fact I can barely remember who the pissing monarch is. My degree of freedom is unprecedented, more than I could possibly hope to understand so be thankful for that friends, not for the ready meal with the 20p yellow sticker on it or a free pint.

The book features a quote from Immanuel Kant’s 1784 essay ‘What is Enlightenment?’:

“Enlightenment is man’s emergence from his self-imposed immaturity. Immaturity is the inability to use one’s understanding without guidance from another. This immaturity is self-imposed when its cause lies not in lack of understanding, but in lack of resolve and courage to use it without guidance from another. Saper Aude! [dare to know] - “Have courage to use your own understanding!” - that is the motto of enlightenment.”

Powerful stuff I think, and it begins to smack of C90 dreams (to me anyway). To understand the simple possibility of an act or event is understanding none the less. So here’s to the knowledge that any distance across land is possible to travel, regardless of the means. Here’s to the knowledge that you can drop what you are doing and it will either be ‘ok’ or it wont. Here’s to the knowledge that only you can do stuff, others can’t do it for you. Most of all: ‘HERE’S TO CREATIVE AND INTELLECTUAL FREEDOM!!!!!!!’

I raise what has now turned into a mug of tea to you my friends (getting drunk alone usually turns sour), because regardless of my 10 hour crappy day at work (it was crappy) I am now free to be creative, enjoy or make music and art, discover new science, make movies about C90’s or piss about in any way I like. Without the enlightenment, I would probably have no C90, and definitely no dreams.

C90 Dreams lives on! New blogs coming up....

2009-07-27T14:49:00.000-07:00

So,

I have decided to begin writing again. Let the creativity flow and the stupidity engulf my soul! These blogs may occur every now and again from now on in an attempt to continue the marvelous thing that was/is C90 Dreams. It is almost a year now since the three of us handed in our notice at work and committed to something that I personally am still unable to define. The inspiration to start writing again was a conversation with Jamie over some med style dinner and a few glasses of vino. We discussed what it is to be a man. Big stuff I know, massive massive philosophy involved and in the most structured and coherent way possible. Well, perhaps not. Jamie did explicitly state however: “C90 Dreams is the best thing I have ever done”. Why was a pointless and so finite an exercise such a seminal moment in his life? So my first blog of 2009 will be what I think he might be on about.

First of all I must say that I don’t mean to over-egg C90 Dreams. It wasn’t profound and it didn’t change the world. There are still totalitarian regimes and there is still plenty of suffering whether human, animal or Earth itself. It did however, do something for those involved, it did make us feel different. The world is now smaller, more malleable and we are even less afraid to be silly. In fact I now question whether its being silly that allows one to cast aside one’s existential concerns or questions. Maybe it really is just that all we can do in this life is be a bit stupid and in well measured doses hoping not to cause anyone pain or suffering. Being silly doesn’t necessarily have to mean immature either. You can be silly and have as many adventures as you like in this life, its just that as we grow up we cease to call them adventures and begin calling them ‘challenges’. Why is having your first child a challenge or burden? Why isn’t it an adventure? Being silly with a child is exactly what you have to do in order to communicate with them after all. Of course this comes from a man who has no children on the horizon in any way, but the theory is there!!

It seems on this trip we really struck a healthy balance of those sort of higher pleasures difficult to obtain such as riding unfit bikes 2000 miles (and 2000 miles back if you’re me or Bon) and baser, more convenient and instant pleasures such as French patisserie treats and coffee for breakfast. I wont forget the somewhere in-between pleasures of pure observation: the great fields of gold, the alps, the ocean and the road.

Riding C90’s every day proved to be arse aching and absolutely shattering, but never unrewarding. It was something which I don’t think any of us necessarily thought we would actually do, a mere pipe dream thought up because we were all a bit bored. We did it though, and the funny thing was it wasn’t even that difficult. It was just a case of shifting our consciousness into a different realm.

George Orwell said that poverty annihilates the future...well C90’s annihilate almost everything outside of one’s current sphere of consciousness. Most days they focused our minds to simpler things: the road, beauty, hunger, thirst or simply the disbelief that we were actually in France or Switzerland or Italy or Greece on C90’s. There was I suppose a good few nights of putting the world to rights with some tins as well though, can’t forget those.

So maybe what Jamie was drunkenly trying to say the other night was just that it was an experience like no other, simple as that. As long as we don’t let the finiteness of life depreciate such an experience, then I am sure it is something we will always hold very, very dearly to us.

Liam

Red C90 in London

2008-10-24T03:19:00.000-07:00

Hi all,

Well this is a bit naughty because this trip is officially over so I'm not sure I should be blogging anymore, but alas...I'm angry.

I had decided that while unemployed, I would take the opportunity to see people that I don't see all that often. I needed to get down to various parts of London and its not cheap to get loads of public transport in London, in fact it cost a pissing fortune. What better way, thinks I, to get down to London for hardly anything and be able to get around as and when I need to than to ride Red C90! A mere bagatelle I thought as I looked at the route to my brothers in Brixton. I whacked his road into my satnavvy phone thingy just in case I got lost and set off. All told it was at least 2 hours and 45 minutes later that I arrived in Brixton and I was VERY cold, so not a massively smooth trip. I calculated petrol costs at about £1.80 though which is amazing, chuffed with that, a doddle I think...it'll cost me hardly anything this trip.

I park it up down his road and sort myself out (he's not there, can't be arsed to explain). Next day I wake up still in high spirits, only to find that from 8:30 to 5:30 its resident parking only and my little pizza bike has a big yellow c**t stuck on it. I read the ticket..£60 if you pay in 14 days, £120 if not. YES! I think, I love being unemployed. It starts my day off terribly and I proceed to despise the world once more (don't need to point out the lack of ANY problems with the law over 5 weeks riding around Europe). I miserably sit in a cafe reading to try and forget about it. Later I am desperately trying to forget about it as I ride to soho to see someone else. Halfway there I stop for petrol only to reach into my pocket to find my (pretty new) mobile phone gone. I completely panicked and had to re-trace my tracks on a red route in central London looking all over the road for a phone which was probably flat by now. Alas...its just down the road, battery was a few meters away but I re-assemble and it works, its just missing the back so I guess I'll make one out of gaffa tape.

Anyway I breath a sigh of relief for now but still feel like a little naive child who's 'doesn't understand how London works' as people beep me and all that shit. So I park up in a scooter/motorbike bay in soho. I am careful to look for tickets on other bikes, and for a sign, can't see owt so I presume that, like when I spent a lot more time in London as a teenager/scooter rider, they are still free.

I eat and talk.

I find my bike again (almost lost it) and its got..........a ticket on it. £40 if I pay in 14 days, £80 if not. I was beginning to snap out of my resentment for everything ever, and then this. I find some sign miles away which states that you have to call this number between whatever time and whatever time and PAY YOUR PARKING FEE OVER THE PHONE. What the hell?

So...maybe its my fault, I'm a little twurp whatever, I don't care. Maybe its that the law is mental and I can't go anywhere or do anything that I want to. Maybe I was stuck in my Oxford bubble. When you next see me if you are reading this and know me, please don't mention it because its painful.

My £1.80 journey actually costs £101.80 and I have no job, no money...and my self worth has been shot. I've been being all thrifty and trying to save money and when I do HAVE to spend some I have to give it to the government of one of the worlds richest countries, I can't help but feel a bit depressed about that.

Lesson...don't try. Arch de Triomphe is way easier.

England, what do I make of it

2008-09-27T23:50:00.000-07:00

I awake....

In a room that I call mine but its just a rented studenty property that looks like a million others in Oxford. Its 7am on a sunday and I have no food in the house and feel like shit. I get up and take my washing out that I put on, hang it out in the freezing cold and put another load on. I make a coffee using the rubbish pot of instant I bought in Greece in some desperate dash for nostalgia. I have been drinking beer and Ouzo all night at Jamie's house. I could hardly help but decide to get up and write something.

Riding off the ferry was probably one of the most strange experiences yet. For a start I have to drift over to the left, along with adjusting to the fact that I understand the road signs. As we rode up the A2 I felt nothing from the other drivers, as our GB stickers were no longer unique, funny or out of the ordinary.

I begin to feel unusual.

We are trundling along at our usual pace of 40mph but it doesn't feel right, some people are angry. I decide to pull over at a petrol station to fill up my back tyre. I've had a slow puncture for about 5 days so its pretty imperative. Here's why I hate the air machine I found myself with:

a) It costs 20p for 2 minutes. Anywhere else in Europe its free, regardless of your other purchases.
b) Its overly complicated. You have to set it to the amount of PSI you want and it does it automatically. Why? Can people not let air in and out until its as they require?
c) Its obviously not built for a C90 as I can't get the thing onto the valve within the 2 minutes, thus I lose 20p and have to pay again.

So...I kick the machine like a little frustrated child and call it various obscenities. Bon tells me I should have thought about how to get the nozzle on previous to paying, my response is equally childish as I tell him to f**k off (sorry Bon, we're all hurting).

We ride on. I can't help but notice the colossal amount of speed limit signs. We ride through smaller towns and absolutely everywhere, I mean everywhere, there are speed cameras telling you that you are getting a fine and you are doing wrong. I realise that my every move could cause me to get some sort of ticket.

As we come into London we pull into a sort of gated community driveway thing so have a quick stop and chat, there is a sign:
"Private property. By parking here you are agreeing to pay a £60 fine as it is now within your knowledge that this is private property"....or something to that effect. There are little pictures of video cameras everywhere and notices saying that the police monitor the traffic flow in the area. I feel totally at a loss. I can no longer cut across things or whizz up a one way road the wrong way just for a second, or ride on the pavement for absolute fear that I will be prosecuted. I feel more restricted here that all those places where I didn't even speak the language.

I continue to act like a total baby. I remember the ride down to Dover when some chav prick threw a magazine out a car window at Bon and it drives me to fury. I jump to a million conclusions and decide I hate England. On my arrival home Aiden (my housemate) tells me that the only thing worth noting is that somebody tried to steal his bike. Tom woke up (was staying in my room) so they fled but they cracked one of my bedroom windows on their exit.

Why can I leave a C90 with stuff strapped all over it with the keys in the ignition in Greece for as long as I please? Nobody would ever bother to steal it.

Jamie even said as we met him yesterday "remember to lock your bikes up lads, we're not in Greece now this place is full of pricks"

What's going on?

This is a right old whinge but I'm really really upset....the adventure is over.

Liam

Amiens....again

2008-09-25T09:11:00.000-07:00

Right....very quick one because were back at our very first campsite on the whole of C90 dreams! Its come full circle and feels pretty weird. Our ferry is booked for Saturday....Jamie get the beers in mate!!!! Well be back about 4 or 5.

Lots to tell but this keyboard is a nightmare; it shall havt to wait!

zzzzz

2008-09-21T13:35:00.000-07:00

all I'm able to say is that I'm more tired than I can remember ever being.... but it's been a properly ace 24 hours. Liam summed it up pretty well..
Progress has been good.
The petrol station was hillarious.
This morning was cold, but excellent.
The old bloke who ferried me round today is a good old boy.
Turin is nice.
Tomorrow will be more of the same...

Bon

Italy, ferries and road doggery....

2008-09-21T12:57:00.000-07:00

Well....

Holding back tears from just watching Jamie's video (thank you for finding that tune) just then and reading his beautiful outro from his perspective...I now write to you from the perspective of myself and Bon.

I am sitting in a room in Torino (Turin, Italy) after a very early and interesting morning, but let me give you a quick run down. Obviously you know Jamie has now flown home. Bon and I toasted a can of Mythos to him that night sitting on our outside table of the hotel room and tried to hold it together. We busied ourselves for the next couple of days (the wind park is amazing Jamie, gutted you weren't there) in Milos and then got on the boat back to Piraues. After a hairy re-entry into Athens-ish mental nutcase driving land we found an overpriced campsite and settled. The next day we got to Patra in good time and boarded our ferry to Ancona Italy (nothing much happened other than a lot of sleep on the deck in sleeping bags).

The morning that we arrived we rode like the dogs we have become to Piacenza, loads and loads of miles. A slight shock from the usual lack of helmets, t-shirts and sunglasses as we get treated to torrents of rain. Rain that lasted for hours and hours and pummeled us worse than any other weather conditions yet. Oh how we laughed at the situation we found ourselves in, both of us admitting to individual dialogues within our crash helmets asking ourselves what the hell we were doing. When we arrived at our destination a hostel was promised from this land of sunglasses, stylish 14 year olds and loads and loads of money (it seems)...but the hostel did not deliver...it was full.

So we took some initiative while filling up with petrol at about 19.30 hours. There is nobody around and the obvious choice is to hunker down behind the petrol station over looking a prison, fuel ourselves with food and beer and wait for nightfall. When dark enough we set up a tent and chuck a sheet over the bikes. We're in our sleeping bags by 21.30 hours and just decide to get a super early night in our concrete hotel room and get up super early and bugger off.

Success! We wake up and get everything packed back up for absolutely no cash! We are however, freezing our nuts off. We ride off towards Torino (where we now reside in a more than comfortable hostel) in pitch black with rubbish C90 headlights and fog as thick as that cloud we rode through in the alps. No improvements in the weather until about 11.00....nightmare, wet and freezing again. During this journey the second ever technical problem occured as the fuse in Bon's battery popped without reason. It was yet another affirmation of humans in general as some local guy (knocked on his door) drove Bon to a local garage to find another only to find it closed. Some other locals were then involved and more garbled Italian/English/Sign language insued. It ended up with a tin foil improv session and away we went!

Torino (Turin) is massive, grand and huge all at once.

More updates to come....

Sorry this one was so factual but I had to cover a lot of ground. Jamie needs an update so I hope I delivered!

2008-09-20T11:01:00.001-07:00

C90 Dreams

2008-09-20T10:28:00.000-07:00

2008-09-20T09:47:00.000-07:00

Some photo's from our c90 journey.

leaving Milos without C90

2008-09-18T04:40:00.000-07:00

Smoking a cigarette on the deck of the ferry watching as Milos disappears in to the distance.

I'm at the end of an adventure, I'm no longer a road dog with my trusty C90 motorbike, I'm like everyone else here, a tourist on my way home after a weeks holiday on a Greek island. maybe I always was a tourist, but with a motorbike carrying your belongings and a map you can go anywhere, anytime, you are free to do what you want. You don't stand in line having your passport checked. I have been through England, France, over the Alps, Switzerland, Italy and Greece. No one looked at my passport, people waved me through borders. When I get to the Airport I will be back in the system, I'll be in line and I'll have my bottle of water taken away from me for my safety.

I hadn't realised what an impact this trip had made on me until it was over.

I'd spoken to Liam about how easy it had seemed, both of us expecting the hardship to teach us something about ourselves and the world. what ever I have learnt is far more subtle and gentle than I'd imagined.

I don't think this trip was difficult it just wasn't easy.

it took us a little over 2 weeks to get to Greece from Oxford on our little pizza bikes, it will take 3-4 hours for me to get back to England on a plane.

This trip has helped me understand and love the journey as much as the destination. Moving through beautiful landscapes and scenery, crossing countries the old way, taking time. It's an excellent way to travel and i can't remember feeling more connected with the world.

Jamie

Departure of a dreamer

2008-09-15T12:27:00.001-07:00

Off goes Jamie today on the ferry to Piraeus. A weird moment as he films us ride off on our steeds away from the port and back to our now familiar temporary home on Milos. His bike probably being dismantled as we speak, he'll probably fill you in on that.

Its sad and the apartment seems quite empty just two of us, but we toast some cans of Mythos to that chap with the doom blue C90 and eat a simple meal of pasta with tomatoes, cheese and olive oil. Wednesday we ride like dogs across Greece again, back to Patra for (hopefully) a Thursday ferry to Ancona, Italy. Then our stamina will have to show its face as we pummel our behinds for about two weeks straight.

We are a man and a C90 down...

but we must push on....

must find a new home for C90

2008-09-14T01:28:00.000-07:00

When we started this journey we all wanted the same sort of thing, we wanted to quit jobs that left us no time to do anything, and we wanted space to do something ridiculous and stupid, but most of all we wanted to ride Little Honda C90's (chicken chasers,steppy's,pizza bikes) from Oxford to Greece.

Well we've done that. We got here. And now because it's the end of the journey for me I've become a little distracted.
I've only ever thought about riding to Greece, I've never thought about riding home, so this is it.
Also my relationship with my bike has changed. I've been trying to sell it here in Milos so I can fly home, but everyone I approach about possibly buying it treats me with suspicion. One guy thought I'd rented it and was trying to sell it. People don't believe I rode it here.

I could think of no better home for C90 than on a Greek Island, I think it would be a good place for my tired old Knowledge bike from sussex to spend his twilight years.
People use stuff out here, I met this guy the other day with a beaten up old German bike.
I chatted with him about it, he informed me that he'd had it for 40 years! I asked him if it ever broke down, he simply answered "often" and smiled. That's it though people know how things work out here, if things break they fix them and get on with it, maybe for 40 years or more.

Anyway I must stop thinking about the end of things go outside and ride C90 to another beach.

laters

Greek Coffee

2008-09-14T01:25:00.000-07:00

I sit in a touristy restaurant overlooking the sea. Tied up boats are bobbing on the water, though it is eerily calm for the most part. The chap comes over suspiciously, the place is all but dead apart from some Greek guys talking/shouting over some Frappe's and a shiny red English couple who don't seem to enjoy each others company that much, they are silent.

I order the cheapest coffee on the menu, a Greek coffee at 1 Euro 50. He asks if I mean a Frappe rather than a Greek coffee but I say "no thanks, a Greek coffee for me". It turns up in a little miniature bronze bedpan with a glass of water and a little almondy biscuit....yummy! I pour some out and sip it down, its thick, grainy and sweet which is why they have iced water with it, its sort of like a hot adults slush puppy. The biscuit and thick strong coffee combo is great but sends my head whizzing within seconds.

I sort of started thinking about Greece, its history and its present. Historically of course it was one of the most advanced civilizations in history, and brought us much of the basis not only for philosophy and ethical theory but also modern science. Many values determined by Plato and Aristotle have (in whatever capacity) influenced the way we Europeans live. It seems sort of weird that one of the the primary industry's in Greece today is tourism, often from the English or the Germans for some reason. We all know this but occasionally it surprises you when a 12 year old working in a market on an island miles away from England goes "thank you have a nice holiday!" and stuff like that.

The relaxed attitude to law in Greece in the present smacks of Aristotle's virtue ethics (wont go into why) and I sort of buy into it. To be perfectly honest I sort of enjoy riding around with no helmet, up streets the wrong way, having a cold beer with my lunch and riding down dirt tracks to get to some beach with no designated parking. There are elements we can learn a lot from as the English, that nation who will lie down (as Jamie would put it) to the law at the wave of a hand. There are laws here to wear crash helmets, obide by speed limits and not smoke in public buildings but honestly...nobody cares, they all do it anyway and Johnny law ignores it unless its an extreme case. There seems to be a trust to be responsible when its required which I like. It seems like a way of life that allows more freedom, more choice. Ryan, Efi and Eddie who all live and work in Athens report no problems with binge drinking and absolutely no problems with fighting, the height of confrontation being short shouting matches.

Make what you will of the comparison between Ancient Greece and Greece today, I dunno because I am just a tourist. Might pop to the bakery in a mo for a Spanikopida (spelling?), but they might call it a 'cheese and spinach pie' to me, what can I say.

There is however, something right here even if I can't quite put my finger on it yet.

Milos, general thoughts

2008-09-12T01:27:00.000-07:00

We have arrived here on the island of Milos.

Our mission statement if you've read it says that we are riding to the island of Tinos, which is not far from here but let me explain.

We were aiming for Tinos to see some friends and possibly have a great big Greek party. We had a bit of an awakening after coming over the alps that this was not going to happen as they would already been on their return trip to Oxford by the time we arrived. The map was slung out on the floor and we discussed how possible it would have been to arrive before the 5th or 6th of September. The blow was that we were only about half way to Greece by this point and it would have been a handshake while passing through, which is not enough to smash plates, drink ouzo and dance. Dissapointed, we discussed other options.

Ryan and Efi had given us some great advice about other islands in the Cyclades and told us of the natural beauty and great beaches of Milos. They were not wrong. Its a tiny little island built for burning about on a C90 and eating Greek salads. The place is amazing. There are natural hot springs, amazing beaches, fantastic volcanic views, thrashing oceans one side and calm fish filled shallows on another. We shall stay for a week.

It feel very different doing something like this. Are we adventurers? Holiday makers? Idiots? Or have we done something more personally rewarding than any trip/holiday altogether? Not only do I feel a personal change since arriving on a paradise island (healthier, relaxed, some perspective gained) but also a sense of time and space that can be taken for granted in the hum drum of normal life. We have been through English and French countryside, sraight over the alps (including riding through a cloud), through extremely hairy Italian roads, boarded ferry's, through smokey cities, quiet villages and now on an island where finally nobody bats an eyelid at you ragging an old pizza bike around.

The important and most significant thing is that we have not stopped moving, we have never really arrived. Its all part of a process that you learn to enjoy all of, despite its highs and lows.

Bon and I must now plan our return, which I am already excited about as mad as it sounds. Jamie will have to bid us goodbye on Tuesday to catch a flight. This will mean our team is one down and a friend is no longer involved in the adventure, a prospect that is quite upsetting. The journey is over but in another way its only half way through.

Athens

2008-09-12T00:55:00.000-07:00

Athens

We spent 2 nights in Athens and one and a half great days, largely due to the efforts of our hosts Efi &Ryan.
They put us up at their apartment fed us gave us beers, were generous and interested in our trip.
and took time to show us some cool spots around the city.

It was the first time we had been in a house since the first day of our journey, and it was strange not to be planning the following days route.

Italy-Greece-Athens

2008-09-11T01:43:00.000-07:00

Where to start?

It's been a good few days since we left Italy and arrived in Greece.
We arrived in style via a 20 hour ferry journey, passing up the cabin option and taking the sleep outside on the deck option instead.

On arrival to Greece we purchased a map and spoke to some guy for directions to Athens. He was a warm and friendly chap who congratulated us on our trip across europe and pointed us in the direction of the old smaller road.

We set off riding through town and our bikes immediatly felt at home on the dusty cracked roads. It was also the first time on our trip that we had seen other Honda C90's, they were everywhere..

We rode round the coast road and found a beautiful campsite pitching our tent about 20 meters from the shore. We swam washed filthy clothes and later drank a few beers with our meal of tined mackerel. The sound of the waves and the stars over head soothed away the 2 weeks of riding, and we sat and talked nonsense. We were chillin in Greece.

The following day we carried on round the coast road to Athens stopping to chat with an old guy in a cafe about his knackered old C50 which he insisted we tried.
I declined politely but was informed by Liam and Bon that the ride was entertaining and difficult to stop.

Our one bike problem so far occured as we approached Athens.

I had a blow out on the back tire. luckily it wasn't a puncture but a burst inner tube, probably brought on by the bumps and train tracks we had been riding over.
We pulled the bike to the side of the road under the shade of a tree and Bon went about masterfully taking the wheel off and changing the inner tube.
Half an hour later and we we're back on the road.

We pushed on to Athens and arrived around 5.30 ish outside the Acropolis.
There could be no doubt, we had definatley made it to Greece now.

laters I've got to go swimming
Jamie

Greece

2008-09-06T13:49:00.000-07:00

You find us hunched over a computer from 1998 on a 'superfast' ferry from Ancona Italy to Patra, Greece.

Decoding the text from Greek is a bit of a chore but we can't shake the feeling that we on on the very edge of completing our Greek Odyssey of riding a C90 from Oxford England to Greece. We have encountered many different terrains, mountains and plains, nasty horrible roads, killer drivers and beautiful picturesque postcard scenes. We've met people in garages, at campsites, in supermarkets who have expressed doubt, praised our efforts or simply cheered us on (usually out of a car window or on another motorbike). While we are not actually there yet it is within touching distance (another 10 hours or so on this boat).

C90's only appear to need petrol and the odd oil top up to carry you 1800 miles.

Next time we speak to you we shall be in Greece unless we sink

Off to Geneva today....

2008-09-01T01:07:00.001-07:00

Yo geezies,

We're on our way to Geneva and out of France, exciting since France is pretty massive. Its wet today tho, boooo.

seeya off for pastries and coffee

Dijon drunk and tired

2008-08-30T11:34:00.000-07:00

Dijon today, another short ride in miles, but it feels longer in the saddle of a Honda C90.

We took a day off yesterday in the forest de Orient, chilled out, drank wine and didn't ride our bikes.

We've scored another cheap hotel and have begun drinking the miles away agian. Is there nothing that booze can't fix..

we've spent nearly 6 hours a day riding. We take smaller roads so as not to get swamped by speeding traffic over taking us and blowing us off our bikes.
I am writing this drunk and broken, but I can still remember the joy I felt as we cut our way through the french country side, our route often flanked by poplar trees and farm land that is unmistakingly French.
You feel so much more connected to the land when travelling by motorbike, probably because you feel every bump and twist of the road...

I must sleep now and rest for tomorrow's mamoth journey to Geneva.

Jamie

dijonnn

2008-08-30T11:17:00.000-07:00

I'm sat in a strange bar in the center of dijon.. listening to weird smooth jazz, a it drunked up, and having real problems adapting to this topsy turvey keyboard.. and its a bit to hot in here.. but i guess thats a good thing.
What to say of today...... if i could find the question mark key, that would have been a quesion...
I'm in good spirits after leaving the forest a little late this morning, but liam arrived all annyed.. with jamie close behind.. fortunately beer has fixed that, and we're all on the straight and narrow again.
It was an amazing drive down here today, with perfect driving conditions. every type of terrain, and not too many massive lorries.
arriving around three, and only looking for a hotel for short while.
the hotel is ok, an cheap too. Alix, the receptionist is nice too, and a sassy redhead.

well, i hope that was an exciting insight into another day in the "crazy" life of a road dog..

bon

Dijon, country roads and moods

2008-08-30T11:08:00.000-07:00

We're all writing stuff in some bar cow we're all a bit drunk essentially. Jamie's just got some cold lager's in though so its all cool. Today I started off all pissed off and it was a bit embarasing, no idea why. I was fine when I woke up at the campsite at 'foret d'orient' which is a great big nature reserve in the middle of France pretty much. It is a really beautiful place by two ajoining massive lakes. There are beaches and watersports but we were a bit out of season, which worked for us because we are always knackered. This meant loads of space at the site and nobody around when exploring the surrounding area, a bonus really. Still, a little bugger called 'Robert' (an english baby) kept us awake most of the night with incessant screaming.

Anyway back to today. For the first time I felt what Jamie has been feeling. That horrible chafing raw arse essentially. I've sat still for a long time before but its the vibrations, they make it really painful and its a bitch. I cheered up later because we were cruising down the most amazing country roads, massive hay bales, little french towns and hills. It was truly one of the highlights of the trip so far. Tried to film some stuff on the way too. So,ehow ,y ,ood caught up with me however, and I was all wound up on our arrival at Dijon (home of mustard i suppose). This was mainly due to 8 hours riding and trying to find a hostel, all that stuff. I feel fine now, some cans later and more bread, cheese and tomato's for dinner. Its pretty hardcore this trip, but the highs are very very high, and the lows pretty low (something we've all confessed) but we expected that I suppose.

Tomorrow then we plan on a really early start, to try and avoid this kind of thing. Dijon is pretty beautiful too but full of rich people looking at us like tramps. 6am start then boys lets do it!!!

Oh and the bikes are totally mint, you can't hurt them, they'd go longer if we wanted them to.

Liam

Paris...and loads of country roads

2008-08-27T23:49:00.000-07:00

Its been four days since we last wrote to you and by jove a lot has happened in that time, lets explain where we have been.

We succesfully made our trip down to Dover in time for "The Pride of Kent" which sailed us over the channel with consumate ease. To be fair, it took a lot longer than we expected to ride to Dover, mostly due to our inexperience. Our heavy packs made it pretty difficult to negociate petrol stations, but we were already making friends...including a chap who used to build C90s.

On arrival in Calais we got the map out to remind us of the route to our couch surfers house in Wissant. There was more wind than kansas city and our dorothy's struggled courageously along the coastal road as we were almost driven back into the sea. It took no time at all to reach our destination however, despite numerous 25mph moments up hills with aformentioned wind trying to thwart our every move.

Our couchsurfers Tiphane and Mattheu gave us a warm welcome and showed us to a garage to house our steeds. We were greeted with a beer, a sofa and the promise of a barbeque, more than we possibly could have hoped for. Several glasses of wine later we were challanged with 'chest o' booze' which naturally we rose to. A couple of burning contreau's later (Jamie still bears the mark upon his throttle hand) we were shagged and sent straight to bed. During the night Bon not only spooned Jamie but also talked in his sleep all night "what are we selling, why are we selling it" stuff like that. He has done this every night since.

We woke up late and with booze coarsing through our veins so didn't get our packs sorted until about midday. We only managed to get to Amiens, instead of our proposed destination of Paris. Nevertheless that did involve about eight ours of riding through desolate farmland in oppressive weather conditions (waterproofs on!). Highlights included Liam running out of petrol where every village we passed had no petrol stations or they had been closed for thirty year. We camped on the edge of Amiens and were grateful for our stubbies from a nearby garage.

Off we go to Paris the next day nice and early. While it didn't take long to reach the outskirts once inside the living beating heart of the beast we risked life and limb on several occasions. We were carried through ring roads of death and junctions of doom against our will. We tackled the formidable Champs Elysses and the Arch de Triomphe out of choice savouring the challenge and enjoying riding the bikes for once in their element. It appears if you have a scooter in Paris you can do whatever you want; mount pavements, navigate one way streets (the wrong way) and ignore pedestrians. Our desired footage of all this mayhem is actually Jamie holding a camera zoomed in and sideways, which pretty much represented the feeling of the entire afternoon as he clung on for dear life instead of risking it for fame.

Thats it for now...of to Forest d'Orient today!

First we have to escape this labaryntine city

It's 6:30 am.....

2008-08-24T22:29:00.000-07:00

Lets saddle up boys, we've got some serious bum aching riding to do!

Hell Yes!

2008-08-23T15:51:00.000-07:00

Oxford Mail and other stuff

2008-08-20T13:10:00.001-07:00

Oxford mail feature emerged today, you can check it out at:

http://www.oxfordmail.net/news/headlines/display.var.2428724.0.wheel_make_it_to_greece_despite_theft.php

Bought some baby wipes today.....good for a quick clean

Here's Jamie with his new purchase...

2008-08-20T12:52:00.000-07:00

Liam's video response to Gumbo's Concerns.....

Stolen C90

2008-08-18T13:04:00.000-07:00

O.k. bit of a blow today.

My Honda C90 was stolen from outside work.

My fault I guess, I only locked it to the railings with a bike lock, and that bike lock did have a chunk out of it from a previous attempted stealing.

My fault then, oh and the person who stole it, yeah actually mostly not my fault, mostly the fault of the person who stole it.

Anyway it's not about blame and fault it's about revenge.

So I went out trying to find the C90 this evening, not satisfied with just telling the Police about it, I wanted to do something.

I must have thought I was Edward Woodward from the Equaliser or something, because before I knew it I was asking questions of young scamps in the wrong part of town and chasing some punk in my car who I'm pretty sure was riding my bike, only minus the number plate and lights.

Needless to say I lost the punk, probably for the best, I'm not actually sure what I could have done if I had caught him, apart from maybe getting beaten to death.

So here I am one week to go until we leave on our adventure and I have lost my stead.

easy now we'll make this right

Jamie

Ouch my toes

2008-08-16T14:35:00.000-07:00

I'm all blundering about the house tonight. I had decided not to go out, and sort things out, but I'm totally shattered. I've just smashed 2 or 3 toes into a coffee table and it feels all the more horrible when you're tired. The band is recording Monday and Tuesday so half my mind is on that, and half on the journey.

I'm trying to make sure I don't forget to do anything but that sort of means that my brain is focused for the entire day at the moment, and its messing me up. I just want to leave now so that we can get on with it and I can feel a bit more free from the constraints of bloody PLANNING!!! All I ever seem to do is F***ING PLAN my BALLS off!

Country run through the tempest

2008-08-13T10:52:00.000-07:00

We had a little run anyway Bonamy (Hi!) and I. It was great to get the bikes out and see how they were in the rain, the answer is...petrifying. Side winds and wet country roads make for a pretty scary experience on a hovercraft/labrador but it was great!

We stopped at a country pub and bought a hot chocolate, which came with a FREE bit of shortbread, fucking yes!!!

Here are a couple photos....

Rain anyone?

2008-08-13T06:26:00.000-07:00

Holy balls its raining so much today

Bon and I were planning on a proper razz around the countryside loaded up today but its raining loads and loads and loads, and very windy. I thought I was gonna die riding back from Kings. Another awakening as I realise we could wake up in a tent on the second or third day and have to venture out into similar surroundings, great.

Off to buy some waterproofs!

We'll be in the Oxford mail soon, and were on Jack FM today which I had no idea about till one of the blokes in Kings told me.

Woke up early again..

2008-08-10T01:18:00.000-07:00

Woke up early again today.....

Been having very strange dreams lately. If I'm not being chased by wild boars across the hills of an imaginary village between Freeland and Barnard Gate, I'm talking to a man who every time he coughs a little bumble bee buzzes out of his mouth.

I should have listened to the villagers when they said "if the boars don't get you, then the herd of camels will". Sure enough the Camels are lurking in the distance, just out of my vision but they're there alright.

I guess it's lucky that I can fly. It's also handy that I can put forcefields around myself and move objects with my mind. It doesn't help with getting back home though.

The Bee man keeps apologising as he coughs a swarm around us and mumbles something about there being no Taxis from here.

My Mum dropped round my old leather jacket yesterday. It's one of those heavy metal biker jackets that you wear if you're into Iron Maiden. We bought two of them, me and my brother at Finmere market when we we're kids. They never really looked that cool, even then.

I think I shall test one out around town on the C90. It might make me look a bit more dangerous.

see you later

Jamie

Boring...

2008-08-09T12:28:00.000-07:00

Here we are planning some shiz...

Luggage

2008-08-08T09:08:00.000-07:00

Also thought I'd post a video of me trying out some luggage techniques with Bon. I've no idea why but when I watch this video I piss myself laughing, I think it might be my helmet, it looks ridiculous.

First Blog...first crash!

2008-08-08T08:12:00.000-07:00

Hi all,

This is the first of many blogs from team C90 that will appear over the the coming couple of months. We are still in the planning stages, but its getting a little desperate I suppose since its really not that long before we leave.

The donations are going pretty well for Sobell House which is all cool, keep em coming in!

I went to take my red 1998 C90 to the garage today to get it serviced, figure its probably for the best since these chicken chasers have got to to a grand total of (probably) over 4000 miles. I rode it to Kings Motorcycles in Kidlington which is full of good old boys talkin about how "I used to rag them things around fields all day, they never break them C90's" lets hope so eh. I gave them the link to the donation thingy, may do a print out to stick in the shop though. I had to pick up Jamie's 1988 doom blue bike as well which has just been serviced, but the wing mirrors are still completely useless, they are shit and he should buy some new ones really. So anyway I get to that roundabout before Summertown and "plup plup plup" he goes...the petrol has completely run out, great. I push it to Summertown to have a shuftee in the guitar shop while I wait for the J-Dog to arrive with a jerry can. He does in good time and we fill it up. Off we go then back to his to drop it off and coming out of Marston there's a hell load of oil or petrol on the road and the front wheel ice skates along and before i know it the bike's squashing my leg and I'm in the middle of the road, wicked. I get up unhurt but his back right indicator cover has smashed (sorry J-Dog but it weren't my fault!) which isn't too bad, could be a lot worse.

Anyway it was a bit of a realisation that going down The Champs-Elysees and skidding on a bit of petrol isn't going to be as simple as swearing and just getting up, I'd probably get my head squashed by some Opal (euro Vauxhall, check the knowledge) or something. Care is going to be imperative on this trip, we don't want to be those little crosses on the side of the road in Greece.

In other news John Duns Scotus, the brown 1974 C90, sold for £540 on ebay and the dude it coming to collect it tomorrow, which I'm sad about but he just wouldn't make the trip without a bit more care, hence the purchase of (yet unnamed) red 1998 C90. I might call it Sarah Connor, it looks like something she might ride while escaping from Arnie or some of his robo-friends.

Over and out!!!

Liam