I am off on the next adventure this summer. The Cote de Azur Scooter rally for twelve days on the French Rivera. I know, but someone has to do it.
One of the good things about
the Cote de Azur scooter rally (the blue coast in French, the French
Riviera to you) is that it as all planned for us. Al and Jim
and others plan the route and then hand it over to Maria of , Cylopes
tours on the island of Paros, Greece and say “make it happen.”
Probably not that simple but it is for me. I just have to
plot a couple of day trips on my own and figure out how to get to and
from the starting city of Nice, France. Being somewhat familiar
with the area, plotting the day trips is easy. The flight part
proved to me, someone who normally flies for free and the planning is
just standing around the airport until they call your name, if they
even call your name, challenging. I could not fly standby as I
might not ever get there or I would have to leave a week early to
be sure I made it. So, I went looking for a “real
ticket”. There are so many choices and the websites leave
cookies on your computer so you never get the same price two times in
a row as they jack it up each time you look at it.
In the end I chose USAir
because, as a former employee, they give us a 20% discount on the
“airfare”. This is pretty generous as 20% just about all I
have left from the USAir retirement after they cut it lose in
the two bankruptcies. (Of course the executives got their 100%)
So I follow their instruction and I booked the flight on line and
then called AA reservations to get my “20%” discount. “Yes
Mr. Wilson I have your reservation and the discount is $132”.
What? I think 20% off $1518 is a lot more than $132. “No
the discount is just off the “airfare”, she says. “Look
to the right of the web page and click that little tiny writing and
you can see the break down of the ticket cost”. So, I did.
Direct from the USAir/AA
website:
One of the good things about the Cote de Azur scooter rally (the blue coast in French, the French Riviera to you) is that it as all planned for us. Al and Jim and others plan the route and then hand it over to Maria of , Cylopes tours on the island of Paros, Greece and say “make it happen.” Probably not that simple but it is for me. I just have to plot a couple of day trips on my own and figure out how to get to and from the starting city of Nice, France. Being somewhat familiar with the area, plotting the day trips is easy. The flight part proved to me, someone who normally flies for free and the planning is just standing around the airport until they call your name, if they even call your name, challenging. I could not fly standby as I might not ever get there or I would have to leave a week early to be sure I made it. So, I went looking for a “real ticket”. There are so many choices and the websites leave cookies on your computer so you never get the same price two times in a row as they jack it up each time you look at it.
Adult fare, taxes and carrier-imposed fees
Base fare
|
$666.00 USD | |
| Per person | ||
| CARRIER-IMPOSED FEES | $516.00 USD | ||
| (none of the below list is in the “imposed fees”) | |||
| AIR PASSENGER SOLIDARITY TAX | $5.10 USD | ||
| FRANCE | |||
| PASSENGER SERVICE CHARGE | $32.70 USD | ||
| FRANCE | |||
| AVIATION CIVILE / AIRPORT TAX | $23.20 USD | ||
| FRANCE | |||
| TRANSPORTATION TAX | $35.40 USD | ||
| UNITED STATES | |||
| US APHIS USER FEE | $5.00 USD | ||
| UNITED STATES | |||
| PASSENGER FACILITY CHARGE | $13.50 USD | ||
| UNITED STATES | |||
| US FEDERAL INSPECTION FEE | $7.00 USD | ||
| UNITED STATES | |||
| US SECURITY FEE | $11.20 USD | ||
| UNITED STATES | |||
| US CUSTOMS USER FEE | $5.50 USD | ||
UNITED STATES
|
$516 of
“imposed fees”
that never change or at least never go down. Though I was unable to
find out what the fees are I do know that they are still “imposing”
a fuel fee while fuel is lower than in years and their profits are
the highest ever. Guess it is working. And yes I did pay more to set
closer to the front of the plane. There are two reasons for that.
Seating in the trunk and looking at all the heads in front of me
makes me claustrophobic and all the air in the airplane exits in the
back of the plane. I did not want to share two hundred peoples air.
So
off I fly with just a few glitches. In Philadelphia the pilot
slammed on the brakes thinking that if he turned off the runway he
early he would get to his gate quicker. Did not happen. We taxied
around the whole airport and got in line like everyone else. Just
took us thirty minutes to get there.
In
Paris I had to change airports as the only seats left on the trains,
my first choice, were very limited and every expensive. There were no
seats from Charles Degaulle to Nice so I took a taxi to Orly airport,
on the other side of Paris. Where I encountered a new “let the
passenger do the work” device. To check a bag of course you have to
pay extra, but then you have to go to kiosk and get your own bag tag
and then take and put it in a big machine yourself and it disappears.
Now if they can get us to clean the bathrooms and wash the airplane
things will be even better. Maybe we should fuel it also. Air
France only fly’s eleven times a day between Orly and Nice and have
been for a long time. But by some miracle the fueler did not put on
enough fuel so we took a delay to get more.
Quick
trip and when I came out of baggage there was Walt setting with that
look we all have after traveling for 20 hours. Walt is from St. Pete
and he came over to do the scooter ride with me. He just took a
different airline.
We
spent the next day and a half roaming Nice and taking in the sites.
Walt is a easy travel companion as he is like me and enjoys “just
being” somewhere and does not need to see every sight or be busy
every minute.
the "self baggage" stuff
Put the luggage in here and it disappears
Nice in the early morning
Walt taking a picture of the parking job
Walt taking a picture of........
We were walking along and I looked down into a garage and found these. They are all for rent!
A modern french artist.
Moules, ok checked that off.
DAY 1 JUNE 15
Last
night we had a nice welcome aboard dinner. It was held at the “Frog”
restaurant. Quite a appropriate name I think. Wine and lamb shank.
All the rules of the ride were laid out. I like them. Basically
there are no rules. If you want to follow the leader great. If you
don't, just tell someone and go about your business. Want to ride a
mile behind, go right ahead. A final toast and we headed back to the
hotel.
By 9:00 am we were marching in mass to Elite-bike the provider of the scooters.
This is a first class operation. No ratty ass worn out scooters.
They were all almost new and in perfect shape. I saw no road rash on
any of them. By 11 all twenty some scooters were processed and
headed out of Nice. After about 45 minutes we were out of town and
headed into the mountains. The roads were great, the scenery even
better and except for the little hail shower it was a great ride. We
arrived in Cassetlline around 2:30, checked in and the wander into
the small town for lunch/dinner. All in all a great day.
Jim in glass
We got lots swag. Walt with his huggy from Bali. you can not see it but there are pins, patches and decals on the shopping bag we got.
The march to the scooter
And we are off
Helmets are advantageous in a hail store
Wednesday
was a beautiful day to ride. We went to the market first to do a
little shopping. It was very small but I picked up some nice
cherry's and strawberry's. I loaded up and looked in my rear view
mirror and there where five people following me. So much for roaming
the French countryside alone. My
scooter has no 12v plug so my use of a GPS was canceled and I missed
the first turn, but in true fashion I headed on down the road and
took a new route Gorges de Verdun. This is a very beautiful natural
attraction of a deep gorge cut over the years by the river through mainly
rock. It is a beautiful view as was the weather all day. We stopped
on the lake for a great causal lunch as is the European way. We
visited a historic village and then headed home with a couple of left
turns that I failed to get pictures of. It was just a little better
than a goat path but was paved in between the holes.
Thursday
it was time to move again. Four of us, BoBo and Lisa, Roland, Walter
and me headed off on our own route to go see some butterfly s on the
way to our destination of Gap. When we got to the butterfly's it was
only open for another thirty minutes until the lunch hour which lasts
for two hours, so Bobo and Lisa went in and the rest waited around
outside. When they returned we headed across the mountain. This was
one of the best rides I had. No traffic and great views except these guys are here to ride and did not stop to smell the roses as much as I would have. We arrived
in Gap about mid-afternoon and explored locally.
(About
the no scratched scooters....well that is over. Surprisingly they
both fell standing still but aimed at up very, very steep hills. No
human damage.)
now where do we go?????
Hundreds of sheep were being moved to the high pasture for the summer. The donkey was leading them there.
Day 4
Thursday
Walt, Lawrence and me headed out the to go glidering, but first, as
usual we did a left turn. That took us up a great windy road to the
top of Ceuse at about 4,500 feet. Nice ride. Then back down the hill
and on the Quo Vadis aerodrome. Walt asked someone if he could get a
glider ride and they directed us to the “club house” were we met
Martha. Martha has a great history. Her mother met and married a
Frenchman had a kid or two and then moved back Connecticut. Her
mother passed away and at the age of 15 the family moved back France.
Being a teenager she hated it. But after 38 years she loves it and
the job of running the small private airfield. The airfield is owned
by Klaus Ohlman a very famous glider pilot. He holds 31 world records
including the longest flight of 1869 miles. That is with out a
motor.
We rode
down the hill and found out that if you tell the French you have
appointment they can bring your meal in less than a hour so Walt and
Lawrence had lunch but I passed. Back at the airfield Walt launched
and off he and Robin the instructor went. The was a wonderful little
cafe on the airfield and Loran served me a great lunch salad. After
Walt, Lawrence launched into the sky. Walt and I were sitting
enjoying the scenery and the talking to some of the pilots when
Lawrence and his airplane came back about 20 minutes early. Walt and
I immediately knew what had happened. Lawrence came walking proudly
across the field with his lunch in a plastic bag with a big smile.
From there we made our way back to the hotel in a non-direct route.
Walt found the 12v plug for the GPS hidden in a compartment.
Martha's domain
Which way did they go?
Loran fixes my salad
Walt is ready to launch
Lawrence launches with Walt's help. Launcher had to go help retrieve a glider that had done a "off airport" landing. The tow rope had broken just as the cleared the trees at the end of the field and fortunately there was a field down the hill,
klaus ohlmann
Walt and Oliver the tow pilot talk airplanes
Day 5
Walt and me did laundry in the morning and I decided to take the day off. The gang rode off in all directions and Walt went off on his own. After a mid-day nap I decided to go refuel and the day was so beautiful I went for a ride. The rule was no pictures of scooters or scooter butts.
Today we moved from Gap to Manosque. Walt and me meandered on our own. We topped a 1600 meter hill and roared down the other side. We had to vacate the road while some bicycle racers came up the mountain. There were more police/escort motorcycles and cars than bicycles.
(Honey, I did not take the pictures of the lavender. I downloaded them from the internet as you know I would never come to France with the lavender in bloom with out you.)
walt and I met the guy in black doing laundry. he is the chef at this resturaunt that just does potatoes with stuff. I ordered the one with seafood. though the others liked theirs I was not excited about mine
The end of the day event
Day 7
Hey, I am busy having fun not writing. Besides, the places we are staying may say the have internet, but the connection is via donkey.
Today we headed west about 2 hours to the Les Beaux and the Carrieres de Lumaries, a multi-media event in abandoned lime stone cave. It is to say the least breath taking and in no way can words describe it. Art of famous painters is projected on the 30 to 40 foot high walls, floor and ceiling while loud classical music plays. It is always changing and moving.
The entrance to the cave
Day 8
We just rode the hills. Honey we did not see any lavender.
Day 9
We moved from Monasque to Draguignan. It was, like everyday since we have been here, sunny and beautiful.
Day 10
Today about a dozen riders followed me to the Rhone American Cemetery of World War II soldiers to meet Alison, a historian researcher and guide for the cemetery and a employee of the Battle Monuments Commission for a lecture on the second D-Day invasion on the French coast. She then introduced us to her girl and some of her boys. She has a way of bringing these fallen soldiers and their families into the moment. As always, when I come here, there were a lot of sunglasses covering teary eyes.
Afterwards Bagel, Amy, Gay-Ann, Walt and I rode up into the hills to visit a Abbye, have lunch and tour the countryside.
(Now about my grammer, I have reported in the past I ain't got any. Those of you who think it are part of my writing charm, I thank you. Those of you who I "drive crazy" and not just my wife, thank you for pointing out my already known faults.)
Friday June 26
Walt and I made our way from Draguignan down the hill to the French Rivera starting in Frejus. We stoped in San Rapael to walk around and visit my old home of three months. What once just had been mostly small fishing boats is now a full blown yacht harbor. The apartment where I stayed is a wonderful little paradise just a few blocks from the water down a hidden alley. Fortunately, Mr Majkia was there tending to the large garden. We visited for a few minutes and then moved on down the coast. This a beautiful ride along the steep red cliffs on the water. A short walk on the waterfront in Cannes where the beach is 90% private beach clubs this time of year. In Antibes we stopped for lunch and to walk the water front to look at the mega-yachts. This happened to be the two weeks a year that the Saudi royal family uses their boat so Walt missed out on that, though by today's standards, it is a modest yacht.
We rolled into the scooter shop in Nice about 3 PM. There could not have been a more perfect ride. The weather was perfect, the other riders were perfect, Walt was a perfect riding partner, and the scooters were perfect. I thank Al, Artie, Jim and Maria all those that made this possible and were kind enough to invite me to come.
For those who requested more food shots
If your crew can stand in the sail track, you boat might be to big.
If your crew has to wear a helmet and climbing gear, your boat might be to big.
Two very happy scooter riders after a great trip!!!
Saturday June 27
I
had a free day in Nice with yet again another perfect weather day. I
roamed the town taking in the sights, sounds and the smells. French
city designers got it right when they built their cities. Wide
boulevards and lots of green spaces. I am still a little surprised at
how uncrowded it is. I thought by this time of year the mass's would
have descended on this place. But no, though there were tourist,
there was still lots of room to lay on the beach and there were hotel
rooms available. I roamed and then took a nap to rest up for a
evening walk and dinner. While passing the heat of the day in the
room I decided to contact USAir and see about changing my ticket. I
had a round trip to Tampa but now needed to return to Asheville. My
idea was just to gather my luggage in Philly and ride for free to
Asheville but that was becoming undoable as the flights were almost
full and I was sure by the time I got there they would be. I tired to
do this on line but got “since one leg or more of your fight is
outside the US you must call reservations”. So I Skyped up USAir
reservation. “Sorry Mr. Wilson you have to talk to American
Airlines”. “Aren't you American Airlines?” “Yes but....”
explain, explain, explain. “Ok, I get it, transfer me please.”
“American Airlines, this is Debbie, how can I help you.” I
explain my desire to change my destination.“Yes Mr. Wilson we would
be glad to do that and for the privilege of carrying you 1000 less
miles the ticket will be just a additional $119.” OK I will take
it as that is just bit more than possible hotels and rental cars to
get to Asheville. “Mr. Wilson I am glad to offer you the same seat
on the flight to Charlotte that you had booked to Philly. Would you
like that one?” Yes please. “Good, we have you booked all the
way through from Paris to Asheville. Would you like to put that $419
on the same credit card?” What??!! Four hundred and nineteen
dollars? How did that happen? “Well Mr. Wilson there is a $300
fee for you to talk to me”. Are you shitting me? I have had great
hookers for less than that! But, in the end, I did as men have done
for centuries, or as long as credit cards have been around. “Yes
dear that will be fine.”
Feeling
rejuvenated after just getting laid I was off in search of dinner. I
had had all the requisite meals, steak and frites, salad nicoise,
kabeb, canard, etc., but I needed a good paella to finish it off.
Paella is Spanish you say and it very well is but it is served on the
entire coast of the Mediterranean. The Place Chalres Felix is a wide
closed cobblestone walking street. In the center of the street are
booths under red and white or blue and white awnings. Below these,
for part of the day, is a flower market and the other part the day
cafes and restaurants that line the street set up tables under the
awnings. The restaurants have small outdoor setting next right to
them and that is were I chose to set. As I awaited for the paella
that takes about twenty minutes to prepare I enjoyed my pitchet of
wine and smelt the great fragrance of the flowers from the venders
who were still selling. In picking your sidewalk cafe you have to
remember it is like picking real estate. Location is the key and this
was a good location. Besides the smells it was a great people
watching location as people from all over the world passed by. Some
stopping to check the menu displayed promptly in front of the
restaurant or being chatted up by the waiters as they tried to
convince them this was the best choice for them.
The
paella arrived in it's own little paella pan. These are round and
shallow, black metal with two handles on each side. Mine was about
eight inches across and maybe a inch and a half deep. In it was about
one third saffron colored rice and the rest was a array of seafood
including crab, fish, shrimp, a large whole crayfish as the center
piece and the whole thing was ringed in mussels. Fresh out of the
oven it was to hot to eat so as it cooled I continued to enjoy the
changing scene in front of me. When I finally dug in it was excellent
and I savored the tastes. The fish was snapper and the crap parts
were fresh complete with shell parts. I finished the meal off with
the required shot of coffee, paid and left. Total dining time alone,
one hour forty five minutes. I must have rushed a bit on the coffee.
Walking
through the old small streets and alleys back to the hotel I noticed
every house was painted some color of yellow, many faded, some fresh
and all the shutters where green. These places take me back in time
and I could see all the old movie stars that hung in black in white
all over the Hotel Messana where we are staying setting drinking or
walking hand in hand laughing through these small almost tunnel like
passages.
Sunday
June 28
Gay-Ann,
Mark and I went to the airport in a car service that took a back
route as the direct water front way was closed for the ironman that I
chose not to participate in this year. Or, any other year as a
matter of fact. But, we were still at the airport quickly and
processed through rapidly. They were off to San Francisco via Norway
and me just to Paris.
I
had booked a hotel near the Gare de Lyon as we had never spent time
there and the hotel was just a block from the Air France bus stop. I
thought I was catching a Air France bus from Orly, the other airport
in Paris, to the Gare de Lyon as that is the route of the bus from
Charles DeGualle. I found that is not the route of the bus from Orly
and in fact does not got the Gare de Lyon at all. The attendant said
take the Air France to Montparnesse and catch the local 91 bus to
Gare de Lyon. Being very familiar with the Montparnesse and the 91
bus I chose this option. Air France delivered me promptly to the
Gare Montparnesse and I walked to the other side and waited, and
waited, and waited for the 91 bus. I was almost to going to plan B
when it pulled up but stopped short of the bus stop. Everyone got off
including the bus driver. Fortunately he was just making a pit stop
and was back quickly and resumed promptly. We all loaded up and off
we went. By the time we got to Gare de Lyon the bus looked like a
Tokyo subway in need of pushers to get more people on. The down side
was the temperature was in the high 80's and no air conditioning. The
driver would open the front door any time the bus stopped allowing a
flow of air through the bus which helped some.
The
Best Western was the hotel I had selected. I try to stay away from
chain hotels, but I am probably just fooling myself as they are
probably all part of a chain just not branded as such. I was given a
renovated room, a process that was going on while I was there, and a
I was not impressed at all. The colors were odd, the headboard was
made of metal cut out to look like the skyline of Paris. All it did
was eat up six inches of precious room of a already small room. And
the air conditioner was not working in the whole hotel. AC is a
rather new thing to hotels in Paris so no a/c was not unheard of but
I had picked this hotel for the a/c which it said it had.
Off
I go to find my final meal. A stop at the sidewalk cafe for a
chilled wine and to watch the comings and goings of the people at the
train station. Family, friends and groups passed and the 91 bus
continued to arrive stuffed like sardines. From there I walked the
streets trying to decide between pasta or a Kebab. While looking at a
menu at a more upscale kebab shop the waiter approached me and listed
the items that they had, but when he said “..and Raki” I was
sold. This was a Turkish kebab shop and Raki is the national drink of
Turkey. Yep, you Fox news lovers, Muslim do drink. It is a liquorish
flavored drink that is mixed with water and I enjoy it very much.
So, after a mixed grill and a couple of Raki's I took the long way to
walk home, passing people still going and coming from the train
station.
Monday
June 29
I
was up early and went out for sidewalk coffee. Instead of families
and friends streaming in and out of the train station it was business
women and men. Parking their scooters on the sidewalk, or getting
off the 91 bus, now almost empty, or out of taxi's. Well dressed
people rushing about to catch whatever transportation they were using
to get to work on time. The building above were I was setting was
very strangely light by the sun when I walked up and when I sat down
I saw why. The sun was reflecting of the windows of a large office
building next to the train station giving the building I was sitting
at a unusual glow.
I
checked out of the Worst Western hotel and caught the Air France bus
to Charles DeGualle. Normally on the Peripherique, the ring road
around Paris, the traffic into town is heavy and stopped and the
traffic out of town is heavy and slow but moving. Not true today.
Both ways were jammed and the bus drivers took routes I had not seen
before and we still arrived at the airport with time to spare.
Setting
next to me on the plane home was Patty. Patty is in law school at
the Charlotte School of Law and had been in France for a few weeks
taking a course on Champagne law. To know the law you must know the
product so she said they drank a lot of champagne.
I
got my bag in customs for inspection and then returned it to USAir
for the twenty three minute flight to Asheville. That was a mistake.
In fact I had thought of just checking it at the airplane but figured
baggage claim in Asheville, a two horse airport, would be simple. And
it would have been if they had put the bag on the airplane but we
found it on the computer setting lonely still in Charlotte. “Don't
worry Mr. Wilson, it will be on the next plane and we will deliver it
to you tonight.” Well, USAir still has not learned the difference
between night and day as here I set typing at eight o’clock the
next day and no baggage yet, but I am ever hopeful.
Conclusion
This
was a great trip. The Vespa Club the Mediterraneo is a great bunch
of people and I love the format of their rides giving you all the
freedom you want to do whatever you want. Walt is a excellent
traveling partner and I would gladly travel with him again and I do
not say that about many people as I am just a solo rider in my heart.
A big thanks to all who made it possible and look forward to next
year.
Now
I am going to meet the family to throw Momma from the bridge.
