Euro End to End (EE2E)
	Part of the UC2C2C Training is a Euro End to End.

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I have a three year plan culminating in an Ultimate Coast to Coast to Coast attempt, during 2008 the main objective is to try out the Ulysses on a high mileage multi-day trip. See my current location HERE! Go to Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, Epilogue June 15 16 17 18 19 20 of first week of trip

The preperation is about to be tested, the bike is packed so now it is just wait or the 18:30 ferry on Saturday 14th June 2008. I can't wait; so here is the route:

The route in three phases

A trip starts with the first step and for me this trip's first step is as I step up to check-in at the North Shields ferry terminal, it will also be where I push SPOT!

	The Start, l-r Greg, me, Bev & Ann plus the three stars (our Bikes)		A Ferry full of bikes!
	Happy Chappies leaving the Tyne		Farewell is a lonely sound when its said by someone you love.
	Old Timers Club House, Bergen, Norway		Jeff taking pleasure on 'the' bar stool!

Bit of a 'lumpy' crossing and I reconfirmed my dislike for ocean crossings; enough said. It was a good choice that Kalle had recomended we depart the ferry at Stavanger and had a good aclimatisation ride up the E39 to Bergen and the Old Timers Club house.

The Old Timers were our hosts and what welcoming hosts they were. I'd had a brilliant evening here during my tennier as Director of Geordie HOG and in this very club house managed to tell a joke in pigeon Norwegian; not sure if the laughter was the joke or my language skills. Our current Chapter Director, Julie Horsefield, was already at the club house as some of our members had been in Norway for the HOG rally at Arndel. We were made very welcome and after a huge steak BBQ chilled in the warm glow of bikers BS'ing the night away.

Monday June 17th and our run North starts as phase one of our European End to End begins in earnest.

We did 410 miles in twelve hours, not exactly iron butt standards but very good flower sniffing. Most of the day was bright sunshine but we did encounter sleet that dumped about 4" of ice balls on the road; very interesting moments.

A fantastic day with SPOT working well, brilliant riding in good company; Nirvana in the name of Trondheim we laid our heads.

Tuesday 17th June. Today we went through Hell, not figuratively but actually! Last time up here I missed the Hell town sign but I had to have the picture this time. Fortunately for us school was opening and two girls kindly took our picture so we could all be in on the one shot. Not a lot to report really just motoring North and enjoying the warm sunshine; but our torpor was disturbed when we tried to get a bed; all the hotels were full, luckily on exiting Moi I Rana I spied a 'ROM' sign and a delightful elderly lady made us most welcome. My Buell had been misfiring so I would try to fit new plugs; supposed to be quite hard on a Ulysses?

Managed to fit the front plug but needed a 3/8" knuckle for the plug socket on the rear cylinder so will have to add that to my packing list. We also had a long walk for our evening meal and decided to walk back too so as to be fitter and slimmer!

Lovely night sleep in the little 'ROM' (bed & breakfast) but no blinds and with 24 hour daylight I could read my book at anytime without disturbing Greg. True to form I was up and at 'em by 05:00 and we were away on the bikes at 05:30; Bev and Ann sent us ahead as they were smelling the roses. We had the roads to ourselves but our enthusiasm was tempered by the tales of extortinate fines for speeding. First stop was the Arctic circle and as we were well before opening time could set up our bikes for a first class souvenir shot. The next gas station was unmaned but we managed to get fuel using our credit cards and the high tech. pump; Greg even had a play on the digger.

Arriving in Ballagen, where Natalie and I made the front page of the local rag on our journey to the Northkapp in 1997, it was to Harley Davidson Nord-Norge and Reidar Samuelsen, the Dealer Principle who agreed to change the rear cylinder plug and give the Ulysses a diagnostic check; plugs changed in a thrice but no improvement so it is now back in the workshop; more later.

Just been told by Reidar that the Buell is ready for a test ride; and perfect, the throttle sensor was the issue and they re-set it to factory specifications so a BigUp to Harley Davidson Nord-Norge and Reidar for his persistance in finding the fault; now I need to catch the others up at our overnight stop in Narvik.

Off by 05:30 and a brilliant morning ride up to 75 mile mark when one cylinder cut out again but we left her off a moment and then she fired right up and on the money once more and on arrival at H-D Tromso Lars-Ole Berg, the Technician Manager, had some idea about my bikes missfire; not only had he the latest update for the CPM and he loaned me their demonstrator BUELL 1125R to pop over to the Polar Museum in the town centre. Over four hours and Lars said he'd not found a fault but had tinkered with a few settings and I should try it out - no charge - good old fashioned help a fellow biker out whilst he's on the road - Thanks Lars-Ole and H-D Tromso, the most Northerly H-D Dealer.

Nordkapp, we made it, well almost. We are into our nights billet at North Cape Guesthouse, Honningsvag and very nice it is too but the access is a bit testing! Meal tonight on the way to see the midnight sun at Nordkapp, but here are todays shots.

Our Russian landlady advised us of a fish reataurant 'at the end of the World'; what a brilliant recomendation it was. Ann and I shared a fish platter which had to have been the best ever but quiet a challenge to get too this particular restaurant. Then onto the start of our End to End Europe adventure at the Northkapp. Once again advise form our Russian Landlady to be there ahead of the cruise ships was very sound and we virtually had the 'Globe' to ourselves. Unfortunately because of the popularity of this site we could not get the bikes in shot, but managed a few of ourselves and the Geordie Chapter Flag.

Following the King of Tailands steps trod in 1907 we also savoured our achievement; but this was only us at the start point........move on with me to Phase 2 a Euroopean End to End.

Go to Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, Epilogue