Brexit and travel advice, bitte.

[Steelmillal]

Good Morning Y'all:



Last year this time, I was making plans to celebrate turning 50 by cycling/train from Shannon, Ireland to the Black Sea by way of the Danube river, think downhill roll, for the the second half of the trip. Looping up into and all over Scotland, across to Amsterdam for the Rijkamuseum, which was closed for renovation last time there, and then a long, meandering advance East, think tailwind, was "da Plan". Along the way, I'd intended to visit and document the textile trades, as well as much, much more obviously. I'd carved out 6 months, which isn't enough I know, but was a flexible plan for a Spring/Summer, solo, ultralight, two-wheeled adventure. The celebratory end was to fly back to Britain for the Huddersfield area mills, London, etc., finishing at Goodwood for the Revival, then on home. Looping back along the northern shore of the Mediterranean was an option if I could. There's some churches I need to see there, yeah? Yup, AL's Grand Tour for 2020 gone all pear shaped and curtailed! The following is Oostende, where just later the Atlantic dumped into my boots. Damn'd Tourists!



I am hoping to do it this year once lockdowns are raised and am building a down-hill capable component'd, skinny-tire'd, frankenMTBike to carry me the distance. Think Greg Lemond's timetrial bike that can carry 50kg extra gear down Alpine single-tracks with shocks, disc brakes, and a Brooks springer saddle: I'm old and leather saddles are THE best! As this forum reaches the world, I am hoping to impose upon local 'boots on the ground' for suggestions, especially all you guest lurkers out there who should go on, register, and introduce yerselves. Mills, tailors, museums, trails, bestest food places, organic farms, etc., is the idea. Other trades, like metalsmithing and leather crafts will also be highlighted since those are two I practice as well, and everyone wears shoes of some sort.  As for Brexit, and it may be better to bifurcate these topics, I'm curious how those in the trade see the impact to business. In America, our last suiting mill, American Woollen in Stafford Connecticut, is shuttered for the moment and hopefully will start up again soon. Jacob Harrison Long has done yeoman's work in it's revival and they should be on anyone's shortlist locally, and better Globally, for quality suiting's, IFF someone will answer the phone again.

So there it is, an honest and open request for super-secret, must-see-do things to support this trade and more. I will share all found on a developing social media platform, or website for better content control, unless sworn to secrecy, and will update as details accumulate. Here with us'd be fine for now so let it rip! This isn't about money, y'all, it's about preservation, marketing, and steady sector growth. My tailor, bless him, retired finally at 87. He was THE last active Cutter in town and I regret painfully not to have dropped everything to become his apprentice, but he was already frail when we met. His brass thimble he gave me is prized above many things. To honor him and other Masters, I'll ceaselessly preach fit, balance, quality, integrity, and artisanship. Plus, you only live once and it's been 14 years since I last had fresh Belgian beer! That '07 trip intent changed from F1 at Spa and Imola to museum hopping starting with the Van Gough for charcoal and pencil sketches, finishing in Brussels with the Art Nouveau house walks before flying back to the USA and my little kids. I ain't 50 in the following, 37 and less fit, and had just emerged with my hostess from a tiny, ancient, local Amsterdam pub that had the most amazing character. Glad I wasn't driving; walkin' back to flat on cobbles was bad enough!! Good times, Y'all!!!



May should just drive to my home town, Bowling Green, KY, see the cousins, the family farm, and get a new Corvette from the factory, but the EU trip memories would bring much longer lasting smiles, meaningful friendships, and all those little churches along the way will have their own unseen illuminations to share with those who can see, yeah?



...and one more unsolicited jpeg...



Thx y'all,  more than you know. Be safe, helmet-up, and roll on! Best rgds, AL

[TTailor]

Sounds awesome, and I hope you are able to go in 2021!

[Schneiderfrei]

Have you read "The unlikely voyage of the Jack De Crow"?

You may find a kindred spirit.

G

[hutch--]

Steelmillal,

Like the Fiat Bambino behind you. They are a genuine classic.

[Steelmillal]

What up G. No, Sir I have not. What led me to the Danube was another book published in the late 1900s and the author traveled upstream. I looked for the title, but haven't found it again yet. A couple cycling from Vienna to Budapest illuminated the river bike path and became a downhill no brainer for me. Budapest is soo beautiful, same for Prague, Vienna, etc., etc. For Y'all living there, like any hometown, it becomes old. I get it. All along the way, artisans abound so why not meet and greet and publish for foot traffic for them. We can ship anything anywhere now iff the customer wants something bad enough. Billing hours for little artisan shops is very, very important now-a-days, and is no different than a century ago, really. Also, a lot of money is being spent all over to restore some amazing architectural sites and they must be seen. Reason enough, yeah?


Here's a two more photos, Hutch. Perspective is everything after quality artistic style, of course. When I was at university chasing mechanical engineering, we knew then the solution was alcohol v petro-fuels. Light little cars driven by sensible people, run on high octane equivalent fuels is all most need, after a brace or three of well-fitted bicycles. Colin Chapman was correct: engineer in lightness wins you the race. The lotus clone in the photo was built by Dennis Brunton, since retired again. He used a supercharged 3800 then that produced an exhaust note that sounded like "oh my god please slow the hell down!"  Bridgeporting turbo'd Wankel rotaries was popular in Oz back in the day that had the same tonal note, according to a friend, but I digress...

[hutch--]

The Bambino is certainly a better looking car than the mini Benz in front of it but the sports car is interesting. What is the V6 out of ?

I am an old Ford V8 man myself, last toy was a 6 litre Bathurst Ford Falcon coupe.

[peterle]

In Austria you can visit one of the last traditional indigo dyers of europe. not directly at the danube, but nearby:

https://www.servus.com/blaudruck-koo/

https://www.google.com/search?q=koo+blaudruck&client=firefox-b-d&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj4gOvOzI7uAhUK_KQKHTZ8AyIQ_AUoAXoECCoQAw&biw=1680&bih=947

There is also an indigo dyer museum in the hungarian neighborhood.

[Steelmillal]

Hey Hutch. By memory either an Oldsmobile or Pontiac, but GM parts bin fare for sure. He started with Chevy S-10 stuff, so breaker yard Holden bits would work a treat. I've an GM Iron Duke i4 waiting for teardown and inspection just for such a toy. The Ford 3cyl 1L alloy engine will be just this side of blowing up at 400hp depending on turbo and wastegate efficiency. Food for thought...

[Steelmillal]

Greetings Petele. Ooo William Morris technology! Very nice. I'm really looking forward to the Czech Republic, Austria, and Hungary for much, not least the seasonal slow food movement fare. Museums of all sorts will be the hardest diversion to chose between. My last trip I had self imposed limits..



There's a large, diverse fibershed group in California that is heavy into indigo. Also...

https://www.hustontextile.com/

Emailed a few times when they were starting out. I need to reconnect and see what they are up to now. It looks like they are doing well by the site.

[Steelmillal]

Happy Monday Y'all,


Been an age since comment and plans remain on hold for a large bushel basket of reasons. EU/UK travel limits seem to change by the day. Some normalcy and hope seemed to surface with the running of Goodwood Festival of Speed wknd before last, but here it is a 2 weeks later and all bets are off...again. Poland was about to open, it seemed, and then not. UK limits may force me to bypass the islands all together, which would be very unfortunate. The capstone for today is our passport renewals may be done by Christmas, or before, or after. Ya just gotta laugh!


Since one large reason for the jaunt was to highlight remaining supply chain treasures, we may as well consider doing something virtual v. in person roll-through, and park it on instaspam, maybe. So many unknowns remains, but at least the satellite world maps have been invaluable for route planning and zooming in to see topography details is just magic. Hope remains and we're burning daylight. Carpe diem!

[Steelmillal]

Finally found the title of the book that inspired this misguided trip:

https://www.themodernnovel.org/europe/w-europe/italy/claudio-magris/danube/

As for latest travel restrictions, this year just isn't going to plan.



Here's hoping for 2022 maybe 

[Schneiderfrei]

Yeah, this virus is still a nasty fly in the ointment.

[Steelmillal]

Daily I hear of ups and downs on prospects for the trip of a lifetime. For now, and until clear travel regs are posted by the EU/US, I live vicariously ..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CsWMyOE95pU

Wear helmets.

[Steelmillal]

more scheming and planning for the trip...