RECON Tour - FRANCE

September 25 – October 2, 2012
8 Riding Days

This is a specialty tour for serious riders looking to have serious fun. It is for motorcyclists looking to ride all day every day until the sun goes down.

The tour is limited to 3 riders. The very small group will make it feel like a customized tour just for you. The whole point of this tour is to reconnoiter roads, passes, places and sights not usually part of my tour routes. The ride focuses primarily on one country or region while getting to know it inside and out. It gives me a chance to explore and gives you a chance to participate in a really SMALL group tour focused on riding some of the most technical roads anywhere.

All of my tours are designed to be fun. I work hard to discreetly understand each tour member’s riding style and personality in order to make sure my tours are right for them, which makes them right for the group dynamic as well.

Four (including me) liked minded, experienced bikers can eat at the same time, gas up at the same time, pass at the same time, etc., which allows us to move along at a really fun, but safe pace. Anyone who has been on one of my 2 – 3 person tours before knows what I am talking about.

TOUR REQUIREMENTS

Many of my tour members over the years have said that their favorite thing about the tour was the fact that they could just stow their map, tuck in behind Moto, and enjoy the ride. That kind of delight in just riding, coupled with a “go-with-the-flow-attitude” is what tour members need to bring with them on this tour. I plan to research roads and passes in detail – so I have no intention of picking crappy roads. As I mention elsewhere on this website I view these tours as my vacation too, which means I’m having fun if you’re having fun. To use an appropriate quote from my kids “That’s how I roll.”

Participation in this tour will require some talk time on the telephone and a description of each rider’s background so that I can do my best beforehand to ensure that everyone’s riding style and personality are compatible. I am not a psychologist but I have had enough group and tour experience to make sure the close-knit RECON tour groups get along well – usually long after the tour is over.

WHERE WE GO

The 8-day total tour includes 6 nights away from our base in Thun. Of those 6 nights all of them will likely be in France.

The exact route will be determined shortly before the tour starts, sometime before the TOP 10+ tour takes place. The route will be based on specific research with a definite idea of where we are going, even though it may not always appear that way while on tour.

The purpose of this tour is to explore the high Alps of southern France in the Rhone Alpes and Provence Alpes regions, including the Grand Canyon du Verdun and along the Italian border of the Alpes regions.

Please check out the photo album for an idea of what the view will be like.

MOTO-CHARLIE reserves the right to alter the exact route at his discretion.

BRIEF TOUR DESCRIPTION

On the RECON – France Tour you can count on the following:

• We will be looking to ride and explore as many high passes and roads as possible – valley roads are to be viewed with loathing
  
  
• We will be looking to ride on the roads less traveled
  
  
• We will be GPS phobic – meaning that we will get lost for brief periods of time, which is a good thing
  
  
• We will be turning around frequently as we explore the occasional dead end valley roads – some of the coolest hotels, views or rollercoaster roads are up these valleys
  
  
• We will have a prospective map route and hotel destination daily, which we will likely overshoot or undershoot on a regular basis – so there will frequently be no fixed hotel reservations
  
  
• We will travel together so as to not get separated. All of the above means that we will be traveling and riding the way I enjoy doing when I am own my own. RECON tour members will too.
  
  
  
  

A HEADS UP

This tour starts on a Tuesday. There is no break-in period or rider acclimation on Tuesday. Comes 9am Tuesday we are gone. So, I strongly recommend that tour members plan to arrive by Sunday night. We can usually plan to have your motorcycle ready for pick-up on Monday morning. I will be glad to take you to the shop on Monday and we can go for a ride, revisit the rental shop if need be for any final motorcycle or gear issues and get you set up for a Tuesday departure.





KEY DATES

• The tour dates are shown at the top of this page. Naturally, you are welcome to come sooner. I generally arrive on Friday. If you would like to come sooner, or stay longer, hotel and motorcycle arrangements can readily made to suit your schedule.
  
  
• When to book your reservation obviously depends on your schedule. As a rule I suggest at least 3 months in advance of the tour date in order to ensure that you get the motorcycle that you want and to secure a place on the tour. There is a limit of 3 motorcycles per tour. There are nearly a full line of BMW and Honda motorcycles to choose from. In the case of certain BMW's there are several bikes of the same models available. In the case of the Honda one of each. If having a specific bike is a high priority for you then please book early.
  
  
• The final cut-off date is technically 30 days before the tour starts. At this point there is enough lead-time for any adjustments or cancellations as they relate to our motorcycle supplier and related hotels. If someone contacts me to sign up with less than 30 days to go every effort will be made to accommodate you. The issue will usually be the motorcycle availability.
  
  
  

TOUR COST - 8 Days

The cost for this tour at the current exchange rates will be:

• Single rider in a single room - $3,600
• Passenger sharing a double room - $1,760
• Couple riding two-up sharing a double room - $5,360
  
  

These cost numbers should cover your direct travel costs including motorcycle rental, all hotels and meals, gas and my fee. For a more complete discussion of the cost of this tour please click here.

THE MOTO-CHARLIE FEE ON RECON TOURS


As mentioned elsewhere the MC fee increases as the riding intensity increases and the group size decreases. The complete daily cost to tour, excluding the MC fee, is paid directly to the various travel vendors (rental shop, hotels, food, gas) with no income to me from any of those things. The MC fee is the only money paid to me.


The daily MC fee for an intense tour is $90/day. RECON tours are “most intense” at $120/day. So the extra $30/day X 8 days means it costs an extra $240 for a rider to go on this tour vs. an “intense tour” ($160 more than a “more intense” tour).


I calculate the incremental difference for you so that you understand the impact of the difference in MC fees. Those prior tour members who voted to pay extra to have less people thought $240 for this type of riding was a very good deal. That is obviously up to you to decide. I picked $120/day because at 3 people I will barely cover my daily expenses of $330/day. More importantly, money aside, it will be a hell of good ride.

MINIMUM NUMBER OF TOUR MEMBERS

3 riders (passengers optional)

HOW TO BOOK THIS TOUR


Please refer to the "Contact Me" section for my telephone or e-mail address. There is also an e-mail link to me at the bottom of this page. I am not a paperwork intensive person. So, the process of making a reservation and getting what I need for my records is pretty simple once you contact me.

Feel free to contact me to ask any questions about my tours in particular, or the Alps in general. If I can be of help in any way I'll be glad to do so.

I enjoy all of my tours very much. Riding on great roads with great people is why I do it. Most tour members want and appreciate some minimal structure in their touring arrangements and certainty in their destination while enjoying the freedom to do what they want during their riding day. I know I do. RECON tours also provide minimal structure. Beyond that they surrender to the motorcycle fun that is everywhere in the Alps and we celebrate the ride.

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