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So many memories in History

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Namibia - Ghana - Ivory Coast - Guinea - Burkina Faso - Mali - Gambia - Sénégal - Mauriania - Marocco

One year off the road from June 2012 to August 2013

The Barfleur fair is at it's heights while the morning parade brought the population together (on this video).


Sunday

7/28/2013

Back in Barfleur, I bought my plane ticket to Namibia for August 27.


Going with the van on a ride with my beloved Lorraine.


I visited the beautiful little Jeanne in Paris who joined us 4 days ago.
Like for all of us, my nephew Laurent and his wife Caroline life is changed for ever to their delight !!!


Family vacation for Brigitte & Denis 40's aniversary at Arcachon, France.


Tuesday

7/16/2013

At spring, I lost the privilege of my French driver license due to the very high blood pressure I had after taking heavy doses of cotirsone for so long with Sylvie Delanian treatment !!!

Now that I am - almost - back to normal on that end, I passed in front of a medical commission to reinstate my driving privileges. It all went went well, I can again drive my mortorycle or car without restriction and my truck and buses driver licence is valid for the next 2 year when I will have to pass an other medical test due to my age over 60.

 

Ouf, Ouf, Ouf !!!


Jean-Louis, like me, was for one day in Paris,
we were lucky enough to have dinner together and watch the magnificient July 14th firework.


Giorgio and Claude the most "Marcel Pagnol" of Genevaa !!!


Monday night, I wrote to my friend Nico in Paris:
"Are you free for dinner, tuesday night with Sylvie, Ema and Charles... at your house ?
Thank you Nico, I had a great time having dinner at your house with your family and your grilled rib"


You don't have to go on the other side of the world to live the human adventure...


I took the photo of these 2 guys (who did not know each other) in the subway RER-B yesterday in Paris !!!


Tuesday

6/26/2013

Ural is working on new developpements:

- Fully injected motor with all the economy of the gas consumption going with it.

- Higher capacity air filter box

- Oil flter with more capacity

- Ventilated clutch

- Final drive with more sturdy gears

- Disk brake on 3 wheels

- Ajustable hydrolic steering dampener...

 

Well, they have a lot on their plate at Ural !!!


Why do you think Sergey is so excited ?


Visiting the Ural headquarter in Seattle. Unfortunately, Ilya was at the Irbit factory in Siberia.
David, Sergey, Jason, Hubert, Madina, Nick -- not to forget Pat and Marta. Seattle, USA. June 24, 2013


Jessica graduated -- and was Valedictorian -- at the 2013 Sacramento Drexel University Commencement with a Doctorat
in Leadership and Management, with honors in Academic excellence for a perfect 4.0 grade point average, as well
as being nominated for the "Tobey Oxholm Award" for leadership. This semester, on top of her full time jobat Oracle,
Jessica will teach a Masters degree class in Organizational consulting at Drexel. Needless to say how proud we are !!!


"Hallelujah, I'm a bum again!" is the new video story about "After one year".


Wednesday

6/19/2013

We proudly came to California to be with Jessica saturday at her graduation ceremony for her Phd. in Leadership and Management she completed and we will come back in France next week.


Sailing with Sarah in Barfleur, almost as good as riding a sidecar.


Saturday

6/15/2013

We just had a week of administrative and medical meeting for Lorraine and me and it went very well:

- Lorraine got a 1 year extention on her titre de sejour in France (green card)

- The mole she had on her back was benign.

- My cardiologue think my blood pressure is under control

- My friend Frederic did the last fix I needed on my teeth

- Sylvie Delanian think I will be able to go back to my sidecar in Africa during the summer and that is a very good news.


Back from California to Barfleur, we found with Lorraine, the best hotel in the world, on the beach in the van !!!


Saturday

6/1/2013

Jean-Louis left his sidecar in South Africa, a 3 days ride from Walwils Bay in Namibia where is my sidecar. He flew to New York to take care of a few things he had to do that he is still working on. He came to France to visit his familly and pick me up  this morning at the train station. We spend the day talking as well as the evening, it feels really nice to see each other again, since March 2012 when we last saw each other in Ghana.
Jean-Louis might need a few more month before he goes back to South Africa, but so do I, I have a few problems not yet working well on the health department !!!


Keep faith François and Lala, it's only a matter of time before I get back to you (and my sidecar !!!).


Back to France at my sister Isabelle's house near Nîmes,
her son Johan tried to convert me to bicycling but, don't worry about a thing, it did not go too well !!!


Barcelona certainely 1 of the 5 most beautiful city in the world for it's architecture like Gaudi and it's lifestyle.


Visiting my sister Isabelle and my niece Heinui in Barcelona


Barcelona, the city with as many balcony as there are cafe with terraces.


Monaco GP of F1 as I was lucky enough to live it, thankyou Frederic..


At the time of the Paradis Latin, Marion was working at Lufthansa.
She now lives in Mougins where she very successfully express her art.


Tuesday

5/21/2013

Michel teach me how to water start in windsurf in 1983 in Malibu, California.

Today, he lives in Mougins in the French Riviera where he is renovating his traditional wooden boat "Riva" from 1972 that did not see the water for the last 20 years.

The architecture of such a boat is a pure piece of art.








Thursday

5/16/2013

I visited Syvlie Delanian this week, the progress are good, i am still dealing with couple of side effect like tension and I should be good to go back on my sidecar by july.

 

Denis from "Brigitte et Denis" is my ex brother in law and my monkey in sidecar cross in the 80's. They live now at the sun 6 month in Martinique and 6 month in Arcachon.


Arcachon still have the traditional wooden shipyard where craftmanship takes over decade to get.


Thursday

5/9/2013

Last night, I talk to François who is housing my sidecar in his home in Namibia.

Francois is doing well as always, Lala is doing the politic also as always and my sidecar is still waiting patiently !!!


In Jersey UK, Peter was astonished by the crab I brought with me but Eve who knows me was not that surprised !!!


Saturday

5/4/2013

The video of the 6 hours of  "Sikluv Mlyn" in Czech Republic is online.

 

Tomorrow, I go back to Paris for a ORL follow up visit on monday.


With Christian, at Pelonier in Dordogne, my other 2nd family.


I am preparing the video of the 6 hours 4X4 cross endurance race of "Sikluv Mlyn" with Kubicek in Czech Republic.


We went to have lunch with Dan (Est-Motorcycle) with Giorgio.
Working on his new Ural 1100cc with Guzzi cylinder !!!


Philippe 44, is preparing to ride soon around the world on a Ural sidecar at the admiration and envy of Geremy !!!


Back to my sidecarcross root with Giorgio and his family in Geneva.


Wednesday

4/10/2013

Again, my visite to doctor Sylvie Delanian was pretty good.

I am still doing better and better every time, just coping with a few side effect.

We are stopping all antibiotic again hopping I will cope without it and if yes, I will be able to go back on the road.


Going to Giorgio by TGV from Paris > Geneva with baguette, ham on the bone, comté, beurre et badoit.


On my way to Paris visit my favorite doctor Sylvie Delanian.


At the end of the evening, we were about 40 bikes and 5 sidecars at the "Moto Meeto" meeting of Sacramento.


Our anual lunch with Ree-chard, juanita and Ro-bert in Sacramento.


Today, we were 40 together at Triquest the Ural dealer of Santa Clara in California. I had a great time with
everybody and the ribs were absolutely delicious, thank you Ski and all of you for sharing this moment together.


Mike, I met 6 years ago at Ushia came from Los Angeles for the occasion on his Walkyrie now with sidecar !!!.


Saturday

3/23/2013

We were about 20 to have aa great time last night at Fox & Goose.

The 3 known sidecars Ural from Sacramento were there, thank you Robert, Dave and Ed.

Steve and Jeanne, friends from my sister Isabelle for almost 40 years were there too. Lorraine and Jessica had some friends too.

It was nice to talk about the art of travelling on a sidecar.


Dinner at Fox & Goose friday night.


We are all very proud of your achievement Jessica.


Thursday

3/14/2013

Today at 6:30pm, Jessica defends her thesis at Drexel.

 

I will be at the "Moto Meeto" meeting on

Thursday April 4th starting at 7:00pm

Giovanni's Old World New York Pizzeria, (916) 455-8831
6200 Folsom Blvd, Sacramento, CA 95819
Neighborhood: East Sacramento

Direction: http://goo.gl/maps/6ukbz

 

See you there

hubert


Monday

3/11/2013

Here are a couples of events we just scheduled.

 

Friday March 22 starting at 7:00pm

An informal way to meet anybody who want to come

Fox & Goose, at the corner of  10 & R in Sacramento.

 

Sunday March 31 starting at 10:00am with coffee, snacks and lunch

Ural dealer TriQuest Motorcycles & Sidecars

2981 Lafayette St.
Santa Clara CA 95054
Phone 408-855-8358

 

I hope to see you there.

hubert


Sunday

3/10/2013

We arrived safely in California after a non eventful flight from Paris.

 

Do not miss the photo of the opening page with it's comment !!!


Saturday

3/9/2013

I visited Sylvie Delanian yesterday, I need an other month of antibiotic but overall, I am doing very well, it just slower than expected, not a problem.

 

Tomorrow, I fly with Lorraine to California to be with Jessica when she does the defense of her Phd on Leadership and Management in Sacramento. I will stay there until the begining of April when I will came back to see Sylvie Delanian again.


Sunday

2/24/2013

Understanding the confusion between "The Timeless Ride" and "Ten Years on the Road"

"The Timeless Ride" is a philosophy, a lifestyle and an art of life. What ever you do has no begining and no end, this express a reel full freedom like I have been enjoying for the last 8 years. I don't have to do anything, I don't have to report to anybody, I decide on a day to day what I am doing. This is why I have no sponsorship, no advertising and no income.

The consequence of this is "Ten Years on the Road" because it was an economic reality. After these 10 years of freedom, without income, it was a small price for me to pay to go mop McDonald and that was not a problem for me.

This has change since I went through my legal retirement process a few years ago because my unexpected $25000/year income from retirement (France and USA) is exactly the budget I was living on since 2005.

Bottom line forget about "Ten Years on the Road" because now, I am "On the Road for Good"... as soon as my favorite doctor Sylvie Delanian tells me "you are free to go back to Africa on your sidecar" !!!


Monday

2/18/2013

Last friday, I went to Paris for a couple of doctors follow up to do a Dopler and see a cardiologue and all is in order on that side.

 

The meeting of amazing people:

I called Frédéric who wrote me for the first time the week before because he wanted to buy a Ural sidecar for his travels. We met at lunch at Gare Saint Lazare and spend 5 hours together.

Frederic (27) did a business school.

Today, he designed a "Mototent®" (you park your motorcycle inside the tent where you sleep). The tents are manufactured in China and sold in Europe under the name of the company he founded (www.LoneRider-Motorcycle.fr). It is also sold through major catologues like 'Touratek" or "Le Vieux Campeur".

He also already traveled on motorcycle extensively, USA, Colombia, Brazil, India and did a solo Peking > Paris through Central Asia.

He took with him a young cousin of his out of school to train him in his business so he can have the time to keep travelling on a regular basis in the futur.

Congratultion on your achievement at your young age Frederic, it is very refreshing to see that it is still possisble to do these days !!!


Frederic is acting like a champ at the speed of light in the complicated road of life !!!


Saturday

2/16/2013

On february 16, 2005, I left New York to travel on my sidecar around the world. It was the best decision of my life I never took.


The simplicity and the freedom of the life on the road fit me perfectly.


The making of "French macarons with my daughter Eve, Peter and Lorraine in Jersey, UK.


Friday

8/2/2013

Update from the visit to my favorit doctor Sylvie Delanian yesterday:

My general condition continue to improve, inflamation, mobility, energy.

We continue to decrease the amount of cortisone and antibiotic until the end of February where we will stop them. By the end of March, we will know if I stabilzed without these heavy drugs. If yes, I will be able to go back to Namibia on my sidecar, il no, it will just take a little bit longer, that's all. We are also dealing a few side effects of these drugs, I have been taking for months, like tension, nausea and cholesterol.

In any case, I will continue for many months the normal  fibrosis treatment from Sylvie based on vitamine E and a few others goodies.

 

I am with Lorraine on the ferry from Saint Malo to Jersey to visit my daughter Eve and Peter.

 


Yves from East of France "took a risk" last night by knocking at our door.
Thank you for your visit Yves, I it was nice knowing you. I hope to see you again on the road... soon !!!


Puree of 2lb of parsnip, 2 "conference" pears cooked in a vegetable broth. Very delicious with any grilled fish !!!


Visit of Michel I met at the "Milles Vaches" in his artist studio in Montparnasse before returning to Barfleur.


Tuesday

1/30/2013

- 10:00 am: Bought a Turbot from a fishing boat early in the morning at Barfleur

- 1:33 pm: Train to Paris with home made ham bone sandwich with salad & tomatoes

- 6:00 pm: Conference about the mining industrie in Mongolia

- 8:00 pm: En route for Coulommiers with my friend dentist Frederic


10:00 pm: Sharing this little "Turbot" fished that morning in Barfleur with my friend Frederic...


Thursday

1/24/2013

By receiving a few alarming emails, I realised I did not post since our return from our fabulous 2 weeks in Marrakech, and I am very sorry of that.

All is good, we arrived in the snow, had a house leg of lamb at Lorraine (UK) and Steve with gary and their friend Richard (as funny as Steve). I went back to Paris to visit my friend dentist Frederic who started to renovate his old Terrot RGST 1957 with sidecar, I had dinner with my nevew Johan who lives in Madrid, went to the apple store to do a CPR to (my) Lorraine's computer who fell asleep for good, ate a very delicious pigeon with my sister Marie-France, went to the prefecture de  police to inquire on how to renew Lorraine's titre de sejour and I came back last night in Barfleur.

This is it, just the normal things...


Snow on jardin du luxembourg, leg of lamb raised and carved by Steve, pigeon and Frederic with his Terrot.


Having lunch with my sister in law Jamsa and her son Younes who lives in Marrakech.


Do you think it may matter what they are cooking ?
"Not really, it can only be good with all this smoke" - Hubert.


Essaouira did not change a bit, the difference with Barfleur are all in the colors !!!


My 2 good friends from Marrakech, Laurent and Bernard, both avid adventurers !!!


in Bernard's gastronomic restaurant, may be the best of Marrakech, the "Elephant's Rib Steak" finally demistify !!!


Friday

1/4/2013

After a fabulouis flight from Paris to Marrakech (see photo at the opening page)

We arrived at Riad Noos Noos of Laurent in the middle of the medina...

 


The riad Noos Noos is like a little palace.


Thursday

1/3/2013

I visited my favorite doctor Sylvie Delanian this morning. Overall, the progress continues. We are still decreasing the doses of cortisone and antibiotics but I have now to deal with the side effect of 3 month under cortisone.

Sylvie gave me the green light to take Lorraine for 2 weeks in Marrakech to thank her for all she did for me the last 6 months.

We take the plane tomorrow to Marrakech to visit a couple of old friends Bernard and Laurent I met there 2 years ago.

 

View the story about Bernard and Laurent in Marrakech on April 10, 2011

 


Tuesday

1/1/2013

and I wish everyone a very happy new year !!!


Tuesday

12/25/2012

Merry Christmas everybody...


Saturday

12/22/2012

My daughter Eve and Peter from Jersey, UK, came to Barfleur to celebrate Christmas together.

 

Jean-Louis arrived safely in Namibia.


Preparation for Christmas with Eve and Peter.


Wednesday

12/19/2012

We were at a Christmas party at Steve and Lorraine's house when I got a phone call from  my friend dentist Frédéric "I came on my motorcycle and I am now at your house in Barfleur..." I answered him "it's your lucky day, I just bought 16 lb of scallops from a fishing boat this afternoon".

We managed the situation, getting him the key of the house from our neighbour

Philippe and asking Frederic to go buy rice and bread. At our return we had a nice dinner in front of the fireplace.

 


Being a fine cook, while waiting for us, Frederic prepared a delicious scallops with rice and brussels sprouts.


Wednesday

12/12/2012

Before going to "Les Millevaches", I went to meet with Claude for the first time at the "Django Reinhartdt" exposition in Paris with his wife and daughter.

You will see on the second photo below, we were at the same Opera in Saint Petersburg on May 1st 2009 but Claude who was already following my web site saw me on the photo his wife took only at their return home in Paris.


With Claude and his wife and daughter at the exposition "Django Reinhardt in Paris


Claude's wife is taking the photo at the Opera of Saint Petersbourg on May 1st 2009 with me one row behind.


With so many fires of big logs, it felt like a Napoleon campain set.


Friday

12/7/2012

It's decided, I take a train to arrive tonight in the center of France at the bike weekend "Les Millevaches". I will meet there a few fellow sidecar's aficionados I know and others I don't know !!!

I take with me my Mongol's coat, and I am sure I will find the comfort of someone's hospitality for me to sleep in his tente in my -40ºF sleeping bag !!!


When I saw these signs "Snow Tonight", I realised it was the perfect weather for the bike weekend" Les Millevaches"


Thursday

12/6/2012

Wake up at 4:30 am, took the first train from  Cherbourg to Paris, had breakfast at my sister Marie France's house, then a ride with her by my brother Patrick to go to Sens - 100 miles - south of Paris to pick our ante and take her to a gastronomic restaurant "La Madeleine" to celebrate her official 100 birthday, and we are now back to Paris.


It was a great pleasure to share this humble meal ($140/each !!!) with Marie-Louise for her official hundred's birthday.


Tuesday

12/4/2012

This morning I had an other visit with my lovely Dr. Delanian. 

She recommended me to stay around until the "violent" inflamation I still have get under control. Basically, she is adjusting the antibiotics and cortisone weekly until I can be out of it.

In consequence, we will not go skiing with Jessica in California and we will stay in Barfleur for Christmas.

 


Watch the short video on how my neck makes me feel


Monday

12/3/2012

My good friend dentist Frederic - who travelled already 6 times in Mongolia on a motorcycle - completed the revamping of my mouth. The infected teeth were removed. The broken denture made in Mongolia was replaced. I can again eat with my full mouth. Thank you so much Frederic for your kindness and generosity.


Now that I am taking care of business, Frederic is not laughing anymore !!!


Pascal and Isabelle - I did not know before -  came yesterday to visit us.
They left their V-Max and her Triumph at home and just drove their car from Caen where they live.


Saturday

12/1/2012

Since yesterday, I got a few email like this one below

 

Hubert

"I have the feeling that you are loosing your travel bug !!!"

A+ Michel

 

Let me tell you, for a nomad it feels good to pause but he will always go back on the road !!!

 

Hubert, the nomad's land rider


Friday

11/30/2012

On this windless friday

The sky had the luster of a pearl

We walked Milou to the harbor

Bought a fresh sole for tomorrow

15 scallops for tonight

Then we took a coffee at the terrace of  Café de France

Retirement at it's best !!!

 

hubert



Jean-Marie came to Barfleur to visit us. I met him last year in Bamako Mali and called them the Mercedes' gang.
They are a group of 5 friends from the same village in France who each of them buy a car in France and drive them
to Mali to sell them. Then they spend a week of vacation together and they came back home until the next year !!!


Alain, I know from a long time felt he had to take a risk saturday and just knock on the door.
Way to go Alain, we had a great time and thank you very much for the delicious rhubarbe pie.



Visiting my good friend dentist Frederic at Coulommiers - 60 miles East of Paris.
Frederic already traveled 6 times to Mongolia on a motorcycle !!!



Thursday

11/22/22012

Happy Thanksgiving everybody...


Jean-Louis just crossed the "Congo river" to arrive in Kinshasa, RDC where he will negociate a visa for Angola !!!


Wednesday

11/21/2012

Olivier - I did not know - came to visit us last night in Barfleur.

He is taking a year sabatic next year to ride around Europe with his 9 year old son in his Ural sidecar. His wife and his 3 other daughters (23, 17, 16) will join them every other month where ever they are in their tour at each vacation (welcome to France).


What a brilliant father he is, congratulation Olivier.


Tuesday

11/20/2012

After 6 month of  bureaucratic redtape Lorraine got her French "cartre de séjour" the equivalent of the US green card. What a relieve !!!


Saturday

11/17/2012

It is a tradition in the USA during the family Thanksgiving dinner that everyone say what he is thankful for. Jessica was thankful for living in a privilege country like the USA or Europe by compare of so many countries in the world where life is a struggle. Lorraine was thankful for her good friends she met in Barfleur. As for me, I had no hesitation "I am thankful to Sylvie" - my miracle doctor  Sylvie Delanian who unblocked my throat with her treatment, that now, let me eat, drink and breathe!!!


We celebrated Thanksgiving last night because Jessica is going back to California tomorrow.


Thursday

11/15/2012

Because I could not fly to California for Thanksgiving, due to the follow-up needed with my miracle Dr. Sylvie Delanian, Jessica surprised us to came spend a week with us in Barfleur.


Welcome dinner for Jessica in Barfleur. L > R - Sarah, Philippe, Gary, Jessica and Lorraine


Saturday

11/10/2012

The "Vendée Globe" is a sailboat race solo and non stop around the world leaving from France going around the South Pole passing the 3 capes of South Africa, Australia and the infamous cape Horn of  South America and finally coming back to France.  For the next 3 months, 19 men and one woman will compete to try to beat the world record of 84 days.

 

Click here to follow the race live.


Eve and I would not have missed the start of the "Vendée Globe" at 1:02 pm (excactly !!!) today.


Friday

11/9/2012

I don't know where my daughter Eve got that from but she always tells obscure’s jokes  that makes her laugh hysterically !!!  As for her husband Peter, he is a very fine cook and has the excuse not to be French.

In any case, I love you both very much - Hubert. 


"Here's the new Xmas product from apple straight out of the harbour reach factory...
"The Cat-puter 1.0" available in shops near you as seen on TV !" - Eve. (right side of the chest)


Peter cooking grilled place's filet with courgette pesto sauce and grilled potatoes.
But you better be a night owl if you want to enjoy it !!!


Thrursday

11/8/2012

After a nice dinner - see the "Tartiflette" below - with Gary and Philippe last night, I went to sleep a couple of hours and left home at 3:00 am to drive to Saint Malo to take the early ferry to Jersey, UK to visit my daughter Eve and Peter.

Lorraine could not came because she cannot leave the French territory until her immigration paperwork is in order. We have an appointment on November 20 to, hopefully, conclude the request we made last june.


The "Tartiflette" is a French specialty from Savoy - in the Alpines mountains.
1 layer of sliced potatoes, 1 layer of bacon, 1 layer of onion cooked in butter, double it and put a big quantity of
heavy cream with white wine. Slice a "Roblochon" (Savoyard cheese) in it's thickness that you put inside/down.
Bake it in your oven and don't hesitate to make it BIG, your guests- here Gary with Lorraine - will love it !!!


Monday

11/5/2012

Super news, not only, I go visit my daughter Eve & Peter at Jersey this week from the 8 to monday the 12, but I just learned that my other daughter Jessica from California is coming to visit us at Barfleur from tuesday the 13 to the 19.

All this is fantastic.


We just invented a new way to watch F1 GP without having a TV !!!
Eve in Jersey UK is watching the Abu Dhabi F1 GP on her TV
with her computer facing her TV connected with me on Skype...


In Barfleur, I can watch the F1 GP of Abu Dhabi live on my computer without having a TV, just marvelous !!!


Saturday

11/2/2012

For the Saint Hubert," patron des grands chasseurs", we go to the market of Saint Vaast hunt oysters and mussels !!!


The Nicos family: Harrry - on 4 legs, Nico - himself, Charles, Sylvie & Emma.


Who would send us an anonymous letter with white labels to take our pills ???
Remove your mask Martin (who was here last week), I can see you !!!


Thursday

11/1/2012

For those of you who like to take a risk while visiting us in Barfleur, next week, I go to Jersey visit my daughter Eve and Peter from november 8 to the 12 included !!!


After dyring my shoes in front the fire, like I am used to do, these piece of crap "Chatham" bent big time.
Neither water or hairdryer heat could bring them back to normal, the leather is plastified or something like that !!!
I had to buy a new pair of shoes and this time, I went to the best - SEBAGO, Always Imitated, Never Equaled !!!


Thanks to the local dairy farm from Manuel and Christine, I enjoy the raw milk like when I was in Costa Rica.


LIVE FROM INDIA, F1-GP, TV > café Le Goeland Barfleur,
Audio > French Radio (through earpiece), Telemetry > Internet FIA. Just divine !!!


The "Girls" are back from their artistic escapade in Mexico.
The quartet Sarah, Bibi, Lorraine & Philippe is finally reunited !!!


Friday

10/26//2012

I had a little draw back when I ended the first phase (antibiotic) of my treatment 2 days ago. The next morning, I wake up with my throat very tight having difficulties breathing, eating and drinking and my neck started to swallow big time again. I was in Paris for a regular follow up appointment with Dr. Delanian. When she saw me entering her office that morning "What's happening here, you don't look good" she immediately adjusted the treatement, made take 2 cortisone and this morning I am back almost to normal. Ouf, I can breathe again !!!


Martin decided to "tak a risque risk" yesterday
and knock our door in Barfleur while I was having lunch with Guillaume in Paris.
Luckily, the train took me back on time in Barfleur for dinner to share the 3 lobsters he brought with him.


The talented and amazing Guillaume Bardet, I only new on internet before, lives in the south of France.
In 2011, Guillaume designed and digitally modelled one ceramic object per day - 365 in total. Then he supervised
their production, and made a 456 color book out of it. Today the collection is touring the European Museums !!!


Sunday

10/20//2012

The open invitation in Barfleur, is working very well to my delight.
This weekend, we have my friend Patrick (friend from shcool when we were 15y) who came from Vannes with Kathy for the week end, and Yesterday, Jean-Christophe from around Paris was visiting Michel50 (we ride together to the 1st International Ural Rally to Linz, Austria 4 years ago) 50 miles away from here and they both decided to came here too !!!

I love having visitors like that.


L > R: Jean-Christophe, Lorraine & Milou, Michel, Patrick, Kathy.


Tuesday

10/16//2012

Lorraine just bought a scale and the good news of the day is that since I left the hospital, I gained 12lb out of the 44lb I lost in my hospital bed.

The Barfleur fish is working for me not to mention the heavy cream !!!


I know the scale is not readable, but trust me, it says 65.5kg unstead of the 60kg out of hospital !!!


Sunday

10/14//2012

I just put online a new story about my "Family Vacation in France" from the begining of the summer. I am doing an other story about the time at the hospital and the last one will be the recovery in Paris and now in Barfleur.


Saturday

10/13/2012

Guy & Claudette & I glanced at each other a couple of year ago for a few seconds at a Ural meeting in France. They traveled all the countries of Europe and more with their Ural. It's so refreshing to see them succeed at the unusual choice of life they made 8 years ago by stop working and just enjoy life at age 50. Congratulation, Guy and Claudette, you show that dreams does not become reality by looking at your wallet but by following your guts !!!


The sweetest couple you can think of, Guy & Claudette I admire you !!!


80% of my time in Barfleur is dedicated to food. Between, shopping at the
farmers and fishing boats, cooking and eating. Even at the beach I am studying my next recipe !!!


Sunday

10/7/2012

As every year, I managed to get a truck of coal delivered to the ger of Pourou's wife in the village where she lives with the kids during the harsh Mongolian winter . Thank you Sybille from Oasis in Ulaanbaatar for taking care of the coal delivery.

 

It's already the 3rd winter since I left them in the Gobi desert, I miss them a lot.


During the delivery, Narantsengel (grand daughter left), Pourou, Khishigbayr (his wife), Monkhtsetseg
(youngest daughter), Uuganbaatar (oldest son in the truck) , Tsolmonbaatar (youngest son)




Saturday

10/6/2012

So far, the open invitation is a success.

 

We had Pascal and Renée from Caen, a couple I know from internet, I never met before, Ural afficionados who come for lunch. As soon as they arrived, I put Renée in the kitchen to do a complicated recipe for the "Barfleur Mussels" - the mussels are cooked in white wine, lay (without the shell) in a pan over a layer of local leak with a lot of cream and you finish the cooking in the oven. For starter, I found local live little shrimps (bottom left), cooked in hot butter and sprinkle with burning cognac. Pascal (top right) at that time was just the tester !!! After a digestive walk around the harbour under the rain (normal here), they went home at the end of the afteroon a couple of hours away.

Half an hour later, someone knock at the door? It was Quentin 25 from north of France (that I did not know) on his way to Ireland by the ferry who decided to "take a risk" and surprise me with a couple of motorcycle magazines from his dad (thanks Christian) dated from 1972 with photo article about our ride around the red sea on the Guzzi sidecar !


Renée is the chef, Pascal the tester !


Quentin 25 already traveled to New Zeland, Australia and USA
Everytime, he was able to find a job to support himself for several month and visit the countries.


Thank you Tony, your email send from Tokyo to the Closerie des Lilas last tuesday was delivered to me
and I shared it with all the bikers who were there. (some are very smart to get their message through)


Just a teaser, my first scalops bought directly from a fishing boat at Barfleur.


Thursday

10/4/2012

We settled in this lovely house in the remote fishing village called Barfleur in Normandie for me to recuperate my health scare.

The house is 100 yard away from the fishing harbour

 

This is an open invitation:

to amybody who want to came visit us in the next couple of months, we have one bedroom for you where you will always be welcome. If you feel like "taking a risk" do not hesitate to do it my style, just knock the door day or night and take a chance (we might not be around at that time?) or email us to set it up. In any case we would be happy to welcome you. Just remember in Barfleur, this the full season for mussels, oyster, scallops and all freshfishes bought directly from the fishing boat.

 

Hubet et Lorraine Kriegel, 17 Rue Saint Thomas, 50760 Barfleur, Normandie, France


Living room, kitchen and dining room in a rare open space in this original fisherman house.


Wednesday

10/3/2012

We are on our way to Barfleur.


Tuesday

10/2/2012

What a great day, to celebrate my sister Marie France birthday (and mine), we had a lovely lunch at home with our brother Patrick and 2 of the best Dalloyau cakes.

Then at 6:00pm, I went to the Closerie des Lilas meet a dozen bikers. They were all well travelled many of them knowing Africa more than me. I love meeting these people who share their experiences just for the pleasure of it.

 

Lorraine arrived from Barfleur delayed by an "Ikea blocade" but just on time to have dinner with Marie France and me at the terrasse of the Closerie des Lilas.

What a lovely day !!!


A dozen well travelled bikers meeting at the Closerie des Lilas in Paris.


Monday

10/1/2012

It's my birthday today, I am 66.

 

After meeting my miracle doctor last tuesday, her treatment took 48h to decongest my throat enough for me to be able to eat almost anything and have normal full meal (of course, i have to work it out, cleaning my trhoat at each bite with water). You have no idear what it means to me, after 2 month listening all the doctors telling me "We don't know what you have". At every bite, life is penetrating my body, I did not gain weight yet, but my level of energy is already X 100.

I have a few hundreds emails to answer since I was hospitalised on July 17, 2012 and Wifiless since. I will answer to each of them individually, because they were impotant to me, making me cry when I was at my bottom. Thank you to all of you.


This week I will leave the "Fontaine du Luxembourg" for Barfleur in Normandie.
I don't have the left colar bone anymore and on the right side, my "cast iron" is pulling
my head toward my shoulder but don't worry about a thing, my sidecar is "reverse crooked", it will go straight !!!


Friday
9/28/2012

Everyday, my throat and swallowing system improve. It already has less pressure from the "cast iron" and my voice improve too. I still have to eat slowly and clean my throat with water at every bite but I eat a lot more everyday.

 

What about a drink before I go to Barfleur next week:

Closerie des Lilas,

Tuesday, october 2 @ 6pm

 

See you there. - Hubert


Wednesday
9/26/2012

Only good news:

 

Docteur Sylvie Delanian

Oncologist-Radiation

Hopital Saint Louis

Paris

 

After an examen and listening to the chronologie of my medical story and a review at the scans from Lariboisiere, doctor Delanian gave me her diagnostic "My computer if full of case exactly like you, I know how to treat it and in 3 month you willl have substantial improvement, I cannot tell you everything will return to normal or how long it may take, but you will improve a lot."

 

Thank you to my beloved wife Lorraine who find doctor Delanian on internet after a couple of night of research because at Lariboisiere, nobody knows her !!!

Having spend 15 years of research on Radiation Fibrosis Syndrom, her name appears in all the articles related and she is better known in the USA than in France where she practice at hospital Saint Louis.

 

PS: My weight is still at the lowest.


Thursday
9/20/2012

News from Jean-Louis who just entered Congo:

"You know, I missed you a lot these last couples of days, mostly in the sand track too deep and too soft near the border... but also in the climb of a stiff cliff. It was way to stiff for us, and I was very lonely in the middle of it without escape. Fortunately, the rangers of the park came to my rescue with their Toyota Land Cruiser. They pulled me to the top, me in neutral but lying down on the sidecar because the slope was dangerously going the wrong way not to mention the ditches. It was quite scarry ! Saint Ural, give us an engine Toyota on our sidecars and a really short 1st gear ;-)"

 

Go! Go! Go! Jean-Louis keep pushing, it's happening, congratulation !

 

For Jean Louis more administratives problem are in front of him, between RDC, anc Angola, it's not a piece of cake

 

As for me I was able to have an appointement tuesday with docteur Sylvie Delanian, who specialize since 15 years Radiation Fibrosis Syndrome, i am sure she will help me improve my conditions.

 

Eating is still a problem, my swallowing is very poor and I still don't eat enough to recover !


Saturday

15/9/2012

It's difficult to find something that does not exist because they were looking for a source of infection I don't have.

 

What I have is "Radiation Fibrosis Syndrome" from 17 years ago!

 

When I arrived at the Lariboisiere hospital in Paris on August 6, my neck was still swallen and my throat was not working. My breathing was difficult and forget about eating and drinking I just could only swallow with difficutlies. ENT (Ear, Nose and Troat) went to search for any remissence of my neck cancer from 17 years ago. They put me a tube in my throat, open me twice in my neck to do biopsies and biologie search. After 3 weeks, they were done, I am cancer free. I was still swallen on the back of my throat that had it's own life going bigger and smaller for no reason letting me eat very little. At that point, I lost 44lb and all my muscles.

Then I went to Internal Medecine to find the source of my infection. I had no sympthome of parasite callled tropical desease. Everyday, I had a new Scan, IRM Scan, Pet Scan (nuclear medecine) echographie etc... They send a camera in my stomach, send my blood to 6 different specialised lab in France. All my organs passed the tests without any trace of infection. Without a source of infection, they decided to stop all antibiotics and treatements 2 weeks ago.

My body stabilized (no more fever up and down) but my swallowing was still screwed up. Meanwhile, everyday, I could feel a slight improvement. My breathing opened, then I could eat yogourt, and process food, of course it was small quantity but better than nothing but forget about drinking, I was very bad at that most of the time. My voice was still growling

I must say that all the hospital personel was quite amazing, very kind with a lot of compassion. All the doctor are 30 or less, that bothered me at first but they new how to make me trust them "Your case is atypical, we just don't know what you have !!!" I found that reassuring.

Last monday was the big visit with all the doctors directed by the Professor Bergman from Internal Medecine. It was the first time I saw him. It did not took long for him to tell me his opinion. "in 1995 your neck and throat was exposed to radiation that damaged the tissus. When on july 17 you had this violent infection, the damaged tissus reacted by becoming very hard and there not too much we can do to change it. It will take months if it improved and in a year you will know better where you are at. Your voice may never came back to normal. !!!"

 

Here is my situation today:

I have some kind of "cast iron"under my chin left and right, it goes down to my neck at the throat and goes to the right up to my right ear. I call that a cast iron because it's very hard and form on bloc. Here are the 2 problem this cast iron thing bring me. My larynx is stack behind the cast iron and cannot move freely up and down. That affect my voice and my swallowing. The second problem, is that this cast iron thing limit the motion of my head. I can turn my head 45º to the left, 20º to the right, and 0º on the back. When I walk in the street to be able to look in front of me, I have to keep my back straight and put my hands in my hips to elevate the shoulders. On the front, I can lean my head normaly.

 

Be reasured that these limitation cannot stop me from driving my sidecar, if I need, I can always turn my shoulders for a better angle and I will adapt my driving to my new condition.

 

I left the hospital last night and went to my sister Marie France. I am a total wreck, I have no energy and no breathing, it's quite scarry. I went with my sister do some shopping at 200 yards from her house, we had to stop 2 times on a bench for me to make it. I filled my basket with french saussages, eggs, cassoulet etc...

I was surprised to see I could eat a little of everythihg during the dinner. I don't eat fast, I don't eat a lot but i do it. My pleasure to eat is still there.

 

Now I need to rebuilt myself and it will take a lot of time.

I will stay a few days with my sister then we will go to Barfleur, a wild fishing village, where Lorraine rented a little house next to the harbor.

 

One more time, I thankyou all or you for your support, it touches me and help me moving forward even if once in a while I still feel in the ditch.

 

Don't miss the opening page


My first day out of the hospital with Bernard and Marie France at Luxembourg. I am pooped !!!


Thursday

8/16/2012

On July 17, I was at Giorgio's house at Altea in Spain when I got suddently and violently sick. Overnight, I had fever, I vomited a lot of blood and my neck swallen dramatically from 10 pm until 7 am when Giorgio took me to the urgency hospital.

I had a very dangereous "Spret B" infection (bacteria) - 8% of people my age who got it will died of it. I could not swallow anything, could not breathe with my lungs filled with 700cc of pus and my kidneys and larynx were infected. My pulmonary doctor who saved my life told me a few days later "when I first met you, you were dying".

Under heavy drugs for the next 2 weeks at the Spanish hospital, I could not eat or drink anything, I lost my voice and I was semi delirious. Then it took a week to Europe Assistance to find me a hospital bed in Paris (50% hospital beds are closed in august in Paris) until monday august 6 when they fly me to hospital Lariboisiere. There they focussed on searching for any resurgence of my neck cancer from 1995. They schedule a surgery wednesday 8 to inspect my throat in detail down to the larynx. That day, I fell apart, I was scared for the anesthesia (they missed it 2 times in the past with once a life threating situation when they exploded my lungs) and I was scared of an other cancer.

It all went well, the surgeon did one biopsy without conviction, more just because he was down there already.

After the surgery, it was like a miracle, all my throat system - breathing and swallowing - for the first time since 3 weeks was at peace. I still had a lot of irritation and my voice was still off but I was able to eat hard food and drink water. I lost 24 lbs and I feel very weak.

 

I want to thank you my wife, my daughters and my family for their support helping me going through this difficult time.

I did not have internet connection at the hospitals, but my daughters were updating the guestbook and reading me your posts everyday. Thank you very very much for all your support, it touch me a lot.

 

After 30 days, I am still in a hospital bed !!!

 

Don't miss important information about the sidecar on the opening page


Over night I gained this rugbyman neck that I loved and wanted to keep to impress punks in the street.
Unfortunately the doctor said, "if you want to heel, the neck has to go" !!!


Monday

7/2/2012

I arrived in Normandy yesterday. Preparing with Lorraine to go to Auvergne at my sister Marie France's house for a family reunion for my ante 100th birthday.


A romantic evening at sunset in Normandy with
a delicious can of "Lentil petit salé" ready in 3 minutes on the portable gas stove from the van.


Saturday

6/30/2012

What a pleasure for me to spend the morning with Nico and his daughter Emma. Nico's kindness touched me the first day I met him at the Closerie des Lilas. Seeing him going in vacation with his son behind him and his daughter Emma in their Ural's sidecar represent a lot to me !!!


It's a complete "rebuilt", after the shoes, it's a new "Primaloft" jacket. The fabric of the old one was tear-down.

Friday

6/29/2012

To avoid listening bad commentary during the whole summer, I did a very smart move, I bought a new pair of shoes on my first day in Paris unstead of buying them on the day I will go back to Africa !!!


It was hard for me to through away my old shoes
but move your mouse in and out of this image to see how smart I was !!!


Wednesday

6/27/2012

My plane from yesterday was too late for the connecting flight to go to Paris so all my flights are delayed one day, I will leav this morning and arrive in Paris Thursday at lunch time.

 

News from Jean-Louis: After enjoying his ride in Cameroun and Congo, he left his sidecar in Gabon and flew to New York where he is with Alison to recuperate for a while. He should be back in Africa in August.


A last mussel garlic cream and tomorrow, I'll take my plane to Paris !!!


Sunday

6/25/2012

The French immigration administration need to do an interview with Lorraine and me for her paper work. I booked a ticket to go to Paris wednesday and we will enjoy some vacation time together in France.


F1 GP of Valencia + FIA telemetry on internet + French radio commentary = Perfect F1, just missing peanuts !!!


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