Arras, Vimy Ridge and some actually decent Belgian roads: MT-10 tour PART FIVE

[@BrendanBaxter-md4vk]

Great stuff Tim & yes, Europe on a bike one of life's greatest pleasures. Hope to be doing something like this trip in a few months - can't bloody wait!

[@byjingobob]

I enjoyed this mini series of motorcycle/ history adventures. Just the job for the dark winter days. Keep doing the videos Tim and we will keep watching and enjoying the trip vicariously.

[@timrodierides]

Thank you!

[@arcticcraic]

Just discovered your channel a couple of weeks ago. Been bingeing ever since. Love the bikes, craic and history. Thanks for putting the effort into making these.

[@Randrew64]

Just finished watching this series. Brilliant. You did make me laugh at one point (sorry- I know this was quite a serious trip around the battlefields). I recall the differing speed limits across the French / Belgium border, particularly at a town called Pussemange ( I know- very childish!) where we got flashed. Apart from beer at Chimay, it’s also worth visiting the Circuit De Chimay and doing a few laps of the street circuit. On my last trip to Eiffel, we stopped off at Waterloo on way back to Calais. Definitely worth a visit. One of the best museums I have visited. Keep the videos going.

[@mattmutane5502]

Another vote for doing a lap of the Chimay "circuit" (made up of public roads most of the year)! :) (it's on my usual route between Calais/Semois anyway and you do a part of it just passing through! :) ) One day, I'll make it to the Classic Bike racing they do there every July... :)

[@derekwaters932]

This series has fired me up to go again, thanks Tim!

[@matthewsmith1925]

Brilliant series, absolutely love the bike/war combo, both great passions of mine.

[@martyndunn1905]

I went to Vimmy Ridge a couple of yrs ago, what an amazing place. And this has been a great series, thank you and Happy new year

[@laurencemartin5333]

Yet another great series, please keep them coming 👍

[@chriswest4570]

Great. As per your last Vosges video, you’ve made we want to visit the area again. My mates and I followed in your footsteps last year and had a great time, for which I am very grateful to you. Lovely stuff, great adventures with a little education thrown in, cheers!

[@TheGray1967]

Great series mate , really interesting with the history stuff thrown in , look forward to so more

[@davegreenwood9110]

Excellent little series. Really well done sir. Some great roads, very interesting and poignant history, mixed with some much needed humour. When's the next one?! 👍

[@jasonkendrick1974]

From the couple of references of "going back to Calais" now I have the LL Cool J reference retort of "O yeah, I don't think so" stuck in my head. 😂 Enjoyed the series, Tim.

[@tridentyyz]

Thanks for the Vimy tour. As a second year university student I sat in a Canadian History course and Professor Jack Granatstein, told us how taking Vimy made Canada a nation. Still debate over it, but it is what it is. My WWII links are my father was RCAF and my uncle was British Army in North Africa, then the Mediterranean, Sicily, Italy, then on to Berlin.

[@winditon1523]

Looks like a fabulous trip and I’m enjoying 2nd gear very much 😂😂

[@mattmutane5502]

Thanks for this series of videos Tim, they were fantastic!! :) As you know, I already love the Voges and like you, it's one of my favourite biking playgrounds, and try and get there at least once per year. However, your videos have added another dimension, and highlighted to me I need to spend more time there off the bike too, appreciating and remembering the war history! Great route from the BF to Trier, it's basically the same awesome one I regularly use :) (same goes for the Semois/Ardennes (I once stayed with the family at a place (La Cornette) on the N816, whilst taking the kids to "Recrealle" at Alle (highly recommended! (mini-Golf, Electric Quads, Air-Hockey and Canoeing :) )).

[@CrouchyOnBikes]

You mentioned you rode through Neuve-Chapelle (you might have said Chateau). My Great Great Uncle was killed there in October 1914, when the Germans, as they used to, fired a Howitzer shell at a steep trajectory so that it would land in the trenches and do more damage. He was one of nearly 50 men killed in one such attack. I have an account from his regiment’s history book, Queens Own Royal West Kent regiment.

[@neilhutton1528]

All very entertaining Tim. Thanks for sharing.

[@RK-bl8uv]

Did a tour a few years back of the Ardennes and some of the Easy Company spots - Bastogne, Foy, Noville - and then tied it into a Market Garden tour. Did my best XXX Corps impression and stopped for a brew at every opportunity 😁

[@timrodierides]

What took them so long?! Thanks for watching -Tim

[@IndigoJo]

I've never been to Arras as such but remember it from it being where you used to turn off for Paris if you were going to the south of France from Calais. (Now you carry on down the A26 and follow the signs for Lyon, but back then you had to go through Paris via the A1 & A6). Then when I did WW1 poetry at GCSE, I came across this little rhyme by Siegfried Sassoon: The General ‘Good-morning; good-morning!’ the General said When we met him last week on our way to the line. Now the soldiers he smiled at are most of ’em dead, And we’re cursing his staff for incompetent swine. ‘He’s a cheery old card,’ grunted Harry to Jack As they slogged up to Arras with rifle and pack. But he did for them both by his plan of attack.

[@iancharlton5530]

Fantastic series Tim.

[@ticthedog6095]

👍 Many thanks for the enjoyable series of videos

[@AnyoneSeenMikeHunt]

Waffling thru Belgium 😀

[@mart7798]

All looks very scenic!

[@NooBiker]

Notre Dame de Lorette is a very moving memorial also especially the peace memorial inside. It's on the way to Calais.

[@chrisstocking284]

This has been great Tim! Subscribed.

[@ChipZilla69]

I was at that Canadian memorial in September on my own motorbike tour. It was extremely impressive.

[@TwoGoTouring]

Always enjoy the videos Tim. We’ve been in Europe last three summers and in Belgium you’ve really got to plan to stay off the main roads and get into the heart of countryside and river valleys on the backroads to see it at its best. Followed you right through this trip 👍

[@timrodierides]

Thank you so much for the support! I can't wait to get back next Summer :)

[@gordonatkins9135]

Brilliant Tim, thanks for videos happy new year

[@cottenham]

Wonderful tour.

[@normancrighton7622]

Cracking series. Look forward to more.

[@SuperWellington1815]

Would agree Waterloo is really good anyway thanks Tim that was marvellous 😊

[@grenphelps7455]

Fantastic videos 👍👍

[@vincents8165]

I found the Ardennes disappointing when compared to the Vosges. As you said, too "stop-starty", the villages are too close together. They should have thought more about us foreign bikers when they started planning their villages in the middle ages!

[@Neutronb0mb]

The big question is when will Riding With Rodie start operating military / motorcycle tours across Europe? Travelling to the finest battlefields and burger joints.

[@StuartWren-qb3vx]

Great series again Tim. Great content both the war stuff and motorbikes. Off to Italy via the Vosges and Swiss alps on my MT10sp in September and can not wait. Nice one, and happy new year 🤟

[@40something]

Cracking mini series Tim! My Dad hates the fact I motorcycle but he came to visit over Christmas and we enjoyed watching it together....Any chance of the gpx route file, I'm very tempted to do a similar route this year?

[@zakmilas]

Facinating series. A new subscriber!

[@timrodierides]

Thank you kindly!

[@zakmilas]

@@timrodierides I am Canadian and that Canadian memorial looks really fabulous.

[@peg9459]

There is a reason why all the trees are being cut. We have a massive invation of bark beetles which are killing all the trees.

[@stephenmcqueen4029]

Bouillon looks very quiet

[@stephenmcqueen4029]

Le tank cafe outside Dinant is nice stop before the m way home

[@mattmutane5502]

Good shout! :) I usually like targetting Dinant for a lunch stop on the way to Spa, as it sounds like "dinner"..... ;) :) :D

[@georgehatcher8867]

Excellent viewing, being a lazy good for nothing is it possible to grab a GPX of your route. If not I won’t be offended but you have got my juices flowing. My great uncle was supposedly killed in the First World War, his name is on a memorial at a military cemetery near Lille, I have since learned he probably went awol and ended up living in Rotterdam.

[@jimmyrottencauli]

Breakfast of the Gods 😂

[@Mancastle]

How do they run raytracing on that river? must take a lot of power

[@timrodierides]

@@Mancastle Belgium runs on an RTX 4070Ti

[@MichaelPoole-w9k]

Cwwg. About the only thing a government quango does well. Thank you tim

[@chr11sf]

👍