JQL
Growing old disgracefully
I'm learning to fly my drone. This was only my third flight so I thought I'd video my FJR.
FJR Phantom Blue
- Thread starter JQL
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Frosty
Site Supporter
Nice work John. Nice to see you post again. Hobby or budding business?
Coyote Chris
Site Supporter
Very nice! I still have my FJR and love it. Frosty and I have a friend we see at the Reno Air races every year who has a very expensive drone with very high quality video.....quite the hobbie and quite the phenomena. Here they are kind of like firearms. They have the capacity to do great good (search and rescue for instance) or great evil ( interfering with fire fighters) or just be very entertaining. Do you have to register yours? (John, its aweful flat there....just sayin'...when Frosty and I come over to see Normandy will you show us around? 
Good video, John! I'd love to fly a drone, but probably won't anytime soon. Are you still riding your NT? It's always good to hear from you on the Forum.
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JQL
Growing old disgracefully
Many thanks for the encouragement.
In answer to your questions:
In answer to your questions:
- The drone is a Mavic Mini and is for "hobby use" only.
- In France the Privacy laws affect the flying of hobby drones rather than CAA (our FAA) regulations. These privacy laws are draconian. So, for example, I can't fly it in my garden as I could infringe my neighbour's privacy.
- A drone doesn't need to be registered in France provided it is for private use. I believe the limit prior to registration is 750g mine's less than 250g. Each European country has different regulations!
- Firearms in Europe are a nightmare. For example, it is totally illegal to own any type of handgun in the UK - instant jail if you have one. It is impossible to get a permit. Police and Military only. In France, the laws are slightly less strict.
- Yes, I'm still riding my Deauville (NT700VAA). Though with the current pandemic, only about 2 or 3 times a month rather than my daily commute. I'll be out on her later today, but only to the Post Office.
- Frosty, Chris and anyone else. I'd love to show you around Normandie and other parts of France. I've been to Normandie many times, mainly to the WWII sites - it took me about 5 days to see most of them. You need to take your time - there are a lot of Museums (some better than others) and quite a lot of walking along the Landing Sites etc. The US Cemetery, Omaha Beach, at Colleville-sur-Mer (https://goo.gl/maps/P7K1RU2T98DAMkBR8) alone is enormous and I was there for about half a day (I could have stayed longer!). If you're coming to Normandie, budget 6-7 days just for the WWII sites. May or September are the best times of the year (usually)
- It's easy to rent motorbikes in France so you can tour Normandie, or anywhere else in France for that matter, on one.
John, I visited the battle sites at Verdun and Omaha Beach when I was in France in 2008. I spent a little over half a day at Omaha Beach, partly because my ex-wife's father had been in the first wave of the landing there. He had survived that only to die in the bocage on July 11th. He had been buried at Omaha's cemetery for three years before his brother had his body returned to the US for burial near his parents. I spent about four hours at Verdun. I can agree with you that it would take close to a week to visit all the WWII sites.
My biggest problem with traveling in France was finding a place to spend the night. I was in Caen for close to four hours before I stumbled onto a hotel (what do you guys call them, anyway?) that had a vacancy. My first night in France, I had gotten to Torcy at about 11PM and found an open McDonald's. The girl on the cash register and a woman customer and I were able to communicate enough for me to find a "Mr. Bed" where I spent the night. The next night in Caen nearly had me sleeping in a 24-hour laundromat. I only saw two of what we from the US call hotels in the first three hours. Both of them were credit-card places with no live human staff person to talk to and both were full. It turned out to be that I was in France during the month when so many people are on vacation. Plus I still don't know what to ask for when I want a place to sleep at night in France!
My biggest problem with traveling in France was finding a place to spend the night. I was in Caen for close to four hours before I stumbled onto a hotel (what do you guys call them, anyway?) that had a vacancy. My first night in France, I had gotten to Torcy at about 11PM and found an open McDonald's. The girl on the cash register and a woman customer and I were able to communicate enough for me to find a "Mr. Bed" where I spent the night. The next night in Caen nearly had me sleeping in a 24-hour laundromat. I only saw two of what we from the US call hotels in the first three hours. Both of them were credit-card places with no live human staff person to talk to and both were full. It turned out to be that I was in France during the month when so many people are on vacation. Plus I still don't know what to ask for when I want a place to sleep at night in France!
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JQL
Growing old disgracefully
Phil,
France from 14th July until the last week of August is on holiday! Seriously, there is no work performed (except by the hospitality industry) and everyone is at the beach or in the mountains. If you just want to visit Paris, it is the best time to visit as Paris is empty. Totally bereft of people! If you want to visit anywhere else, forget it. The reason I suggested May or September is due to the availability of accommodation and the relative lack of tourists. Of course, the week around 6th June is fully over-booked in Normandie.
I'm sorry to hear about your ex-father-in-law. The "Bocage" is a defenders dream. How the US ever managed to break out is a mystery to me. For those that don't know, the "Bocage" is a very rural area with sunken, very erratic, narrow roads and tracks surrounded by hedges. An ambush, quite literally, around every corner.
I think you'll find that the French have finally grasped the importance of speaking English and most hotels and restaurants now have some English speakers. Very different from when I arrived 12 years ago. But, just in case you're over again, you need to ask for "une chambre" (literally a bedroom). My girlfriend prefers staying in hotels but I'm happy with a Bed and Breakfast (chambre d'hotes).
There's still quite a lot of Normandie I need to see and want to revisit. I'm thinking of getting a tent and just going for a couple of weeks in the autumn and mooching around. You're and the others from this forum welcome to join me if travel is still an option with this current pandemic.
John, when I was in that McDonald's in Torcy, I had been asking for a "hotel." The customer who helped finally figured out that I was asking for (I think) a "hotel de chambre." In Caen, I had started around the perepherique (sp?) after coming from Chartres and took a turn that put me on the motorway back towards Paris. I had to go quite a few kilometers out of Caen before I could turn around and go back. I looked near the WWII museum and didn't see anything, and went on around the perepherique without seeing anything. I turned and went toward the city administrative center and found one "credit card hotel" that was full. I ended up going back to the perepherique and returning to where I'd come into Caen and went to a McDonald's. An assistant manager spoke English and took me outside where we stood on top of one of their tables so he could point to a "hotel" on the other side of the perepherique. Naturally, when I got there, it was full. I took a road all the way across the city heading generally northwest and the only thing I saw was that laundromat. I thought about sleeping there or about going down near the city administrative buildings and sleeping on the grass, hoping a gendarme would come along and wake me up so he could tell me where to go to find "une chambre." But then I hit the perepherique again and turned to go back towards where I'd been. I only went a kilometer or two before I found one the full credit card hotels and a real hotel that had open rooms plus a great breakfast for only about 25 Euros more than the credit card hotel would have cost.
After leaving Normandy, I rode across France to Mechelen in Belgium. I was spending the night with a man I had "met" on the Concours Owners Group Forum. Naturally, I couldn't find the place he'd told me to go so we could meet. So I went to a McDonald's where the manager let me use his cell phone to call my friend. McDonald's were my saviors in France!
After leaving Normandy, I rode across France to Mechelen in Belgium. I was spending the night with a man I had "met" on the Concours Owners Group Forum. Naturally, I couldn't find the place he'd told me to go so we could meet. So I went to a McDonald's where the manager let me use his cell phone to call my friend. McDonald's were my saviors in France!
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JQL
Growing old disgracefully
Ah "Le Mac-Doh" as the French call them. Yes, they are one of the few places open after about 10pm in France.
In Belgium, most people are tri-lingual (or better) French, Flemish, English and German are the "national languages" depending which part you're in. I was in Bruges (the Flemish area of Belgium) in February and everyone spoke excellent English but refused to speak in French even though they could!
In Belgium, most people are tri-lingual (or better) French, Flemish, English and German are the "national languages" depending which part you're in. I was in Bruges (the Flemish area of Belgium) in February and everyone spoke excellent English but refused to speak in French even though they could!
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JQL
Growing old disgracefully
Probably a few but they are terrified of speaking bad English - a long story.
Coyote Chris
Site Supporter
Moi aussi! LOL! Frosty is talking about sailing over and renting a car in France and seeing the invasion places. Out of my comfort zone alone but I would do it with him. I dont think he would want to go to Verdun and dig for souvenirs, though....we will leave our pistols at home, and our assault rifles
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JQL
Growing old disgracefully
Better on a Bike!
I was in Verdun last month. Again, a lot to see and quite some distance from Normandie.
Travelling is always easier when there's two or more of you. I've been travelling around the world for over 55 years, so it's second nature to me now.
With the current pandemic and the fact that France is back up "lock-down" levels of cases again(1382 confirmed new cases yesterday), it'll be better to leave any visits until next year when we've all been vaccinated.
Frosty
Site Supporter
I lived in (mostly just travelled from) western Germany from 1997 to 2000. I did some traveling by car to England by the Channel Tunnel many times. I visited Paris a few times. When my wife would visit, we would drive to the Cora store in Forbach FR just west of Saarbrucken. I was there for work and had no time off. I would like to visit Normandy but not until the Covid thing is done. I do not want to risk being sick that far away form home.
My loose plan was cruise ship to England, ferry from Portsmouth to Le Havre, and use Bayeux as a base for touring. The return can be anything.
My linguistic skills consist of poor American English.
My loose plan was cruise ship to England, ferry from Portsmouth to Le Havre, and use Bayeux as a base for touring. The return can be anything.
My linguistic skills consist of poor American English.
Just go to McDonald's if you need help!
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JQL
Growing old disgracefully
Frosty,
You're very welcome, anytime.
I think international travel in the future may be restricted to those who have either had the virus (and have had an anti-body test) or those who have had the vaccine. So it might be worth coming over sooner rather than later. Travel insurance, which includes health, is relatively cheap depending on age and existing conditions...
You can rent an FJR in France, or other bikes for that matter, so you can ride around Europe if you wish. In fact, the motorcycle companies, including Yamaha, are all running an advertising campaigns for Motorcycle rental in France at the moment
Bayeux is an excellent central location. I've stayed there and you can relatively easily visit most of the beaches and sites. The US ones especially.
Ah, Normandy. Nice place to see. 
We missed a family wedding in the U.K. due to the COVID-19 shutdown. Really itching to travel right now but that’s not happening anytime soon, way to much virus still around. My wife who is from the U.K. wanted to go back in 2016, should’ve listened to her then, now like millions of folks we are stuck until things clear up. We are looking for places to retire outside the U.S. and of all places France was listed as somewhat affordable for ex pats. My wife has travelled throughout Europe and loved France.
I mentioned that I had gone to Normandy (Omaha Beach) partly because my ex-wife's father had been in the first wave on D-Day and then had been killed on July 11, when there was a German might attack on his company's position in the bocage. He was a member of C Company, 3rd Battalion, 29th Infantry Division. When I walked into the cemetery I had hoped to find at least one or two stones memorializing other members of the company. I stopped after I'd walked into the middle of a large section of cemetery and looked down. I was standing in front of one member of C Company, and there were at least 8 others within 15-20 feet of that one. In that one engagement, C Company had suffered something like 70% casualties, one of the highest rates of any company during the whole war.
Omaha Beach is a sobering place to visit. So was Verdun.
Omaha Beach is a sobering place to visit. So was Verdun.
Frosty
Site Supporter
Thanks John,
I think international travel restrictions are already in place for the US. It may open up for a trip in the Spring. I can not even get my passport updated.
I don't think that I would be interested in motorcycle touring, but that might change.
I will certainly seek your opinion if we get any idea of when travel may be possible.