Hi JAF
I Think it's a really cool idea to come to fjordrally with a Vespa. I drive from switzerland to Kiel in my car and than take the ferry Kiel-Oslo - so I really have veneration for these guys from Italy or Spain, that drive all the way to jostedalen on two wheels!
BUT:
In my eyes you can forget your timetable an please make a new one with "reserve-time" for incidents and accidents or you will be very dissapointed. Your schedule CAN work, but it will be no fun and you take a very very high risk on you. I'm not one of the very hard winter drivers, so maybe my advice is not necessary, but I live in a country with cold days in winter an I've been to fjordrally several times - so I have an idea, what i'm talking about.
In addition to what Jörg wrote, some statements:
1) the day are very short up in north in January (do you now when daylight starts and ends? In darkness it's very dangerous on a bike, because no car or truck driver is aware of two-wheelers in January) maybe an other Fjordrallyforum-Member can ad exact times here.
2) It can be very warm in France, Germany and Norway (let's say 0 degree), but it can also be VERY cold (minus 35 in the morning). Your body has to produce heat: One hour driving is even hard on a bright day, but: If it's snowing an has fog you will be dead after one hour driving an will need a coffee stop for let's say half an hour. After the second hour km you will need an other stop. You'll really need these stopps - your driving will become very dangerous and risky if your body get's tired an stiff (and it's not driving on safe roads ... and it's not only risky for you, but also for other people on the roads) It might be colder in France an Germany than in Norway ...
3) it can be possible, that you need the studded tires in Germany allready, depending on weather ... than you need a garage (it's possilbe to change tires yourself, but beleve me: It's very very hard on 0 degrees an almost not possible with -30 degrees) -> count two hours for that. Or do you work with the screw-type-studds?
4) Your average driving velocity might be at on good weather 50 or 60 km/h, so count 3 hours for 100 km (inkl. the coldness-stopps from point 2) than you go to eat something in a restaurant, than an other 100 km and the day is over! With a lot of snow on the road your velocity can be very slow. If you only have "small" studds on your tires count an average of 5 km/h if there is really a lot of snow on the roads. If you have "big" studds your driving on asphalt will be dangerous (so maybe you'll have to change back. Even on a cold "blue sky day" more than 200 km in norway are possible, but no FUN.
5) Where do you sleep? In a tent or in a hotel/cabin? In both ways you need time to find such a place (maybe late in the afternoon in darkness and coldness).
6) Your bike might not start very well in the morning and you might only start 2 hours later, than you expected or any kind of rubber-hose or -belt brakes because of coldness or your clutch-lever is frozen in the morning etc etc
7) You drive alone, so if you need any help it takes first time to organize this. Driving alone also can safe time on the other hand.
I know, you want to drive on Vespa the hole way (the way is the goal). But just some ideas: there is a train, where you can load your Vespa from Basel to Hamburg, there is a ferry from Kiel to Oslo, a lot of (pussy) guys drive to Kiel in car and leave the car there to change to the bike to go on the ferry on Bike and wearing Motorcycle-clothes and look like very hard Winter-bikers
Not talking about Norway, but "Tusday 28: Poitiers-Stolberg (750km)"???? 750 km is even hard in a conditioned car, but almost unpossible on a vespa in Winter, even if the road is "black". When in the morning to you start, when fill your tank, when eat, when looking for a place to sleep????
So please start on saturday 25 and so you have a lot of save reserve time if there is any kind of unexpected incident.
Call me or other Fjordrally drivers if' you get in trouble somewhere an need some help. There might be a person near you. For example we ("Schwede" and me) take the ferry from Kiel to Oslo on thursday 30.01. (I'll start wednesday-evening in Switzerland by car) and so will reach Gol on bike on Friday-Evening 31.01. (Gol camping center). We'll not gooing to join the fjordrally in Jostedalen this year - only staying some days in Gol, driving around there and going back to the Ferry Gol-Kiel on Thursday 06.02.
My number is +41 (0)79 671 12 55
Hope to see you healthy in Gol sunday-evening 2 of february! There will be other Fjordrally-drivers then and also some beer
Greetings
Patrick
