'Round the World with an Italian Supermodel

Next up:

How are you going to get it on the elevator ?

NOLA

AntiHero said:

You're on! And the book is in progress.

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I want mine autographed. Hit me up seriously dude.

An epic journey and perfect pics, enjoying every second of it with your excellent writing skills Dennis, so how this trip compared to the one u did in America? harder? more freedom? more risks?

and count me in with the book, autographed please

I do want the book too..and remember that the next time you will be in Italy you have to call me

AntiHero said:

One doesn't have to believe in God to appreciate the architecture of cathedrals any more than you need to believe in Zeus to appreciate the Coliseum.

I'd be happy to visit all of the Pagan, Muslim, Jewish, Buddhist, or Athiest-built structures in Europe, but during the Dark (and Middle) Ages, the church kind of had a strict policy of maiming, torturing and killing the people who would have built them (torture methods and devices during the middle ages make ISIS look humane).

I hit up the East Coast on my Coast to Coast trip (in my sig below). Hoping to make another pass when I finish here, though.

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Two other places I visit and highly recommend:

- Rosslyn Chapel, Scotland. Has a nice cafe and fascinating history.
- Angkor Watt, Cambodia.

^ Yes, so this can turn into "searching for the Holy Grail with an Italian Supermodel". Might provoke even more interesting exchanges with the natives than saying you've nowhere to go and nothing to do...

Steve B said:

^ Yes, so this can turn into "searching for the Holy Grail with an Italian Supermodel". Might provoke even more interesting exchanges with the natives than saying you've nowhere to go and nothing to do...

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Speaking of "Nowhere to go and nothing to do," I believe this instagram pic might have been the first time I used that quote.



Though I did have the foresight to actually book an Airbnb place, I had about 5 hours to blow before I could check in, so literally I had nowhere to go and nothing to do. Let me tell you guys--it's a great fookin' feeling to arrive in ANY foreign city without an agenda or a plan. One minute I'm on the freeway following signs to Paris, the next minute, "holy ...., I can't ....... believe I rode my bike to Paris!"

"Nothing to do, nowhere to go," only means I'm free to do whatever the hell I want.

Prior to arriving in France, I'd emailed Ducati Paris (in English and French) a good 10 days in advance. Never got a reply, so when I had an SFR SIM card, I called 3 times. Struck out the first time. The second time everyone I was transferred over to the service manager after speaking to a couple people who were more than helpful, despite the language barrier. The service manager, however, was a total prick. Now, I'll have to mention here that I spent 2 weeks in France a few years back and only once did I experience what I'd call rudeness. That's about the same - if not less - than you'd encounter in the US. So to me, someone who has a worm up his pinhole is NOT common in Paris, least not in my experience.

But, whatever....ok, I don't speak much French and I'm in France, so ma mauvaise. However, being in the Service industry you'd think that a guy behind a counter would be either smart enough to know that without customers, he got no job and without manners, you simply make life harder on yourself and unnecessarily unpleasant for others.

I could tell he understood the what I wanted and was actually enjoying blowing me off. The best response I could get from "Oil Change Panigale? Appointment? Rendez vous Oil change?" was--"No, you only need once a year," spoken in the same sarcastic and belittling tone employed by the French knight in Monty Python's Holy Grail "ah fahrt in your general direction."

He said to call back. I did. No answer. Blown off.

With nothing to do I headed over to the dealer. Cool guys, but the Ducati Paris I was routed to was the sales office. The friendly gents working there gave me directions to the repair shop, which was only a few mins away.



Rolled up and a good 5-6 dudes were out on their smoke break. Hated to interrupt, but struck up a conversation with one of the dudes who spoke English (Michel, I believe), and he took me back to the service manager, who was outraged before even a word was spoken. We're talking unprovoked RAGE in his eyes. (Perhaps I interrupted the birthday party he organized for his goldfish? Or maybe he was playing hide and seek during lunch and no one came to look for him?) Though the incredibly hospitable Michel had been doing all the translation, the service manager continued to speak and stare daggers. (Michel even glanced at me apologetically.)

The only thing that brought smile to the insipid lips of Nurse Ratched's son was when he said the first available appointment wasn't for another 10 days.

Merci beaucoup, freak! The great thing about ........ is they require no assistance in ruining their own lives. I can cheerfully walk away from a prick knowing that he alone is all that he needs to live out a miserable existence. Aur revoir, deekhead!

Footnote: I don't think he was an ....... because he couldn't fit me in--he was a ....... because of his attitude.

Can't imagine what he does to these poor bikes when no one is looking.

Wow. You should have pulled this lol




You know around the world with an Italian hottie @sshole!

I can relate to that.
Many moons ago, I was in skiing vacation in Megeve.
Early morning ice, making fun of a friend coming down a slope, I fall down going at 0.5Km/h, ski boot comes off the ski, I fall with my knee right onto the ski blade, and I cut my knee down to the ligament.
A stretcher bring me to the local doctor, who I an pretty sure he was speaking English because he had professional magazines in English in his office, but would only speak French to me (which I am proud to say I have no clue about).
The wound was not exactly a joke, so it was clear that a little communication would have helped the patient.
He put the stitches, billed me, and I guess he's still waiting for the payment

Nik ta mere, service manager

AntiHero said:

You're on! And the book is in progress.

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Can't wait to read the book.

b9009b said:

Wow. You should have pulled this lol

You know around the world with an Italian hottie @sshole!

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LMAO. I got treated like anyone else, which sucked for me, but at least the rest of us know how that guy operates. Too bad, too, because everyone else at the dealer (on the phone and in person) was super cool--even the dude who's break I interrupted.

How dare that dick in Paris be mean to our antihero!!!!!!
You should have said goodbye , I am off to see the rest of the world while you work in your little workshop cockalorum

The Duchess of Desmo said:

How dare that dick in Paris be mean to our antihero!!!!!!

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Come on?!? Anything else would be uncivilized!

Even the Eiffel tower, although a gift from Germany, is a finger pointed towards the rest of the world!

A joke I love to tell the french: " How many gears are there on a French battle tank? " Answer : " one forward and six reverse."

That service manager Dick things happens everywhere some are great and helpful some guys just eat dick .
I had similar experience at Ducati Melbourne I had a week long track days planned and had binned my bike on the first day .
I had broken a selector pin and worked all night on pulling the bike apart in a car park to replace the pin while all my mates headed off to the next track .
The night got worse as I dropped the broken pin into the motor . I had to pull off the exhaust and sump to find the broken pin .......could not believe it I found it .
Awesome I thought all I need to do is put new oil 3 bond the sump and I'm away .....20 minutes tops .
Left first thing from my motel waited for Ducati Melbourne to open see if I can get some help and got a similar response to your French guy .
Do you have it booked in ....no
Well I can't help ......it's only a quick job
You need to book it in ........I'm ten hours away from home .
Can maybe look at it on Friday ......but it's Monday .
Can't do it ......He then went out he back for half an hour while he smoked a few ciggies and had a coffee with the rest of the service crew .

One of the guys said try Motologic which I did and were the complete opposite . The retail staff at Ducati Melbourne were excellent and sold me a new screen and I was on my way .
Some guys just need to be the monkey and be kept away from the public .
It was quite a shock that someone would just not give their time to help .

Travelling your going to meet some great people but unfortunately some folks just hate life .

I guess your next stop is the UK? Should you need to use any dealers here I can recommend a few which will offer you a really good service and they really are friendly and helpful but it depends if your route is any closer to them. Ducati Aylesbury are pretty good, friendly service manager, you can talk to them straight on the phone and you will not get any of the paranoid answers you got from the French.

Cornerspeed up in Nottingham is pretty good too, even though he does not have the latest gear he is still pretty good with most stuff and he is a nice guy too, you can actually have a conversation with him with out feeling like an ........

Motorapido are good too.

Not wishing to make generalisations, but arrogance towards foreigners is almost par for the course in many experiences I have had in France. Thankfully it is limited to the few rather than most, so it's presumptuous for me to conclude this is representative of the whole nation. Whilst at WDW2002, the fuel pump relay on my six week of old 998S started to play up. I happened to mention it to a colleague who worked in the factory WSBK team at the time and he said to swing by the pits at Misano once the guys had finished testing. To my surprise suddenly about three mechanics swarmed all over my bike and spent a good hour pouring over it before they located the problem, which turned out to be a short in the loom leading to the relay. Pity that level of service is not in the mindset of the Parisian manager.

When I went to Neu Schwanstein Castle and watching a leg of the tour in Colmar back in 2002, I was also ashamed at how some French folks treat others. Especially considering how many men have lost their lives defending that bit of land.

Rage is how I feel reading this section of report. But Dennis is a true gentleman and that is how I would want this to work out.

Perhaps a nice letter to Ducati describing the turd and his attitude would be best.

Unfortunate, but you know that folks who act like that anywhere in the world eventually get their just rewards!