Ah, June 2024, you sneaky month, you slipped through my fingers like a greased-up Triumph Stag on a rally track! As I ponder where you’ve dashed off to, I must confess, the last 30 days have been a whirlwind of adventure and rubber-burning escapades.

The saga commenced in the twilight of May, with my friend Chris from Devon roaring up to my doorstep in his time-traveling 1974 Triumph Stag, fresh from the past and ready for the Déjà Vu Monte Carlo Rallye. A year’s worth of anticipation culminated in a dash of derring-do and petrol-fueled passion, all chronicled on my blog .

Barely had I kicked off my driving gloves at home, it was time to chart the next course—a multi-leg odyssey that’s still a work-in-progress on my digital diary.

Here’s the scoop, in headlines fit for a tabloid

1. Le Mans or Bust: Zipped to the legendary 24H race, scooping up my pal Brigitte in Tours. Spoiler: the race was a corker!

2. Evening in Versailles: Post-race, zoomed to Guyancourt to break bread with Christian and his clan.

3. Parisian Rush Hour Rumble: The next morning, braved the snarl of Paris to rendezvous with my American friend Alice, fresh off the plane from the Big Apple. Post-lunch, snagged my better half, Carole, from the TGV’s clutches.

4. Tourist Trap Extravaganza: Played the gawking sightseers in Paris, my birthplace from a cool 70 years back.

5. Belgian BBQ Bonanza: Next stop, Liege, to kibitz with Doodie, an old school chum of Carole’s. The grill was hot, and my Z’s were sound.

6. Hannover Hangout: Then, a jaunt to Hannover for a 10-day family-and-friends marathon, peppered with babysitting gigs and a birthday bash to ring in my sprightly 71st.

7. Alpine Sprint: The homeward haul kicked off with a pedal-to-the-metal dash to Austria, a snooze in Dornbirn, then a leisurely cruise through Switzerland and Italy to the sun-kissed Côte d’Azur.

8. Homestretch Hustle: The final leg was a breezy 400km jaunt, punctuated by a pit stop to gab with my friend Gerard in Pezenas.

Now, 4,621 kilometres richer in memories, I’m back in the saddle at home base, gearing up for a July jamboree of guests, galas, and gigs. Here’s hoping the sun keeps its hat on for the festivities!

🌞🎉