Marseille, la Gineste, Cap Canaille, Cassis, La Ciotat and back via Aubagne. A very pleasant bike ride for the end of January. Challenging enough to work the sides of the tyres nicely matted and practice gear-changing on the hills and late braking on the curves,  My bike started first try, even after the winter lay up. Winter leathers yes, but sunshine and just a light wind made the clear roads very enjoyable. And of course a break at La Ciotat, enjoying some patisseries to the sound of the waves breaking on a sandy Riveria beach. La Ciotat has a cinema dedicated to the Lumière brothers, who made a very early film of a railway train arriving at La Ciotat station.

Motorcycle Live 2012 seemed to have a busy first day, lots of visitors to see the stands of all the major manufacturers plus lots of clothing and accessories and after-market specialists who filled the halls at the NEC in Birmingham. Good to meet up with some others from GBMCC.

Race riders and celebrities on the stage and signing autographs: my photo shows Cal Crutchlow and Bradley Smith on stage in front of enthusiastic fans. The bike top left is Cal Crutchlow's bike that got him on the motoGP podium a couple of times in 2012.

Honda kindly let me pose on one of this year’s World Superbikes.

Best rides for me at the 2012 GLME Summer camp at Chorges were the col de Vars (2102 m,) with Arno, a good riding mate from Annécy (we got back to Chorges in time to enjoy the motoGP from Sachenring on HDTV), the col d'Allos (2247 m.) and the circuit of the “Grands cols Savoyards” which included the incomparable col du Galibier (2642 m.).

214 bikers at the invitation of AMA to their GLME Summer camp in Chorges in the Alpes of Haut-Provence. Groups of bikers from Spain, Italy, France, Germany, the Netherlands and the UK for a week riding around the Alps. Organised rides for various levels of ability, group meals and entertainments every evening. Great organisation though maybe some of the runs were a bit long for some of the less-experienced bikers. On the other hand, a shame to come so far and not make the most of the area.

Interesting to see the mix of bikes has very much switched to the "adventure" style from the sports tourer or super-sport which were the most popular the last GLME camp that I participated.

(Faces blurred deliberately)