Beautiful memories. There's something about how bikes can link us back to memories of places we've been and trips taken.
Ten years ago I was stranded on the dock at Cherbourg, France, because the ferry I was catching home to Ireland (an 18 hour overnighter) had a radar problem. Eventually we were allowed to board but I had to leave my VFR quayside. They were basically only allowing us on to give us all a place to sleep for the night. They attempted to empty us out the following morning with promises of other ferries but a few of us hung on and explained that we were entitled to do so under EU law. There was no guarantee that an "alternative sailing" would actually take us and once you've left the boat you're on your own. Eventually made friends with many of the staff, got a tour of the ship, saw the bridge, got the VFR onboard and got home a day late. The poor French lad I'd helped out through this, on a nice Kawasaki ER6, had a day robbed from his tour of Ireland because of it but I managed to get him a cabin so he was comfy (until he got to Ireland where it pissed rain..poor guy).
Photo below of the VFR fully-loaded dockside. The two Beemer guys disappeared the morning the ferry was emptied, think they chanced the "alternative sailings" thing. Actually the Larry David lookalike there was riding a Honda Silverwing maxiscoot!
One more edit - I'm sitting here now with my baby daughter asleep in my arms and am married to the woman who I was traveling back and forth to France for. We've our own little home, a lovely little dog, and a shed where I can work on/admire my two VFRs. If you'd told me that was gonna happen 10 years ago when that picture was taken I'd have been astounded. Life moves fast.