The ferry to Palermo was a long one—nearly twelve hours. Like the previous crossing, we were rudely awakened well before dawn by loud PA announcements and porters moving through the halls, knocking on doors. Half asleep, we gathered our riding gear and tried to get organized amid the crews rush to herd sleepy passengers into crowded hallways where we were told to wait until the ship had fully docked. Continue reading
Italy was calling as we rolled away from the hotel in Munich before dawn in the Beach’s van on the way to the airport. Deby and I were headed south for a very different kind of ride. This time, it would be just the two of us on rented bikes, following a self-guided route through southern Italy, no chase van, no daily briefings, just GPS tracks, pre-booked hotels, and the freedom to wander. With lodging taken care of, we could focus on what mattered most: the road, the scenery, and the quiet pleasure of discovering Italy at our own pace. Continue reading
We weren’t very far south of Prague on a small, paved back road when we started coming across signs in Czech that appeared to indicate the road was closed ahead. Not sure what to do we continued on past more and more informational signs. It was a Sunday so we thought if there was construction maybe they wouldn’t be working and we could sneak around any barricades which we actually had accomplished a few times already. Eventually we came to an area with a large group of people and an arch across the road, it was some kind of event. I found some pictures online: Continue reading
Like most big adventures it started innocently enough. This spring my riding buddy and regular in this blog (Pork Chop) Michael forwarded me an e-mail from a tour company in Germany, Beach’s tours. They were advertising a fall trip starting in Munich, Germany and riding a loop through Germany, Czech Republic, Austria, Slovenia, northern Italy and back to Munich. All in just over two weeks. Michael had toured with this company 20 years ago and vouched for the quality of their organization and tours.
Off to Jasper! Up to this point we were on roads that we’ve visited before but were glad to be back because they are some of our favorites. This would be our chance to reach the northern reach of the Ice Fields Parkway for a couple of days in Jasper National Park.
Finally we were off and riding, the goal was an easy 237 miles to Whistler, BC. According to Google maps, an easy four and a half hours, it took almost double that.
I felt like I was on one of those television reality shows where the homeowners return in a week, and the remodel has fallen behind schedule. Here is my version.
One day before the longest day of the year, Deby and I packed up our camp and prepared for the journey home. We lightened our loads by sending camping gear home with friends from the rally, keeping only the essentials for the next week. The Norton had been a reliable companion for the past 10 days, but it was now looking worn, with its headlight held on by duct tape and a sticky coating of sap from parking under an unknown but sappy tree. Continue reading
The destination for day two was Lakeview, Oregon. We chose a route that would get us there in just over 300 miles. We had a very uninspired breakfast at the hotel restaurant that included some type of breakfast muffin for me and a breakfast burrito for Tony. Tony said it didn’t agree with him, and it was probably a good thing he was driving alone. So, all gassed up, we headed south. Continue reading
The adventure of motorcycling often conjures images of exploring distant countries, winding back roads, rugged mountain passes, and unfamiliar cultures. But sometimes, the real adventure lies in the motorcycle itself. This is one of those stories. Continue reading