Portugal To Croatia

[tomsp]

Great trip pics and text. How about some background (maybe you had it posted and I missed it) on how'ed you get the bike over there, why'd you do it, was anyone with you, etc. Best and worst parts, etc.

 

thanks and this is very cool

[Orson]

I bought the bike in Parma, Italy from Moto Guareschi, a mom & pop shop. Mom runs the office, dad is chief mechanic & his two sons help out as mechanics. I told them I wasn't an EU resident & if there was any problem getting the bike registered in Italy. After a lot of head scratching & talking in Italian (I don't speak Italian) they came up with some kind of arrangement. I'm still not sure how they did it. I got Italian plates & they even arranged my Insurance. Friends in the UK have told me it would be impossible to get insurance in the UK as a non resident.

 

Anyways, they even offered to store the bike for me for free while I'm at work in Saudi. I have friends in Portugal & UK who also let me keep the bike in their garages so, it works out pretty good. I manage to get up to Europe about 6 or 7 weeks a year to do some riding. Saudi is just a 6 hour flight from Amsterdam. I don't ride in Saudi cuz the Saudi drivers are plain nuts.

 

Riding in southern Europe is a blast. Bikes rule. Police, more often than not, turn a blind eye. Best part is all the great roads & scenery. Worst parts are, you get lost at least once a day. You learn to live with it. It's just part of the adventure. I speak Spanish so, I can understand a bit of Italian & French.

 

I ride alone. It's pretty hard to find someone else who has 5 weeks to take a trip across Europe.

[TX REDNECK (R.I.P.)]

Great pics & report I've have to get out more often

[tomsp]

Orson -- awesome story. How'd you get your le mans from Italy to Portugal? And why did you pick Droborsnik (spelling) as the destination -- right-- they have been through it! Did you keep a daily log, etc.? Where did you sleep jeach night for 55 days?! I think I'm doing good when I venture out for a 3 day cruise

[tomsp]

so I got my days wrong -- 26 not 55 still longer than I've ever done!

[Orson]

Orson -- awesome story.  How'd you get your le mans from Italy to Portugal?  And why did you pick Droborsnik (spelling) as the destination -- right-- they have been through it!  Did you keep a daily log, etc.?  Where did you sleep jeach night for 55 days?!

That was last year's ride. I rode from Parma down into Tuscany. I was near the seaport for Livorno when I saw signs for the ferry to Corsica. I went,"Corsica...hmmm". Jumped on the ferry & was glad I did. Corsica is pretty much a mountain jutting out of the Mediterranean making for some wonderful motorcycling roads. From Corsica, I took another ferry to the south of France & from there I made my way to my friend's house in Portugal where the bike spent the winter in their garage.

 

I chose Dubrovnik cuz of a car magazine article I read years ago that declared the road along the coast of Croatia was similar to California's Highway 1. Since Highway 1 is my all time favorite road, I was keen to see the comparison myself. Dubrovnik just happened to be at the end of the route.

 

No, I didn't keep records. I'm a terrible record keeper. Some days I don't even know which route I'm gonna take until I get on the bike & I'm forced to decide.

 

It's no problem finding places to sleep each night. Europe is just like North America. They have hotels & B&Bs all over the place. I'd usually pass a great looking hotel around midday then, around 5 P.M. when I really needed a place, all the hotels looked like dumps. It's all the luck of the draw. Some nights I'd luck out & find a great hotel...other nights I'd be sleeping in a dump. I'm not much for camping. I like my hot shower at night & strong coffee in the morning.

 

Here's a pic from last year's ride. This is the rugged west coast of Corsica.

[tomsp]

Good What type of softbags do you use there? While in Portugal, did you ever get to Henry the Navigator's place? Great pics. YOu need to write a book. And from your stuff -- the Moorish-Spanish line area is great history. Absolutely too good. What's next?

[Orson]

I have Teknic saddlebags although, I'm wishing for some hard bags. I wish Guzzi would make them standard equipment like on Aprilia's Futura.

 

Yah, I got to see Henry the Navigator's place on Cape Sagres in Portugal. In fact, it was one of the must see places for me. I've always been attracted to those land's end type places. Something about reaching the ends of the earth that make you stop and reflect on life.

 

My tentative plan for next year is to visit my friend in the UK. I'm thinking about going up through some of the eastern European countries like Hungary & the Czech Republic. Maybe even visiting the Normandy coast of France if I have time. I'm a bit of a WW II history buff.

 

Here's a picture I took of the lighthouse on Cape Sagres. It's built on the ruins of Henry the Navigators school for navigators.

[Admin Jaap]

Orson,

 

If you come through Holland next year, you're welcome to stay!

[Orson]

That sounds great Jaap

I'll pay for the beer

maybe you can teach me some of those soccer songs the fans sing at the games. We can see how long it takes for us to make your girl friend leave the room

[savagehenry]

Hi Orson, I was lookin' for member's thoughts on Teknic saddlebags, and this old post popped up in the top slot. I was immediately drawn to the fact that you were in Dubrovnik, riding. My Mom-in-Law was born and spent her younger life not too far away ("Remember WWII?" She LIVED it. I often count my blessings to live here!), and had always said it would be a great place to vacation, and the riding is some of the best. And the traveling mag, "Conde Naste" said the city was easily one of the best kept secrets in Europe, for the location and it's seaside allure, and the prices. Your thread also reminded me that I should buy Jaap a couple of beers via the little window on the right hand side of the homepage. This site is "the shit"...

Quote:"Riding in southern Europe is a blast. Bikes rule. Police, more often than not, turn a blind eye. Best part is all the great roads & scenery." I find myself quite envious, and jealous, when I read this

Quote:" Worst parts are, you get lost at least once a day. You learn to live with it. It's just part of the adventure." That sounds like a recipe for a perfect riding day to me... See ya around here, S.H.

[Orson]

Thanks for the kind words!

 

I didn't think it was possible to resurrect a 4 year old thread

 

Four years later and I still have the Teknic bags. I guess I've learned to live with them. I split a stitch on them the first year I had them, but since then, they've lasted quite well.

 

Not quite as roomy as BMW hard bags, but I guess they teach you not to over pack