Day2-Wed, April 25, 2012
Finalized paperwork with Stefan.
1) International Motor Insurance Card (Green Card) good for 29 days.
Since I was staying for almost 2 months, I had to purchase a second Green Card for the following 29 days. I also purchased the ADAC PLUS Europe-wide, vehicle-related benefits like assistance following breakdown, accident, vehicle theft Auto/Moto Travel Insurance.
Easter tradition - Each village decorates the town fountain with decorated eggs
The villagers make/donate the ornate eggs.
We spent the next couple days learning our camping equipment. Setting up our tents, firing up a camp stove (no cooking plans, just for coffee in the mornings), getting supplies and relaxing.
Day6-Sun April 29, 2012
Monetary: $1 USD = €0.755 or €1 = $1.32 USD
Gas: Super approx 95 €1.95/liter (3.7854 liter = 1 gal) soooooo 1 gal = $7.38!
Weather: Overcast, cloudy sprinkles
Repositioning Day: Rode from Bamburg, Germany to Tirrenia (Livorno), Italy ~994 km (617 miles)
Camping Tent
I’m using a Redverz Series II Expedition Tent. It’s unique in that it has a huge vestibule that is designed holds a motorcycle along with boots, packs, and other small equipment. In rotten weather, I can move the moto out and cook or hang out in this area.
Series II Expedition Tent - Front View
Series II Expedition Tent - Sleeping section Left - Bike parking Right.
With this tent there is no need to unpack the bike. Dress and undress standing up.
Day7-Mon April 30, 2012
Location: Tirrenia, Italy out to the Cinque Terre area
Gas: €1.98/liter (3.7854 liter = 1 gal) soooooo 1 gal = $7.49
Lodging: Tent Camping
Weather: Rain all day!
Ride: Out and back north up coast to Portovenere (La Spezia), Cinque Terre and back.
Cinque Terre
Gelato break in Portovenere!
“The Five Lands” is composed of five villages along a very steep mountain shoreline: Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggore. Most tourist take the train and it’s 5-15 minutes ride between villages. The roads to these villages are very challenging. The roads are single and 1-1/2 lanes switchbacking all the way up the ridge and back down the next ridge. We did well until Corniglia where the high road was washed out. There is a low road that goes to Manarola but when we got down there, it was closed too! We had to back track back to Portovenere.
Day8-Tue May 1, 2012
Location: Tirrenia, Italy north to undecided
Weather: Rain
Rained all night. At dawn it was overcast but no rain. Se broke camp and headed north along the coast to Massa and took SP4 into the Marble Mountains. This was a great switchback road through the marble quarry’s that ended at Casteinouvo Di.
There were dozens of marble quarry's on this pass. Huge slabs were cut from the mountain sid.
Huge slabs of marble being sectioned with all day blasting
This lake was located at the top of the pass.
At Casteinuovo Di SP13 we took SP72 towards Secchi. We crossed a very steep pass in Italy. After a series of hairpin 180-degree turns (in the rain) the road was blocked by another stalled bike.
OUCH! Hard to see how steep this area was. Nearest place to park a bike was 200 meters away.
This was the last turn from the top and attempting to get moving again, I dropped the bike on the right side. It was so steep that when we got the bike up I had to strap the bike to the guard rail to keep it from falling over again.
We ended the day riding in heavy rain to Lazise on the Lago di Garda. It was raining so hard we stopped at a small hotel. Camping sucks in the rain!!!
Day9-Wed May 2, 2012
Location: Lazise, Lago Di Garda, Italy
Reposition Day – Italy to Bamburg, Germany
Rode north all the way to Brennero Pass avoiding the Autostrata then it was Autostrata all the way back to Bamberg.
It has rained almost every day since I arrived in Germany! Totally unexpected but I was ready for it. Staying dry on most rides.
German Autobahn
Spent most of the day running the infamous German Autobahn. From casual observation there are three speed bands — subsonic (Higdon 1-veiner ~90 mph), supersonic (Higdon 2-veins ~110 mph) and hypersonic (Higdon 3-veiner ~130 mph). These are roughly associated with lane 3 (right), lane 2 (center), and lanes 1 (left) respectively,. Most of the subsonic vehicles stay in the right lanes entering the center lane only to pass.
The supersonic vehicles have lane 1 envy but whenever they tip-toe out into lane 1 they get shooed off by hypersonic vehicles who flash their headlights demanding their right-of-way. Occasionally someone has a Teutonic tantrum when riffraff stay in the wrong lane too long.
Next, attending the IBA Germany Ride-To-Eat
Correct me if I’m wrong here Dean.
Don’t I recall your scooter laying in roughly that position on your last trek?????
What a familiar picture Dean. Too bad you#re being pissed on on top of it. But you Know it’s the rainy season in Europe!
could have asked your German friend, thats why I go in June. But as I know you you will enjoy it tremendously anyway Buddy.
Dean, Dean, Dean. Your bike is suppose to be on a bike stand, not on the gravel. Or did you forget?!
Hope you’re having fun!
At least the Strom has the courtesy to fall asleep in a nice open spot instead of inside the tent.
Let me guess….Euro stock market drops due to French election and your Strom makes a sympathy drop? Or maybe it was just dizzy from the switchbacks!
Very cool tent! But yes, camping the the rain is not the hot ticket.
Keep the photos coming!
Teutonic tantrum — HILARIOUS! Keep up the fantastic work Dean, I’m loving this!
Frankly, even though I AM German and love going fast in cars and on bikes, my impression of these fast German drivers on the Autobahn who come up right behind you and flash their lights in a demanding way is that they probably need some other kind of outlet, like playing tennis or spending time with a woman, so they can blow off some steam in a healthier way.
Burn the tent!!