Route:Bamberg, Germany-E48 to Prague, Czech Republic, E50 into Slovakia Money:-Germany & Slovakia: Euros €1 = $1.2527 USD or $1 USD = €0.7996 -Poland: Zloty 1 = $0.289 USD or $1 USD = Zloty 3.46 Fuel:-Germany: €1.64/L -Poland: Zloty 36.70/L -Slovakia: €1.55/L Weather:Mon: Mostly a lightly overcast day cloudy, and 3-4 brief patches sprinkles. Tue & Wed: Overcast and rain all day. Thu: Overcast and occasional heavy rain from Dolny Kubin to the German border. |
The world is shrinking!I’m riding to Slovakia to visit family. My daughter-in-law’s parents live in Nizna, Slovakia. They don’t speak a word of English and I don’t speak any Slovak. We’ve been together before and managed to understand a little. My daughter-in-law sent me this list of Slovak words: Toast: To your health = naz drovia At most gatherings there will be English speaking family members who will translate for us. Monday, June 13, 2012We depart at 0620 for Slovakia. On Garmin’s Basecamp it’s 804 km (500 miles). From Bamberg, Germany to Prague, Czech Rep it’s 70% autobahn. From Prague to Nizna, Slovakia it’s 40% autobahn. The rest are very good 2-lane roads with plenty of passing opportunities. |
| Speed limits is 50kph (31mph) towns, 80kph (50mph) country roads, and 130kph (81mph) autobahn. |
| The forecast for lots of rain in the Czech Republic turned into cloudy skies with remote sprinkles. But in the Dolby Kubin area of Slovakia it is pouring!
As we cross into the Czech Rep we stop at the first gas station to get a vignette. We are told that moto riders do not need a vignette.  This is the Czech Republic/Slovakian border. The EU borders are just these little blue signs. Easy to miss! |
| We’re 4 km from Nizna and cars flashing their lights at me. I’m thinking, “Are my headlights bothering them in broad daylight?”
As we pass through Podbiel, a village 2.5 km from the family home, I roll past a police roadside radar and camera. I never see him. My mind must have been focused on getting to Nizna, it just around the corner. It’s a 50 km (31 mph) zone and I’m doing 80 km (50 mph). The police officer clocks me, photos me, then tries to wave me down. He had a little red paddle and tries to wave me over but I never see him and zoom right past him. My riding partner sees the whole keystone cops scenario and gets waved over. Policeman: “Call your colleague, he is speeding!” Partner: “He doesn’t have a phone!” |
| After a couple seconds, I look back and there is no one behind me. I pull over, wait for a minute and turn around backtrack a kilometer and see my riding partner, the police car, radar on tripod behind a little sign, and two police men (one very grumpy). |
| Now there are three languages going on – English, a little German and Slovak and a lot of hand waving. I’m apologizing; my friend (who is laughing out loud) is trying to explain that this guy (me) is from the U.S. rode from Germany to visit his son’s in-laws who live 2.5 km in the next little village. I’m informed that the fine is €80 ($100 USD) payable immediately. I’m asked for international drivers license, passport, vehicle registration. |
 Busted! |
| After 15 minutes of very friendly chat the fine was lowered to €20 ($25 USD) and we were allowed to go. |
| Family |
| The little village of Nizna is near the northern border in the center of Slovakia 115km (70 miles) from Krakaw, Poland.
When we arrive we are invited into the house and begin the first of many “naz drovia!” toasts with their national drink Borovicka. Tony’s niece Erika came over to translate. She was Sue/Dean’s translator when we came to Nizna in 2010 for the engagement party. Thank you Erika! |
 Maria (mom), Dean, Tony (dad), Erika (tony's neice and translator) |
 Borovicka - The preferred brand is on the left. This is the source of many "naz drovia" toasts and many times a song. |
Tuesday-June 12Múseum Oravskej Dediny, Zuberec-Brestová |
| Donly Kubin and Nizna are in the Orava Valley. |
| It rained most of Tuesday. Tony took us by car to the Múseum Oravskej Dediny, Zuberec-Brestová. |
 Museum Sign Post |
| Located in the West Tatra Mountains this is a recreated village. Each section has homes, barns, yards from different regions of Slovakia. A wonderful view into Orava’s past. There were several hundreds of school children on a day trip here. |
 Period water wheel mill |
 Homer, Tony, Dean & Michael (another cousin and translator) |
 Interior of a period church. |
| We continued up the mountain but came to a road blockade. A landslide closed the road. Next to the blockade was the Sindlovec Restaurant and Penzion but it was closed. Tony talked to the owner and she allowed us in for a beer. |
 This dark beer is the best so far ... but every last beer has been the best so far!  Sindlovec Restaurant and Penzion |
| She was making lunch for four workers who were in the back cutting logs to make tables. She was in the kitchen singing a traditional folk song and Tony joins in singing harmony. |
 Tony and restaurant owner singing a Slovak folk song. |
 Tony, Dean, Michael, Owner, Homer |
| We were all having a pretty good time and the owner offered us a “Slovakian Hamberger”. |
 Bread, a heaping spread of lard, and a pile of onions! A Slovak Hamberger. |
| Take a piece of bread, spread a thick layer of lard flavored with bacon, then heap a pile of onions on it! Tasted great with the dark beer! For us Americans, lard has a tainted reputation health-wise … but in moderation it’s quite tasty! |
| That evening, after dinner (and a few beers and a few Borvichcas) Erica (translator and my daughter-in-law’s cousin) invited us to talk to her high school “English” class tomorrow. We must have been just drunk enough . . . not sure why but we agreed. Tomorrow at 10:30 AM! |
Wed-June 13, Move to Dolny KubinToday we ride 6km to meet with Erika’s high school “English” class then 30 km to Dolny Kubin to visit with sister Beta, niece Baya, and friend Milan. We are storing our motor in Tony’s garage. As we prep our motor to ride out, up pulls a police car. And it’s the same officer who gave me the speeding ticket Monday!!! Turns out they store the camera and radar units in a garage 2 doors away.  As we are inside the garage getting ready to move our motor out, up drives our policia friend! They store the camera & radar in a garage 2 doors over. We are laughing, Tony talks to the policeman. What a coincidence! As they leave, I'm reminded to slow down. |
 The term Gymnazium describes Slovakia high schools. |
 Talking with "English" learning students. |
| We talked with two “English Language” classes consisted of 20 students 14-17 years old. We spent 2-1/2 hours there. It was a lot of fun. There were many questions about our professions, our families and our motorcycling experiences. I was able to pull up the blog and SPOT Sat tracks to show our Germany loop, Italy loop, Nordkapp/Scandinavia loop and treks to Nizna, Slovakia.
I’m not sure they understood IBA’s “1,600 km in 11 days” slogan. |
 Beata, Baya & Dean |
 We ate very well. The Slovakian rope cheese is delicious. |
 Beata looks up a word. |
 Milan, Matej (translator), Dean & Beata |
| Matej is Milan’s good friend who is a pre-med student in Prada. He was in-between finals and came by to translate for us. Thank you Matej! |
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Family Around The World |
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