| I was dreaming I was sleeping in a tent … in a cow pasture … in some foreign country … and it was raining!
Is this deja vu? It seems so real! It smells like a cow pasture… That sounds like rain popping on my tent…
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| Yup, guess I’m back in Europe.
Fair warning!! At this point the “All-Star Motorcycle Circus and Expedition” is a blog about me wondering around Europe on a motorcycle. If you dislike rambling babble let me know. Send to me at: dtanji@gmail.com the email address you wish to delete and you will be deleted subscriber list. To make it perfectly clear, we are not the “All-Stars”. We are more the circus clowns. The “All-Stars” are the people we meet that help us, guide us, and get us to the next event. |
| PHOTOS: If you want to see the photo’s full-size, click the photo, it isolates to a new page and click it once again. Use browser’s “back” to return to blog.
CURRENT LOCATION: Upper right corner is my SPOT Satellite track provided by SPOTwalla. When activated, it provides a real time track of my travels. The tracks are archived back to my arrival in Heidelberg, April 25.
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| I’m leaving on a jet plane…Wed-May 15, 2013
My AA flight left LAX yesterday at 8AM and connected in DFW Texas to Frankfurt, Germany. The flight landed ~08:00 and by 09:00 I’m on a TLS Shuttle Van ~ 85 km to KnopfTours, Heidelberg, Germany. The shuttle cost is 32€.
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| My 2004 Suzuki V-Strom DL1000 has been in storage since last year. When I left it last year, I was experiencing 1st gear herky-jerky starts on quick get-aways (above 3K RPM).Inside the KnopfTours compound I see old friends Tom and Mona Loftus packing/working around a BMW GS and Honda ST1300.
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 Tom and Mona Loftus packing up. |
| My Strompsaurus was out back ready to roll into the shop for a clutch rebuild. Against good judgment, I was going to attempt this myself. A couple weeks earlier I had sent a email to Stefan with a request to use the shop and tools. On the list was a request for a “clutch tool, torque wrench, oil, radiator fluid, etc. He responded that I could use the shop. |
| I brought with me a clutch basket, gasket, main nut and a few other parts. After I get my Strompsaurus on the lift, I ask Stefan where is the “clutch tool”? Then there was a mad scramble looking for a “clutch tool” which ended, “BMW’s do not need a clutch tool so we do not have. We will get one this afternoon.”It turns out a clutch tool is a rarity and had to be special ordered. I decided to postpone the clutch rebuild. |
| Camping
This first leg is a 7-day “camping” leg. First the HU meeting then Frances Normandy coast. I pack tent, stove, kettle, cup, utensils, chair, Gortex bivy bag, where the heck is the sleeping bag and air mattress? A quick call and my friend in Bamberg will bring his spare for me. |
| 2013 Horizons Unlimited – Germany Meeting
Strictly by coincidence, the 2013 Germany Horizons Unlimited meeting is this weekend in nearby Ober-Liebersbach (~36 km from KnopfTours). I attended this last year and it was a minimalist event, sloping cow pasture camping, outdoor cold shower in a cow pen, one porta-potty, near by Gasthaus „Zur Schneeburg“ served hot meals and beer. The evening presentations were made in a small circus tent. And the RTW Adventure Riders we met last year were all great! We decide to attend again. Oh by the way … it’s raining. |
| Failure to Launch…
Thu, May 16, 2013 Location: Heidelberg, Germany Lodging: KnopfTours Money Conversion: May 25, 2013: €1 = $1.296 USD or$1 USD = €0.7717 Gas/Fuel in Rimbach, Germany: €1.619/l or $7.94/gal! |
| My plan was to pack and leave KnopfTours around 11am. But I might be experiencing “Failure to Launch!”
First, it’s never fun packing for an extended motorcycle tour in the pouring rain. Second, Too much stuff again! What to take and what to leave? Pack, pull everything out, re-pack, unpack hunting for one thing, find it, repack, this goes on and on. Third, mornings in the KnopfTours kitchen is a “who’s going were” explosion. It’s very hard not to stop and talk! One fellow is riding the Silk Road … east through Russia to Kazakhstan, then south through several other …stans, into China, Nepal, India, and Bangladesh. Others are heading east to Slovinia, Croatia, Montenegro, Albania. Fourth, Some are routing/messing with their computers/GPS units. Others are out in Heidelberg searching for things they forgot. It’s hard to explain but in the end 2 of the departures postpone until tomorrow. Leaving today just didn’t feel right…
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| I finally “kickstands up” at 3pm and after a 40-minute ride through the Heidelberg countryside I’m at the Horizons Unlimited Germany event — Ober-Liebersbach, Deutschland. Nothing has changed. It’s still a damn stinkin’ cow pasture! |
| As I ride up, my friend meets me. His tent is already set up in that stinkin’ cow pasture (same place as last year).I pitch my tent 50’ away (he snores).
Oh by the way it sprinkled all day. The good news is he passed a Suzuki Moto dealer in Fürth 20 km from the cow pasture. I’ll ride over tomorrow morning and get a professional analysis and schedule a clutch rebuild. As more world travelers pull in, I start recognizing familiar faces from last year. |
| Our new friend, who we met last year at this HU event, Krzysztof Kapusta, arrives on his new-to-him BMW1150GS. Kris is Polish and lives/works in London. He will ride with us to the Normandy coast. |
| I’ve got the shuttering clutch blues
Fri-May 17, 2013 It was a clear beautiful morning. We ride over to the Suzuki dealer to see if they will install the clutch parts. The service tech’s analysis was “You also need clutch disks. It takes a couple days to get the parts. You’ll have to talk to the service manager tomorrow morning for an installation time.” Kris’s sister lives one hour away and we are offered a “hot shower!” Ohhhhhh! We are on our way. We get back to talk with several Around-the-World” (RTW) riders. In the evening, Uli & Annaleen Steinmann gave a Silk Road presentation – Iran, Turkmenistan, Kirgisistan, Uzbekistan, China and Pakistan. |
| We hear that a guy with a BMW diesel conversion will soon arrive. |
 Old BMW with Diesel Conversion |
 Diesel Conversion - left half is stock BMW trans/clutch, right half is diesel motor. |
 Yup! That's a pull starter cord. Just like your lawnmower. |
 Home made snorkel air breather. He said he could ride in 3' of water. |
| This Harley belongs to Donato Nicoletti. He rides alone and in 14 months traveled through 23 countries and 60,000 kms across Asia: Caucasus, the ‘Stans, China, Pakistan, India, Thai, Lao, Cambodia, Malaysia, Indonesia, Japan, Mongolia and Russia. |
 Harley's do it too! |
| I thought this was interesting. Guy with gas tank panniers |
 Saddlebags made from gas cans. They were not waterproof. |
| We have a plan …
Sat-May 18, 2013 We are on the road back to the Suzuki dealer to talk to the service manager. He looks over the parts list I brought. Confirms the disc addition and a few other additions. And agrees to install everything next Friday, May 24. In the mean while, we’ll go ride in the Normandy coastal area of France. |
| Back at the HU meeting we attend a tools workshop, see two more diesel motos who rode from Germany down to South Africa.
These are Royal Enfields with a diesel conversion. Manufactured by Sommer Motorcycle Engineering, Germany. They use a 462cc motor, 19 lb torque at 2000 RPM. It uses 2.5l per 100 km. |
 Motos are Indian manufactured Royal Enfields. |
 Diesel motorcycle engines are making progress in Europe. |
 A couple rode these from Germany to South Africa. The only mechanical failure was the clutch |
| Late in the afternoon, we begin packing for an early Sunday departure through France to the Normandy coast.
It sprinkled on-off most of the day. |
| Toll Roading across France
Sun-May 19, 2013 Route: 760km (472 mi) on the autobahn passing through Saarbrucken, Metz, Reims, Paris, Rouen to Houlgate. Fuel: France, Normandy Coast – €1.619/l or $7.94/gal! It was overcast when we left at 8:30AM. When we got to the French border, it was raining sporatically. French autobahns are a massive toll road system. Since it was a Sunday, trucks of any kind are not allowed to move! We decided to ride directly through Paris. It was a good decision … only minor traffic slow-downs. |
| Camping Le Lieu Castel – Camping, Houlgate
http://www.camping-le-lieu-castel.com/camping.htm The camp mom tells us to go into town for food/beverage/etc because town closes at 8pm. We setup our tents in a light rain. |
 Home sweet home for 3-days. |
| Camp mom tells us we can park our bike under the washing shed. This is a great benefit! 4/5th of the bike is out of the rain. Loading and unloading is much easier.
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 The back half of our mottos are out of the rain. |
| Rainy Days And Mondays
Mon-May 20, 2013 Heavy morning rain soaked us as we dashed from tent to wash shed. The shed became our kitchen, dinning room, & den. It was a slow start we got moving around noon. |
 This became our kitchen, dinning room and den. |
 Even after 3-days of rain, the tent interior was dry! |
| We ride 20 km to the Merville Gun Battery Museum. On the map you can see the US landings at Utah and Omaha beach.
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 This is the D-Day beach landing assignments. On the far left is Utah and next is Omaha. |
| Musee De La Batterie De Merville – German Gun Battery
In anticipation of an allied landing at Normandy, the Germans installed large gun batteries at strategic coastline locations. This bunker was assigned to the British 6th Airborne which via parachute and gliders deployed 750 troops. |
 The Bunkers of Merville |
 I'm standing on 1 or 4 huge bunkers. Photo right is another one. All were connected by trenches and tunnels. |
 Many of the allied troops parachuted from these C-47s. |
| Pegusus Bridge
The capture of this bridge intact was a key part of the D-Day landing. Five gliders landed, one as close as 47 yards from the bridge, 16 minutes past midnight. The attackers poured out of their battered gliders, completely surprising the German defenders, and took the bridges within 10 minutes. The museum has a great display showed the precision and accuracy of this capture. The original bridge has been removed and is at the Pegusus Bridge Museum along with a replica troop glider.
 This is the original Pegusus Bridge. It was removed and placed at the museum. |
| Utah & Omaha Beach
Mon-May 20, 2013 |
| Utah Beach
Utah Beach was the most western flank and in comparison to the other, the easiest landing. By the end of D-Day, some 23,250 troops had safely landed on the beach, along with 1,700 vehicles. Only about 200 casualties were recorded during the landings. |
 Utah Beach Memorial & Museum |
 US sailors in action! |
 Another bomber housed in the Utah Beach Museum. |
| Omaha Beach
To the left of Utah, Omaha experience a totally different landing. With all the planning and strategy, very little went as planned. The German defense was unexpectedly strong. Although the landing was successful, the US suffered 2,000+ casualties.
 Omaha Beach Memorial |
 Three tribute sculptures out on the beach. |
 Close by is the Omaha Beach Memorial Museum. |
 Great display of D-Day period weaponry. |
| Normandy American Cemetery, Colleville-sur-Mer
An incredible tribute and hollowed grounds for the Americans that lost their lives D-Day 1944.
 Tribute to the spirit of the American men who died here. |
 There are over 9,000 tombs here. |
| Hanging Out – Waiting for my Monday Clutch Repair
Sat, May 25, 2013 I’m the only one here! It’s quiet. Riders start filtering in around 12:00. Today is a blue sky day. I was able to set-up my very wet tent and dry it out. Also cleaned and dried out everything else that was wet/damp. I meet Bill Moyer, Anchorage AK and Elliot Schulman, Santa Barbara, CA. They were in Normandy two weeks ago and Great Britain this past week.
 L to R: Elliot Schulman and Bill Moyer. Their ride is done and will leave tomorrow early. |
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Euro Riding 201325 comments to Euro Riding 2013 |
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A great start to another wander!
Thanks Mark!
Bro….Not a good start, but if everything goes wrong early it means the rest of the trip will be a cake walk. Please keep the updates coming.
Tom
I’m still moving so t was a great start. Heading to Austria, Italy and Slovinia this coming week.
Thanks for the update, Dean. I thought that I’d lost you I haven’t heard from you for such a while.
I got a wife and granddaughters that need lots of attention too.
Normandy is a must see for anyone traveling to France. Keep the posts coming! Have a wonderful time, Dean!
Thanks Lisa.
Normandy was quick and wet. The history and commitment of all involved was amazing. Now it is hallowed grounds.
Dean, thank you so much for including me in your mailing list again this year. I very much enjoy reading your reports. Right safely and have fun.
Same to you Tom. Keep me on your South America rides.
Dean, keep the updates coming, hoping the weather will change for the better!
While weather is something to talk about, it is really a small part of travel. I met some very interesting people and the group and Horizons Unlimited are pretty amazing. i.e. 4 week rides through Asia, two up, on a 150 scooter.
Hope you and Kevin and my paths cross sometime soon.
Dean, how great that you have again included me in your wanderings. Please be safe, and let’s hope that the moto performs well this time. Be safe Bro…..
De Witt,
Thanks. Moto repairs and service are part of riding. Some are easier than others. Take care.
Best Wishes Dean on a great ride of historical reference. Hope you have better weather going forward..
Thanks Mike. After seeing the American Cemetery, Memorial Day had a special meaning. 9,000+ American casualties and tombstones in perfect alignment to the horizon.
Great post Dean, was wonder were you were. The only other diesel bike I’ve seen before was a dirt bike riding in the Baja 250. Love that pull cord on that one pic, lol.
Keep the posts coming when you can.
I think diesel bike will become popular in Europe. Fuel in Italy is supposed to be $10 USD/ gal!!
Aloha Dean ~ Looks like great fun ~ Let’s see your tent!
Hallo Diana,
See Sun-May 19, 2013 – Photo of three tents. Mine is the right tent.
Heading for the Dolomiti tomorrow – Arabba, Italy.
The satellite tracker on the upper right show my exact location within 20 minutes.
Please pass this website to any LHS who might be interested.
Dean,
Say Hi to Stefan for me. We hope to get back in September. We did the Normandy trip last September. I routed us across France on virtually all secondary roads and it was WONDERFUL! We camped outside Bastogne. If you can see the Last Post in Yper, please do. It’s very moving.
Keep up the great posts and pictures.
Tim
Tim, Will do the next time I see Stefan.
I had to get back to Furth Suzuki dealer for a clutch rebuild on Friday that was canceled (by the dealer) and moved to Monday (yesterday)
You go Dean—- can’t wait for more.
This stuff just scares the crap out of me. Starting out on anything less than a perfect bike in a country where I speak the language is about the limit of my comfort zone. Cant imagine having the infamous Vstom shuttering clutch in a foreign country!
I am getting here a bit late – but glad I dropped in, if there is one thing I would like to see in Europe it is the Normandy beaches. Love history and what happened there 70 years ago was ordinary people exhibiting extraordinary courage.
Hope the weather stays better.
This AdvRiding in foreign countries, I basically go with the flow and keep moving. The clutch shutter was a minor issue (for me). I would love to have a “perfect bike” but dang, things wear out while out on the road.
) The clutch “shutter” is fixed (until the next time) and in the mean time . . . I’m at a Harley HOG Rally at a fancy campground Norcenni Girasole Club, Figline Valdarno Firenze, Italy.
Spent today getting new rubber on the Strompasourus. The ME880′s are now 2 years old and approaching 12,000 miles. I could probably get another 2K out of them but I was loosing confidence in the traction ability as I head into the alps again. I went with front and back Pirelli Scorpion Dual Sport tires.