Mark does Europe, 17th-July to 31st-August.
17-July.
Leaving today for my 6-week solo ride around Europe. I have no idea what’s in front of me but that’s part of the excitement. I also didn’t expect Europe to be super-hot so it’s going to be lots of very early starts to beat the heat. Hopefully see you all again in 6 weeks for a club ride out
Leaving today for my 6-week solo ride around Europe. I have no idea what’s in front of me but that’s part of the excitement. I also didn’t expect Europe to be super-hot so it’s going to be lots of very early starts to beat the heat. Hopefully see you all again in 6 weeks for a club ride out
20-July. Saint Quentin to Colmar.
No air con in the room and only a fan so sleeping was difficult. Up at 6am for shower and breakfast and on the road by 7am to get some miles in before the temperature rose. At this time of day there is plenty of shade from trees and buildings. Again, not using toll roads, only D roads and a little bit of motorway. Managed to get well over a 100k under my belt before it hit 30 degrees. Again, fantastic roads and golden brown fields, beautiful scenery and very little traffic. Within no time it was 38 degrees again and had to stop for a water break, drinking it and over my head and down the front of my shirt but within minutes it’s very hot again. I passed through the city of Reimes and stopped in a bar for a couple of cokes, it’s a great looking city too. After 5 hours riding, I enter the Alsace region of France, I climbed into the mountains and the temperatures dropped down to 26 degrees which was a welcome relief. Stopped off at a ski resort and had a cooling ride on a ski lift plus refreshments here as well. The roads now are twisty and lots of shade from the forest giving me more relief from the sun. Once in the valley the temperature hit 39 degrees and it stayed like that until I reached my stop for the night in Colmar at 3.45pm. Setting off at 7am again today heading towards Switzerland and the alps and dropping into Italy and Lake Como for 2 nights. 290 miles today21-July.
Left Colmar France at 7.15am to beat the heat again and then crossed the border into Germany. Had a slight mishap in Freiburg, while moving in slow traffic in roadworks on a bend there was a diesel spill that I couldn’t see until I was upon it and despite my best efforts trying to stay upright me and the bike went down. All traffic stopped and the Germans were very helpful. Back on the bike again I travelled down into the Black Forest region which was cool and beautiful. I then crossed over into Switzerland and bought my vignette. Switzerland has been the best for me, the roads are brilliant and no traffic, The scenery was absolutely stunning with deep gorges and cuckoo clock houses on huge hillsides, and the tunnel’s kept me cool. There are also big fields full of sunflowers. I went over the Alps via the Spudgen pass (thank you Mr Giles) and crossed into Italy, it was lovely and cool at the summit but some of the roads including 4 hair pin bends were unsurfaced. It was then a long drop down to Lake Como which took around 2 hours and back into 38 degrees. The temperatures have ranged between 20 degrees right up to 38 degrees and when I arrived at my hotel for the night at 7.30pm it was still 34 degrees. By staying off motorways and toll roads you see so much more on this trip and with very little traffic, but it takes far longer. A brilliant day and definitely the best roads I’ve ever ridden. 12.5-hour day and 305 miles done. I’m here for 2 nights so having a day off riding today — in Laglio.
No air con in the room and only a fan so sleeping was difficult. Up at 6am for shower and breakfast and on the road by 7am to get some miles in before the temperature rose. At this time of day there is plenty of shade from trees and buildings. Again, not using toll roads, only D roads and a little bit of motorway. Managed to get well over a 100k under my belt before it hit 30 degrees. Again, fantastic roads and golden brown fields, beautiful scenery and very little traffic. Within no time it was 38 degrees again and had to stop for a water break, drinking it and over my head and down the front of my shirt but within minutes it’s very hot again. I passed through the city of Reimes and stopped in a bar for a couple of cokes, it’s a great looking city too. After 5 hours riding, I enter the Alsace region of France, I climbed into the mountains and the temperatures dropped down to 26 degrees which was a welcome relief. Stopped off at a ski resort and had a cooling ride on a ski lift plus refreshments here as well. The roads now are twisty and lots of shade from the forest giving me more relief from the sun. Once in the valley the temperature hit 39 degrees and it stayed like that until I reached my stop for the night in Colmar at 3.45pm. Setting off at 7am again today heading towards Switzerland and the alps and dropping into Italy and Lake Como for 2 nights. 290 miles today21-July.
Left Colmar France at 7.15am to beat the heat again and then crossed the border into Germany. Had a slight mishap in Freiburg, while moving in slow traffic in roadworks on a bend there was a diesel spill that I couldn’t see until I was upon it and despite my best efforts trying to stay upright me and the bike went down. All traffic stopped and the Germans were very helpful. Back on the bike again I travelled down into the Black Forest region which was cool and beautiful. I then crossed over into Switzerland and bought my vignette. Switzerland has been the best for me, the roads are brilliant and no traffic, The scenery was absolutely stunning with deep gorges and cuckoo clock houses on huge hillsides, and the tunnel’s kept me cool. There are also big fields full of sunflowers. I went over the Alps via the Spudgen pass (thank you Mr Giles) and crossed into Italy, it was lovely and cool at the summit but some of the roads including 4 hair pin bends were unsurfaced. It was then a long drop down to Lake Como which took around 2 hours and back into 38 degrees. The temperatures have ranged between 20 degrees right up to 38 degrees and when I arrived at my hotel for the night at 7.30pm it was still 34 degrees. By staying off motorways and toll roads you see so much more on this trip and with very little traffic, but it takes far longer. A brilliant day and definitely the best roads I’ve ever ridden. 12.5-hour day and 305 miles done. I’m here for 2 nights so having a day off riding today — in Laglio.
21-July.
Left Colmar France at 7.15am to beat the heat again and then crossed the border into Germany. Had a slight mishap in Freiburg, while moving in slow traffic in roadworks on a bend there was a diesel spill that I couldn’t see until I was upon it and despite my best efforts trying to stay upright me and the bike went down. All traffic stopped and the Germans were very helpful. Back on the bike again I travelled down into the Black Forest region which was cool and beautiful. I then crossed over into Switzerland and bought my vignette. Switzerland has been the best for me, the roads are brilliant and no traffic, The scenery was absolutely stunning with deep gorges and cuckoo clock houses on huge hillsides, and the tunnel’s kept me cool. There are also big fields full of sunflowers. I went over the Alps via the Spudgen pass (thank you Mr Giles) and crossed into Italy, it was lovely and cool at the summit but some of the roads including 4 hair pin bends were unsurfaced. It was then a long drop down to Lake Como which took around 2 hours and back into 38 degrees. The temperatures have ranged between 20 degrees right up to 38 degrees and when I arrived at my hotel for the night at 7.30pm it was still 34 degrees. By staying off motorways and toll roads you see so much more on this trip and with very little traffic, but it takes far longer. A brilliant day and definitely the best roads I’ve ever ridden. 12.5-hour day and 305 miles done. I’m here for 2 nights so having a day off riding today — in Laglio.
Left Colmar France at 7.15am to beat the heat again and then crossed the border into Germany. Had a slight mishap in Freiburg, while moving in slow traffic in roadworks on a bend there was a diesel spill that I couldn’t see until I was upon it and despite my best efforts trying to stay upright me and the bike went down. All traffic stopped and the Germans were very helpful. Back on the bike again I travelled down into the Black Forest region which was cool and beautiful. I then crossed over into Switzerland and bought my vignette. Switzerland has been the best for me, the roads are brilliant and no traffic, The scenery was absolutely stunning with deep gorges and cuckoo clock houses on huge hillsides, and the tunnel’s kept me cool. There are also big fields full of sunflowers. I went over the Alps via the Spudgen pass (thank you Mr Giles) and crossed into Italy, it was lovely and cool at the summit but some of the roads including 4 hair pin bends were unsurfaced. It was then a long drop down to Lake Como which took around 2 hours and back into 38 degrees. The temperatures have ranged between 20 degrees right up to 38 degrees and when I arrived at my hotel for the night at 7.30pm it was still 34 degrees. By staying off motorways and toll roads you see so much more on this trip and with very little traffic, but it takes far longer. A brilliant day and definitely the best roads I’ve ever ridden. 12.5-hour day and 305 miles done. I’m here for 2 nights so having a day off riding today — in Laglio.
23-July
I left the remains of the Alps and Lake Como behind yesterday morning. I decided to avoid Milan as the live traffic map just showed it as a red mess so decided to take the long way around. No Toll roads and just a bit of motorway and the rest just country roads. The countryside flatted until there wasn’t a hill in sight. This is the part of the country where they grow everything from Christmas tree farms to Melons, it’s a very fertile landscape. The temperatures were very hot and in the tunnels, it was well over 40 degrees and a bit difficult to breathe at times if it was over a mile long. I reached the Adriatic coast and thankfully it dropped to 32 degrees. There was quite a bit of traffic on this coast. I reached Senigalia in 9 hours 40 minutes and 339 miles.
I left a bit later than I intended from Senigalia at 8am this morning feeling a bit groggy after a few beers last night. The roads have been very quiet today with no toll roads just fantastic mountain roads and twisty corners. It was 32 degrees when I left but once up in the mountains it was 30 or below. I crossed from the Adriatic coast across country to the Mediterranean coast. The roads are in great condition and it was the land of the tunnels today as I must have went through at least 30 with some over 2 miles long. The mountain range that I spent hours in are called the Apennines mountains and they are stunning. I arrived in Agropoli at 5pm taking 9 hours 29 minutes and 385 miles. I’m now riding like an Italian and God knows how many cameras have flashed me over the past 2 days. This is such a great country to ride a bike as it seems they control the roads; no cars flash you or give you the horn and when you are overtaking traffic on the wrong side of the road the cars coming towards you just all pull to one side. They ride like lunatics, but it feels completely safe.
I left the remains of the Alps and Lake Como behind yesterday morning. I decided to avoid Milan as the live traffic map just showed it as a red mess so decided to take the long way around. No Toll roads and just a bit of motorway and the rest just country roads. The countryside flatted until there wasn’t a hill in sight. This is the part of the country where they grow everything from Christmas tree farms to Melons, it’s a very fertile landscape. The temperatures were very hot and in the tunnels, it was well over 40 degrees and a bit difficult to breathe at times if it was over a mile long. I reached the Adriatic coast and thankfully it dropped to 32 degrees. There was quite a bit of traffic on this coast. I reached Senigalia in 9 hours 40 minutes and 339 miles.
I left a bit later than I intended from Senigalia at 8am this morning feeling a bit groggy after a few beers last night. The roads have been very quiet today with no toll roads just fantastic mountain roads and twisty corners. It was 32 degrees when I left but once up in the mountains it was 30 or below. I crossed from the Adriatic coast across country to the Mediterranean coast. The roads are in great condition and it was the land of the tunnels today as I must have went through at least 30 with some over 2 miles long. The mountain range that I spent hours in are called the Apennines mountains and they are stunning. I arrived in Agropoli at 5pm taking 9 hours 29 minutes and 385 miles. I’m now riding like an Italian and God knows how many cameras have flashed me over the past 2 days. This is such a great country to ride a bike as it seems they control the roads; no cars flash you or give you the horn and when you are overtaking traffic on the wrong side of the road the cars coming towards you just all pull to one side. They ride like lunatics, but it feels completely safe.
24-July.
Agropoli is a lovely little place, but they don’t like sleeping much. Down below my room in the marina there was a techno rave going on until gone midnight and then at 6am the local priest was up with his loudspeakers telling a story, it was quite charming really. The ride today started by going through Cilento national park. A beautiful, deserted part of Italy with lots of twists and turns and hairpin bends that took you up into the fresh cool air of the mountains and I keep on saying it stunning scenery with monastery’s and small villages perched on steep cliffs and forests. Most of the roads were small and quiet until I came onto the coast at Praia a Mare then it got very busy. By the time I got to Scalia the roads opened up again it was a quick pace and the heat returned. A quick stop in a cafe for a pizza and couple of cokes and off again. The road from Pizzo to Roccella Ionica was completely free of traffic and the roads were long with wide bends, Italy really is a biker’s dream. Just before arriving at Roccella Ionica a thunderstorm formed and for the first time in 7 days I felt rain which was nice to feel on my face, lots of lightening too, still 38 degrees though. I’m here now for 8 days for a friend’s wedding so it’s nice to have a rest until I catch the ferry to Greece next month. 252 miles in 6 hours 52 minutes today.
Agropoli is a lovely little place, but they don’t like sleeping much. Down below my room in the marina there was a techno rave going on until gone midnight and then at 6am the local priest was up with his loudspeakers telling a story, it was quite charming really. The ride today started by going through Cilento national park. A beautiful, deserted part of Italy with lots of twists and turns and hairpin bends that took you up into the fresh cool air of the mountains and I keep on saying it stunning scenery with monastery’s and small villages perched on steep cliffs and forests. Most of the roads were small and quiet until I came onto the coast at Praia a Mare then it got very busy. By the time I got to Scalia the roads opened up again it was a quick pace and the heat returned. A quick stop in a cafe for a pizza and couple of cokes and off again. The road from Pizzo to Roccella Ionica was completely free of traffic and the roads were long with wide bends, Italy really is a biker’s dream. Just before arriving at Roccella Ionica a thunderstorm formed and for the first time in 7 days I felt rain which was nice to feel on my face, lots of lightening too, still 38 degrees though. I’m here now for 8 days for a friend’s wedding so it’s nice to have a rest until I catch the ferry to Greece next month. 252 miles in 6 hours 52 minutes today.
2nd-August.
After 9 days rest and the best wedding I’ve ever attended I’m back on the road again. I left Roccella Ionica at 10am, the weather was well into the mid 30’s already. I took the same road out that I came in on last week but I’ve no complaints because it’s such a great road to ride and it’s through a national park and high up so the temperatures are cooler and the scenery is green and lush. The roads were very quiet and I went through 2 mountain ranges with lots of tunnels and also touched the Apennines range again which was a bonus. Stopped several times for water breaks and lunch. Once back on the plains again the temperature was steady at 39 but it felt hotter than that and the landscape was almost desert like. Again, excellent roads for riding and still not used any toll roads. I reached Bari at 4.15pm and what I’ve seen of it I would like to see more of it. Had a walk around and had a Gelato and a drink before I checked into the ferry terminal for tonight’s overnight crossing to Igoumenitsa in northern Greece, I will arrive there at 5.30am. The cabin on the ship is good and the air con excellent. Had a fantastic cold shower when I got onboard, just what I needed after today’s ride, Todays ride 324 miles in 6 hours 24 minutes
After 9 days rest and the best wedding I’ve ever attended I’m back on the road again. I left Roccella Ionica at 10am, the weather was well into the mid 30’s already. I took the same road out that I came in on last week but I’ve no complaints because it’s such a great road to ride and it’s through a national park and high up so the temperatures are cooler and the scenery is green and lush. The roads were very quiet and I went through 2 mountain ranges with lots of tunnels and also touched the Apennines range again which was a bonus. Stopped several times for water breaks and lunch. Once back on the plains again the temperature was steady at 39 but it felt hotter than that and the landscape was almost desert like. Again, excellent roads for riding and still not used any toll roads. I reached Bari at 4.15pm and what I’ve seen of it I would like to see more of it. Had a walk around and had a Gelato and a drink before I checked into the ferry terminal for tonight’s overnight crossing to Igoumenitsa in northern Greece, I will arrive there at 5.30am. The cabin on the ship is good and the air con excellent. Had a fantastic cold shower when I got onboard, just what I needed after today’s ride, Todays ride 324 miles in 6 hours 24 minutes
3rd August
I was up at 4.30am and went out on deck to watch as the ship passed it way between Corfu and Albania. Arrived in the port of Igoumenitsa at 5.45 and it’s still very dark. The crossing was good apart from what sounded like a fight outside my room with lots of shouting and banging and screaming going on. The road from the port was new with 2 lanes so lorries didn’t hold me up. The temperature was a lovely fresh 18 degrees for the best part of 2 hours of the ride. As the day broke so the farmers were out watering their crops before the sun came up. The roads were excellent and quiet, and the smell of pine was everywhere. I stopped in a town called Arta for some breakfast. The sat nav had a wobble and took me down a new dual carriageway for 15K and then decided to turn me around and take me 15K back to where I came from, I miss my Garmin. The heat was rising now and as I came up to a river crossing the bridge that should have been there was missing and there was no diversion or any info from the sat nav, so I had to bite the bullet and use a toll road for the very first time on this trip. The rest of the trip was following the excellent coast road until I reached the port of Kylinni where I took the 2nd ferry of the day to the island of Zante. It’s only an hour or so on the ferry and once in the town of Tsilivi and in my room the familiar routine of a cold shower was fantastic. There is also a lovely cooling breeze on the island. The other thing is the speed cameras are easier to spot in Greece compared to Italy. A few Mythos went down well. I’m here for 4 days before the really interesting part of the journey starts. I have an oil change on Friday booked in as well. 278 miles in 9 hours 23 minutes today.
I was up at 4.30am and went out on deck to watch as the ship passed it way between Corfu and Albania. Arrived in the port of Igoumenitsa at 5.45 and it’s still very dark. The crossing was good apart from what sounded like a fight outside my room with lots of shouting and banging and screaming going on. The road from the port was new with 2 lanes so lorries didn’t hold me up. The temperature was a lovely fresh 18 degrees for the best part of 2 hours of the ride. As the day broke so the farmers were out watering their crops before the sun came up. The roads were excellent and quiet, and the smell of pine was everywhere. I stopped in a town called Arta for some breakfast. The sat nav had a wobble and took me down a new dual carriageway for 15K and then decided to turn me around and take me 15K back to where I came from, I miss my Garmin. The heat was rising now and as I came up to a river crossing the bridge that should have been there was missing and there was no diversion or any info from the sat nav, so I had to bite the bullet and use a toll road for the very first time on this trip. The rest of the trip was following the excellent coast road until I reached the port of Kylinni where I took the 2nd ferry of the day to the island of Zante. It’s only an hour or so on the ferry and once in the town of Tsilivi and in my room the familiar routine of a cold shower was fantastic. There is also a lovely cooling breeze on the island. The other thing is the speed cameras are easier to spot in Greece compared to Italy. A few Mythos went down well. I’m here for 4 days before the really interesting part of the journey starts. I have an oil change on Friday booked in as well. 278 miles in 9 hours 23 minutes today.
7-August.
The alarm went off at 3.50am this morning and by 4.30am I was showered, packed and ready to leave Tsilivi at 4.30am to catch the 5.30am ferry back to the Greek mainland. Lovely and quiet on the sailing back compared to last Wednesday. The bike has had its oil changed and brakes and fluids checked, thanks to the great guys in Tsiliv for doing this. I left Zante under a starry black cloudless sky to arrive in Kylinni to a grey cloudy one. Temperature was nice and fresh at 25 degrees. A cool ride down the coast to Patras with occasional rain showers but a lot of traffic bollards had been hit over during the night and parts of them were laying across the road especially the large black bases, so I had to ride far left to see what was coming up in front of me because the cars are obstructing my view. The roads are also very shiny and slippery especially on roundabouts at the moment. I had no choice again in Patras to use the toll road to get over the straight. Came off toll road after 30K and back onto the back roads but had to use the toll road again because a road was closed without any warning or diversion. Stopped for breakfast in Amfilochia. Going north now for the first time in 21 days and I soon rode into the breath taking northern Pindos national park in northern Greece. The scenery and roads were some of the best on the trip so far, high mountains and forests with lakes. The reason I left so early was I was warned about the border crossing into Albania, but when I got there, I was through it in around 20 minutes, quite a strange set up as there are 3 check points within 100 metres of each other and on each one you have to produce your passport and vehicle logbook and I was asked where I was staying the night. Once over the border the scenery changed completely. The first 5 miles or so there were unmarked police cars parked on the side of the road, I know they were police cars because I was pulled in by one around 60 miles inside the border. There were quite a few random checks from the border until I reached Vlore, definitely a country to watch your speed in. Albania is a stunning country with very good roads with lots of very high mountains either side of you and beautiful scenery and rivers. I reached the resort of Vlore at 2.45pm. The temperature hit 40 degrees by 11am today and there was a very hot wind that dries your mouth and lips within minutes, so my 2 litres of water in my top box were very important today plus I stopped at cafes for drinks and ice lollies along the way. 368 miles in 11 hours today. Time for a shower, wash my clothes and then a beer or 2.
The alarm went off at 3.50am this morning and by 4.30am I was showered, packed and ready to leave Tsilivi at 4.30am to catch the 5.30am ferry back to the Greek mainland. Lovely and quiet on the sailing back compared to last Wednesday. The bike has had its oil changed and brakes and fluids checked, thanks to the great guys in Tsiliv for doing this. I left Zante under a starry black cloudless sky to arrive in Kylinni to a grey cloudy one. Temperature was nice and fresh at 25 degrees. A cool ride down the coast to Patras with occasional rain showers but a lot of traffic bollards had been hit over during the night and parts of them were laying across the road especially the large black bases, so I had to ride far left to see what was coming up in front of me because the cars are obstructing my view. The roads are also very shiny and slippery especially on roundabouts at the moment. I had no choice again in Patras to use the toll road to get over the straight. Came off toll road after 30K and back onto the back roads but had to use the toll road again because a road was closed without any warning or diversion. Stopped for breakfast in Amfilochia. Going north now for the first time in 21 days and I soon rode into the breath taking northern Pindos national park in northern Greece. The scenery and roads were some of the best on the trip so far, high mountains and forests with lakes. The reason I left so early was I was warned about the border crossing into Albania, but when I got there, I was through it in around 20 minutes, quite a strange set up as there are 3 check points within 100 metres of each other and on each one you have to produce your passport and vehicle logbook and I was asked where I was staying the night. Once over the border the scenery changed completely. The first 5 miles or so there were unmarked police cars parked on the side of the road, I know they were police cars because I was pulled in by one around 60 miles inside the border. There were quite a few random checks from the border until I reached Vlore, definitely a country to watch your speed in. Albania is a stunning country with very good roads with lots of very high mountains either side of you and beautiful scenery and rivers. I reached the resort of Vlore at 2.45pm. The temperature hit 40 degrees by 11am today and there was a very hot wind that dries your mouth and lips within minutes, so my 2 litres of water in my top box were very important today plus I stopped at cafes for drinks and ice lollies along the way. 368 miles in 11 hours today. Time for a shower, wash my clothes and then a beer or 2.
9-August.
After yesterday’s insane antics in Albania it was back to normal today. With Albania I wouldn’t say not to visit because it’s a fantastic country, but you do so at your own risk, what I experienced yesterday I could write a book about it and I was pleased to cross the border into Montenegro late yesterday afternoon. Once over the border which was a painless experience the roads and riding returned to normal and they were quiet and scenery was beautiful but the bad news was the drivers were just a little less manic than the Albanians. I stayed in Petrovac last night which is a really nice resort with great restaurants and beer. I left at 7am today after reviewing my options last night and decided to take the route eastwards and up through the mountains rather than the coast road through Dubrovnik which I thought would be busy at this time of year. I’m glad I chose this route because it was traffic free, beautiful scenery and deeply forested and 18 degrees with heavy rain, I didn’t bother putting my waterproofs on because after 2 days of 40 degrees it felt heavenly. The air was heavy with smoke climbing into the mountains as there were a lot of fires around. Stopped in Grahovo for a traditional breakfast and it was pouring down here. Two border crossings today, the first was entering Bosnia and Herzegovina which they wanted to see my passport and vehicle forms and then crossed into Croatia where they didn’t even look at my passport and waved me through. Rode through Dormitor national park which was beautiful and green and lush with little villages tucked away in the forest. I took the toll road down to Split and from there it was only a short ride along the coast to a place called Marina. I was greeted by the best host so far on this journey, his name is Drago and he’s put my bike in his garage and then cracked open two bottles off Croatian beer for me, what a great guy. The people I’ve met today have been so friendly again and even though there’s a language barrier we all eventually understand each other. The further you ride away from Albania the better the driving standards becomes. Off for a swim now. 256 miles today in 8 hours 40 minutes.
After yesterday’s insane antics in Albania it was back to normal today. With Albania I wouldn’t say not to visit because it’s a fantastic country, but you do so at your own risk, what I experienced yesterday I could write a book about it and I was pleased to cross the border into Montenegro late yesterday afternoon. Once over the border which was a painless experience the roads and riding returned to normal and they were quiet and scenery was beautiful but the bad news was the drivers were just a little less manic than the Albanians. I stayed in Petrovac last night which is a really nice resort with great restaurants and beer. I left at 7am today after reviewing my options last night and decided to take the route eastwards and up through the mountains rather than the coast road through Dubrovnik which I thought would be busy at this time of year. I’m glad I chose this route because it was traffic free, beautiful scenery and deeply forested and 18 degrees with heavy rain, I didn’t bother putting my waterproofs on because after 2 days of 40 degrees it felt heavenly. The air was heavy with smoke climbing into the mountains as there were a lot of fires around. Stopped in Grahovo for a traditional breakfast and it was pouring down here. Two border crossings today, the first was entering Bosnia and Herzegovina which they wanted to see my passport and vehicle forms and then crossed into Croatia where they didn’t even look at my passport and waved me through. Rode through Dormitor national park which was beautiful and green and lush with little villages tucked away in the forest. I took the toll road down to Split and from there it was only a short ride along the coast to a place called Marina. I was greeted by the best host so far on this journey, his name is Drago and he’s put my bike in his garage and then cracked open two bottles off Croatian beer for me, what a great guy. The people I’ve met today have been so friendly again and even though there’s a language barrier we all eventually understand each other. The further you ride away from Albania the better the driving standards becomes. Off for a swim now. 256 miles today in 8 hours 40 minutes.
10-August.
Well days don’t get much better than today. Left Marina at 7.15 and took a steep climb onto the mountains and then dropped down onto the coast for over 100 miles where the temperature was a lovely 28 degrees for most of the day. Roads were quiet and riding through unspoilt countryside hugging the coastline for hours. I went through 3 national parks with Una being the most spectacular. I crossed over from Croatia into Slovenia and instantly fell in love with it. It’s completely different to what I’ve ridden through in the last 3 weeks and will definitely be back again. Stopped for lunch in Materija with pork roast. After an hour in Slovenia, I then crossed the border and back into Italy. I’m staying in a farmhouse with its own vineyards so it’s Prosecco night tonight from their own vines. 334 miles in 11 hours today.
Well days don’t get much better than today. Left Marina at 7.15 and took a steep climb onto the mountains and then dropped down onto the coast for over 100 miles where the temperature was a lovely 28 degrees for most of the day. Roads were quiet and riding through unspoilt countryside hugging the coastline for hours. I went through 3 national parks with Una being the most spectacular. I crossed over from Croatia into Slovenia and instantly fell in love with it. It’s completely different to what I’ve ridden through in the last 3 weeks and will definitely be back again. Stopped for lunch in Materija with pork roast. After an hour in Slovenia, I then crossed the border and back into Italy. I’m staying in a farmhouse with its own vineyards so it’s Prosecco night tonight from their own vines. 334 miles in 11 hours today.
12-August.
I stayed in San Remo in Italy on Thursday evening. The road hugs the cliffs and the houses somehow cling to the rocks. I left San Remo at 7am today and mingling with all the scooters crossed the border into France within 30 minutes. Dropped down into Monaco which was interesting before moving on into Nice where I got lost inside the town. Once out of Nice I headed North and zig zagged into the French alps and the roads and scenery were to die for and with very little traffic, around every corner was a spectacular view. The temperature was a cool 21c for around 3 hours. Stopped in a few little towns for drinks and snacks and met quite a few fellow bikers doing the same as me. Dropping down back from the Alps and the heat intensified and by 1pm the heat had got to 43c, it hovered between 41 and 43c right until I got to my hotel at 7.25 in the evening. I don’t like taking toll roads but today was always going to be a long day so after the alps the land just flattened and was covered in vineyards so to save some time, I jumped on the toll roads. A brilliant day’s riding and scenery that I won’t ever forget but today was always going to be the longest day of my journey and quite hard work. I arrived at my hotel at 7.25pm in Toulouse and before checking in went straight to the bar and ordered 2 beers which were the most welcome of the journey so far. Tomorrow, I cross over the Pyrenees and down through the Spanish mountains to the Mediterranean coast again where I have I days rest before I move on. 450 miles today in 12 hours 40 minutes.12 hours 40 minutes.
I stayed in San Remo in Italy on Thursday evening. The road hugs the cliffs and the houses somehow cling to the rocks. I left San Remo at 7am today and mingling with all the scooters crossed the border into France within 30 minutes. Dropped down into Monaco which was interesting before moving on into Nice where I got lost inside the town. Once out of Nice I headed North and zig zagged into the French alps and the roads and scenery were to die for and with very little traffic, around every corner was a spectacular view. The temperature was a cool 21c for around 3 hours. Stopped in a few little towns for drinks and snacks and met quite a few fellow bikers doing the same as me. Dropping down back from the Alps and the heat intensified and by 1pm the heat had got to 43c, it hovered between 41 and 43c right until I got to my hotel at 7.25 in the evening. I don’t like taking toll roads but today was always going to be a long day so after the alps the land just flattened and was covered in vineyards so to save some time, I jumped on the toll roads. A brilliant day’s riding and scenery that I won’t ever forget but today was always going to be the longest day of my journey and quite hard work. I arrived at my hotel at 7.25pm in Toulouse and before checking in went straight to the bar and ordered 2 beers which were the most welcome of the journey so far. Tomorrow, I cross over the Pyrenees and down through the Spanish mountains to the Mediterranean coast again where I have I days rest before I move on. 450 miles today in 12 hours 40 minutes.12 hours 40 minutes.
14-August.
A nice cheap hotel last night but with excellent food and drink. A bit of a later start today and it was cloudy and a cool 21c. I made the mistake of going onto the toll road out of Toulouse but came off pretty quickly at a charge of 37p. Within minutes I’m on the beautiful quiet back roads of France with sunflower fields either side of me but looking sad with their heads drooping. It was a 2 hour 30 minute leisurely ride into the glorious Pyrenees and even though traffic was busy once on the main roads it never became a problem. Stopped for a cable car ride in the ski resort of Ax-les-Thermes and a coffee. Lots of zig zagging up into the mountains and the air becoming fresher the higher I climbed. Border crossing in Andora and lunch there, bit weird because it’s a duty free destination and seemed like a massive airport. Continued through Andora which looked great and quite a wealthy country, all geared up for the winter market though. Crossed borders again into Spain and dropped down through the mountains stopping for refreshments in a town called Pontes. The temperature outside was now 38c but inside the tunnels it dropped to 31c. From here it was a two and a half hour ride to my home for the next 2 nights in Vinaros on the Spanish coast where I’m staying in a hostel. Weather very heavy and cloudy and a thunderstorm on its way in.
310 miles in 9 hours today.
A nice cheap hotel last night but with excellent food and drink. A bit of a later start today and it was cloudy and a cool 21c. I made the mistake of going onto the toll road out of Toulouse but came off pretty quickly at a charge of 37p. Within minutes I’m on the beautiful quiet back roads of France with sunflower fields either side of me but looking sad with their heads drooping. It was a 2 hour 30 minute leisurely ride into the glorious Pyrenees and even though traffic was busy once on the main roads it never became a problem. Stopped for a cable car ride in the ski resort of Ax-les-Thermes and a coffee. Lots of zig zagging up into the mountains and the air becoming fresher the higher I climbed. Border crossing in Andora and lunch there, bit weird because it’s a duty free destination and seemed like a massive airport. Continued through Andora which looked great and quite a wealthy country, all geared up for the winter market though. Crossed borders again into Spain and dropped down through the mountains stopping for refreshments in a town called Pontes. The temperature outside was now 38c but inside the tunnels it dropped to 31c. From here it was a two and a half hour ride to my home for the next 2 nights in Vinaros on the Spanish coast where I’m staying in a hostel. Weather very heavy and cloudy and a thunderstorm on its way in.
310 miles in 9 hours today.
A box ticking exercise this morning on my way to my next destination. I’ve never been to Benidorm before and will never come back but it’s actually quite nice along the promenade. I’ve had an upset stomach since leaving Albania a week ago and eaten very little since, so what better way to sort it out with a great British breakfast in Benidorm.
16-August.
The hostal in Vinaros was a great stay and highly recommended with the great Fernando the owner who looked after me very well, albeit after a shaky start where he wouldn’t open the gates and let me in for 25 minutes. The ride to Aguilas was along the coast all day and the temperature was in the 40’s. There were also grass fires along the route which made it difficult riding conditions with low visibility and the air thick with smoke. I stopped in Benidorm and had breakfast and drank lots of water there. I arrived in Aguilas around 4pm and it’s still 40c. Nice hotel with great air con in the room and right in the middle of town. Cold shower and out the door exploring. Aguilas is a very small traditional Spanish town with great character. Had Tapas for dinner. There was a festival going on in the evening with games going on that I couldn’t understand including games in the marina, it was a fantastic atmosphere, but the heat of the day had tired me out so in bed by 9.30pm. After breakfast this morning I left at 9am and set off for my next stop in Gibraltar. After yesterday’s very high temperatures it was a relief to climb into the hills and ride in 24c right up until 2pm. I stopped off in Almeria for an hour for refreshments. The roads were very quiet until I reached Malaga where it soon built up and it got worse as I got nearer Marbella and the heat returned. Once passed Marbella the traffic returned to normal, and the temperature dropped again and within 90 minutes I was at the border crossing with Gibraltar. I’m staying on an old Canadian fishing boat for 2 nights here. 305 miles in 8 hours 47 minutes today.
16-August.
The hostal in Vinaros was a great stay and highly recommended with the great Fernando the owner who looked after me very well, albeit after a shaky start where he wouldn’t open the gates and let me in for 25 minutes. The ride to Aguilas was along the coast all day and the temperature was in the 40’s. There were also grass fires along the route which made it difficult riding conditions with low visibility and the air thick with smoke. I stopped in Benidorm and had breakfast and drank lots of water there. I arrived in Aguilas around 4pm and it’s still 40c. Nice hotel with great air con in the room and right in the middle of town. Cold shower and out the door exploring. Aguilas is a very small traditional Spanish town with great character. Had Tapas for dinner. There was a festival going on in the evening with games going on that I couldn’t understand including games in the marina, it was a fantastic atmosphere, but the heat of the day had tired me out so in bed by 9.30pm. After breakfast this morning I left at 9am and set off for my next stop in Gibraltar. After yesterday’s very high temperatures it was a relief to climb into the hills and ride in 24c right up until 2pm. I stopped off in Almeria for an hour for refreshments. The roads were very quiet until I reached Malaga where it soon built up and it got worse as I got nearer Marbella and the heat returned. Once passed Marbella the traffic returned to normal, and the temperature dropped again and within 90 minutes I was at the border crossing with Gibraltar. I’m staying on an old Canadian fishing boat for 2 nights here. 305 miles in 8 hours 47 minutes today.
19-August.
After spending Tuesday and Wednesday in Gibraltar, I left the hustle and bustle of the rock at 7.30am on Thursday morning and was waved through the border. Soon after I was climbing into the hills and heading towards Seville. The countryside was like cowboy country with desert all around me. I stopped off at Venta Andres, a small-town cafe where everyone was eating toast and I was made to feel very welcome. Traffic was a bit heavy in Seville but soon cleared. Crossed over into Portugal making it my 14th country on this trip. Nice roads for biking but surfaces are slippery again so having to go careful on roundabouts. Reached my destination for the night in Burgau. Nice little beach but sea pretty cold but at least it freshened me up. A lovely seafood stew for dinner. I left Burgau after a hearty breakfast and headed over to Segres to view the fort there. After a brief stop, I headed north and onto the best roads I’ve ridden since riding the French alps last week. Great surface, little traffic and fast with great corners, the scenery was also stunning again. Stopped at a little roadside cafe for drinks and cake and eventually arrived at my stop for the night up
In the hills. Torres Novas is a pretty little town with a medieval castle sat on a hill in the centre of the town.
22-August.
On Saturday morning in Torres Nova I was woken by the smell of smoke in the room. Outside was a grass fire and the bike was covered in a layer of ash. I set off at 9.30 and soon cleared the smoke filled atmosphere and climbed into the hills. I did come across another grass fire during the afternoon and the smoke really does spread far and wide. Since I entered Portugal I’ve stopped using motorways and toll roads, the roads and scenery are far better this way. A lovely quiet traffic free ride for 8 hours through pine forest and small villages occasionally stopping off for drinks. The only traffic I had was in Porto. I arrived at the seaside town of Povoa de Varzim for a two night stay. The sea mist came into town on Sunday afternoon and it felt chilly and damp for the evening. I left the hotel in Varzim at 9am and followed the back roads that took me through the beautiful The Peneda-Gerês National park. After riding through Europe for the past 5 weeks I thought I had been on the best roads but today has been one of the highlights of the entire trip. The roads today have been near perfect as you could get for the whole day. The northern Portuguese roads have perfect surfaces, are wide with long and tight bends with very little traffic and great mountain views, I can’t think of anything similar in the UK and I’ve covered a lot back home. I crossed the border in northwestern Spain and these great roads continued for the remaining miles. The majority of the ride today was through unspoilt countryside and it’s definitely on my list to return one day. I arrived in the port town of Foz at 6pm with grey clouds and light rain. 247 miles in 7 hours today.
After spending Tuesday and Wednesday in Gibraltar, I left the hustle and bustle of the rock at 7.30am on Thursday morning and was waved through the border. Soon after I was climbing into the hills and heading towards Seville. The countryside was like cowboy country with desert all around me. I stopped off at Venta Andres, a small-town cafe where everyone was eating toast and I was made to feel very welcome. Traffic was a bit heavy in Seville but soon cleared. Crossed over into Portugal making it my 14th country on this trip. Nice roads for biking but surfaces are slippery again so having to go careful on roundabouts. Reached my destination for the night in Burgau. Nice little beach but sea pretty cold but at least it freshened me up. A lovely seafood stew for dinner. I left Burgau after a hearty breakfast and headed over to Segres to view the fort there. After a brief stop, I headed north and onto the best roads I’ve ridden since riding the French alps last week. Great surface, little traffic and fast with great corners, the scenery was also stunning again. Stopped at a little roadside cafe for drinks and cake and eventually arrived at my stop for the night up
In the hills. Torres Novas is a pretty little town with a medieval castle sat on a hill in the centre of the town.
22-August.
On Saturday morning in Torres Nova I was woken by the smell of smoke in the room. Outside was a grass fire and the bike was covered in a layer of ash. I set off at 9.30 and soon cleared the smoke filled atmosphere and climbed into the hills. I did come across another grass fire during the afternoon and the smoke really does spread far and wide. Since I entered Portugal I’ve stopped using motorways and toll roads, the roads and scenery are far better this way. A lovely quiet traffic free ride for 8 hours through pine forest and small villages occasionally stopping off for drinks. The only traffic I had was in Porto. I arrived at the seaside town of Povoa de Varzim for a two night stay. The sea mist came into town on Sunday afternoon and it felt chilly and damp for the evening. I left the hotel in Varzim at 9am and followed the back roads that took me through the beautiful The Peneda-Gerês National park. After riding through Europe for the past 5 weeks I thought I had been on the best roads but today has been one of the highlights of the entire trip. The roads today have been near perfect as you could get for the whole day. The northern Portuguese roads have perfect surfaces, are wide with long and tight bends with very little traffic and great mountain views, I can’t think of anything similar in the UK and I’ve covered a lot back home. I crossed the border in northwestern Spain and these great roads continued for the remaining miles. The majority of the ride today was through unspoilt countryside and it’s definitely on my list to return one day. I arrived in the port town of Foz at 6pm with grey clouds and light rain. 247 miles in 7 hours today.
27-August.
Well, that’s my journey over after 6 weeks, 14 countries visited and over 7,500 miles around Europe. All that’s left now is a 38 mile ride to Saint Malo and a 90 mile ride back to Bristol. The past week I’ve rode through northern Spain and over the Cantabrian mountains into Pamplona and back over the Pyrenees and up the west coast of France. My last 3 nights are in Brittany before catching the ferry to Portsmouth on Monday. It’s been an amazing adventure and I’ve met so many fantastic people on the ride and some real characters as well. The bike has been faultless, and I’ve managed the trip on just one set of tyres. A special thanks to JachinuiCicciu Musmeci and his beautiful wife Katie for inviting me to their amazing wedding in Italy which was the catalyst for this trip.
Well, that’s my journey over after 6 weeks, 14 countries visited and over 7,500 miles around Europe. All that’s left now is a 38 mile ride to Saint Malo and a 90 mile ride back to Bristol. The past week I’ve rode through northern Spain and over the Cantabrian mountains into Pamplona and back over the Pyrenees and up the west coast of France. My last 3 nights are in Brittany before catching the ferry to Portsmouth on Monday. It’s been an amazing adventure and I’ve met so many fantastic people on the ride and some real characters as well. The bike has been faultless, and I’ve managed the trip on just one set of tyres. A special thanks to JachinuiCicciu Musmeci and his beautiful wife Katie for inviting me to their amazing wedding in Italy which was the catalyst for this trip.