The European Chronicles Prologue
The European Chronicles - Prologue
If you wait, all you get is older. Say it again, slowly, so it sinks in.
Time to play, and Europe will be the sandbox for the next 7-10 years. This year's targets: The Black Forest, France's Alsace, the Alps, the Dolomites and Lake Como. Germany, France, Switzerland, Austria and Italy. Even with seven weeks time, I'm sure I'll only scratch the surface and that a return trip (or two or three) will be in order. Legendary passes in an environment infused with history, beauty and culture. What a way to start the journey.
She left for Heidelberg, Germany in February and after a circuitous route, is patiently waiting.
With the F800GT went two sets of riding gear, so travel will be carry on only. How sweet is that!
Routes have been sketched out after much review, particularly John Hermann's Motorcycle Journeys through the Alps, and TomTom's MyDrive portal. MyDrive easily highlights passes, attractions and hotels, and plots a scenic route wirelessly synched with the Rider satnav on the GT. Hopefully, it will even work...
On the map above are all the places I'll stay, mostly two nights each. I'll also get to visit a good friend in Switzerland for a few days, and he's promised to show me all the "secret" roads in return for a large bottle of aspirin...seems like a fair deal to me. Multiple weeks will be spent at Casa Olea in Perledo (Varenna), on Lake Como living la dolce vita. My daughter Dana will fly in for a week; Krisanne for two. I'm sure we'll run into the Clooneys and the Obamas. 😉
I'll also be test driving a hotel in Karthaus (Certosa), Italy that Krisanne has identified as a potential home base for hiking tours through the Dolomites next year. Tough duty, but I volunteered anyway.
From a riding perspective, it really is pass bagging Nirvana. A quick count: 30, including legends like Stelvio, Furka, Grimsel, Klausen and Timmelsjoch, which even has a motorcycle museum at the top of the pass. In case you've never seen them, here are a few samples:
Furka:
Stelvio:
Timmelsjoch:
I'm also hoping to visit the Technik Museums in Speyer and Sinsheim while I'm in Heidelberg.
https://speyer.technik-museum.
https://sinsheim.technik-
There you have it boys and girls! The page has been turned and we're starting a new chapter. Glad to have you along...and special thanks, as always, to Krisanne for enthusiastically supporting the crazy!
If you wait, all you get is older. Say it again, slowly, so it sinks in.
Time to play, and Europe will be the sandbox for the next 7-10 years. This year's targets: The Black Forest, France's Alsace, the Alps, the Dolomites and Lake Como. Germany, France, Switzerland, Austria and Italy. Even with seven weeks time, I'm sure I'll only scratch the surface and that a return trip (or two or three) will be in order. Legendary passes in an environment infused with history, beauty and culture. What a way to start the journey.
She left for Heidelberg, Germany in February and after a circuitous route, is patiently waiting.
With the F800GT went two sets of riding gear, so travel will be carry on only. How sweet is that!
Routes have been sketched out after much review, particularly John Hermann's Motorcycle Journeys through the Alps, and TomTom's MyDrive portal. MyDrive easily highlights passes, attractions and hotels, and plots a scenic route wirelessly synched with the Rider satnav on the GT. Hopefully, it will even work...
On the map above are all the places I'll stay, mostly two nights each. I'll also get to visit a good friend in Switzerland for a few days, and he's promised to show me all the "secret" roads in return for a large bottle of aspirin...seems like a fair deal to me. Multiple weeks will be spent at Casa Olea in Perledo (Varenna), on Lake Como living la dolce vita. My daughter Dana will fly in for a week; Krisanne for two. I'm sure we'll run into the Clooneys and the Obamas. 😉
I'll also be test driving a hotel in Karthaus (Certosa), Italy that Krisanne has identified as a potential home base for hiking tours through the Dolomites next year. Tough duty, but I volunteered anyway.
From a riding perspective, it really is pass bagging Nirvana. A quick count: 30, including legends like Stelvio, Furka, Grimsel, Klausen and Timmelsjoch, which even has a motorcycle museum at the top of the pass. In case you've never seen them, here are a few samples:
Furka:
Stelvio:
Timmelsjoch:
I'm also hoping to visit the Technik Museums in Speyer and Sinsheim while I'm in Heidelberg.
https://speyer.technik-museum.
https://sinsheim.technik-
There you have it boys and girls! The page has been turned and we're starting a new chapter. Glad to have you along...and special thanks, as always, to Krisanne for enthusiastically supporting the crazy!
