Orson
William Sutton Joined: March 29th 2009
Logged in: October 12th 2009
Logged in: October 12th 2009
I’m a Canadian ex-pat working in the oil exploration industry. I’m currently employed in Saudi Arabia and decided to take advantage of the opportunity to travel as much of the world as I can. I keep a motorcycle stored in Europe and take trips on it every chance I get.
This blog is a collection of motorcycle trips I have taken over the years. I hope these reports entertain and/or inspire you to take a trip of your own. Feel free to post your comments and suggestions.
Travel Blog Posts
Liguria
My plan to escape the rain had worked, as I had awoken to overcast skies, but no rain. After the funfilled supermotard track of the previous day, I decided to head up into the Ligurian hills and explore. I finally encountered some motorbike worthy roads. I came away very impressed with the hills around Genoa. I must make it a point to explore this region with more thoroughness The final day on the road dawned with cloudy skies yet again, but the clouds had yet to unleash their damp revenge. After a leisurely breakfast with one last dossage of Italian cappuccinos, I head towards Parma across the autumn-hued Appenine range. All in all, I enjoyed wonderful scenery, excellent food and wonderful people. I love Italia! ... read more
Ligurian Hills
Approaching Genoa on the coast, I find myself tiring of the autostrada and beat a quick exit for a road following the coastline in the hills above Genoa. It turns out to be a fortuitous decision as the road turns out to be a freshly paved supermotard track. Unfortunately it’s a track that contains four-wheeled competitors so care must be taken on blind curves. I have to say…Gawd, I love Italian riding. Motorcycles can get away with anything short of murder and cops just look the other way. You pass where you want, when you want and nobody honks at you. Solid white lines are meaningless. There were times when I would fall back into American riding, trundling along behind slower traffic, only to be buzzed by a sweet young thing on her moped. I’m old ... read more
Lake Maggiore
Watching the news, it is evident that an imminent cold front is approaching from northern Europe and bringing rain with it. team orson is forced to make an executive decision and drop down south to a defensive line along the Ligurian coast. The next morning still has blue skies, so we make time for a quick dash eastward via Varese, skirting Lake Varese to the Lake Maggiore ferry crossing at Laveno. Regarding the Lake District as a motorcycling destination, in all honesty, the roads aren’t conducive to sport riding. The roads are very twisty with lots of traffic and few places to pass, even for a motorcycle. There are few roads inland from the lakes, as the mountain terrain is so steep. ... read more
Como Ferry
The following morning, I hop on one of the numerous ferries to Menaggio on the western shore. Looking back at Bellagio off the ferry stern, the good weather was still staying with me. From Menaggio, I continue west to Lake Lugano. Italy shares Lake Lugano with Switzerland, however, wanting to avoid border crossing delays and snooty Swiss border guards, I decide to stay in Italy. I trace the southern shore of Lake Lugano before heading south into the hills between Lake Lugano & Lake Como. October is a wonderful time to visit Italy. Most of the tourists have gone home, leaving the roads and the sites relatively traffic free. A soft, autumnal light caresses the landscape giving everything a portrait quality. ... read more
Narrow Streets
After about 20 kilometers of this, I finally made it over the ridgeline and began decending with Lake Como stretching out below me. The narrow streets encountered in the small mountain villages are typical of Italy. Yes, trucks and buses also use them. With the sun sinking in the west, I make my way down the steep hillside to Lake Como near the town of Pigra. Making my way to Menaggio, I catch a ferry back to Bellagio. ... read more
Lakeside
With its narrow streets and sweeping lake vistas, you’d be hardpressed to find a lovelier village than Bellagio.... read more
Lake Como
Not willing to lose any more precious time, I blasted north to Lake Como via la autostrada. Lake Como is the spiritual home to Guzzisti the world over. Every Guzzisti is required by his faith to make the pilgrimage to Lake Como at least once in his lifetime. Lake Como is shaped like an upside down Y with the idyllic town of Bellagio at the tip of a peninsula where the Y comes together. I arrived on a Sunday afternoon and Bellagio was bustling wth day trippers from Milan, including a wide assortment of bikers.... read more
Tunnels
The plan had been to head west towards Lake Como. However, at a gas stop in the town of Storo, just west of Lake Garda, the Goose began running on one cylinder. Fortunately, there was a car/motorcycle garage right across the street. The mechanic couldn’t do anything for me, but offered to load up the bike in his truck and take me to the Guzzi dealer in Rovereto. I found a hotel room for the night and returned to the Guzzi shop the next morning. As they weren’t making any headway, they offered to let me take a new Moto Guzzi V7 for a ride. never one to turn down a free test ride, I jumped on it before they had any second thoughts. I headed southeast from Rovereto on SS46 thru the Passo Piani di ... read more
Garda
team orson managed to get one last ride in before winter’s icey tendrils gripped the Italian landscape. We decided to stay close to home and explore the Italian Lake district in the foothills of the Alps. After retrieving my Guzzi from Moto Guareschi in Parma, we made our way north via the backroads under sunny blue skies. The first lake encountered would be Lake Garda. The southern end of the lake is a bit touristy, including the kitschy Gardaland, an italian takeoff on Disneyland. However, once you head north along the lake shore, you encounter many quaint villages, some with their own medievel castles. ... read more
Maroon 
