The loosely knit plan was to go from northern Italy over to Romania, hit the Carpathian mountains and follow them back into Slovakia and the Czech Republic, then continue to the UK. Unfortunately, The Alps were between me & Romania. It’s a tough job but, someone had to do it. From Parma, I headed north to the south shore of Lake Garda. My route took me along the west bank of Lake Garda. Quite an impressive road as it is dug out of a sheer cliff face. About half the time was spent diving into tunnels dug in the cliffside then darting back out into the bright sunshine. Continuing north towards Madonna Di Campiglio, I traversed the northern Italian wine growing regions. If there were ever an Olympics for scenery, Italy would be on the podium ... read more

After a restful night’s sleep, I awoke to a bright blue sky. Things were looking up! I headed out west along the top of the boot tip that is the southwestern peninsula and through the Exmoor National Park. Thatched roof houses dotted the countryside. Many English backroads are lined with tall hedges. This makes it impossible to see what’s around the bend…a tractor hauling hay? or an oncoming 18 wheeler? Pick your line carefully and go for it. It was turning in to a cracking (Brit lingo) day! I continued progressing to the southwest. After the town of Bude, the coastline becomes more dramatic. Unfortunately, the road stays well inland making views of the coast fleeting at best. I guess the Romans or whoever built them didn’t count on tourism, huh? By late afternoon I had ... read more

I flew into Birmingham, UK, home to Black Sabbath and Judas Priest but, I was seeking a different kind of British heavy metal. Rain streaked the jet’s window as we came in for a landing. Never a good omen. I hopped on to an east bound train to Nottingham to reunite with my Triumph Thruxton. Together, we set off towards Land’s End at the furthest tip of Cornwall. It was 3 P.M. when I was finally loaded up and ready to go. I was hoping to get some miles in before dark. I fired up the Triumph and headed southwest. I chose a road built by the Romans now named Fosse Way. As were most Roman roads, this one was built straight and to the southwest. Just the direction I wanted to go. While it looks ... read more

I woke up the next morning to a vibrant blue sky. Bonus! The weatherman was obviously still asleep. After breakfast, I loaded up & headed south through the Chianti foothills towards Siena, the smell of harvested grapes heavy in the air. Since I was sticking to the backroads & the towns I would be going through were centuries old, I expected that the roads would also be centuries old. WOW! Was I ever wrong! The roads were fantastic! Imagine two parts Napa Valley, one part Deal’s Gap, set the blender to “liquify”. Enjoy! I did just that! The roads dipped and weaved through breathtaking scenery & this time of year there was hardly any traffic. I make my way south through the Chianti foothills past Radda in Chianti, to the scenic walled town of Monte San ... read more

This morning I was awoken by a loud ray of bright sunshine glaring right thru my window. Someone forgot to close the curtains. Ah well, I was to be blessed with 2 days of sunshine in a row! From the Yorkshire Dales to the Lake District is but a mere hop skip & a jump! After another full English breakfast ( I love black pudding. Don’t wanna know how it’s made) I set off heading northwest. I arrived in the Lake District via the town of Windermere. As the forecast for the next day called for rain, I figured I’d better ride the famous Wrynose & Hardknott Passes today. The Lake District is arguably even more beautiful than the Yorkshire Dales & the four wheeled traffic attests to that! It kinda reminded me of western North ... read more