The emotion associated with leaving people and the place that you have lived for the past 20 years is of course huge, but this blog is not about that personal side of events, but rather about what comes from motorcycling to clear ones head for what lies ahead in life. This blog is about a 2500 mile motorcycle trip and what happens on the way. Its about the sheer joy of motorcycling through the ups and downs that occur on any long trip and the people that share that trip with you. The trip today is all about route 8 east which I joined from route 67 having left Poway (where I live for now) by what I would call the back route - that is away from the coast. It strange to be traveling the ... read more

Today was a day that every motorcyclist dreams about. If your idea of heaven leans more towards alpine settings that tropical islands then you were in heaven. Crossing through the center of Slovenia and the slightly western side of Austria I decided Slovenia was heaven and Austria were for those who had committed only one or two minor indiscretions in their lifetimes. It had rained over night and there was now a mixture of sun and clouds with that freshness that seems to last all day. Being Sunday it was quite out. Funny thing on trips like this days have no meaning, yet Sunday still holds something special. Perhaps it is to ride without guilt (some of us feel guilty if we are not working all the time). Guilt free and amidst the most amazing ... read more

As they used to say of the roach motel “you can check in but you cant check out.” In Istanbul it seems it is easier to check out than check in. After a few days to orient myself to the place and the fact my sister lives in the western suburbs and I was heading west, it was a breeze compared to the arrival nightmare. So I was off across the peninsula that effectively connects Europe to Asia in the south. The waters of the Sea of Marmara were off to the left. Almost an inland sea it connects to the Agean Sea which then connects to the Mediteranean. I never did (or have) seen the Black Sea which was somewhere off to the right and somehow registers as a big disappointment. Don’t ask me why. ... read more

How you would ever get out of these Eastern European cities before the days of GPS I will never know. What saved me at the beginning of the day let me down later on after the battery ran out and I went around in circles in SE Bulgaria. You can cross Bulgaria in ½ a tank of BMW gas if you don’t get lost. The roads were better here for the most part and blessedly less traffic. It was Sunday, but I am certain there is less in any case. The roads were fast and with a funny rough texture that made me think of skin rash, but I put that thought aside. The other blessing in Bulgaria is that large towns had by-passes and so I only skirted around Sliven and Yambol on my ... read more

Budapest to Cluj-Napoca, Romania 490Km Well today had it all. Spotted hookers in the lay-by (adds some meaning to the term - lay-by that is, not hooker), then wanting to give up and go home, then an hour later elation riding through Zaleu amid rolling hills and singing “The Hills are Alight…” and then being exposed on the top of a bare hill with cell towers in a lightening storm. Fortunately, all I suffered was a complete soaking through my semi-waterproofs I suppose this is what it is all about but it was a grueling day on the road no question. I had an enormous breakfast as usual. This serves three purposes a) it saves money since it is usually included in the room; b) time change makes it seem like dinner-time; c) It lasts me ... read more