MOTOCLECTIC 008 by Motoclectic

moToclectic E U G O L E V A R T 019

NOV. 2

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008

2019

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RIDER FRIENDLY DIRECTORY

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ISSUE

008 CONTENTS

IFC | R IDER FRIENDLY DIRECTORY 02 | F ROM THE TEAM Yes, we’re jealous

04 | S TAIRWAY TO HEAVEN

And as we wind on down the road…

STAFF SCOTT WAKEFIELD Editor-in-Chief

DAN HOSEK

14 | A TRIP ACROSS THE “BREW” WAY Is “Brewnique New York” going too far?

20 | T HE LONG WAY DOWN THE KONKAN COAST Taking the scenic route to Rider Mania

29 | E UROPEAN ADVENTURE

The “paradoxical” trip of a lifetime

36 | E VENTS

FROM THE TEAM A wild yearning gnaws at my sedentary winterized guts, crying out for adventure. The metaphorical beast is nearly always nagging at me to do something amazing, but it’s during these dark, cold months that the longing to go and do is most difficult to quiet. Motoclectic 008 does nothing to quench that insatiable desire to get on a motorcycle and see every corner of the world. Nay, with its wondrous tales and glorious pictures, it only feeds the ravenous creature as if it were a velociraptor, and someone just lowered an unsuspecting cow into its cage.

these machines than to load them with only the essentials and head into the unknown, feeling the wind, smelling the air, and becoming part of the machine and your surroundings? Few things in life are as exhilarating; If you don’t believe us, ask the authors of these stories. It’s our hope that while you read this issue, you get the same goosebumps we did as we put it together. We also hope, that if you’re like us and stuck in the frozen realms of the Northern Hemisphere, this issue will serve to ease the pangs of anxiety as you look around the corner for Spring.

What embodies the utility and versatility of the motorcycle better than exploration and travel? How better to showcase the marvel of

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STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN Story and photos by Tim Statt

was at the Fuel Cleveland motorcycle show in July of 2018. Bear, of Old Bike Barn, had a display of a side project that he was working on called “Motorcycle Sherpa.” I was intrigued and asked a few questions. In short, it’s a motorcycle tour company that leads adventures to the Himalayan mountains of Nepal. To be honest, I had to Google where Nepal was, and why would I want to go there? I grabbed an information flyer and didn’t really think much more about it until I got home. I was talking to a few of

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my friends and they mentioned that if I was serious about going, they would like to go, too. I told myself I would ask a few more friends to see if we could book a whole trip of guys that knew each other and were into the same things. Over the next few months we booked the maximum number and had a waiting list. I was planning on going November of 2019 so the participants would have over a year to plan to be half way around the world for two weeks. As the trip drew

closer, we had some changes in the lineup, but still had a full trip. Fast forward to 30 days before departure. Bear and the team at Motorcycle Sherpa contacted everyone by phone and e-mail with a travel package that included all the information and a to do list so you would be able to enter Nepal without a hassle. I had some back and forth with Bear and his staff to get everything completed. It was easy. However, without someone guiding you it may be a bit overwhelming at first glance. The day of departure arrived. We were meeting the Motorcycle Sherpa team in Kathmandu Nepal. I was meeting three other guys at JFK Airport in New York City. We had to take three flights to get to our destinationâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;approximately 30 hours of travel including layovers. We flew into Doha, Qatar, after a thirteen and a half hour flight just to take another six and a half hour flight to Kathmandu. I was glad the plane travel was over, and I was on the ground ready to begin our adventure. We had a breeze clearing

customs and validating our visas due to the prework we had done with Motorcycle Sherpa. After retrieving our luggage and exiting the airport we met up with Bear and Buddhi and had a bus waiting for us to whisk us off to our hotel and the next two weeks of adventure. The next morning, we got up and went to the hotel restaurant for breakfast. We were staying at the Marriot in Kathmandu. The room was nice and the food was good. Bear mentioned that we would be doing some sight seeing around town till the rest of the group arrived over the next day or so. At around noon a bus arrived, and we headed to the Monkey Temple. If you have never been out of the USA, I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t begin to tell you how crazy traffic is in Nepal. 28 million people in a country the size of New York with no street signs, stop lights, or posted speed limits. All I can say is, it looks crazy, but somehow it seems to work. We also visited a large Stupa (Buddhist shrine) in the center of Kathmandu and finally an outdoor crematory where public cremations are done daily.

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STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN Day 1 Motorcycle adventure Our trip is called “Stairway to Heaven.” The tagline is #climbingmountainswithmotorcycles. As the days progress it becomes evident where this title comes from. We are riding Royal Enfield Himalayan motorcycles. They are small at 410cc compared to most American bikes that I normally ride. However, they proved to be up to the task of our adventure. This day’s travel consisted of city and country roads that were mostly dirt and gravel that traversed the landscape. We were traveling in a group of 18 with two guides and a chase/gear truck following behind by an hour or so. The first night on the road we stayed at a mountain top working farm with open air rooms and a spectacular view of the valley. Day 2 Travel to Pokhara For reference—the daily distance traveled was approximately 110 miles. We woke for the next day’s ride. It was mainly two lane highly traveled roads to our destination of Pokhara. I have never experienced anything quite like this. Basically, it’s a free for all as far as rules of the road go. You do everything and anything to keep moving and not get hit by any of the

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oncoming traffic or the many obstacles that present themselves as you travel. Some of the obstacles that may be in your way are slow moving tractors, buses, big trucks, cars or the miscellaneous pig, sheep or cow standing in the road. Traveling like this is mentally taxing and you must ride defensively and scan for anything that may come up. We stopped a few times throughout the day for chai tea, lunch or just to relax and take a break from the chaos. We were entering the city limits of Pokhara at around 5:30 PM. Bear had a meeting with us telling us what to expect with traffic as we entered the city. I made sure I was glued to the lead bikes of our group as I didn’t want to navigate the traffic by myself after dark. Once at the hotel for the evening we all congratulated each other that we made the day without losing anyone. That evening we went to a Nepalese pizzeria to fill our bellies. Day 3 We start to climb mountains! We are up early to get out of the city before the traffic got brutal. We stopped just outside the congestion for some group photos. We had world renowned motorcycle photographer Michael Lichter

Sherpas on a Himalayan trail

traveling with us! For the next few hours, we traveled ever increasing higher and rougher roads. After a while, paved roads turned to gravel, then potholeriddled, muddy, single lanes. I was thinking I am glad I spent all those hours burning tank after tank of fuel on dirt bikes in my younger days. Not only was the terrain challenging, but you had to navigate past buses and large trucks that were fighting for the same space as you. I kept my focus to the task at hand, but occasionally, you look around and realize that you are on an eight-foot-wide ledge that has a 500 foot drop off into a river. I was reminded many times that I am not in Western New York anymore. We stopped at a few villages for a tea break. The people in these villages were very friendly and welcoming to a group of American motorcyclists. This area of Nepal is called Mustang Valley. It was always obvious that we were doing something that was worth doing as you came to the next obstacle and everyone was cheering you on to get it done. One section of road was blocked due to a landslide. In this area its one road in or out so no option but to wait for a piece of heavy equipment to clear a path for traffic to travel. We rode past a serpentine line of vehicles that was a mile or

so long that had been waiting hours for the road to clear. Once the excavation was complete and traffic could pass, the locals moved their vehicles out of the way to let all the motorcycles through. We made it to a mountain top hotel just as it was getting dark. The temperature first thing in the morning was high 70s. In the valley and at the hotel up the mountains, it was low 40s at dusk. We had dinner and an outdoor campfire before retiring to our unheated rooms. This isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t as bad as it sounds, as there is plenty of blankets on the beds to keep you warm. Day 4 Suspension bridges and temples The next morning, we left an hour or so later than usual . They wanted to let the temperature get above freezing before leaving the hotel. The riding was not quite as technical as day three, however it was challenging nonetheless. We were climbing in altitude as the day went on. The trees were getting sparse and traffic was non-existent. We rode our motorcycles across a few suspension bridges for photo opportunities. This is one of the easier things to do compared to riding in Nepal traffic. We saw real life Sherpas hauling goods on the Himalayan trails.

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At one of the stops we visited a monastery that has been in existence for over 1000 years. The young boys were glad to see us and welcomed us to sit in on one of their ceremonies. After lunch, we continued to the top of the mountain. The last four or five miles to the temple at Muktinath the road was nicely paved. This temple is where Buddha spent time 2000 years ago and is considered holy ground for both the Hindu and Buddhists religions. We walked the grounds and went to the holy springs. I was really feeling drained walking around this area at 12,600 feet above sea level. Its the highest I have ever been. We spent the night in a hotel a mile down the mountain that had excellent Korean BBQ! Day 5 Crash We left the hotel at 7 AM to start back down the mountain. The temperature was at 34 degrees and I was second in line on the road down the mountain. I was in a groove with the switch back turns rolling down the mountain. Four or five miles down there was a drainage stream running across the road. I braked and the front end of the bike tucked under and I hit the ground at 20 miles an hour. There was black ice from vehicles running through the stream wetting the road. Another bike went down behind me and a few others took a detour off the road as not to get caught up in my crash. I stopped in the stream on my back with the bike on top of me. I couldn’t get up as my shoe was caught on the engine guard. A couple of the guys unhooked my shoe and helped me up. I did the normal check yourself out to see what hurts and to make sure I wasn’t bleeding. I got back on the bike and noticed the bars were tweaked but didn’t care, as I wanted to get moving. We pulled over a few miles down the road to let the group get back in order. This is when I realized I jammed my thumb. I figured its not bleeding and no bones were sticking out so, I was good. We continued for a couple of hours to the next stopping point. I bummed some aspirin for my hand and got some ice for my thumb. We headed back down the same road that we came up on the day before. I rode to the next stop and pulled off my glove and the guys were breaking my balls as my hand swelled up and looked like an oven mitt. I knew it hurt, but I figured I couldn’t get it looked at until we

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STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN

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STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN got into the city. We rode the rest of the day down the mountain back tracking the previous dayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s trip to the lunch spot we stopped at the day before. It was a little motel built into the side of the mountain. We had dinner and I retired to bed early. My hand didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t keep me awake so I was thankful for that. Day 6 and 7 Suspension bridges and a rest day Day six was uneventful. I had to slow my pace down to give my hand a rest. After a half hour or so on the bike I would forget about the pain and just keep moving. The roads were getting more and more paved as we got closer to the city. We picked up the pace to head to the largest suspension bridge in Nepal at a quarter mile long and 380 feet above the river. We took the opportunity for photos as we rode on this truly amazing bridge. We moved on and got to the hotel late afternoon. We had a great dinner that night and the next day was a free day and we took the chance to do laundry. The hotel had it washed for us and ready by dinner the next night. We spent the free day relaxing and catching up on sleep for the next leg of the tour. This also gave the mechanics time to check and repair each bike for the rest of the trip.

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Day 8 Elephants and crocodiles We left early in the AM again to head to the most southern part of the trip. We headed to Chitwan National Park. The hotel that we stayed at was amazing. It was laid out like a campus with little bungalows scattered on this pristine area. We arrived around noon, had lunch, and hopped on a bus to the river for a guided canoe ride and nature walk. We got in these long canoes made from hollowed out logs. Ten people per canoe. We went a few miles down stream where there were crocodiles sunning themselves on the banks. Some of the guys were freaked out about this as the canoe felt like it could tip over at any time. Once we traveled downstream, we got out of the canoe and walked a few miles through the forest to the national elephant breeding facility. I learned a few things along the way. Once we started on the walk the park ranger tells us if we see a rhino coming towards us run in a zig zag pattern. This set everyone at ease... LOL! The rest of the day was relaxing.

STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN

Day 9 Mountain top racing We headed up in elevation again as the day progressed. This section was a winding path up the mountains. We climbed for a couple of hours, doing switchbacks and charging corners. A group of six of us got into a groove and—as guys do— we started pushing the limits of rider and machine. What was extra special is we all were riding identical motorcycles so no one had a mechanical advantage. We rode like this, dicing it up with each other for 30 minutes or so. I have to say, that little exercise was one of the top ten riding experiences of my life. We ended at a mountain top villa with a panoramic view of the Himalayan mountains including Mt Everest. I never thought I would see Everest with my own two eyes! Day 10 and 11 Back to Kathmandu We descended the mountains and headed back to Kathmandu. We had a smooth daily run until we got into the city traffic. Our guide missed a turn and we would have had to ride a few more miles in the chaos of the city for another hour. Bear made the call and we pulled into a parking lot, unloaded our bikes, and hopped a bus the rest of the way back to the hotel. I could see the expressions on everyone’s faces, and a few made the comment “We made it!” meaning the trip was done and we could store the adventure in our memories. For the final two nights we stayed at a 5-star hotel in Kathmandu. We had

a final closing dinner, and everyone went out for drinks afterward. The next day we were on our own to do what we wanted. We went to the tourist section of the city looking for trinkets and souvenirs to bring home with us. The trip home We left the next day at 8 AM for a 30 hour trek back to the good old USA. We met up with a few of the guys and flew back to JFK. It was a blur on the trip home as I was tired and ready to get back to reality. I have had people asking me, “What’s next?” I must really think about this one. I felt like Indiana Jones on a motorcycle for almost two weeks. I solidified lifelong friendships. We really had a great group on this adventure. Guys with big personalities, all traveling together and helping each other out daily. I would absolutely take another one of the Motorcycle Sherpa adventure trips.

If you would like to book your own moto-adventure, check out www.motorcyclesherpa.com Instagram @motorcyclesherpa I can be reached at gigastatt@hotmail.com Instagram @gigastatt For a podcast version of the trip as it happens Danger Dan’s Talk Shop Parts 1 of ??? My MotorcycleSherpa Trip to Nepal www.dangerdanstalkshop.com/podcast

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A TRIP ACROSS THE “BREW”WAY by Adam Burnett, head brewer at The Eli Fish Brewing Company Grab yourself a designated driver and make the journey west to east across the thruway to explore the craft beer state of New York

ou don’t have to fly to another state to find Anaheim, to San Diego, and even sometimes inland a burgeoning beer city anymore. New to Alpine, you’ll spend six hours on the road, and six York spent a long time behind the curve. hours in breweries, but you’ll have a wonderful road I’m told this was due to an archaic law that forbade trip with your friends that you can’t wait to do again. taprooms from serving full pints up until just a few So here’s my dream scenario for this spring, when I years ago. Truth be told, I’m not very clear on that can get a few buddies in the car to make a loop with law- every state is so different and after learning the me to see a half dozen breweries in upstate. rules in California, I had to throw away what I knew to relearn Illinois, and then again now that I’m here You can start in Buffalo, which is truly growing in NY. What is positive though, is that we have a faster than even I expected. I remember visiting great state guild working with and for us brewers at the original Resurgence a few years ago and just the state level to push us forward. And it’s true- we how excited I was to have a brewery with a forward finally have more breweries than wineries in New looking attitude in Western New York. Honing in York State. It couldn’t be going on what makes Buffalo great, better because, go figure, a lot ...you’ll spend six hours on the concept of a local drinking of them are really, really good. attitude with beers like the the road, and six hours in Spongecandy stout, Loganberry To be such a young craft state breweries, but you’ll have Wit, and plenty more, is exactly pushing out beer like this is so fulfilling. So let’s hit it up, left a wonderful road trip with the kind of decisions that make to right across the 90 Thruway, grow. Their recently your friends that you can’t movements and explore what is really going opened Chicago St. location wait to do again. on around here. Now, before proves this point of concept we even begin, this is the kind with the addition of a massive of road trip you can do in a day. You’ll need to find production facility. Right after Resurgence in the yourself a designated driver, and you’ll be thanking timeline is Thin Man, the Buffalo brewery who it them in lots of 4 packs and free food along the way. seems to be most in tune with the modern drinker, And that’s ok because you’ll have so much fun, next full of Hazy IPA’s, Imperial Stouts, and a blossoming time you get to be the DD. I used to do trips like this barrel aged program, took even less time for them to regularly in Southern California. Starting in LA, to need a much larger location, located on Chandler St.,

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Adam Burnett, head brewer at The Eli Fish Brewing Company

which is about to become the craft beer headquarters of New York if all the breweries that say they are opening down there follow suit. It’s beyond my wildest dreams that Buffalo has embraced this culture with such open arms. You are welcome to stop here at Eli Fish on your way east. Located only 30 minutes between each city, I hope it becomes more and more, the spot to stop for lunch and beer when traveling between Buffalo and Rochester. Now, the brewery locations in Rochester are a bit more spread out, and maybe with stronger juxtopositions, but the scene is just as hot. Do yourself a favor and head downtown to Rohrbachs to have a pour of the classic scotch ale on sight. Believe it or not, the rest of the country really doesn’t care about scotch ales. Most places think it’s a weird niche style but it’s special how Western NY has embraced it, and it’s all due to the OG, Rohrbachs. The latest and greatest, Other Half, and Mortalis, are not in Rochester proper, but

West Bloomfield, and Avon respectively, yet we still lump them into the Rochester scene. If you want to know what is en vogue, these breweries will show you. Only Other Half can have 16 IPA’s on tap yet you don’t get burned out on hops. Mortalis has found a spot with their sours and stouts that are near perfection and definitely worthy of the hype. I actually kind of like that you have to drive 20 minutes between breweries, because it is a nice scenic drive with no major highways between these guys. You could even end up 20 minutes further east and find yourself in the Finger Lakes to pop over to Young Lion, who is absolutely killing to-style ales, and also venturing into some sours too. Here on out the jumps get a little bigger, but the rewards a little better and better each time. What’s going on at Pantomime Mixtures reminds me of the early 2010’s out in California, where the focus on craft has become something greater than the building it’s being made out of. The focus on

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A TRIP ACROSS THE “BREW” WAY perfecting true sours is something I haven’t seen of their IPA’s. They were making New England haze since the early days of breweries like Sante Adairius bombs since before New York thought they were or de Garde, and just knowing there’s a brewery in cool. Really, the first 2 times I was there the place NY whose aspirations are this big is intimidating was empty. It’s so nice we’ve all learned to embrace but also a relief. So, lets keep it simple, if you like the haze because now Prison City is a destination sours, go go go to Pantomime brewery, quite centrally located Mixtures immediately. for New York, and I hear they But the truth is—just ground on a second following the path cut out broke So at this point, you’re only location recently. above would be one of the 40 minutes away from Ithaca, and who doesn’t still love some If we were to keep going, you’d coolest day trips you’ve Flower Power IPA? Tell your ever had, taking in the new head closer and closer towards DD to take the extra 5 minutes New York City, covering a slew exploding beer scene that to drive thru the Ithaca National of amazing breweries- The is New York State. Forest, it’s worth the view and North Brewery in Endicott, the time to let the pH of your Hudson Valley, Suarez, then mouth find it’s equilibrium again after those sours. on to NYC where the list goes on forever, from And now you’re drinking one of New York’s most Mikkeller NYC, Finback, Other Half Brooklyn, and classic and iconic beers. Flower Power really is the dozens of others. But the truth is- just following the “Half Acre-Daisy Cutter” that just didn’t get the same path cut out above, would be one of the coolest day level of national recognition, but it is a staple to the trips you’ve ever had, taking in the new exploding core of IPA’s, in where we’ve come from in drinking beer scene that is New York State. And this is just hoppy beer, and proof that some of the classics can the set of breweries that I cut out for you. You have really still hold up. a dozen different breweries you could pick in Buffalo and Rochester and along the way as well. Next time At this point, maybe we begin to circle back, but you you take the trip, sub some out, try a new spot, and still have to make a final stop. It’s just under an hour truth be, if I wrote this in six months, there would be to head back north, cutting between another set of six new places on this tour to check out. We really fingers, to get back up to Prison City, in Auburn NY. aren’t slowing down any time soon, and that’s fine by I’ve been visiting Prison City since the year they me. Did I mention to thank your DD? opened, and I still lived in California, just for a pint

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EUROPEAN ADVENTURE Highlights from a 22-day solo ride across Europe by Jody Wegman

I was perplexed with how to go about writing this article about my five week trip through Europe. With such a lengthy trip I could break this down into twentytwo separate ride reports; one for each day traveled on the motorcycle. Or I could also write a synopsis on twenty-three different cities, or thirteen different countries. I could go into details on all the food I ate. But, this is a motorcycle magazine after all, and how many times do you want to read that the food was “amazing” and “you just have to try it!” Instead I’m going to share details of a few special days spent riding, and a few experiences I had off the bike, with a summary on logistics and planning a larger trip, and on my favorite way to travel; solo motorcycle.

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EUROPEAN ADVENTURE

raveling by motorcycle is the best way to travel and take in sights. The most popular way people backpack Europe is by train or bus, perhaps with a flight or two thrown in the mix. With that transportation method they are limited to only the places with bus and train stations, and are at the mercy of bus and train schedules. It turns a trip into a small set of points on a map with limited interaction along the way. On a motorcycle you are there experiencing the trip; the points are connected and you are unlimited in location and unbounded by schedules. Tiny villages that would be passed by via bus can be ridden through and explored. You are able to experience more local culture and not get stuck in the same tourist traps as everybody else. I have learned that popular destinations aren’t necessarily popular because they are the best; they are popular because they are convenient for most people. The amount freedom that comes from traveling alone is invaluable and addicting. So much so that it can be hard to return to the strictness of normal life afterwards. I can easily change my route at a moment’s notice, explore a vista that catches my eye, stop and take a picture of a good view. I can stay an extra day to see a friend; I can sleep in when I need to recover from the night before. I can choose to stop for food when I’m hungry, or I can decide to push on without worrying about someone else’s needs. I can get lost, directionally, as well as mentally. I can choose exactly where to spend my time, which is a precious limited resource for a vacation.

wonderful experience I had with someone else. It was convenient to be able to share via social media and wonderful to message my friends and family at home but it is not the same as having someone present in that moment. Overall this does not outweigh the benefits of traveling alone. Trip Planning: I started my trip in Lagos, Portugal. Lagos is a small stunning city with white Moorish architecture on the southern coast of Portugal. I chose to start here for a number of reasons. The beaches of Lagos are unmatched by anywhere else I’ve been. The cliffs along the coast are lined with repeating coves of soft sand beaches. Tunnels chain one beach to the next, each one unique and wonderful. Another reason is Lagos is only a few hour train ride from the major airport and my favorite city of Lisbon. Despite all that, the main reason for this choice is I have yet to find a better price on rental bikes in all of Western Europe. On my first Europe motorcycle trip in 2017, my grand

Frequently I am asked if I get lonely while travelling this way. There are definitely times when I do, but it is not as common as one would think. I am an introverted person that has extroverted needs; I like being social but it exhausts me. This lined up well with m travel schedule most of the time. I have all day to ride alone and recharge my social energy. I can use that energy for the night and the next day of meeting new people in the hostel and sightseeing. The times the loneliness creeps in when the hostel I chose for the night is not lively. There were stretches of days where I longed for some human connection because of this. Other times, I found myself wanting to share a Jody and his CB500X

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EUROPEAN ADVENTURE plans to purchase a bike fell through and I hunted for a company to hire a bike on the amended budget. The company I found is Sidecar32. Things went so well that I opted to rent through them for a second time. For this trip I had booked a Honda CB500X for a very reasonable rate of fifty Euros a day. The CB500X is a wonderful bike, and I can say that with confidence after testing it for 7576 miles. It has enough power to lift the front wheel while still being light and maneuverable. It has great fuel economy, although it does drop off above 150km/hr; but I’ve been advised to say that I would only know that from the German highways. I’d be interested to test it without side panniers. The bike performed well on gravel even while equipped with street tires. Anything more off road would require a bash guard and better suited tires. Where the CB500X really excels is in comfort. I was able to ride for long days without any discomfort from the seat, or in my shoulders and back. I was so impressed with the bike I have been fighting the urge to visit the local Honda dealer. I tend to pack fairly light, I hate lugging around heavy bags. With the nature of this trip being mostly city hopping and no camping I don’t need much. I didn’t stress too much about packing enough clothes. For clothes it’s easier to buy something you find out you need, versus carrying several extra things you never end up needing. For example, I ended up buying a hoodie in Amsterdam when I was cold walking around the city in my cardigan. A key piece of my equipment is my Wolfman duffle bag. This bag is designed for use on a motorcycle; it has plenty of straps and buckles to secure it to the frame, and be easily removed. It made staying in different locations, and hauling my stuff a breeze. I also recommend bringing a small backpack for carrying stuff for sightseeing and hiking days. Some other key items I recommend are a small power bank to charge your electronics, as well as a good universal outlet adapter, a towel and an emergency blanket. The towel can be used as a pillow in a pinch and is great for days on the beach or drying off after jumping in a river. I bring a few emergency blankets because they pack so small and can make a huge difference if you ever

need them. I’ve ended up using one to stay warm on an overnight ferry in the Adriatic. For route planning I use Google Maps, with the option for avoiding tolls checked. This gives me far better roads for motorcycling, but I’m also cheap and the tolls in Europe can easily add up to over twenty euros a day. Sometimes I’ll choose a specific route that I’ve researched or has been recommended. I’ll only take a toll road if I need to save some time, although I didn’t find myself in that situation on this trip. One such occasion is from my trip in 2017, it was suggested I visit Les Calanques national park on my way out of town. I left Marseille and was able to spend most of the day hiking, swimming and cliff jumping. I was then able to use a toll road to get to Nice only a little later than expected. Navigation is all done on my smart phone and sent to in-ear headphones in my helmet from my pocket. This works well enough in most circumstances. There are some places where it falls short, notably in dense cities like Lisbon. Sometimes, I’d make a wrong turn and be mislocated to the next street over, and thus unknowingly be misdirected, leading to a never ending loop of wrong turns. Another thing I struggled with was weird shaped roundabouts, notable a kidney bean shaped one in Andorra la Vella which I mistook for two adjacent roundabouts. I must have gone through it five times before figuring out the correct exit. My schedule mostly consisted of a day of riding, followed by a day of sightseeing in a city. On average riding days I’m on the bike for eight hours. I stayed in hostels in larger cities most nights. The instances I didn’t were when I stayed at an Airbnb and then a bivouac in central France when there were no hostels nearby. There were also two times I was able to crash on a friend’s couch, and another time when I stayed at a cabin. I love staying at hostels, and recommend them to everyone, especially the solo traveler. They are a great place to meet fellow travelers and the staff frequently has inside advice on great things to do and hidden places to eat. Along with meeting new people at hostels, I was also able to visit with some

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EUROPEAN ADVENTURE old friends. It’s nice to see a familiar face in a foreign place. I met with three friends from university, some of whom I hadn’t seen in five years; and I saw three more friends that I made while traveling two years prior. One friend took me on a food tour of Madrid, and gave me the tip to stop in Segovia on my way out of town. Another took me to a few London pubs followed by Darjeeling Express; a curry restaurant featured on Chef’s Table. Day 3; Portuguese Coast This was my first day with the newly rented bike; what I had waited two long years to do for a second time. I had made my way to Lagos the day prior by train, it felt amazing to be on a bike and have that freedom once again. I did not have a pleasant experience with the train on the way to Lagos. I’m typically bad with trains; having to be in certain places at specific times, waiting, figuring out which platform is correct, all with the added complexity of another language; none of it is pleasant. The trip from Lagos to Lisbon is a perfect first day ride, It’s on the shorter side and has a good mix of riding so that I can familiarize myself with the bike. Portuguese Coast

The first day is never without issues; something I learned was how essential it is to break-in a new helmet, ideally before you have no choice but to wear it for hours on end. That day I ended up having to make more frequent stops to relive the pressure on my head. In the end it took about thirty-five hours of wear before the helmet was fully broken in (or perhaps my head permanently changed shapes). I stopped at two lighthouses with jaw dropping views of the rugged coast, and the crashing waves of the Atlantic Ocean. The second half of the trip took me through interesting forests of cork oaks followed by the surrounding suburbs of Lisbon. I entered the city of Lisbon over a massive suspension bridge very similar to the Golden Gate Bridge. I traversed the tight, cobbled, hilly streets to my hostel for the night. Day 7; The Spanish Pyrenees If you are going to ride any road in Europe make it highway N-260. Even if all you have is a week for a vacation it can be done and you won’t regret it. Please don’t hesitate to write me if you want advice and suggestions. I started from San Sebastian on N-240 which is more in the foothills of the Pyrenees. This was a good warmup for the days riding.

The Spanish Pyrenees

Throughout the day you get deeper into the hills, ending in the tiny mountainous country of Andorra, tucked between France and Spain. N-260 has the perfect combination terrain and road design that makes for astonishing motorcycle riding, all with the added bonus of beautiful scenery. The road has all types of curves, elevation changes, tunnels, bridges, narrow canyons, mountains, and amazing views; all for hour after blissful hour. It’s unpredictable in that you never know what is going to be around the next bend. Will it be a sweeping left curve, a right hairpin, or a tunnel? I much prefer it to some of the Swiss passes, which can be a series of hairpins. The road flows mile after mile making it so easy to get into that perfect Zen-like riding zone. Constantly running up and down in gears; even as I write this I’m filled with joy remembering sections of road. At roughly the halfway point between San Sebastián and Andorra, just outside the village of Boltaña there is a wonderful swimming hole I use whenever I pass through. I first found it by chance in 2017 on my first Europe trip. This was a memorable day so I’m

EUROPEAN ADVENTURE

going to tell the story. It started with a plan to see the running of the bulls at the festival of San Fermín in Pamplona. Due to the festival I was unable to find any accommodations as everything was booked solid. I was in San Sebastián during the day prior and arrived in Pamplona an hour before midnight. The plan was to check out the festival that night, and get some sleep in a park, waking up in time to watch the running of the bulls. After arriving at the festival I was quickly approached (with my red hair I stand out compared to the Spanish locals) by a friendly group of locals who wanted to party with a foreigner. We stayed out until the clubs closed, when we went our separate ways. I grabbed a slice of pizza and got ready to watch the running of the bulls. I could not believe the size and speed of the bulls. I watched what turned out to be another American get his head slammed into the ground by a charging bull. Afterwards, over an espresso and pastry, I realized I had a long day of technical riding ahead on no sleep. I didn’t have many options so I decided to hop on the bike and see how it played out. Back on the road twenty minutes in and I’m already struggling to stay awake. I attempted to

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fight it off for a little but the idea of some sleep felt wonderful. I exited off the highway and did a little searching; I found a tree at the edge of a hay field and passed out. I’m not sure how long I was out but I felt so much better upon waking. I then proceeded to the wonderful roads of the Pyrenees as described above. It was during this ride that I discovered the swimming location. I spotted a captivating turquoise river that I wanted to get a better look of, so I pulled off the side of the road next to a tunnel. Being in need of a shower from a night of dancing and drinking the water was enticing. I made my way down the embankment and swam in the cool waters. Day 22; Stockholm to Oslo I left Stockholm exhausted. I had been out partying until the sunrise three days in a row at that point. Granted, the summer sun rises very early this far north. I was easily persuaded to stay out late by friends from the hostel in Copenhagen, and twice more in Stockholm by my friend from college who graciously hosted me on his couch. Outside of Stockholm I grabbed a coffee and burger from a McDonald’s. I used to be the type that would scoff at the idea of eating at McDonald’s abroad. I have since come around to being less strict. In many areas away from cities along highways there isn’t much local cuisine, and they usually have different menu items from the States, and sometimes you’re homesick, and just want a greasy burger to cure your hang-over. The weather had been spotty with rain for most of the day, but appeared to be getting better, so I opted to remove my rain gear. Sometime later, the

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rain looked like it was resuming; the optimist in me chose not to stop just yet to put my rain gear on. Despite the odd rays of sun the rain persisted, and very quickly got heavy. I pulled into a driveway and hurried to put my gear on, by this time it was a full on downpour and I was already sufficiently wet. The heavy rain continued for another ten minutes before dying down enough for me to want to get back on the bike. Afterwards I was rewarded with some amazing sights while riding. For a few moments the sun would come out, warm rays of light would shoot through the clouds and mist to reflect off the wet mirror of the road. The landscape of rolling forests and farmland glowed, and I felt so lucky to be what seemed like the sole witness. My Google Maps avoid tolls setting sometimes takes me on roads that I would never expect it to. I was getting near the Norwegian border when unexpectedly, I was prompted to turn onto a gravel road. With no off-road experience I was a little nervous but the road called me on. The road was in good condition for most of it, as it rolled over hills and through a thick aspen and pine forest. Colorful pink and purple wildflowers lined both sides of the road. On this gravel road is where I entered Norway. Day 25; The Midnight Ride From Lysebotn An example of having plans change on the fly, and deviating from the norm of day riding happened while leaving Norway. I had finished my hike up the Kjerag and ate a big meal at the cabin to replenish my energy. The next city I planned to stay in was Hamburg, Germany. This was the leg of the trip that had the longest day of travel. It was made up of a four and a half hour drive through Norway, followed by a three hour ferry across the North Sea, followed by five hours of flat highway from the tip of Denmark and into Germany. With limited ferry service I had two options, none of them ideal. There was a six in the morning Ferry and a noon Ferry to be considered. The ferry was roughly $100 less expensive early in the morning than it was at noon and it would give me more time to see Hamburg; I would arrive at four in the afternoon vs. ten an night. To make this ferry I would have to ride overnight from my current location. I chose to

EUROPEAN ADVENTURE leave Lysebotn at one in the morning, and save some cash. I packed, prepped, and was in bed by nine to get a few hours of sleep before leaving. Leaving Lysebotn was quiet and eerie. I climbed the thirty two hairpin turns in the dark, once at elevation I had to fight thick fog and much colder temperatures than anticipated. I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t see another soul for an hour. The landscape in the dark and fog was transformed into a haunted and desolate wasteland. I was able to see outcrops of rocks near to the road but not much else. The upside of this is I was able to focus on my riding without distractions. I pressed on through the cold; I was committed at this point to making the ferry. At one point I spotted a moose as it scurried from the shoulder of the road into the forest. I expected the temperatures and fog to improve but the fog only relented intermittently. Towards the end I had to fight with my visor as the outside was fogging over from the cold. I arrived at the port a shivering mess. My hands shook uncontrollably while handing off my passport and payment, but I had made it. Once on the ferry I curled up in my seat and passed out able to get warm at last. Conclusion: I have a thousand more moments I could write about; the shock of approaching my first roundabout in the

UK and seeing it move clockwise; riding across Paris during rush hour in a record breaking heatwave and getting bumped by a Mercedes; white-knuckling it across a ten and a half mile long bridge in Lisbon while being nearly blown off the road; and repeating that terrifying experience in Denmark, twice. Riding with a Dutch solo traveler, also on a CB500X after meeting at a gas station. Having a picnic in a park in Lyon with hitchhikers. Hiking the Kjerag in Norway and standing on the Kjeragboltn. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m left with memories that will last a lifetime and a better understanding of the world. I was able to experience different cultures, and interact with people an even made a few friends. The world feels smaller and yet larger at the same time. It feels smaller in the sense that I was able to ride across a portion in a short amount of time. It feels so much larger in that there are a thousand places I passed through without seeing all that they have to offer. The paradox I discovered with travel is the more places you go the more places you want to go. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not as simple as checking things off a list. I have so many more places added to my list from meeting with other travelers, and so many places I hope to return to relive experiences, and even more that I passed by in the interest of time. Time will tell where the road will take me next.

Norway

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EVENTS PAGE

PLACES TO GO AND PEOPLE TO SEE Check out these local events, happenings and meetups in the area and support your moto-community.

EVERY WEEK!

Every Thursday at Leaf & Bean Coffee Company 3240 Chili Ave, Rochester , 7:00 PM till they kick you out.

FEB 28MAR 1

27th Annual Cavalcade of Cars (and Motorcycles) 5820 South Park Ave., Hamburg www.cavalcadeofcars.com/

FEB

22-23 MAR

Wintercycle Therapy 2020 11:00 AM–7:00 PM Glenn H. Curtiss Museum 8419 State Route 54 Hammondsport, NY Rocker Box And Jugs Motorcycle Swapmeet 10:00 AM–5:00 PM 2450 Walden Ave, Buffalo

Please email any events or meetups you run or know about! email: events@motoclectic.com

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Articles inside

The Long Way Down the Konkan Coast