A couple of folks have indicated they would like me to explain a little about my last trip around Europe.  So, I'll write a recap for the latest adventure.  While I'm neither a writer nor particularly well educated (just barely made it out of high school) I'll do my best to keep things short, moving along and enjoyable.  If it's fun to read great, if not, let me know and I'll keep my posts to the next song, city or individual answers.

My route to living in Portugal was a long and winding road with many twists and turns always keeping eyes on the prize of my desire to live in Portugal.  Fell in love with the country and its heritage, culture and people in the 90s.
 
I went to the European Harley Rally 2 years ago in Cascais, Portugal and rode last year to Rome for the rally there.  This year was in Biograd na Moru, Croatia (2700 km/1675 miles) for the second time.

Being a bit of a psychotic bike rider I began making spreadsheets and printing maps from Google to show others route choices, costs and distances.  Passed a few packets out to bike shops to see if anyone wanted to join along.  Met 2 Portuguese guys for lunch that wanted to go.  We talked and as I understood they were onboard for the trip.  A few e-mails back and forth and one made reservations for the 3 of us at a hotel before all the packages were gone.

Couple of months went by and I contacted them to get the ferry reservations finalized.  That's when the snags hit.  One guy decided he wasn't going because he was getting divorced and his head wasn't right.  (What better way to cage your gyros than a long ride?  But, OK, I went through a divorce and was crazy for almost a decade.  Now 30 years later I still have trust issues.  But enough of me.)   The second guy sends an e-mail saying with 3 riders he thought it was safe but he thought with only 2 riders crossing Spain and Italy it would be too dangerous.  WTF??????

I've crossed the US 4 times over the past 40 years.  3 of those alone.  Yeah, we would be crossing from Mortágua, Portugal through Spain, north and turning east around the Pyrénées as we cross into France.  Along the French Mediterranian Coast passing Marseille, Cannes, Monaco, Genoa, Milan and crossing the north of Italy into Slovenia and then Croatia.  But, we're crossing in the daytime, with cell phone coverage all along the route and 50K Harleys are converging on Croatia for the rally.  Hell, a night in Reynosa is more dangerous.

So, anyway, I decide to head out alone even after the last Portuguese guy warned against riding alone.  Pussy!  But I decided to take the ferry from Ancona, Italy to arrive Wednesday morning in Zadar, Croatia 30 km north of Biograd.  Saves a day of riding and a night in a hotel.  Besides, I'm getting old and can't run as long or as hard as I did 40 years ago. 

Only one slight problem.  I ride motorizadas (50cc motorbikes) with a group of guys.  We call ourselves the Falheiros and are a organized group of old retired and active bankers, businessmen, etc and ride some pretty ratty scooters.  We ride a few times a year and tend to ride 10-15 minutes and stop for a beer (or wine), ride another 10-15 minutes and another beer/wine.  Repeat, repeat, repeat and wind up in a little Portuguese village at a small restaurant or local festival for lunch.  After lunch it is ride for 10-15 minutes for a beer/wine, repeat, repeat, repeat until we wind up at the bar where we started.  Now, understand these bikes have no license, no insurance, no lights, no nothing but guys having fun.  Cops don't mess with us even though they know what's going on.  Has to do with the European cops considering themselves Peace Officers and cops in the US thinking of themselves as Law ENFORCÈMENT (A little off topic here but I could more explain another time.).

I wanted to leave Sunday morning to ride 2400 km (1520 miles) by Tuestay evening for the ferry.  BUT, I had to ride with the Falheiros.  So, I ride with the guys and depart at 5 PM Sunday for Croatia.  Make it 40 km north of Salamanca, Spain and hit a hotel.  Next morning I head for Aix-en-Provence, France for the night.  Tuesday morning I hit the road early because the ferry leaves at 10PM and I must be there ready to load at 8.  I arrived in Ancona at 6 PM, go by the ferry office and pay my reservation then get some food before loading at 2000hrs.  We slept during an uneventful night arriving in Zadar at 0700 on Wednesday.  2 1/2 days from Mortágua to Ancona, Italy.  Not too shabby. 

I was held up about 30 minutes at customs as I don't carry a passport and only had my Portuguese residence card which gives me unrestricted passage throughout the EU.  It started with "We must see your passport" and became "Well, we'll let you in this time but next time...." and finally turned into "OK, you're good have a nice stay."  (Not nearly as scarey as when I used to get detained, arrested or aircraft impounded when ferrying helicopters from Europe to West Africa.)

On to Biograd na Moru where the hotel reservations were in order and the hotel was great.  3 days around similar thinking folks with only an ocasional Sons of Anarchy T-shirt.  Hooked up with 8 guys from Portugal staying, by chance, at the same hotel.  Rode to some really gorgeous coastal towns for dinners and listened to some kick ass music on the 2 stages at night.  Went to Plitvicka Jezera National Park one day to check out some unbelieveable scenery.

Decided to head back on Sunday.  Departed at 0730 hoping to make Aix-en-Provence, France (1250 km/775 miles) but thinking I'd hit rain and was prepared to stop sooner.  Crossing into Slovenia they had a passport control and wanted to see passports but when my time came they asked where I was going and when I said Portugal they saw the bike was registered in Portugal and I was waved through.  Passports aren't needed to pass within the EU but some of the 2nd world countries are having a hard time joining the party.  Need to remember many were 3rd world countries and/or Communist just a very few years ago.  

On my second fuel stop I met 5 riders from France.  They were travelling light, riding quick and 2 intended to make Marseille that night.  I asked and was welcomed to ride along.  We cruised 130-140 km/hr (80-86 mph) on the autoestrada.  After another fuel stop 3 broke off and the 2 I was with kicked it up to 140-150 km/hr (87-93 mph).  A little fast for me but I stayed with them knowing it was my only chance to make Aix that night.  About 4 hours out we hit intermittent light rain and put on rainsuits.  2 hours out the rain became steady but still light.  The roads were good but twisty, wet and in/out of short tunnels coming out of the mountains of Italy/France.  It took an effort but I held with them.  An hour and a half out the high speeds were taking a toll on my fuel consumption and I needed gas.  I waved them on and stopped at the next station.  By then I was so close I was determined to make Aix regardless of what it took.  An hour out the rain picked up to moderate and I was getting pounded.  The spray from the cars passing, cars/trucks in front and rain was getting on my nerves as I'd been riding about 13 1/2 hours.  Made it to Aix and the hotel about 1030PM.  Offloaded the bike, checked-in, showered, readied clothes for tomorrow and asleep by midnight.

Monday morning I got up at 5.  On the computer to e-mail friends, check weather and plan the day.  Only 1450 km (900 miles) to go.  Can I do it in one day?  Oh hell ya.  Just maintain focus and hope the bike is in as good of shape as you believe.  (It became a defining moment where either you define the moment or the moment defines you.)  Expecting to hit a little rain about an hour west of Aix I rechecked the radar just before packing the computer and the heavier rain earlier is breaking up.  So I depart without a rainsuit heading west.  Figuring if I can make Toulouse, France I'm out of the woods until Pau.  Then only scattered showers until Spain where it becomes clear sailing.  I'm on the road at 0830 with rainy clouds and dry roads.  Speed limit on the Autoestrada in France is 130 kmh (80 mph) like in Italy and Croatia.  Meanig you can easily do 140 kph (87 mph) without worry.  The Pyrénées mountains are still snow capped as were the Italian and French Alps the day before.  Awfully pretty from atop a bike.

The day went relatively easy with no problems, the scooter ran smooth as glass.  Only a couple of wrong turns on new highway interchanges and short fuel stops.  Stopped for my last refueling at the Spainish/Portuguese border at 2213 hrs (2113 in Portugal).  Mostly held the speed limit home as the winding roads out of the border mountains are a little sharp and I was getting tired and maybe a little punchy.  Arrived at my local watering hole at 2255 hrs for a Jack-rocks before hitting the house.  15 hrs and 25 minutes after I started the days ride.

Tuesday morning got up and started looking as to where to go next. 

Moving to rural Portugal.  Reminds me of the US I grew up in 50 years ago.  A US that's sadly gone forever. 

Hope this wasn't too boring.

Not at all boring. Brings back some memories of my time in Europe during the Cold War. Thanks.

Jon

Wow, now that's a road trip. How can a trip like that be called boring. Thanks for sharing.

Not the trip, my man.  More my lack of writing skills and the fact that I get too focused on goals of getting down the road instead of stopping more to take pics along the way.

But this summer I'll be taking shorter trips exploring some of the older treasures the Iberian Penninsula has to offer.  Normally take more pictures on those runs.

Good post,thanks for sharing this.Europe would be a great place to spend a month or two riding around.Unfortunately for a lot of us,due to money time family, it is only a pipe dream.

I have to settle for riding out here on the west coast,probably the most beautifully natural place on earth to experience as a rider

Nothing can compare to a spring day cruising the coast for the sheer number of natural wonders you can stumble upon.I feel spoiled in a sense since there are so many awesome places yet to visit & find while riding back roads here.One of these days I will visit every California mission & remember to take some pics LOL !!!

stay safe & enjoy the ride

Getting here wasn't easy.  I've spent most of the past 20+ years working outside the US and spent almost 10 years planning this move.  Even with all that preperation there have been some serious bumps in the road where I've questioned my decision to be here for a moment or two.

ExPat living isn't for everybody.  Lots of people get seduced with the glamour and excitement of magazine pictures and stories only to move or retire overseas and return in a few years disenchanted and many thousands of dollars lighter.

California, Texas, Colorado, Pennsylvania and all of the US has beautiful places to ride and visit.  As does the entire rest of the world.  I'd hardly cal riding around Califórnia as "settling". 

I just spent my first 40+ years travelling the US, liked living in other cultures and wanted to spend my end life traveling around Europe not as a tourist.  Fortunately I have a skill that allows me to make decente money working most anywhere in the world.  I've lived 9 years in SubSaharan West Africa, had malaria 11 times, spent multiple weeks in Morocco and now the last 6 years in the Iberian Peninsula.  But that life as all lives come with compromises.  Finding a woman to live with all that relocating and learning a new language every few years is next to impossible.  While I have good friends all around the world I have very little family left.  My choice but we all make choices and live with all the pluses and minuses of those choices.  As long as we are happy with the life we've built for ourselves we are successful.

PS.  It probably isn't as expensive as you might think to come to Europe and ride a Harley around for a couple of weeks.  Especially if you know someone.

One of these days,I may just come on over n visit some family I have living there. If money & time were no problem I would have done it years ago.Yet my first priority has always been taking care of family & for the last 15 years seems like its all I been doing ?!?! Thank heaven for the ability to still get on my ride and enjoy the wind in my face,even a short ride out the canyon,best therapy in the world for a guy with too many cares.

Count your blessings,ya made it thru & seen some kool places,lately I am reminded of how so many people are never satisfied with what they already have.Never seeing the ride for what it really is,and the destination merely a stopover on the journey.