Wednesday 26th Sept 07
Well, after 2 years or so of reading avidly others blogs. It felt sureal to start the bike and slowly creap forward out of the garage where I have spent so long preparing the bike this trip. Just as Chris Scotts book AMH says ´heaving the bike off the side stand click it into first and wobble off down the road, appaled at the weight of the machine.´ Yer.. I would say that is a pretty accurate description of the start of my trip!

Riding down to the harbour to board the boat to St Malo france, A emotional good bye to family and friends and I was off, happy to be underway and all the stress of leaving started to fall away and be left at the road side.
Two days of rain soaked riding and a fantastic nights stay with a lovely french family enjoying local wine and snails in a beautiful french farm house. Thankyou very much Evelyne.

I arrived at Balmers back packers in Interlaken to a free coffee due to my blue complection..why did't I pack more warm clothes? where I had a great time partying the weekend away, relaxing and letting the trip take form.
From Sunday to Thursaday I rode the delights of the high alpine passes followed by the beautie of the Dolimites with their first snow of winter. Every day I meet people who are so nice and surportive, thank you very much to everyone who came over to talk and brought me expresso on tops of passes.

I did't expect so much attention, the trip has started to take on a almost physical being, as funny as that may sound, acting as a guide taking me from one adventure to another incounter. At this point I would like to say hello to Alex Dinon, who works for two wheels an Italian bike magasine who is intersted in putting an artical in the magsine once I reach Cape Town.

On thrusday I arrived in Austria staying with two girls and their family near Linz who I met while cycling across europe earlyer this year (the fact that I am now on a motorbike is not a cocidence!) They have been fantastic hosts (using their computer now) Taking me to lots of different partys all over the city, meeting their beautiful friends, I can't say thankyou enought to them and their family.

Yesterday as the day to leave, but is also coincided with the first show stopper of the trip! while out for a little ride in the hills I mamaged to losse the retaining nut and lock washer from the front sproctket??? So Today heading into Linz to see if I can find one.