5/9/2012

We had two easy days ahead of us. We needed to drive 250 miles to Klaipeda to get the ferry to Germany where we then spent 24 hours.
In the morning we found that someone had broken into the locked panniers on Beverly’s bike. We had been warned about security in the middle of the city so we cable locked the bikes but it looked like they hack-sawed the lock clasp. Beverly lost her rain suit and we lost the camp mattresses that Kendra and Jerrol got for us that we had never used.

Attachment 6984
Our hotel

Our ride was part on highway and part on country roads. Nice weather and good roads made it a pleasant trip. The ferry was leaving at 1:00 am but we could start loading at 10:00.pm. While waiting to load, we met some German bikers Andre, Miguel, Ulrich who drove from Germany through Poland all on dirt roads. We also met Andrew who lives in London, but drove to his home in Lithuania on a 125cc bike. I guess you can drive small bikes in the UK with a learner’s permit. He was adamant that the L on his bike was for learner NOT for loser.

Attachment 6985
Meeting the German Bikers

Attachment 6986
Lithuanian sunset at the ferry dock

We loaded in the lower most bowel of the ship.

Attachment 6987
Location of our bikes on the ferry

The ramps to the bowels of the ship, down to deck 1, included 3 u-turns. Cars had to do 3-point turns to make it around the turns. This is important because I (Beverly) have been working on improving my low speed maneuvering. After last fall’s trip to Eastern Europe (Chapter 2 ), I felt that I needed to improve my skills. I needed more training. Well, I got it. Holly with Fact motorcycle school in Yakima FACT Safety Home (where I dropped MY bike once) and Ed with Northwest Motorcycle school in Seattle Northwest Motorcycle School - Motor Officer - Advanced riding course - Ride Like A Cop (where I dropped THEIR bike – a Suzuki 1000 old police cruiser -- 3 times) taught me the basics of low-speed maneuvering. At the end of my lesson, I easily accomplished tight continuous figure-eight turns. Although I didn’t make all the sharp turns without putting my feet down on this trip, I did make several. What is even more important is that I was much more comfortable riding on this trip and I found many chances to practice rearbrake-clutch-throttle control even when I wasn’t in a tight turn. Our travels didn’t include many safe places for practicing the tight turns but I did get a chance in one of the ferry parking lots; I was driving around and around while Mike was taking care of some tickets. He thought I was lost wandering around in the giant lot. Back to the current ferry loading -- I did make the last turn with my feet on the pegs. Thank you to Holly and Ed. I look forward to going home and practicing even more.

By midnight we were in bed. We didn’t even feel the ship departing.

6/10/2012

We spent today on the ferry. We had our usual cozy cabin. We slept in, had breakfast in the room, and watched the ocean and read. No phone, no internet; nothing to do but rest and think. The resting is good but we prefer to avoid the thinking part.

The ship is full of trucks because apparently the roads in Poland are so poor, the truckers prefer to bypass it. Apparently, there are over 150 trucks on this ferry.

Attachment 6997
Trucks on the ferry

The ferry docked in Kiel about 10pm but it took an hour for all those trucks to get off. This isn’t the kind of ferry we are used to seeing in Washington State where you can drive through: loading on one end and unloading on the other. These big trucks have to turn around to get off. It appears quite a confusion but I am sure it is well orchestrated. They do this every day.

We drove not far to Molfsee where we had already stayed at Hotel Catherineberg on May 19 just before heading North to Oslo. It seems so long ago. The hotel was a familiar site. It was after midnight but the owners had our room waiting and we put our bikes in the garage.

5/11/2012

Sometimes you just want to get there. Today is a day solely with a destination in mind. We have over 400 miles to travel from Molfsee, just outside of Kiel, to Heidelberg where we will end the 3rd chapter of our European wanderings. Since this chapter won’t be over until we complete a list of maintenance and repairs, we have planned a day in Heidelberg to do that work. That way we will be ready for chapter 4 next spring when we are planning a trip to Bulgaria and Turkey.

We wanted to get an early start in the morning but we rarely set an alarm. If we are sleeping well we want to keep sleeping. Maybe that is because we are old but maybe it is just because we like to sleep. Today we must have been sleeping well so we didn’t wake until after 8. We were on the road by 10. Then it was 8 hours of autobahn driving except for a few stops for gas and eating. We arrived back at Knopf tours at 6 pm.

Attachment 6998
Bikes parked in front of their rooms at Knopf Tours

We got the BMW room this time

Attachment 6999
Even the toilet carries the BMW theme

A visit to Knopf tours always starts with meeting the other riders – those just leaving and those just coming back. This time we were just ending our trip. Mike Lewis (another Mike) was just coming back too. He embarked on his trip in 2009! He is staying another month before he ships his bike back. He just recently got a ferry out of Syria. And we think WE have an adjustment to make when we go back after only one month on the road.

Attachment 7000
Mike Lewis

Some of his equipment is attached firmly to his bike with bailing wire. He lightheartedly jokes that he should be sponsored by a bailing wire company. It would be a shame to have to make the repairs and take away the character that bailing wire gives his bike. He is riding with a purpose in mind: WriteAroundTheWorld.org. You can read more about his travels at BLOG

We also met Robert who is getting ready to go South: A ferry from Nice to Corsica and other destinations for 6 weeks.

5/12/12

Mike is not the only one putting on new tires. Stephan is getting some help from Robert to change the tire on one of his bikes. Mike replaced front tires for both of us.

Attachment 7001
Stephan, Robert and Mike changing tires


Attachment 7002A new tire

Mike changed the oil in both bikes and put on a new chain and sprocket on the blue bike. It had never been changed and was in surprisingly good shape after nearly 28000 miles. Time to change it anyway.

Attachment 7003
A new sprocket

The mileage for the trip was estimated to be just under 3000 miles. It ended up to be over 3300 miles. A few side trips and some extra side roads. And it was all good.

We spent the day getting the bikes ready to put away and talking to the new travelers, Charles from New Mexico and his cousin from Hawaii, just coming back from their trip on Corsica.

Attachment 7004
Bikes all cleaned up for our next adventure, hopefully Bulgaria and Turkey next spring.