Ghostrider
Registered user
Hi all
I have been a motorcyclist most of my life but only in the last few years have I taken up touring. This trip is my most adventurous so far. I was inspired after watching C+E in the LWR; if they can do it so can I (without the backup). This is also the first time of using a blog to record my travelling.
Me and a few mates have done round England trips incorporating my love of football by visiting all the Premier league grounds and the obligatorily Alps trip. My wife and I have also managed a couple trips into France and Belgium which is quite easy as we live close to Dover.
Last summer I was the big 40 and decided I would mark the occasion by going to the BMW off road school in Wales to have a go at ‘off roading’; this course was a defining moment of my life not only did I fall in love with BMWs I also caught the off roading bug. So after 2 days of racing around Walters Arena behind Patsy Quick and trying all the different bikes I went home and badgered the wife for a new F800GS.
Persistence pays off and in November 2008 I was the proud owner of a bumble bee F800GS.
Since the summer I had been in initial planning for a mammoth trip in 2010. I thought I would like to cross over the Bosphorus in Istanbul and conquer the first few miles of Asia. The biggest mistake is loading up Google Earth and maps because the route quickly got bigger and bigger. After deciding on a route I made the tentative enquiries with my boss about a month off in June 2009 or 2010 and go the OK quite easily. Then the big one, the wife said yes as well. No questions as to Why, What etc just a stone bonker ‘yes’. The date was fixed 1st June 2009 to 30th June 2009 (30 days off ...heaven).
At this point emergency planning went into operation and in two days it was all planned and done. The Garmin was programmed, Amazon were delivering a 6’x6’ box of maps of Europe. I resisted the urge to start packing clothes. Sadly it was still only September, 10 months prior to the start date. From this point on and a reality check later planning went onto the back burner.
Jump forward to the start of 2009 and New Years day felt like a week before lift off and I was telling everybody I could about my pending trip. Most of the motorcyclists I know were full of questions about how, where etc and lots commented about travelling alone. I prefer to travel alone I get to do the things I want and I get to talk to very interesting people. Those non motorcyclists have no idea including one buffoon I work with who now refers to me as Johnny bowman (a referral to Charley Boorman).
A few hundred pounds later I had kitted out the new bumble bee with SW Motech rails, Alpos panniers, Git bashplate and Luggage plate, Touratech handguards, GPS holder and a Scott oiler. Ebay provided an Oxford strap-on tank bag which fits like a dream.
Jump forward again to April 2009 and finally the route is as solid as raspberry jelly. Every time I turn on the telly I see something else in Europe which is just around the corner and is a must see. Latest additions include the Wolfs Lair in Northern Poland (Thanks to Harry Enfields programme) and Vlad the Impalers castle in Hunedoara, Romania (Thanks to the Hairy Bikers).
The Route
The route is as follows:
France
Belgium
Germany
Austria
Italy (Ferry from Ancona to Igoumenitsa, Greece)
Greece (Ferry from Athens to Chois) - Visting the Acropolis
Greek Islands (Ferry from Chois to Cesme, Turkey)
Turkey - Visiting the Blue Mosque in Instanbul and Asia
Bulgaria
Romania - Visiting Dracula Castle in Transylvania and Vlad the Impalers Castle
Hungary
Slovakia
Poland - visiting Auschwitz, Krakow and Warsaw
Lithuania - visiting the Wolfs Lair
Latvia
Estonia (Ferry from Tallinn to Helsinki)Finland - Crossing the Arctic Circle
Sweden
Denmark
Germany
Holland
Belgium
France
Total mileage (approx including ferries) 6680 miles, 19 different countries, 30 days.
And for those bored of reading another pretty picture...
Then came the question of what to call this tour around Europe...Hey presto
Sad isn't it, way too much time on my hands
The Shakedown
Every motorcycle adventure book and website suggests that before the big trip take a small trip. This is known as the ‘shakedown’. So last weekend the bike was packed including my 12 year old daughter (who is nuts about bikes) and off we went for a day trip around Kent and Sussex. The overnight camp was in Bexhill, Sussex.
Of the small amount of problems identified the major one was my self-inflating bed mat was in fact a self-deflating bed mat due a small hole in it. A very uncomfortable night on the floor was had. Glad I found this one as 30 days sleeping on the floor would have been a nightmare.
The plan for the trip is to camp on official sites, wild camp and in cities like Istanbul get cheap hotels that have secure parking for bikes. This site has been a great help in finding accommodation in Istanbul.
One of the major decisions is communication with home and friends. I have thought about taking my laptop and charging it from the BMW accessory socket but the laptop becomes a ball and chain and there is the thought of breaking it or having it stolen. I have decided to rely on internet cafes and hotels to update this thread. I am taking an IPod touch which has WIFI access and I can send and receive emails use Google maps, Google Earth and basic internet access after piggy-backing an open WIFI source. It’s a bit more discreet walking around with an IPod rather than a laptop searching for a signal. There’s always the mobile in an emergency.
So this brings me to today May 2009 less than a month to lift off. What’s left to organise?
• Service the bike
• Change money
• Pack the panniers (1/2 done already)
• Piss up with the lads
• Buy a new Self INFLATING sleeping mat
• Tell everybody yet again all about my trip
For those of you still reading, Thanks and I will update soon with all the preparation prior to lift off.
Ghostrider (aka Geoff)
I have been a motorcyclist most of my life but only in the last few years have I taken up touring. This trip is my most adventurous so far. I was inspired after watching C+E in the LWR; if they can do it so can I (without the backup). This is also the first time of using a blog to record my travelling.
Me and a few mates have done round England trips incorporating my love of football by visiting all the Premier league grounds and the obligatorily Alps trip. My wife and I have also managed a couple trips into France and Belgium which is quite easy as we live close to Dover.
Last summer I was the big 40 and decided I would mark the occasion by going to the BMW off road school in Wales to have a go at ‘off roading’; this course was a defining moment of my life not only did I fall in love with BMWs I also caught the off roading bug. So after 2 days of racing around Walters Arena behind Patsy Quick and trying all the different bikes I went home and badgered the wife for a new F800GS.
Persistence pays off and in November 2008 I was the proud owner of a bumble bee F800GS.
Since the summer I had been in initial planning for a mammoth trip in 2010. I thought I would like to cross over the Bosphorus in Istanbul and conquer the first few miles of Asia. The biggest mistake is loading up Google Earth and maps because the route quickly got bigger and bigger. After deciding on a route I made the tentative enquiries with my boss about a month off in June 2009 or 2010 and go the OK quite easily. Then the big one, the wife said yes as well. No questions as to Why, What etc just a stone bonker ‘yes’. The date was fixed 1st June 2009 to 30th June 2009 (30 days off ...heaven).
At this point emergency planning went into operation and in two days it was all planned and done. The Garmin was programmed, Amazon were delivering a 6’x6’ box of maps of Europe. I resisted the urge to start packing clothes. Sadly it was still only September, 10 months prior to the start date. From this point on and a reality check later planning went onto the back burner.
Jump forward to the start of 2009 and New Years day felt like a week before lift off and I was telling everybody I could about my pending trip. Most of the motorcyclists I know were full of questions about how, where etc and lots commented about travelling alone. I prefer to travel alone I get to do the things I want and I get to talk to very interesting people. Those non motorcyclists have no idea including one buffoon I work with who now refers to me as Johnny bowman (a referral to Charley Boorman).
A few hundred pounds later I had kitted out the new bumble bee with SW Motech rails, Alpos panniers, Git bashplate and Luggage plate, Touratech handguards, GPS holder and a Scott oiler. Ebay provided an Oxford strap-on tank bag which fits like a dream.
Jump forward again to April 2009 and finally the route is as solid as raspberry jelly. Every time I turn on the telly I see something else in Europe which is just around the corner and is a must see. Latest additions include the Wolfs Lair in Northern Poland (Thanks to Harry Enfields programme) and Vlad the Impalers castle in Hunedoara, Romania (Thanks to the Hairy Bikers).
The Route
The route is as follows:
France
Belgium
Germany
Austria
Italy (Ferry from Ancona to Igoumenitsa, Greece)
Greece (Ferry from Athens to Chois) - Visting the Acropolis
Greek Islands (Ferry from Chois to Cesme, Turkey)
Turkey - Visiting the Blue Mosque in Instanbul and Asia
Bulgaria
Romania - Visiting Dracula Castle in Transylvania and Vlad the Impalers Castle
Hungary
Slovakia
Poland - visiting Auschwitz, Krakow and Warsaw
Lithuania - visiting the Wolfs Lair
Latvia
Estonia (Ferry from Tallinn to Helsinki)Finland - Crossing the Arctic Circle
Sweden
Denmark
Germany
Holland
Belgium
France
Total mileage (approx including ferries) 6680 miles, 19 different countries, 30 days.
And for those bored of reading another pretty picture...
Then came the question of what to call this tour around Europe...Hey presto
Sad isn't it, way too much time on my hands
The Shakedown
Every motorcycle adventure book and website suggests that before the big trip take a small trip. This is known as the ‘shakedown’. So last weekend the bike was packed including my 12 year old daughter (who is nuts about bikes) and off we went for a day trip around Kent and Sussex. The overnight camp was in Bexhill, Sussex.
Of the small amount of problems identified the major one was my self-inflating bed mat was in fact a self-deflating bed mat due a small hole in it. A very uncomfortable night on the floor was had. Glad I found this one as 30 days sleeping on the floor would have been a nightmare.
The plan for the trip is to camp on official sites, wild camp and in cities like Istanbul get cheap hotels that have secure parking for bikes. This site has been a great help in finding accommodation in Istanbul.
One of the major decisions is communication with home and friends. I have thought about taking my laptop and charging it from the BMW accessory socket but the laptop becomes a ball and chain and there is the thought of breaking it or having it stolen. I have decided to rely on internet cafes and hotels to update this thread. I am taking an IPod touch which has WIFI access and I can send and receive emails use Google maps, Google Earth and basic internet access after piggy-backing an open WIFI source. It’s a bit more discreet walking around with an IPod rather than a laptop searching for a signal. There’s always the mobile in an emergency.
So this brings me to today May 2009 less than a month to lift off. What’s left to organise?
• Service the bike
• Change money
• Pack the panniers (1/2 done already)
• Piss up with the lads
• Buy a new Self INFLATING sleeping mat
• Tell everybody yet again all about my trip
For those of you still reading, Thanks and I will update soon with all the preparation prior to lift off.
Ghostrider (aka Geoff)
I've never met you, but I hate you already. 
You may think that the group in the photo are Special Forces or similar but you would be wrong; my friends are so ugly I cannot allow them to be seen on the internet. 
