Some pictures from Sunny Europe.

[original_concept]

I had been given a weekish long pass to get some pukka European miles on the GS and just as important to get some heat and sunshine into my bones.

As usual I'd planned and booked nothing until the 36 hours before leaving as the destinations would be weather dependent. Having been watching the weather for the past week or so across Europe, the Alpine-ish areas were looking aok. I consider myself lucky in having done most of the Swiss passes before but this time I wanted to actually stop and have an actual look round, previously I've raced through 'em and very enjoyable it was too. But as I'm sure many people are all too aware, the whole day/trip blurs into an odd mish-mash of memories so I wanted to stop and take it in for a change. The only rules I'd set for travelling were to avoid all toll roads unless they were scenic and all motorways were banned unless time became an issue.

The route was basically UK -> Mulhouse -> Munich -> Bad Hofgastein -> Andermatt -> Adenau -> Mons -> UK

In the end I took in France, Belguim, Germany, Austria, Italy, Switzerland.

I'm not gonna do a ride report because:

Nothing broke down/fell off. - So very un-GS-like

Didn't crash.

It rained once (overnight at Andermatt).


Highlights:

Actually got onto the Nurburgring in warm sunshine.

Austria, never been there before. Very nice, apart from all the Harley types heading to/from Faak Am See.

The AlpenTherm resort in Bad Hofgastein.

Sunshine and high 20s!

The road heading out of La Roche, Belguim

Rossfeld, Germany.

Berchtesgaden, Germany

B99 - Austria

L109 - Austria

Steinasage = L159/L170/L182/B31 - Germany

Many, many more.


Lowlights

Belgian roads.
English roads.
Not enough cash/time to get all over the rest of Europe.

Here's less than 10% of the pictures I took!?!?!!

http://s997.photobucket.com/albums/af93/bmw_motorrad_uk/europe-2009/?start=all

and heres some to be getting on with:

 

[NA1959]

Super pic's Can I ask what camera did you use

 

[original_concept]

Thanks

Panasonic TZ-7 - It came with a free case and fits perfectly into the glove pocket in the rear of my jacket so taking pics/video [1] was a breeze. Having travelled with various DSLRs & video cams previously, I rarely took any pics :-(

The TZ isn't a patch on a DSLR, but as a travel camera excels and is great in good light.

Oh, I've also tinkered with the original shots in LR2 so they look more like they did on the camera's LCD.

[1] AVCHD Lite @ 720p

 

[Bengaz]

Beautiful pics, especially the quarter million quid car, the paintwork has come out excelent with little to no noise
I have the TZ7 too and its probably the best compact digital camera you can carry without humping an SLR about.
The HD video it takes is excelent for a compact too.
I use the 9M landscape mode tho for the scenery shots. Look great on a big widescreen TV with the 25mm lens!

 

[NA1959]

Thanks

Panasonic TZ-7 - It came with a free case and fits perfectly into the glove pocket in the rear of my jacket so taking pics/video [1] was a breeze. Having travelled with various DSLRs & video cams previously, I rarely took any pics :-(

The TZ isn't a patch on a DSLR, but as a travel camera excels and is great in good light.

Oh, I've also tinkered with the original shots in LR2 so they look more like they did on the camera's LCD.

[1] AVCHD Lite @ 720p

My Mate has just bought one and is taking some great pic's

 

[original_concept]

Beautiful pics, especially the quarter million quid car, the paintwork has come out excelent with little to no noise
I have the TZ7 too and its probably the best compact digital camera you can carry without humping an SLR about.
The HD video it takes is excelent for a compact too.
I use the 9M landscape mode tho for the scenery shots. Look great on a big widescreen TV with the 25mm lens!

Cheers. Oh boy, is that roadster worth that much?!, it was the nicest car in the museum to my eyes [1], never seen one before. I would have sat in it

I must admit to having a 'oh, you 'kin twat' moment when I got home as the penny dropped for not utilising 16:9 for the stills :-(

The video mode is useful for those panoramic views.


[1] even better than the M1, my most favourite car as a kid. I had the luck of being sat in a breakdown truck (trackside) at Brands in 1980 for this: http://www.imca-slotracing.com/2010-worlds-PRO.htm and there was a BMW dealer about a 10min slow walk from me in which a M1 sat front centre in the window for additional drooling over.

 

[Bengaz]

got to admit mate, i forget sometimes to switch to panoramic

made a slight mistake on the pricing of the beautiful roadster
http://www.autosalon-singen.de/verk...03_02.aspx?marke=BMW&modell=507&languageID=en