A return to Yugoslavia

Warning...no GS - I've moved on

Posted here as I'm still a member (chorus of confirmation ) and enjoy the wide spectrum of material here within.

Be warned - it's not a quick read :

Lets start with some back story.

Me a 26 year old young buck but hardcore biker, toured a bit already and never had a car (still haven't mind....but I have access ), riding through full on winters and thinking nowt of it, so prepared for 'anything'.

Some scans from my diary of the time with no excuses for my thoughts or comments and some pictures from that trip.

some of these things will recur or be updated by this years findings.

And a final page that will tie-in to a picture coming up next, I left Yugoslavia to go to Bol but had an altercation that finished the m/c trip - but not the Bol and onwards via as some very good friends I made at 'Praries' post 'incident' assisted me home

Accompanying pics - actually scans of slides

Lake Bled, me bike after dirty roads from Sarajevo, the bridge in Mostar before it was blown up, or re-built!, the karsk limestone of Paklenica National Park

Some tie to diary entries above in some form

and 'a funny thing happened on the way to the Bol d'Or' Yacht slayer delux...maybe another time I'll tell the tale

Really - it was a yacht related accident

So this year, now, Oil changed, Heidenau Scouts fitted, MOTd, temporary wooden rack made for new TekLite bag and a bit of loose research done.

As mentioned I was in Yugoslavia in 1988 on my way to Romania riding my much loved R80/7. On the way back - via Circuit Paul Richard for the Bol'd'Or I had an altercation with a yacht that luckily didn't kill me but mangled the bike. We both survived and rode together many many times from the eastern block to NordKapp and over to Portugal and all point between, the rides were shared in later years with Bev and I suspect it's still her favourite ride even now (still safe and sound in the garage). Aye - forget about the yacht thing, I'll maybe tell you about it another time. I was known as 'Yacht slayer' for some time afterward!

So where were we...oh aye...reminiscing. So Bev found my 1988 diary and it made for some very interesting reading before we went. In no particular order there are some of the entries above. Let's see how things have changed (obviously it'll be 'phenomenally'). I'm a bit of a soft shite for a start now, anyways.

Bev finishes work as soon as she can Thursday 19th September and we head south for Dover and an overnight B (left early next a.m. and got second B on boat). 301miles. Booked with DFDS but they let us take an earlier boat outward at no charge.

A funny thing that happened at Dover customs on way out. Though we'd managed to get an earlier ferry I got that sunken stomach feeling as the UK customs waived us and another bike (a Rotary Norton of all things) from the lane and into the customs shed...bang goes our early ferry I thought. bloke stops us both and shows us a laminated poster "Do you have any of these items in your luggage", pictures of explosives, tazers, guns, daggers and all sorts of bizarre weaponry. Taking a chance (humour doesn't always go down with officials does it!) I says "Blimey, we have fluorescent vests and spare bulbs but I didn't know we needed all that for France too" the other biker chuckled, I confirmed we didn't have said items in our luggage and fortunately we were released without further investigation

Absolute beautiful day but even so press on via péage as have to get to far side on country. Using booking.com for all accommodation, new to us as never had an android device until a few months ago...Christ, it makes things a helluva lot easier eh? Had packed doss bags and cooking gear as thought might use some cabins on campsites...but never did, past Slovenia there is no point camping as only euros cheaper than a room, or apartment. Camping was always expensive in Yugoslavia even in 1988, a room wouldn't be much more - but I never realised then so camped everywhere...and got some very very poor facilities for the high price. So, I'd say forget it now and get a room / apartment.

I've been in the Vogel (Alsace) before and remembered it has some great roads so intended getting off main roads from here on in. 400miles to Bussang. We'd booked to stay in a tent for Friday night, in someone's garden. Yepp though Booking and a whole €11. Probably should have thought a bit more about the temperature as it was 7C in morning and 2C in the night. We had shared use of their house toilet (along with lodgers) a separate kitchen area and they were lovely folks (language barrier a little bit of an issue, but our problem not theirs!) There was an airbed and sheets and quilt but we were able to get another with a blanket as it was obviously going to be bloody cold. They obliged and were very kind. We shivered through most of the night...it was Baltic! huddled together wearing buffs on heads we slept very poorly...so much for camping. I am getting soft. Still the stars were wonderful!

They offered breakfast, not for free though of course and it looked very good indeed I have to say with loads of local cheese hams etc but we were to off and away. Stopped at a bakery and supermarket and got some food. Roads were absolutely fantastic in lovely warm sunshine.

The Heidenau Scouts are absolutely bloody amazing, grip, grip, grip. Wore off quite a bit of chicken strip on the D16 Ballon, D466 Sewen and eventually into Germany proper (the Alsace has changed hands many times and older people are fluent in French and German!) over to Simmerberg near Bodensee (227m).

Missed opportunity of passing through Liechetenstein I now see, but probably not such a sad loss.

We hadn't booked anywhere and stopped at a posh looking hotel to ask about 'zimmer frei'. There were none, full house. Busy w/e as it's the celebration of bringing down the cows from the high pasture and loads of truck shows Oktober Fests and whatnot on. It was looknig bleak but she made a call and we snook into a 'Post' hotel for the night. We were lucky because as we arrived so did another couple on a GS but they were turned away as also now fully booked - lesson learned, book a bit earlier in day on phone, worked thereon in.

Now Sunday and made most of the breakfast spread to pack some sarnies for lunch - and well, became our tea too. The post house in Simmerbeg had also been the brewery and they had some nice dunkle beers on the previous night.

We went into Austria via the Fern Pass, eventually, it was really really busy, an excess of traffic - obviously a busy w/e. Other way was worse, miles of staionary traffic. Fern Pass not a favourite, love it or hate it based on traffic I'd guess. Still weather was GREAT! Over the Gerlos pass - toll, 6.50 I think towards Innsbruck. Great twists and turns and great to feel the tyre wear wasn't just the centre-line. Stopped at MacDonald's for free Wi-Fi and a quick coffee....because as usual I hadn't stopped anywhere, poor Bev, but she knows me so well now!

Booked a post place in Fusch as at base of Gross Glockner and contemplating riding that way over to Slovenia...tend to think on my feet route wise. 26.50€ for a pass, phew! and only for that day - if we wanted to go over tomorrow a further 12€, 'flippin 'eck Tucker'! Well, cheaper now than coming back to ride it so kerching.

Well, it really is some road and we made the best of it.

Went over to top, down to far side, back up, up the actual highest bit (Biker Point of something) before having to race down. No, I mean race down! We'd been told by a local you had to be off by 8 or you'd either be fined, or not get out! Serious stuff!

Anyway that bikers point bit is setts as the whole road was before Nazi tanks ruined it all in WWII.

We streaked off and as we got to a bit were there was a signed oil spill I eased and let a local car past.

From that point on it was a highly enjoyable blast after him as we were closing in on eight. I was closing in on him too and my nostrils were full of the smell of his brakes, his and another car in front brilliant fun. The Wee is very impressive brakes wise, with all weight (not been to hotel yet) they are stunning I think....but I'm used to airhead BMWs!

I should point out earlier on (and next morning) there were flotillas of GSs and sports cars of all type attacking the road. It's just a tiny bit nutz!

We got to toll gates with 'very little time to spare', ha!

At the hotel Bev made a delectable spread with some bread we'd bought and some items of 'breakfast' - their restaurant was closed as out of season. FFS. Also there bar likewise closed. I popped next door to see if I could buy a beer, yes sir, or course. As I bought one a waiter came past, thrust me a can of beer and said 'our little secret' -now that just rounded a good day off all the better!

At least you get some groovy stickers for your wad on the toll roads.

The 'race' down and tea

Monday (196 miles) and the forecast rain came - didn't fancy trying it at the height of the Gross Glockner so saved our 12€ and went back out of valley heading for Bohinjki Jez in Slovenia. I'd had a great time there in '88 as the visit combined with the 'cows off the high pasture' celebrations and bumping into a few lads from Huddersfield inter-railing. Consequently drank too much, cut a small tree down using only the saw attachment on a Swiss for a bonfire, saw glow-flies and went for a long taxing walk the next day up into the mountains, so much to live up to

The breakfast at the hotel made up for the restaurant being closed and a right good spread was laid out. Once again by sleight of hand some boiled eggs were pocketed and sandwiches made

The theme of the day was wet, wet, then very wet...in fact the diary even got a bit soggy. We managed to get a whole 2kms down the road before turning round and coming back to the dry overhang to put on ALL the waterproofs.

Passing through a closed ski resort I saw the Beatles on the horizon in the mist...imagination? Nope, they did some skiing scenes in '65 apparently, hence the sign and some statues outside hotel on strip. Funky!

There was no let-up so lunch was a bus-stop!

The 'green lined' roads on the map weren't particularly staggering on way to Villach but maybe just getting fussy what with all on offer.

After Villach we took - I think - the 109/201 across the border. All I remember is signs for 'Bunker Museum' and thick fog and some very steep inclines, 18% I think which is quite none-Alpine like, more Sutton Bank! Anyway there was - again I suspect - A T34 tank at top so I guess that was the old Yugoslavian border and probably no used much in the 'old' days.

The roads weren't as well surfaced but were very twisty, excellent even in weather, the wet had been long enough to wash any crap off and the tyres were warm enough to grip well (still marveling at the Scouts, excellent tyres)

Much different to '88 with no surprise whatsoever, it had been far more western than rest of country even then, now, obviously still different, but definitely no soviet styling.

Fuck me how can it get even wetter

Passing Lake Bled - popular before, now stowed out even on a wet day...still, it was still very photogenic - but not today as too much faff removing various items of clothing and the risk of cameras and tank bag / bum-bag contents getting soaked. So basically...no pics - see old slide scan above - it looked like that but with no distant views!

It was very busy and did I mention VERY BLOODY wet!

When we finally got through all the traffic and got to destination we hid under a shed by Bohinski Jez Lake - which also looked lovely but couldn't be photographed due to conditions. Please note I take my SLR with me when walking in all weather, when climbing in winter, everywhere, but extreme wet & motorcycling and photography are a bit tricky..in fact I have none.

Couldn't get Wi-Fi or mobile data so abandoned booking.com and went to Tourist Info and created a large puddle while they assisted. They were very helpful - costs were as high as Austria Germany but beggars couldn't be choosers at this point. We checked booking.com later and obviously found much better deals - should have made more effort earlier...EXACTLY as pointed out by Bev earlier...ummmm sorry!

Booked a night, potentially two (see more morrow on that!) and trudged out to ride the short distance to the house.

Little old dear with no English (back to German) let us put bike in garage, all our gear in the industrial scale boiler room - would have happily slept in there! Our room was good enough but no kettle or anything so bit restricted. The heating cut in improving things markedly, as did the shower once we figured out the 'hot' was opposite way to other taps DOH!

Spotted a remarkable thing in the garage though - the poster calendar on the wall was...for...1988... the year I'd last been, spooky (and very out of date!)

Had an expensive meal next door - 'Deer in a shop window' was my choice, assumed the usual mis-translation. No, it was all the items assembled into a Kilner Jar! Nice, but would have been better de-assemble onto a plate.

One of my oldest (and a biker) mates (not as in being in his 80's, but because I've known him since the early 80's) was riding his bike back from Bulgaria via Greece, Albania etc. Sent him a txt saying 'we hope to be in Senj, Croatia tomorrow, potentially' - decide to ditch a -did I highlight- very wet Slovenia. I had no idea where Stripe and Laura where, but thought the likelihood of us meeting was slim. Far more chance we'd passed like ships in the night and find out a day late. Let's see.

Lets also hope there is sunshine out there awaiting us...PLEASE

So by next day we had decided to 'Get outta Dodge'.

Some things are a hang over from the 'old' days. In the past as mentioned above rooms were a commodity in Yugoslavia and often not much more than camping...however...also, the state rooms tended to have a weird way of doing things, you'd get charged more for a short stay. So, in this case our stay was 20% more as only there one night...go figure

Anyway, the rain had stopped - not exactly sunny, but suggested improvement but we were off for the coast anyway. Lovely lady just could have had better value elsewhere. Can't fault having a garage (to adjust chain for first time, hmmmm) and the boiler room dried everything out purrfect! Things had improved so well we packed the 'proofs! Quick look at lake - still no sign of the fantastic mountain panorama backdrop sadly.

From then on it was dry and twisty for rest of day - get in! Some roads a bit poor, but many superb, all small! 227 miles of fun, including some surprises, but more of that later

The route went via 102 / 106 to the border town of Petrina, cracking route - there are many in Slovenia - probably hard to get a bad one unless you buy a vignette - and why would you if you can cross the country in a few hours on back roads?

Struggled to find much to eat but then realised what looked like doors into a commercial bakery was actually a bakers with a shop in too. Nice buns! A feature of the landscape is the structures for drying hay, less in use than last time I came through, but still very evident and typical Slovenia.

A day of much interest and a night of wassailing!

The roads were very quiet, dry and twisty as fuck most of the time, quite incredible...and great!

I was needing some petrol so pulled into the first one we saw - it's absolutely amazing how good peoples English is, incredible, so so friendly too. Hadn't realised but pulled out of the petrol station into the village and promptly the border, hadn't noticed it was even coming.

Had a chat on the Slovenian side to the border guard...not much happening I assume not a busy crossing, nothing else did while we were there anyway. Bev was chatting away and said 'Can I have a passport stamp', 'no' he says' you're in EC', Bev said she misses getting them and hasn't had a Slovenian one. So, he says 'I suppose you'll be out of the EC soon so I suppose I can' and promptly stamped it. Not mine though. While we were chatting, god our Slovenian's good...ummm..no you saw through us, he had excellent English too. Anyway he was saying 'The woods are full of Pakistani's', he wasn't particularly negative or anything, just matter of fact about the migrants still passing through in large numbers, the Croatian official said 'ah but some are good' and we had a brief discussion before he refused to ad to Bev's collection and waved us through into none-Euro lands, makes it seem a bit more exotic.

So, no change really on the 'other' side. The other side appeared to offer a significant short-cut if we took some of the white roads. Back in '88 I remember how some of the roads just suddenly changed to gravel (not so much now I suspect unless off the beaten track). Spent a little while figuring out where the actual 'white' road was, it was the gravel track we'd seen so doubled back and set off down it.

Good condition and after a few miles we popped out on a tar road in a village. Spent some time taking various lanes before figuring out which one was the one we actually wanted that headed the correct way compass wise. I should point out there were no signs whatsoever so it was done of basis of what we thought was right and hope we were and always be ready to turn round it in doubt or if conditions changed significantly.

Though there was no real way of knowing if we were right or on a logging or forestry road the one good sign was occasion stone blocks at the side of the road - wouldn't bother with that on forestry etc, but would on an old road.

Bumbling along - never saw a sole, except the what's coming, in the entire route, so if anything had have happened I'm not sure exactly what would have happened - we'd have had to have prevailed. Also, as a spoiler I'll point out that at this point I was aware there were bears in Croatia, but I assumed very very rare. Later in journey we discover there are around 1200 in Croatia alone My God - only really a hazard if surprised, or with cubs, but either could be the case when riding through a wood late in the afternoon! Hmmm!

Anyway we suddenly see a police van , wonder what they'll say as we appear I think then notice they are already pre-occupied. There were half a dozen, I would say Afghan immigrants, that they had stopped and were inspecting / interviewing them. It was a bit strange when you've seen the scenes on TV over the years and whatever your views, in the actual these blokes had absolutely nowt and looked very disappointed to have been 'caught'. I have to say their faces live with us long after the event, brings it home to you whatever your opinions might be.

I was initially concerned the police might have said ' you shouldn't be here', in fact nothing of the sort. I asked if we were going the right way for Polok Musulinski and he didn't know so asked the others and someone said 'yes', well, that's something then. We thought, should we offer these blokes the bread we had, but that might not have gone done with the police to well either, damned either way - just had to continue on our way and wonder whatever would happen to them. I have to say the police appeared to quite used to the situation and were dealing with everything in the way you'd hope, no disregard for the immigrants. Clouded our journey a bit though.

We continued and I think may have perhaps not always stayed on the route, we were in the woods for quite some time and beginning to wonder. Though we had a GPS it's my father's old TomTom car one that is literally years out of date so I held little hope for the conventional roads, never mind these ones. Still, it did tell us which way we were going which at least meant we shouldn't be going round in circles! The place marked on the map never materialised, but then it might have been a habitation, could have just been a known local 'area'. That and fact it was getting a touch later in afternoon than I'd have liked to me starting to wonder. That and fact the route just started to get a little bit harder - going uphill and stones nearer the size of your fist made progress two-up loaded a bit tense, but we managed and it improved. We stopped for a moment of inspiration.

For some bizarre reason I thought I'd try 'navigate to' on the GPS in the hope it might at least show how far away we were. Imagine our surprise. The lovely thing came up with a route...and we were on it It recognised the white road and all we had to do was follow. I was absolutely totally flabbergasted...and extremely pleased. Within 3 or 4 miles we came to tarmac. Fantastic! There was a barrier and when I tried google translate it seemed to suggest 'forest road passage' and then a word missing...hmmm..., allowed, no vehicles...could have been anything, anyway the barrier was 'up' and we were out! There were trees that had fallen and been cut to clear route so signs it was actually in some form of use anyway which encouraged our transit. Well, what's life without a little difficulty, surprise or no knowledge?

By the end in fact I'm not sure at all if we hadn't mainly been going the right way as by time we came out other end we weren't far away from where we should have been. The obvious sighs of engineered retaining walls and cuts occasionally suggested a road, but other section seemed more like logging roads. I found this "The Rudolf road since 1874 has been passing mainly through the forest from Soviljica" however it said there was a hamlet with population en route so I think we may have bypassed this on logging routes at some point...so maybe lucky we got out when we did. Then there was the bear option...

A further vote of confidence for the Scouts - these tyres are absolutely the dogs, on road no limit, on tiny road dirt and gravel not a worry, off road on good surface excellent, off road two-up loaded on bigger stones better than they should be. I'm in love with these tyres!

It was a joy to see the Adriatic sea appear for the first time in the distance. Of course, as usual, the road jut twisted and turned and was well surfaced and a joy to crank over and enjoy.

The actual Adriatic Highway is absolutely motorcycle nirvana - one road absolutely all motorcyclist must ride once at least - it gets better further south, but even from Rijeka it's good, particularly after Senj but down south of Split I think (from 30 year old memory) it's amazing, by sea then hundreds of metres up then down by sea again and twisty twisty twisty . wonderful stuff - I guarantee you won't be able to get enough of it (unless you tyre of bends that is!). Maybe in summer it gets more traffic, but there is a major road network inland now, anytime we were on it very little traffic....warning....you will have to 'occasionally' break the solid while line or bend speed limits. The central solid white lines can run for miles on end (as they did in '88) and on a bike there are numerous opportunities to safely pass, so too the 30kph bend limits (not t be confused with village limits of course). No doubt you would be nicked if caught in act naturally.

Got to Senj, using the booking.com / google map directions app straight to base and park, wonderful place. Checked phone and yes, Stripe and Laura were in town so we were up for a meet. Just getting dark so wondered the merit of climbing off bike and going into town for what would probably be several beers, but then how many chances would you have to meet an old mate in such circumstances. a couple of calls and it was sorted, shower and into town. Only been in the place half an hour and we were out.

Found Stripe and Laura a whole 10 minutes later - the walk looked a fair way but in fact was very short. Lovely old town with lots to admire, but not much time. Lots of hugging in this rather unexpected meet and thence to drinks and swapping travel tales. Food followed, a last beer in a smoky rock bar that then wearily waited for us to all leave. A great night was had by all. We'd had an adventure in the woods and they had tales from Albania and being refused entry at (I think) Bosnia Herzegovina at one border then welcomed unquestioned at another (no advance green card).

They returned to their Autocamp - 18€ were they were completely boxed in and surrounded by huge motor homes, yet for 5€ more we had a full apartment. Would have made a huge difference if they'd shared the weather we had on our return to explore the place - plot spoiler Goes to show, that's exactly what I also didn't discover were I was in Yugoslavia in '88 - rooms can be as cheap as camping, or cheaper. Nuts! Of course if we'd all known we were to be in the same place at the same time we could have coordinated, but that's the beauty of this type of travel - no plans. Late finish, late night but corking day

PS - we're around 1,600 miles from home at this point for anyone's future planning - 1,300 ish from Dover

Wed 25th Sept - Board the ferry we've off to the islands!

Now we've got the weather we can ease back the mileages (hmmmm) and do some chilling (hmmmm). Well today at least - all of 40 miles

The view from the balcony before we left was stunning - absolutely stunning, across the town, the Adriatic and the islands...oh...with the Uskok fort in the foreground, more on that next visit.

Beautiful weather - things are looking up. Before we came I realised the UCI world cycling championships would take place in Yorkshire the week we left, I had thought of delaying, but seeing reports on the news of the weather made me feel considerably better!

Have I mentioned lately just home good the coast road is It's absolutely bloody brilliant and more tyre scrubbing ensued.

We were off to Pag as Bev had read about it and so we decided on a two night stay (£49 for a full apartment) in Zubovici. Bev had fallen in love with the 'moonlike', 'barren, 'arid' descriptions and by good fortune the place we chose to stay was on a bit of it like that - much of the island isn't and the marketing probably outlives the truth. We could see a ferry leaving as we dropped towards the port, hadn't checked, but hoped they weren't too infrequent. If they were we could ride all the way to the southern end where the island is attached by a bridge - but that would have made the trip a bit pointless as the boat was the thing.

It was 45minuts until the next sailing and cost 64 kuna for m/c and two people (£7.50) - so worth the wait, especially as it was now quite hot. By the way, I assumed 'kuna' was Croatian for 'crown', in fact it's a term for pine martin pelts which previously were used as a term of currency. You'll thank me for that one day in a quiz!