Alps or bust

[bigfatcat]

Next up, the Stelvio pass and into the deep snow...


And Hairpin Heaven on the East side...

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Venice, a charming, but wallet lightening experience.

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River Soca in Slovenia, famous for kayaking. Went for a swim below just after the photo.

[bigfatcat]

Berchtesgaden & Salzburg

[bigfatcat]

Next up, my toughest day. Bivvied in a forest in the Czech Republic. Lorries hammering past all night through til dawn. Then got seriously bogged down trying to ride out the forest, sludge up to the axles, but pulled through eventually. Rode to Prague. Czech's don't use Euro so no easy food. Prague police stoppped me & asked (in Czech) if I was the military. After Prague I headed back into Germany in roasting heat & suffered a front wheel rapid puncture on the autobahn near Nuremburg (quite a trial it was too). Top heavy and feet out I'm still not sure how I got it through the wall of lorries to the side, but think I used up all the biking skills in my bag. Cause - sharp edge on front tyre clamp cutting the tube. Repairable (phew!). Kept my speed down after that.
I was very fortunate really, especially as it happened just before a junction with a dead bit of tarmac between where I could do the repair relatively unmolested. Absolutely sweltering heat didn't help, but better than heavy rain & wind.
Photo shows where it happened, for nostalgia.
Then onto Camp just south of Wurzburg. The helicopters arrived at half seven & went on with live shooting exercises well after midnight by which time I was out cold. Woke up at four to peace & quiet, finally, especially after the noisy bivvy of the previous night.

[bigfatcat]

Final photos are of Gent and Brugge (early morning), not far from where I origally set off, and easily each one of the prettiest towns in Europe. In Brugge the heavens opened and the place was completely washed out just after the photo was taken.






And finally my backup camera battery died with no chance of a recharge.
Then it was off across a very blustery Belgium to camp near Cape Gris Nez.
Next day was Dover to Brighton, then off back up the midlands to home.
That's the photos done (will have to see about the phone ones when repaired).

[CADMAN]

Hi BFC
Great photos it sounds like you have enjoyed your trip. See you soon
Dave.

[Derrick]

Fantastic trip, glad to hear you made it back without any significant problems.

[bigfatcat]

Cheers
The oil leak was caused by me fitting a standard bolt to hold the kick-start lever on, which does indeed hit the casing, which I removed today (cracked). Will need repair or replacement, just said as a warning to others, the footpeg bracket should arrest the kickstart, not the bolt, but sure this is probably a well known issue.

BFC

[bigfatcat]

Noisy top end was an inlet tappet and loose/worn camshaft pulley spline, loctited back on and now the bike runs back to normal (noisy, but nothing untoward). Oil leak now fixed. Ready to roll again
I'd be happy to take this bike anywhere.