As winter descends in Melbourne its time for a European Adventure

Thinking about Eastern Europe

Its going to be a long haul

London to Danube Delta

Where the mighty Danube River empties into the Black Sea

A route across many high mountain passes

Some new, some revisited in France, Switzerland and Italy

Others ranges new to me – The Dolomites in Italy, The Carpathians in Romania and many more to find

Inspired by a fellow blogger from Bosnia

To ride the roads of Eatern Europe – The Transfagarsan Highway in Romania and mountain backroads.

Re acquainting with friends that I have made in previous adventures

New friends to find and explore with

The heart beat hastens in the final weeks before I leave

To take the Mighty Moto Guzzi Breva on its next European Adventure

The Mighty Breva in Ireland in 2018

Wine

A river of wine I saw

As I looked through the cellar door

Where’s my cup?

Where’s a straw?

Or should I lick it from the cellar floor!

Tahbilk winery in the Goulburn Valley region of Victoria is like stepping back in time.

One of Australia’s oldest wine producers.

A nice ride through the hills to get there.

Alone or in company.

You know your back in Australia

An Aussie beach northern NSW

The emblamtic difference between Europe and Australia is the long white sandy beach

With little or no trace of humans

It really can only happen in Australia

And on a warm spring day the whales can be seen off shore breaching and blowing

Smashing their huge trident tails into the water as swim south to Antarctica for summer.

Sunset mid west NSW

The space is overwhelming

Riding nearly 1000 km in a day, on small back roads with little traffic.

The big purple sunset across the open paddocks

But the cherry blossom at Young in the southern highlands a reminder that there is so much of Europe transported here.

Divine intervention

By Brest in Brittany I realised nearly 10,000 km of mainly mountain riding had taken its toll on the front tyre

The left hand side had totally worn out.

But it was holiday time in France.

The Moto Guzzi dealer was shut for holidays.

The big parts store had a tyre but the mechanic was on holidays.

I was searching my phone to find another store

Then divine intervention

This young lady comes out of the store and says “follow me”

Who was I to argue as she climbed onto he Kwaka 1000.

She let me around the back streets of Brest to the Kawasaki dealer

The only shop that was open over the holiday period.

It was kisses all around. A bit of quick French I didn’t understand

Then I was told to take the bike into the workshop and choose the tyre I wanted.

Had to have the pirelli angel to match the divine intervention

Ahhh Switzerland

What is it about Switzerland that takes my breath away

The amazing vistas across the lakes

Amazing mountain passes like the old San Gotthard pass with its cobblestone surface

And party atmosphere at the top

Or village of Gletch where the Furka, Grimsel and Nufenen passes all converge

Maybe it’s the white Glacier topped mountains

Or is is the amazing biker culture that see riders of all types out enjoying the Alps

The goulash soup at the resturaunt at the top of Nufenen pass comes close

But maybe it’s the subtle heartfelt welcome that is so Swiss that makes one say ahhh