SnakechrmrWith Covid hysteria running rampant, most European borders closed to Americans traveling on a passport visa, Serbia being a small country and every large motorcycle rally cancelled in 2020 it was hard to put miles on the bike but I did finally hit 130K.
Snakechrmr added 2 new photos. 1st Photo - Jul 2006, Newly purchased in the US, 15 miles
2nd Photo - Jul 2020, sitting in Serbia after 14 years,130,000 miles and 2 months in a box crossing the Atlantic
August 9, 2020
-
edited
Snakechrmr → UniversalRiders: It was an OK time but only because I lived in Portugal for 10 years and have a lot of friends there. The rally was the smallest and poorest attended I've seen since it was last held in Portugal in 2012. Not really Portugal's fault as the country is... moreIt was an OK time but only because I lived in Portugal for 10 years and have a lot of friends there. The rally was the smallest and poorest attended I've seen since it was last held in Portugal in 2012. Not really Portugal's fault as the country is just too far west so it's a long ride from east Europe, Asia or North Africa. For me from Serbia it's about 3500 km. Next year is again in Portoroz, Slovenia. Last there in about 2016. Was a pretty good time.
UniversalRidersThanks a lot for your feedback, we couldn't go there this year (in Cascais) so it's good to have this kind of feedback We are very busy with the motorcycle rentals in France and Portugal, a lot of motorcycles were used for the Wheels and Waves this year... moreThanks a lot for your feedback, we couldn't go there this year (in Cascais) so it's good to have this kind of feedback We are very busy with the motorcycle rentals in France and Portugal, a lot of motorcycles were used for the Wheels and Waves this year for example.
Santa Comba Dão, Portugal 40º 24' N, 8º07' W
Home village of the dictator that ruled Portugal from the 1932 until 1968. He kept Portugal neutral in WWII playing the Nazis against the Allies.
SnakechrmrMy travel through Europe have stopped for a while in Serbia. Here's one reason why McDonald's will never get a strong hold in Serbia. Behold a freshly cooked medium (170 gram) Pljeskavice (Serbial burger) on a 9 inch plate. Cost $2.24 US.
Maybe pack that list if you are running a chase truck along the trip and passing through the Sahara Desert. Good grief! But it was good for a laugh.
Seriously, how many hundreds of miles are you gonna be from a dealer, after market shop or... moreMaybe pack that list if you are running a chase truck along the trip and passing through the Sahara Desert. Good grief! But it was good for a laugh.
Seriously, how many hundreds of miles are you gonna be from a dealer, after market shop or auto parts where you need to carry a spare set of plugs? And don't forget 2 flashlights. One waterproof. Small container of oil? What's that? How about a qt of synthetic that can be used in any hole? And don't forget to strap a cooking stove on the sissy bar with a fuel source. What about a kitchen sink (gotta clean the utensils) and a hot water heater (surely can't shower with cold water)?
Takes less than an hour to pack and load the bike for a week long run if you only pack what is really needed.
Lunch in Spain on a 3000 km move from Portugal to Sérvia. Carrying way too much crap but it's Oct and car isn't coming until January. less
Vukovar, Croatia
(City on the Croatian/Sérvian border and was considered the worst damage to a European city since WWII during the Croatian War for Independence. 2000 loosely banded Croatians held the city for 87 days against 36,000... moreVukovar, Croatia
(City on the Croatian/Sérvian border and was considered the worst damage to a European city since WWII during the Croatian War for Independence. 2000 loosely banded Croatians held the city for 87 days against 36,000 troops, 110 vehicles and tanks and dozens of planes.) Much of the devastation has been allowed to remain as a testiimony to the events of the early 1990s.
I'll visit there ths year to photograph, study and talk with the people. My experiences scootering around the Balkans is gonna be hopefully an eye opening ride for us all. less
Hobbies
music, wrenching, bicycles, collecting art, scouring the European countryside in search of ruins
Music
Blues
Message
Started in Texas, 7 years Army, year in Alaska, 6 years in West Africa on a humanitarian project with World Health Organization, 3 years in Nigeria (real craphole) and now Europe to finish out livin'. Left Portugal after 10 years and moved to Serbia. Looks like the restless bug bit again. But this is the last move. I'm getting too damn old to have to learn a new language every few years.
Just seem to get a little restless after a while. Always willing to turn down a dirt road just to see what's at the other end.
My latest ride. We have a run several times a year as a group (Os Falheiros) with many old Vespas, Casals, Peugeots, Motobecanes and other old to ancient small motorizadas. About 40 of us ride stopping every 10 minutes or so for beer or at someone's family's winery for spirits. Have lunch somewhere and return to the bar where we started with stops every 10 minutes or so to finish the day.
How you got running back from "off hand" I'll never understand. But I been out of the US for a long time and I don't think in English much anymore.
But you're a moderator so I'll go with it.
Running away
Santa Comba Dão, Portugal 40º 24' N, 8º07' W
Home village of the dictator that ruled Portugal from the 1932 until 1968. He kept Portugal neutral in WWII playing the Nazis against the Allies.
Prague, Czech Republic
50°05' N. 14°25' E
Home of the European Harley Rally and the 115th Harley Anniversary Party 2018.
This post was edited by Snakechrmr at September 18, 2018 12:48 AM PDT
We are very busy with the motorcycle rentals in France and Portugal, a lot of motorcycles were used for the Wheels and Waves this year... more
