Croatia update.

[GTRpilot]

After a rather lumpy ferry crossing, Force 8 gale, arrived in a very wet and windy Europoort, all bikes unscathed.(Unlike Brittany ferries where they strap your bike down, P&O supply the strap's and leave it to you to secure your bike). Usual panic by mostly drivers to get down to their car's and sit there for 1/2 an hour 😠, I think biker's should get priority to get themselves (and pillion's sorted).
Anyway set off on my first leg into Germany, 320 miles. Thank's Zumo for getting me safely and accurately out of the Europoort Rotterdam road network nightmare 😊. Pouring rain and high wind's were the order of the day, so riding at a 45' angle soon became the norm.
Eventually got into Germany, those Autobahn's are quick 😉, and she ( The GTR ) rose to the occasion. But as with speed if it goes wrong it's gonna be a big one. Hence the 2 hour hold up on the A61 due to a multi vehicle spectacular, one car totally destroyed by fire.
Interesting was the reaction by all driver's in the considerable tail back, all without exception moved to the outside of the lanes, leaving the centre clear for the emergency services to travel down. Nobody directed them, they just did it. One poor Romanian driver who thought he would take advantage of the clear space was quickly stopped and put in the picture about accident etiquette by two large German trucker's who blocked him 😂. So safely at my first location, Schriesheim, just north of Heidelberg. Tomorrow's leg is 237 miles to just south of Munich. A dry day would be nice.

[Lonewolf]

Quite an eventful first day for you then, hopefully tomorrow will be dry as you say.


It should be the norm that the crew secure your bike, after all they will be experts at it, but like everything these days, where there's a blame there's a claim.


Have a safe trip.

[Icefever]

The Autobahn's are great, but like you say at high speed when "it" goes wrong..."it" does big time.   With 320 miles the first day, and a planned 237 today those are the sort of lengths of riding we like (we're getting on a bit  )

If you find time to post a couple of photos that would be brilliant. Have a great time and ride safe. 

[Rynglieder]

 It has been years since any crew strapped down a bike for me, there was one time when a rough crossing was expected that the crew were instructed to do it but generally it is up to the owner. I noticed on my recent trip that some presumably regular travelers had invested in their own straps and pads for whatever reason. One strap over the seat usually does it for most, but there were a few cautious souls who had as many as three straps, lashing down the bike through the engine bars and swinging arm - it looked a bit like overkill to me.

I'd also noticed the behavior you mentioned on the Autobahn. I think the custom of clearing to make a central lane goes back to the days when the early Autobahns were just two lanes and there was no hard shoulder.

Glad the first lump of the trip has gone OK for you.

[GTRpilot]

Another wet run, and looking like more rain for tomorrow's run to Bled, Slovenia 😟. Just one dry day would be nice. Was going to go through Kitzbuhl and the mountain's but that would be grim given the forecast, so ploughing down the main drag to get there.

[beegee]

Have a safe trip there 

[Rusty]

Nice one Mr Pilot .. glad its all going well for you.

[GTRpilot]

Another grim day from just south of Munich through Austria into Slovenia. Monsoon like weather, 50m viz and waterlogged Autobahn's. Even the German's were down to 50 mph. Horrendous condition's, queues at the border watching your lap fill with water, then into the Karawanken tunnel, (Google it), 7Km long, €7.50 for the privilege, but as you entered you were met by a blast of hot air, like a hair drier, immediately your visor, screen, mirror's and instrument's all steamed up, then as you progressed the air flow cooled and it cleared. Glad I decided against the run through the mountain's. Currently located in Slovenia, near Bled. Still raining 😯. Into Croatia tomorrow..

[shaggs147]

You're not having much luck with the weather. Hope it changes soon for you as that doesn't sound like much fun. Blue skies soon hopefully!

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

[GTRpilot]

Run to Croatia from Slovenia, yep, you guessed it, torrential rain, so much it defeated my waterproof's, gloves (They were still wet anyway), buff, helmet strap and partial lining, it got everywhere. So arrived a little moist. But got here to meet the wife off her flight in about an hour. Now for the Croatia tour bit and  , a bit of sunshine!

[Icefever]

We're keeping our fingers crossed for you...... and we'll say a little prayer for you both...

[GTRpilot]

Quick update. Now located on the island of Rab, and yes still bloody raining. Had two dry day's off the bike visiting Plitvik lakes, then it rained again on the run to Rab. Dry on arrival, but today was torrential with thunderstorm's that began at 3 am and went on through the day.
Off to Krk island tomorrow for 3 day's, then back onto the mainland.
The weather is bonker's. Even the local's are shocked at the amount of rain that has been coming down.
Ho hum, waterproof's at the ready.

[beegee]

Been in Rab too... Hope all crashed cars down the road are gone in meanwhile
Pity of shat sh... weather. We Were more lucky at that time. Take care

[Rynglieder]

Quick update. Now located on the island of Rab, and yes still bloody raining. Had two dry day's off the bike visiting Plitvik lakes, then it rained again on the run to Rab. Dry on arrival, but today was torrential with thunderstorm's that began at 3 am and went on through the day.
Off to Krk island tomorrow for 3 day's, then back onto the mainland.
The weather is bonker's. Even the local's are shocked at the amount of rain that has been coming down.
Ho hum, waterproof's at the ready.

You are so unlucky - I hope it picks up for you. During my five days there last year I just had one wet afternoon.

But push on, getting wet is part of motorcycle touring. I have now ridden my way through 17 different countries in the last five years and I think I have been rained on in every one of them except   Slovenia (and that was probably because I was only there for a few hours!).

Ride safe and watch out for the natives in their cars.

Paete.