IXXRA......The Home Of The Superblackbird

.
... via the Adriatic coast, then back via ferry to Italy.

Delayed my trip a week coz of the miserable weather here and Central Europe, but it looks likes there's a small window tomorrow.

Sorry, before you get too excited, 'fraid I'm only taking the new KTM 1290 SA-S, not the . Been busy this aftee applying the 3M protective transfers, ready for the 5k + mile trip. Probably won't be able to give the running commentary as I have in the past, but will write a travelogue on my return. You will remember from my last escapades that I have wasted much time in the late afternoons and evenings going from one small hotel/ B&B to another 'till I find one I like/ within my meagre budget. Well, this time I intend to do more online research in the evenings, and book ahead one night.

I am also travelling light- don't even have side panniers, just waterproof roll bags on pillion seat. No top box full of camera and computer equipment, just a compact and an Asus tinker board ( like a raspberry pi ). Was on the verge of getting a Sena Prism tube helmet camera to record the best of the Alpine roads, but Amazon just sold out as I made up my mind. Sorry, have not got pic of the loaded bike to post now, but will try to upload one within next few days.

Going to re-visit some of my favourite routes that I did previously on the GS, to compare and contrast with the KTM, but there will be much that is new to me, like the Balkan countries, Greece and Southern Italy.

Bye for now,

Chris

Cor that sounds a fantastic trip, I'm very envious. Have a great time and if you get the chance I can recommend the Pelion peninsula in Greece.

Nice one Chris...look forward to the write up when you get back

bluegas wrote:Cor that sounds a fantastic trip, I'm very envious. Have a great time and if you get the chance I can recommend the Pelion peninsula in Greece.

Hi bluegas,

Thanks for the tip. That might tie in well between whizzing up Mt Olympus and staying with my 2nd cousin on ( C )halkida.

.

enjoy treepithed... see you when you get back..

regards
aj

Sounds great Chris ...sunshine guaranteed as well which we have sadly lacked this year ... Have a great trip mate

Don't forget to let us know how the bike does

Wifi has been a bit iffy or non existant till now. But up in the mountains above Mostar, in ex war torn Bosnia, I'm on fibre speed.

Anyway, back to the beginning. A bit of mizzle riding thru Belgium, and a bit grey next morning down thru Germany, but after that it has been brilliant. Blue skies and comfortable low 20s temps for the glorious ride following the Croatian coast. 200 miles of riding Nirvana. Retracing my steps over the Dolomites beforehand wasn't bad either.

Bike going like a dream. Riding about 8 hours a day, so bum gets a bit numb, but KTM really performs when you want. So glad I did not get side panniers, otherwise I would still be trying to filter on the M4 now.

Have not stopped to take many photos, but here are just a few :
https://photos.app.goo.gl/AQ1QWqLQeALGifyz2

Chris

Hi Chris. Glad all is well and you're enjoying it. Keep it like that eh!

Just had a look at the pics.. very nice. That the dolomites ?

In S. Albania, on the coast at Sarande, and I am getting hotel wifi that is ten times faster than home in Glos.

Yes Tim, those were the Dolomites again - one of my favourite places for biking.

Albania has been a revelation, and dispelled many preconceptions. Will enlarge on that when I get round to writing a fuller travelogue.

Have added some more photos to the gallery. The floodlit walls are of Kotor, Montenegro. Then a few today from the Llogorase pass that dropped from 4600 ft to sea level quite dramatically overlooking the ocean.

Link to pics again
https://photos.app.goo.gl/AQ1QWqLQeALGifyz2

Fabulous

Lovely photos keep em coming

Nice one Chris..looking forward to the Albania write up...
Btw...Good way for everyone to see the pics as well..ie ixxra facebook probs...
Keep em comming mate

Time to check in with you again, after a great stay with my second cousin on Halkida. The only problem was that I had brought very British weather with me.

Bluegas, those little mountain roads on the Pillio peninsula became a challenge in the low cloud and temp of only 9 C.

Sunday, we took the car to Athens, visiting the Acropolis and the Parthenon museum, with relics even older than aj, dating back to C7 BC.

Apart from the price of fuel, and the toll Mways, Greece is a fantastic destination for riding. With large mountain ranges and huge vistas, it reminded me much of Spain, and you know how much I love that country.

A few more pics added, on the way to the Corinth canal, and one of the canal itself at the northern end. When I get back, there will be another album from scenery photos from the compact camera.

I took the ferry from Patras to Brindisi last night. , so I'm back in Italy, staying on the short spur peninsula near Foggia. The ferry trip skirting round the Ionian Isles as the sun set was magic .

keep em coming

Excellent stuff Chris

great stuff Exremist although not much detail re price of sossarjes,( sossages in a French accent ) venison trotter soup, fuel, digs, cake, chips, drink, life in general, well not to you previous very high standards Im afraid.

Tim, read my first post.

Fuller travelogue to follow up on my return.

On the Italian / Swiss border at Bergamo, about to do my fav passes round Andermatt tomorrow.

XXtremist wrote:Tim, read my first post.

Fuller travelogue to follow up on my return.

On the Italian / Swiss border at Bergamo, about to do my fav passes round Andermatt tomorrow.

I did, I did.....but I cant fekkin wait. Shake yasself