6 months in Europe on a Duc

The Czech Republic & Prague




I stayed at Hostel Elf ( http://www.hostelelf.com) which I highly recommend. The other travellers were friendly.

as was the staff.


They even let me DJ when some French circus perfomers performed for their stay.



Lots of interesting things to see in Prague:





I took a day trip with a girl I met (who had no finger or toe nails, very strange) to Karlštejn ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karlstejn)




Prague is one of those places you never want to leave but after about 2 weeks I moved on, heading east to Kutna Hora where I visited the Sedlec Ossuary ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sedlec_ossuary) aka the Bone Church.






From there I headed east to Brno, where they hold a MotoGP race each year, which I missed.




After a couple days in Brno, long enough to buy 2 very nice suits, tailored, for $125 total, it was off through the countryside. I love truth in advertising.


To some caves.


Hmm?


and then circling around south I ended up in Český Krumlov ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cesky_Krumlov). On the way in looking for a hostel I met a fellow biker who owned a bar. He had me park my bike in his family's garage just down the street so it would be safe. He even got the hostel owner to get me a bed when they were all booked. The Czech people are great!








I rode up to a nearby castle.




This is the family crest of the nobility.


From there it was back to Prague for another week & then north.






So, with one long look at all the prostitutes standing outside the brothels just on this side of the border, it was back to Germany.

Germany.
Such a nice country. Such good roads. So easy to navigate. Kind of like a little America with better beer.
My first stop was Dresden, the city for which during WW II the phrase "a slight case of overbombing" was coined.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bombing_of_Dresden_in_World_War_II)


The Soviets didn't rebuild it so they were just getting a lot repaired.


Then on to the city once known as Babylon of the West, Berlin.






As you may have noticed I went to every Erotic Museum that I came across. Surprisingly the best was in Berlin & was run by a woman who made her fortune selling contaceptives & sex advice manuals after the war.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beate_Uhse_Erotic_Museum)




From here it was a long blast across Germany on the Autobahn to the Low Countries.

Ah, Amsterdam. Venice of the North.






My roommate from college, Joost, lives here so I looked him up again. He manages an indoor climbing center. That's him at the top.


There are two things you must do in Amsterdam:



and go to the Red Light District





Bad night picks because I lost my camera & had to resort to disposable for the rest of the trip.

When I was in Prague I met a couple of Dutch guys. It turned out one of them was working at a big music festival, The Lowlands Festival, while I was there. So I rode out, found a scalper, and met up with him. I'd left my tent back in the States because I wasn't using it much so built my own from a tarp at one end of his. It poured on the 3rd night & I was one of the only dry tents because I'd lined the floor up the walls about 5 inches with extra tarp. I guess Air Force survival school does come in handy sometimes.




I did meet a very nice Rockabilly girl from Seattle here but have no pictures of her. Sorry. Some of the bands that performed on the many stages were Underworld & The Reverend Horton Heat.
Then it was down to Den Bosch, a college town, to visit the other of these two guys.




I think someone must have been smoking something good to create this.

Awesome thread Jack. I love your photography. Are you shooting on film? Is the 900SS pretty comfortable as a touring bike? I'm thinking of getting a similar bike. Keep it up and good luck.

-Ian

Love your report, Fantisic Pics. The ones in southern Germany were great.

Belgium! I rolled in from the Netherlands & first went to Brussels. Honestly I had no idea what to expect here but it was on my way back to England. However, it was a pretty place, if a bit sleepy.
Oh, & the worst drivers in Europe. I got clipped twice in two days there. No real damage though.







There's some interesting (read odd) art in Brussels, including this character, Manneken Pis.


Literally little pissing man. They have hundreds of different outfits they dress him in for special occasions. ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manneken_Pis)
But the Belgians real artistic love is Comic Books. I found a guide book & went on a Comic Book Walk which began at the Comic Book museum which is across from the old Socialist Newspaper building:


The Comics are in giant size on the sides of buildings.


















There are other interesting things in Brussels like this Japanese Pagoda


The Atomium ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atomium)

and Mini-Europe (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mini-Europe)


Hey, it is the only place in Europe you can see Big Ben & the Eiffle Tower in one go.


From Brussels it was on to Brugge ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brugge). A gorgeous town which, because of the silting of a canal, has barely changed since the 18th century.












It, like Brussels, had a gorgeous main square surrounded by amazing Guild houses.




Finally, it was back to England.


However, the adventure didn't end.

My plan had been to return to France, cross the channel, stop by my father's & then head to Ireland for a couple weeks. However this all changed when I found out the the French truckers had blockaded the ports in a fuel tax protest.

I was able to get back from Belgium direct to England & into London. Then the British truckers, in a sign of solidarity, blockaded the fuel refineries & depots in Britain. The country's motorways slowly ground to a halt. Trains & Undergrounds ran but little else. I had filled up my bike & my fathers car as soon as I heard of this. Stations ran out of gas & those that could get it had miles long lines until they ran out. Gas became only available for police, fire, & medical services.

By the middle of the first week the shelves in the grocery stores were getting low & pubs were running out of beer. A serious national crisis was forthcoming.

Then, I saw it, there on the news. A shot from the air of the M80. The huge superhighway that encircles London. Always packed 16 lanes across, almost empty. One loan Porsche speeding along. I had a moment. A vision. 1 Ducati. 1 full set of black race leathers. 1 full tank of gas. Dark sunglasses and half a pack of smokes. The cops out of gas. I was on a mission from god.

Pulling up & stopping in the middle of the onramp, looking at all that expanse of concrete & asphalt was like a waking dream. Flicking the visor down & dropping it into first gear I accelerated into the middle of the road. Head down, tucked behind my windscreen. 2nd gear, 3rd gear, quick check of the mirrors, 4th gear, nothing ahead. 5th gear, 90mph passes, 100, 110, another check behind, clear, 6th gear... 120. 130. 140 I think 145 is good.
Suddenly I realise I'm not alone. Is that a bike coming up slowly behind me. Yes, and maybe a car ahead. I am not alone in this crazy once in a lifetime pursuit of speed.

The M25 is 118 miles around & normally carries 250,000 vehicles a day. My time around was just under 1 hour from the time I stopped at the top of the onramp to the time I pulled off after exiting the offramp a little past the one I'd gotten on.



The Trip
Apr to Sep 2000
Miles ridden: 9800
Countries visited: 9
Things stolen: 3
Bike problems: 2
Oil changes: 1
Eye problems: 1
World Superbike races attended as crew: 1
People met, smiles made, incredible food eaten, gorgeous vistas discovered, experinces gained: 1000s
Perfect ending: 1

AWESOME

that last ride was the icing on the cake for you I'm sure... Grand Finale style. Excellent report! thanks for the great pics.

Thanks.
And thanks to everyone else's comments. As soon as I get moved into my new house I'll post my 2 1/2 months in Thailand & Cambodia on a Baja 250 Adventure.

(37 months & counting down until my girl & I start our 10+ year around the world ride.)

JackL.

Man, I went through this whole thread thinking to myself, "Those are cool hairstyles... ...we did that when I was in college. And those glasses... well, those were cool 5 or 6 years ago. They look a little dated now. And man, that Ducati is classic and it looks so good...."

And then I saw this ride was in 2000 and it made so much more sense. I'm glad you got around to posting it! The pics were great.

Best of luck on your RTW trip. Write a book about that one!

Nice..... Work...... in more ways than one.

no place like Italy..............wonderfoul!!

Great report and pics...

Nice collection of ex-girlfriends, too...

Im in. You just convinced me.... I know it was years ago but where did your friend rent the beemer.

Awesome report! A trip of a lifetime - loved the end. M80, all for yourself!

Alpha, many companies rent beemers in Spain, google for them. Iberian Moto Tours is the most respected.

Thanks for sharing Jack!

Juan Miguel Venturello

What a petty your night-shots are that shit-bad:-(
Well, maybe next time.... Here's an easy hint for better nightshots with an average digi-cam:

1. switch on "automatic" mode, but only if you can do step 2. If not, remain at manual mode and use the logest availlable shutter time.
2. switch of flash
3. switch on timer
4. put cam on some stabil spot and make your selection of what to shoot
5. focus
6. take your picture, don't forget to leave your hand's off the cam.

You won't believe what great pics you can take at darkness.

Congrats for your report! I'm keen on the book! Make sure it'll come out soon!

Yeah, I've got a much better digital now. This whole trip was shot on film (remember film?), & the last ones of Amsterdam & Brugge were shot on a disposable camera because I lost mine drunk somewhere in Amsterdam.
I've got some good night shots of Bratislava, Slovakia from last fall with my new digital here:
http://s83.photobucket.com/albums/j292/JackLowry/Eastern Europe Trip/?start=20

I used the exact method you mention. It works great as long as no big trucks drive across the bridge you're shooting from. :)

JackL

Yes, no doubt; These Bratislava night-shots fully rehabilitate you ;-)

Alpha, sorry, I just looked at this post. I'm checking with him but I know he got it in Milan. Great place. When he brought it back with some dings & scrapes all they said was "Hey, looks like you had a good time."