Father and Son in west Balkan (Croatia, Montenegro, Bosnia)

Hello to all ADVrider member.

I’m following the many different RR’s since a time and now time to make my first one about a 6 days ride on the western Balkan. I don’t think you will see much new from this RR beacuse it’s a quite classic route but anyway I will post it maybe some of you will like it. I will not write much but post pics.

A little bit from the background: My Dad 64 years old and me 40 we are both restarters in motorcycle after a long break. Dad driven a Pannonia at end of 60’s but stopped when he got family and now 2 years ago restarted with an aged Kawasaki ER5 – 40 years without dirve but now he has a time to do it. Me never driven a big bike just a smaller ones and bought 2 years ago a Transalp XL650. We made some rides in the past years in the Alps, Dolomiten, northern Croatia and decided to do a 6 days trip in mid of April to Croatia, Montenegro, Bosnia.
Some keywords of the trip: Low budget, self service as much possible , no offroad due to Er5, tight timing, not much time just 6 days.
The route: Starting from Hungary Székesfehérvár, along the Croatian cost up to the Montenegro boarder. Continue in Montenegro until Albanian border and turn to the montains Durmitor. Back route through Mostar, Banja Luka to Hungary.

Day1
Quite clear driving through Croatia via Zagreb and Karlovac and touching the croatian coast at Senj. From here the real trip started as we never were with bike southern than Senj.

Senj city


We are an old style guys without GPS so let's see the map




The costal road was very nice to drive no summer trafic lot of nice place to stop to enjoy the landscape.








City of Omis


The day ended not far before Zadar in a camp.
Some evening lights.





The morning breakfast and ready to go


Next stop in Trogir for a short walk, realy nice old town but I can imagine the traffic jam during the summer around the bridge.





Another stop in Makarska – Dad enjoy the sun




Arriving to Dubrovnik at the end of day 2. We spent a night in a camping.




There is a good bus connection from the camp to the old town so I spent some hours there meantime dad prepared the tent and dinner.
The city center was already crowded with tourists but the city is a „must see”












to be continued soon....

Nice, keep the pictures comming

Wow, very nice!

Beautiful weather for April. You captured the scenery very well. Thanks.

In the morning we made a round in the city of Dubrovnik. A big cruiser just arrived. More than 3000 people on board.



Last captures from Dubrovnik and we headed towards Montenegro.




The border crossing to Montenegro was easy and quick. The border city Herceg Novi was quite crowded so we decided to go straight to Kotor bay.







City of Kotor in the background



We stopped at Sveti Stefan but unfortunatelly it was closed and wew were not allowed to in. But makes sense to see from outside also.






Small chruch beside the costal road near to Sveti Stefan



Our camp Oliva near to the Albanian border at Utjeha to finish the day. The camp managed by a family. There are very old olive trees in the camp. The owner of the camp said it's some hundred years old trees.





The camp is very near to the sea so let's see the sunset with my helmet.




Still checking in the tent the route for tomorrow. We will turn to the montains it was enough from the cost.


to be continued....

After 3 days of riding on the costal road it was time to turn towards the mountains of Durmitor.

We left the sea at Petrovac. Final picture from above.



We wanted to see the northern part of the Skadar lake so we left the main road which leads to Podgorica and chosed a very narrow but nice mountain road to see the nothern part of the lake. It was good decision.

Dad riding in the valley.
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Skadar lake







The bridge at Rijeka Crnojevica







We stopped in Podgorica just to refuel and continued along Moraca river to the north





Earlier Dad was working on high houses so no problem to him to go to the edge to see how deep is the canyon- it's deep.





For the afternoon we arrived to the Tara river and to the Tara Canyon







Stones are falling down from above during our stop. Better to go.



So finally we reached the Tara bridge. One of the main target of this trip. It's a must to have picture.





Picture from the bridge we are so high.



Before we reached our target Zabljak today small bypass towards Njegovuda
Nice scenery again and no traffic no tourists - incredible good.









The night we spent in Zabljak in apartman at http://www.durmitor-autocamp.com/home.html . Family run accomondation on very good price and very friendly peoples there.

As we were at 1450m the temp were not so high on the bike. It was nice from them a warm tee and cafe just after our arrival.



To be continued......

Great trip with your dad. I ride with my dad often as well. Lots of similarities.

Scenery is fantastic. Looks very motorbike friendly. The old bridge with the blue water underneath is terrific!

Keep it coming. Thanks!

I like the scenary, the story, good father son times, well done... looking forward to more

pzs
Central Australia

We started ealry morning - the sun shining thru the window, looks another perfect riding wheather, still 0-1 C degrees outside but we feel it warmer due to the sun.



Before we turned to the south towards Niksic we made some bypass towards Durmitor to see how far we can go before the snow will block the road. Unfortunatelly not far.







The spring the winter and we are between.









I forget that the temps are near zero - an ice patch almost let me finish in the snowbank.



End of the road



Near to Savnik







Already in Bosnia



For the afternoon we reach Mostar.







Dad supervised the bikes until I photographed the old bridge. I bring to him some chevapi.



The last night we spent in Jajce in camping but the rain arrived so no photos from there. The last day we arrived to home

We enjoied the trip very much. 6 days 2400km. Again a confirmation that in less developed countries the peoples are more firendly the nature untouched so we already planning the next tour to Bosnia and Montenegro. We will ride thru Sarajevo and go up to the highest roads to Durmitor from the other direction which was blocked now by snow.

Thanks for reading the report.

I have to agree. I was in Slovenia, Croatia, and Bosnia in May 2007 and the people and the scenery were great. We went to many of the same places you went to. I can't wait to go back someday. And I was in Hungary and Serbia in May 2012 and they were both great also.

Take it from someone who knows; its the old way to find the best roads.

Great photos!!!!!! I've only made it to Mali-Losinj so far. Thanks for the inspiration.

Hi. Nice ride report with great pics. Looks like you guys had a great time. I would like to do a similar ride to your so great seeing this trip. I have been living in Hungary since 2005 and enjoy riding too. I will keep a eye out for a maroon coloured Honda Transalp. If you ever riding around the Vac area give me a shot. Cheers

Looks like a great place to ride. Your pics are sharp. I would love to tour that area

Great pics and RR...definitely on the list of destinations...

Beautiful country, I spent one day in Dubrovnik. My wife thought I was losing it as I took pictures of the motorcycles there, outside the old city walls. Many of the models you have there, we don’t see here in the United States. Take care and enjoy the ride with your father, that’s great.

Great report. Beautiful country you were riding through. More interesting to me was that all of the water was just as beautiful as the countryside, even the rivers. I'm from the Midwest, all of ours is muddy! So jealous.

thank you for creating this ride report and sharing the pictures. I love Croatian landscapes and the towns and villages, especially with so few tourist :) The idea to ride together with your father - this is extraordinary, a good example on how it is possible to spend a great time together and see some best looking parts of Europe . Personally I can't wait to travel to CR again.

This looks beautiful! I hope to replicate in the summer

Great RR. Love the pics.

I'll be there in the summer, travelling as far as Durmitor. Can't wait. Very inspiring.