this time…the plan will work. It has been researched and studied; divided into days and miles. Optional highlights discussed. Set in writing by the wife. This time, we cannot fail.
We will get a bike in Scotland or Belgium and leisurely ride down to Corsica. (SIGHTS?) Cross Italy, take the ferry to Croatia, (NEED MORE HERE, MAYBE A “BY WAY OF” SOME ATTRACTION) and end in southern France…or maybe Belgium.
The date is set: we leave in two weeks.
Now I need a bike. There’s a BMW K100 in Belgium, perfect. But…I have no idea how to register a bike in Belgium.
Luckily, thanks to the community on advrider.com, we learned about Martin at motofeirm.com. Maybe I can get an Irish KLR: cheap and maintenance-free (o I can always find the right size rock to fix an issue if one should arise). But…there are no KLRs in Ireland. The days are counting down until we fly.
I’ve always wanted a Transalp; I’ll get one of those. Martin assures me he has dealt with many Transalp…just not for a costumer as peculiar as me. He offers a few; nothing good. With little time to spare, I get a $1,400 Transalp, only due to some mix-up at the factory (too much sake, or an addiction to farkles), Honda had lowered the seat, built in cases, applied street tires, shaft drive (MORE?)…still, she is green and covered in Paris Dakar stickers. I figure if this bike has run the Dakar, it will be fine for us.
Sometimes you make your destination and sometimes you get lost, and that's when your journey begins. By chance your wanderlust takes you to viking cliffs in Newfoundland or ancient mosiac in Macedonia. Just go with it and make your destination this way