My biggest regret yet… | Europe on the Royal Enfield | EP14

Maybe you need to sit down with a couple of big maps and sort out a rough route and schedule of the roads you wish to ride, places you want to see and activities, other than biking, that you want to do to give yourself a break from riding the whole time. I know 6-8 weeks seems a long time, but it will soon pass and I would be gutted if I subsequently found out I had passed by something which I really should have seen or didn't ride a road I really should have ridden had I just done a little more research or not pushed so hard.

You can't see everything and where there are so MANY possibilities, it can be over whelming. I would suggest you ride slightly shorter distances each day spending less time in the saddle meaning you don't put so much pressure on yourself to reach a destination by dusk. Set a time each day that you want to be in camp with your tent up, bedding sorted, things unpacked, any washing done and supper is on the go or you are in the campsite bar or restaurant relaxing. It is a common mistake of riders new to touring to ride too far in a day, end up exhausted, stressed, dehydrated, not eating properly and frankly not having as good a time as they might.

As you are touring by motorcycle I would have thought riding the Swiss big mountain passes was obligatory eg the Grimsel, Furka, Nufenen, Oberalp, Gothard and Susten. You need a vignette for your bike to ride in Switzerland which I think you can get at either newsagents or Post Offices. The sticker goes on the bike's screen.

The Italian passes, obviously the Stelvio, also Grand St bernard, the Nivolet, Col de le Finestre, famous climb of the Giro d'Italia, Passo De Giau, Gardena, Pordoi, Pramolo in the Dolimites Brenner Pass from Austria into Italy. 

The Grossglockner in Austria.

Also if you ride through the Dolomites you must afterwards head south toward Trevisio and Venice as there is the Passo San Boldo to ride. It is an engineering marvel. Google it.

After the mountains and beautiful lakes of the north in Switzerland and Italy Constance, Como, Lugano, Maggiore, Iseo, Idra, Garda with their beautiful towns and villages, Brescia and Verona are beautiful cities to visit. If you are into opera an evening spent in Verona's Roman pretty much intact amphitheatre is a wonderful thing, especially if you can sit right at the top on the wall, probably can't now, looking down on the concert whilst being able to look out over the city in the warmth of the evening as dusk falls under cloudless pink skies.

I think you had mentioned you planned to take a ferry from Bari to Dubrovnik or vice versa. Riding down through Italy and back up the Dalmatian coast would be fantastic or the other way around. So so much to see, you aren't going to see everything. A few places that come to mind in Italy: Mantova, Florence, Assisi, Montepulciano, Siena, the Apennine mountains. Monte Sibiline NP, Urbino to name just a few very nice places. 

On the Croatia and Dalmation coast the coast road itself. Just south of Dubrovnik is Kotor in Montenegro which is a very beautiful harbour with fantastic views from high up in the surrounding hills looking down. But in summer both southern Italy, Croatia and the Balkans can be very hot. 

Slovenia adjoining Italy is cooler and has more high mountains with lush forests and deep lakes. The Vrisc pass in the Julian Alps in NW Slovenia is a spectacular ride. It has 50 hair pin bends. can highly recommend it. Drove it many many years ago when it was basically a track and virtually unknown. It is a proper road now but still relatively unknown.

I realise that I have given lots and lots of info here to further scramble your mind, but they are only suggestions. I think if I could choose 5 places in addition to the obligatory roads and climbs in the Alps it would be,

1. Lake Garda and surrounding hills, villages and towns. You can ride around the lake or indeed climb the hills/mountains in the west side up to the Lago d'Idro from Gargnano via Navazzo and Capovalle on the SP9.
2. Verona.
3. Riding the short but amazing Passo San Boldo north of Trevisio.
4. Vrsic Pass in Slovenia.
5. Grossglockner Pass

However there are so many places I have missed. You couldn't see everything even in 5 years.

Central Italy is beautiful Assisi, Siena and the Appenine mountains.

Then there is the Trentino Valley and Cortina in the Dolomites I haven't mentioned or Lucca which is just east of Pizza.
Florence and Fiesole looking out over the city.

I wish I was out touring around all these places now! 

If it's not time it's money and if not money it's time.

Have a great time what ever route you choose. Don't beat yourself up if you don't achieve what you set out to do in a day when touring. I often find things work out and happen for a reason.Just learn from things you could have done better so you don't repeat them. You will soon find your own rhythm. Morzine and the Haute Savoie region is a spectacular area with Monte Blanc nearby, Lake Geneva and so many very famous mountain climbs of the Tour de France from the southern French coast right up to Switzerland.

Have fun.
ATB.

Really enjoying these videos. Great stuff!

*** RIDE SAFE !!!

Spilling petrol, I feel your pain! I always pull the hose out and fill from the far side (my side stand side) and keep the handle up until its over the filler. Works for me as I don't seem to get it on the tank. When I fill the bike I also have a few mouthfuls of water when its hot, getting dehydrated really affects my concentration. Never struggled with campsites in France, Switzerland and Austria can be more difficult. Looks like you are having a great trip, thanks for sharing.

Sounds weird, but me and my mates always have an empty top box, tent and stuffa bag on back seat, and tank bag, seldom panniers. When we get to a town to explore, our helmets and riding gear go in the top box so we’re light weight to have a cool comfortable walk about.
Also when it’s up at 30degC plus we’d shed our motorbike riding gear and adopt the Italian motorbike police apparel. Rationale being you’re more likely to have an accident when your concentration’s gone for a ball chalk due to overheating, you may be more vulnerable but just ride with more care and enjoy the journey.

Ps get rubber mesh drawer liner lay it out put your tank bag on top, cut round the shape of your bag base leaving a couple inches difference all the way round put this between the tank and bag no scratched tank on any of my bikes. Forgot that tip 🥴 sorry …. Pete 🇫🇷

I know you said you aren't great with place names etc. But what is the name of the village at the start of the video. It looks stunning. Safe trip.

And google maps.. I add a quarter of their total time prediction! Completely agree about not feeling rushed.. just back from Switzerland and I cancelled a days riding in the middle of the trip just so I could stop and actually see the surroundings rather than being on the go every day

Hey mate, what are those pannier bags you're rolling with?

My wife and I have been headed for Brittany many times. We never made it. We always stopped in Normandy – every time further and further away. We never booked in advance. We always chanced it. Sometimes you need to put up your tent in a garden or behind the goal on a football pitch. That's how you get friends. They'l visit you later!

what camera are you using?