Epic off-road adventure in Eastern Europe
This adventure starts in Sweden Since we are surrounded by water, we head for the coast where the ferry awaits to take us to Poland and the continent It's a fantastic feeling to enter the ferry with only minimal luggage knowing that for the next month we will be riding the backroads of Europe with no plans or reservations what so ever It will in many ways be a learning experience but without a doubt an adventure of a lifetime Howdy! Howdy! What are you doing? You're mending! Good morning! We are now arriving in Poland. heading for Romania first but will go as far south in Poland as we find interesting today. Transport, but on small roads. So that will be good! It's a lovely day in Gdynia! Hello Poland! Seymor is showing his packing skills! We were heading for the Carpathian mountains in Romania but after studying the map too long we just called it...
the schrimp! I have my sights on the beer! They're here! There's the two twins down the hall right? Even though we wanted to reach Romania, we didn't hurry through Poland on any highways Using the small roads and staying at small, nice pensions and eating local food, we got a good taste of the local culture. So far so good! At this point we are closing on on Slovakia and Hungary which we need to cross before reaching Romania. The small bordercrossings were often unmanned and we didn't even need to stop.
so this crossing into Hungary should be no different! It's this way. It says EU. We are in the EU. Well I'm driving here, I don't know. It's no one here anyway. You have to back up! We're going to Hungary! What's happening? We are going to Ukraine! Ukraine? I will turn around here But what the heck? Well that wasn't very good Here it is! We are in Hungary! Hello Hungary! It's like crossing the border to Norway (from Sweden) Now the coast to Romania was clear It was going to be our last border for a few days so we could take a big bite of that schrimp. Or Carpathians! Two hours It's solved soon...
We got a fresh start in Satu Mare in Romania and the adventure started right away. Let's go again! Oops!? What happened there?? It was sudden death. Now it starts beeping also. Yes, now that is tested. That was a fat bar indeed Here we are in Satu Mare and we're going straight up and there is the TET Damn this is tracky and now this...
perhaps better to ride up in the side Cosy little village this So far it's okay, until we get into deep mud. Oh darn Someone pooped on my bike The recent heavy rains made this road into a mud fest with a clay surface perfect for pottery we opted to bail out and take a detour around this part Accomodation is never hard to find in Romania. And this day we needed a base camp more than ever Now it's time for the big repair session of this trip. So far. We will have to repair Roberts tail tidy And we have to repair Seymors tyre Here comes the anaconda We're fixed up and ready to go already It's half past nine and we fixed all the problems Now let's get some breakfast and hit the Trans Euro Trail again. In Romania you will see a lot of places called VULCANIZARE These are tyre shops that will mend your punctured tyres or tubes professionally Oh damn! There you really need to give gas! Stefan made it through easily You stand still there. And you are nice. Maybe we see each other again, maybe not.
We now entered the national park in the Călimani Mountains and the huge sulfur mine The trails there are rocky and steep, but the view is amazing. And we weren't alone! Hello! How are you? I'm fine! - Robert. - Sorry? - Robert! Dominik - Dominik? - Yes! - My name is Robert Dominik! Oh! Well my name is Dominik not Robert. Where are you from? - Poland We have to turn it around for starters It goes with the trade I guess It comes with adventure riding What's the adventure without some mishaps as long as long as no one is injured. It's all good The pensions are very accommodating even if you arrive as an ogre from the swamp Usually you get to park in the gates back yard and use the hose.
At this point we had made arrangements to meet our friend Dragos from Dualsport Romania. He would be our host for the next few days, until we continue down south. We can stay here? Yea yea yea Welcome! Cheers! - Noroc! Noroc! (Good fortune) Dragos got us new tubes, waiting for us here. That's good! And he falls in front of me. Yes! And I go jump in to the puddle to...
Me and Remus we were on the 990s just ripping - Commando! - Comandău Comandău My guys want me to be last now because.. Yes, good doggies! We have a runner. Run Forest, run! We didn't arrive in a typical rainy season or anything it's just that in the mountains you will encounter dusty roads and deep puddles and of course, the occasional bear! Hello bear! Greetings! Greetings! Do the dogs like romanian sausage more? Idon't know Come after me doggies, come after me! You are doing a great job Dragos! Thank you! I am used to them. He was laying by some stairs or.. In the back of this building is the building where they brought Ceaușescu and shot him Here! Right there! After a full day on the trails we had built up a big apetite But of course, we didn't have to tell Dragos that I hope now that you are happy! I'm doing some adventure washing It's great to have a day off the bike every once in a while So we jumped into the back seat of Dragos car, and he took us... to the Monastery They are still renovating but we can still get in He was a little child and...
and he started when he was a little child there! Ok, so he made the bar here. All those small details. Do you feel the calm Seymor? Yes! Okay, so now we're off again! Good bye to the pension Heading for the Strategic road and some offroad Fixing the air pressure Yes, we need this Oh a dead dog?? It's a wild hog Okay Seymor That's working out boys! Working out. There are Audi cars and a Skoda up here! Oh feck I though you were not serious! You were joking I thought! Can you go a little bit more forward? Yeah but then they are really crazy Did they go up all the way here with the cars? Wow! What did I say? And this is nothing. Really nothing. Some exercise! Pulse Nerves Cramp! What a fantastic track! You like it? Yeah! I can see from the big smile ear to ear on your face I stop the camera, "That's enough" And just a minute later I have to film again Ah ATVs it was, I thought it was something else Hello! Sweden Check it out! Be careful! I can not take it all in! Accept it! I have to lick my teeth! They are dry from driving with an open mouth smiling I'm silly? I just think about how you usually react.
You sound like an old couple I hope your day was fine today. We are very serious people. Polenta Thank you so much. It was great meeting you!
Thank you for everything! Good morning! Coffee on the way? Oh look at this! Then we leave this fantastic place. Let's go! Romania had really enchanted us with its beauty, food and hospitality. but now we set off to new adventures Just coming down from the mountains going south everything became flat as a pancake! This was not on the booking.com photos.
We got the pent house, up there on the silos. We would stay just one more night in Romania. By the Danube river and Bulgaria on the other side. May I offer you a beer? They are very cold. It was a few days since we crossed the last border. But crossing into Bulgaria should not be a problem.
Unless someone realizes the motorcycle registration documents are back in Sweden but that would be terrible. How the hell do we get in here? Problem here Mister, mister, mister GO YOU stay here Luckily the police would rather let us go than to be styck with us the rest of the day He was pretty sure we would be someone elses problem soon. On our way to cross the Danube over to Bulgaria We had some trouble with Seymors documents because he has his owners registration documents digitally as an image there was a bit of struggle there so we will see how this will play out.
So actually no one else bothered with the papers again for the rest of the trip. They just sprayed us! Detergent! Oh feck, in my face! What was that good for? Sanitize us? On our way down through Bulgaria we stayed at the famous biker oasis called Motocamp Bulgaria. They have everything you need. Accommodation, camping, food, workshop and tyres plus a lot of meets and events. You need to stop by if you are in the area. All kinds of Scout, all kinds of Heidenau on stock This is our sitting area.
Ah this is the bikers room of course. I am drying some herb tea. And of course we had to check out a few of the epic monuments that Bulgaria has so many of. Like the Budzludza monument with its futuristic design on the top of a mountain. And there is the grumpy security guard I am told You used to be able to enter the abandoned building but now it was closed and guarded due to renovation.
The interior is supposed to be very beautiful with mosaic art on the walls. So it will be well worth a visit again when its restored. We only stayed one night in Bulgaria because it was getting hot and we were eager to get to our most southern destination Hello guys! And go for a swim! Getting into Greece was not easy. Not the registration papers this time. It was a lot of forms that needed filling out. So we are closing on Thassos! Thassos is closing in yes! It has a lot of off-road trails also Perhaps we will find them - Over the mountains! There is a nice lagoon we can go to. Or we watch it on Youtube and drink beer and swim all night We are bikers, we can go first! I think this is the place! Is it? Should I go up? And close the door in the night.
Because there is a sheeps and some goats they come inside. Okay? Oh I thought you said "assassins"! Seymor is hanging laundry with granny Damn this was deep. And how nice it is! It's luke warm. And we are drifting so we have to walk kilometers back. Good morning! This morning we are up a bit early because we are going up to the highest point of this island. Attempting to reach the summit at 1200 meters.
It's quite a small island so it's a high mountain. So, we are going on the trails. The almost circular island of Thassos has a peak of over 1100 meters and has a lot of small mountain roads. The view from the top is supposed to be spectacular so that was what we were aiming for today. Quite okay view We were now at the most southern point of our trip It was time to leave this beautiful island and our new greek granny and head up towards the west side of Balkan A little Gyros on the terass. Home delivered and wine.
A lot more people today Here on the gas station in the heat. 36-37 degrees C. And they bring us complementary Souvlaki! And so we reach the border of North Macedonia And we were instantly greeted by organ donors playing Tom Cruise After waiting out the weather by Lake Ohrid It was time to head for Albania Lake Ohrid We didn't see so much of it when we came Ok, here is the border North Macedonia to Albania Should we stop and prepare the papers? To get instant adventure, we pulled up some old rally GPX files that we got from a friend so we set off to the Albanian mountains. These are thrilling edges This is coarse gravel Oooh how beautiful Now we'll fix another flat Seymor! You're damn right! Start by putting this in Hello! Is everything alright? - Yes! We had a flat tyre, but we are done What does he have? - Beer! It will make you relax a bit in the shoulders when riding Oh that's yours? Great! "Backroad Club" You got it for free? how? Well it was not totally free. It was three batches of beer.
Bye! Here are the Germans! This eats tyres. Specially one mans tyres. My god! It feels so different. Strange. Damn he gave it all he got. So now we had ridden the cool rally GPX files for a while.
Turns out in Albania you don't need rally GPX files to find adventure. So we booked a hotel online and used Google Maps to find our way. That's when the real adventure started. So let me present the Google Navigation adventure. What did he want? Did he say something? We can't ride there? Yes, to Lure No no, stop here, go down Ok so the next road? Yes, go down Ok Yeah right We should have turned down there This road ends up there Where are you from? Sweden! But my road continues! You should go left down to a yellow road GPS shows a white arrow but I don't know what it means This is the highway to the hotel right? It's an adventure hotel we have booked. It has started already.
Who is pissing up stream? Here the stream ended. Oh that was the source. Oops that was a deep pit. Oh was it?
Ok, we should go up left here? Yes I think so. Hello! Lure? Good! This should be the last peak before we go down. Nice doggy! My gosh what a view! It should be 2,3 km left. We will fall down into their garden Finally we reached the destination in the beautiful valley of Fushe Lure There are only rough road to and from this place and it is hours to the closest town.
Adventurous indeed. Now we reached the hotel and we don't have cash. We were used to pay with card which they don't take. Here he is now with the beer. We're going to solve it with a bank transfer or something. Because there are no banks within 50km or two hours on these roads. I just had a shower and it was wonderful.
I don't usually pee in the shower but here you can do that because you have the shower and the toilet so It's a combo, and it's very practical The owner Hassan just waived away the cash problems and brought us food and beer instead. We would later send him the money with interest. So, ready to pack the bikes and continue on the journey. The TET comes over the mountains there. We came through that valley.
The "normal" road starts here so we will continue on this. And as a nice gesture we helped Hassan film and photograph his hotel with the drone, which he liked very much! What a nice photo of you sitting there Not as nice Thank you! We slept on 1070 meters last night. That's why we have so much energy.
Lack of oxygene... (?) No wonder all stickers on the window was from 4x4 clubs. A few meters of soft road.
Benzin... for this! Look at those huge flood beds The second window is Montenegro Here is the old town of Kotor Look cool now guys I am pulling my stomach in! It's deadly hot! At least 36-38 something like that. We'll jump in here pretty soon I guess. Sea view, sea view? Oh there is a little window. This is the sea view. Well, yeah, I see the sea.
So beer first? Yours is on the way. Quite nice. Swimming in the Kotor bay. That little open window there is our room. From all the bumpy roads there were not much on the bike that was fastened. But we tightened everything and went out riding again in the surroundings of Kotor.
Packing is goin on Leaving Kotor today and we are heading for... Croatia! Somewhere in Croatia. That's where we're going! Just follow the dark clouds. We are in Knin, just grabbing a bite to eat before we hit the trails. And this is what we're eating.
Let's go then It's the TET if we say so It's pretty Let's check it to be sure Are we stopping here? Well I am stopping here! Poor little motorcycle You are not selling it well to those who come after you. No it doesn't feel good when you do that. Be quiet Seymor Nice that they warn for the gate It's easier if I close. - Yes hook it on the red one. The one with current in it Which side should I stand on? We park our bikes here Now they have scared us a little bit because they are turning back because of this..
steep hill in front of us, so we will see what happens there Stay on the right side and you'll be alright I don't know What do you think? We try it, let's see He thinks it's straight ahead here Both yes and no I would say I think we will exit on... This is a little detour We're going out here... didn't we come from this trail Dusty Springfield, that's me So, the daily procedure, ride the bikes It's now 5 o'clock in the afternoon go out on booking.com and find a place to stay for tonight
Hello boys! She is watching Youtube on office hours. What are you watching? I am here now Ah! Nomad Sweden! Wonderful! All right! Day something The plan was to do some TET today but we expect 75 mm of rain today coming at lunch time so we're doing a small excursion but no TET then we are moving to a less rainy region it's towards the coast. It will still rain I guess Rain gear on! and sightseeing Here's the famous old plane It stands ready for a Nomad Sweden sticker A nice sticker here. Undermotorized Idiots. Here you can be! What? Have they been here!? We don't have to go deeper than this It's good with some people in the photo too We could have gone straight ahead there Now this is Slovenia And here we have some checks Is it up on that bowl we're staying tonight? Could be Bellevue! Here we will stay! Top of the world mom! It's like the Slovenian eagles nest almost here Really nice view Accommodation, beers And tomorrow find some nice pass over the alps It's important with the wines? Yes it's very important. It has to taste GOOD! Tonight we dine in Austria then Czech Republic, Poland and home Good morning! Good morning! Did you sleep well? Yes! In Austria you are not allowed to go off road.
But before leaving the country there is one more thing we need to do. To eat a Leberkäse Semmel. So now we were just doing the last stretch of our return trip home and our minds were not in adventure mode anymore. but adventure comes in many forms, and we still had one left We are at the Honda dealer in Prag Because a bearing on Tonys bike is kaputt So we need to change the bearing before we can continue We found a bag of bears. Bear-ings!
Maybe it will help? The current situation is that Tonys bearing on the right side of the wheel is kaputt We went to the Honda dealer and they didn't have anything, they didn't even speak english. We'll fix it in the morning. They stand like three cows eating from the same crib. And here is the limp outcast We have a guy on Instagram who lives here He's now getting a bearing for Tonys bike and he will deliver it to us What a great community! He also directed us to this cool bike worksop called Throttle Punks I know all of you from the videos! We can show you the room So great that we could solve it There is a place Oh wow, look at that! That's the morale here If everything is good that's super and if anything breaks down that can be really super too, like today Visiting this place and the people has been a memorable part of the trip We had some fun right? It's what make the trip great Thank you very much! No problem! We are leaving again, last stop on the trip is Poland. Then on the ferry, and home!
We have the little ferry here A very calm journey over the stream
2022-01-22 01:33
