There is a change of the original plan that i posted before. (like you don't know that already)
Probably i will make it to Turkey, but it will only be the black sea, the ultimate goal of this trip. I will not make it to Armenia, Georgia (beter), and the Ukraine..
15/09/2010 Starigrd palenica (HR) - Montenegro (MNE) 425km
I made up my sleep and i was shure gonna make up for the kilometers. I set the GS on the motoway again, and a little bit further than Spitt i took the nice and curvy roads back down to the D8-E65 on the coast again. The flanks of the mountains brought me to the border with Bosnia-Herzegovina, only for 10km or so. If you want to go to Dobrovnik you have to cross...
Dubrovnik: A city that i always wantet to visit, and now i'm and i cant stay.. (( I was not let it pass by me like it was nothing and i made a ride trough the oldtown in a 29 degree heat. A few last foto's of walled village and i set the GPS for the border with Montenegro. Just outside the center was a biker cafe, I had to check that out and a cold cold beer brought refrechment.
Montenegro: What am i gonna get now it's another black hole i have to jump into...The face of the policija at the border prodicted not much good. He was lookimg cold at me and said with a russian accent: Paasport, Document machina..... I tryed to get a smile out of him when i left, but nothing helped.... :-S I had the satnev set for Kotor, and made direct aquentence with the smal towns at the coastline and the ridestyle of the Montenegran people, now i'm convinced why there should be ABS on a motorbike, pffffw In Kotor i have a choise; the ferry to Kotor, or the road around the lagune. Lagune was the best choise. By advice of a friend who has been there before i took the mountain roads to Cetinje (Old Capital) And man was i in for a surprise, Hairpinturns with burned down rubbish and roadsings with bulletholes took me about 900meters above sealevel, to a alptown witch the name escapes me for the moment. I try not to think what happens if you miss a turn or those holes between the big concrete blocks. Everybody there was trying to sell there home made products (ham, cheese, wine,...) and i was in for a try... After a few Rijkeja's idecided to inform for the price of a room you find here everywhere. 15 euro' for a chalet with toilet,shower,everything... I could not let that turn down!!! Later that evening i've met a bunch of students of the Cetinje art academy. They where singing and dancing to traditional folkmusic. And i got ivited.....
I knew i had to get going early this mornimg. The first stop was Cetinje ofcourse (i promised that to one of the students last night....i think) Down in the center lots of buildings, one of them had to be the Art academy! Next up was a ride trough the national park not so far Cetinje and it should take me to the border with Albania. Again the small road on the flank of a mountain gave me what i wanted to see. +/- 30 km took me to the next town. Before the road upthere there was a sign, 7,5 tons and no mobile homes..... And yes it had to be a Dutchman again!!!!
5km before the border with Albania i made a final petrolstop (gasstop if you're a yank) now that i still can pay with euro's. Albania: Not so much problems and timelost at the border, But immediately you know you're in a moslim county. Old and rusty bleu and black smoke Mercedes's and Ford transit van's with the whole family in, all the way hanged down on there suspention, where trying to overtake in the most impossible ways on the wide lanes with no markings on..... The satnav pointed me to a city, i knew it was gonna be hell, not only from heat but from traffic. Nobody stopped for the redlights. I had to make my own way trough otherwise you don't move a inch! I decided not to make stops anymore ad make my way into Macedonia as fast as possible. Bye Bye Albania, see you never again in my life!!!!
Macedonia: A whole world different. I actualy like to be here. Nice people. It was already 18u00 and was looking for a place to sleep and eat. with no Macedonian money. Immediatly when i arrived in Ohrid people where jumping on you to rent you a room. I just picked one out and when i was following him at least 4 others from the competition ride after me. Giving me cheaper prices,.... And some where actualy almost fighting just to rent me there room. I thought a room was just a bed, but it's a whole appartment for the price of a campsite... I just hope my bike will be right where i left it next morning...
Greets Joeri
Tomorrow touring Macedonia and take the ride into Greece or Bulgaria, I don't know yet!
Last night a strong wind came up, No No not from the onion and beans last evening. But from the mountains. It left me sleepless and i decided to stay another day. Against my will, but safety above all... It's a bit of a lost day today. But what will happen if i cross the border with Montenergo tomorrow.......?
That's all for now, Unless you want to know howmany undertrousers i used till now... (or didn't use) I already told you everything...
Slovenia is a very nice countra to motorbike in, but if i want to make Turkey and the black sea i have to make progress. No time to visit things here, but there's one thing i need to see with my owm eyes. The lake of Bled, You know: the most famous picture of Slovenia. A lake with a island and the mariachurch on a mountainisch background. A few last pictures of the church and castle and i put the GS in first gear to the motorway... On the motorway it wasn't very clear if i had to pay toll or not, I just get in lane and drive trough. Lucky?
Soon i crossed the border with Croatia, i was thinking: do i realy have to be here, what am i doeing here actualy,...... A little bit further than Rijeka i left the motorway, I found myself on a caroussel of roads that took me from the mountains all the way to the coastroad D8-E65. Mountains rise directly from the sea here, what you get is again 500km of perfection all the way down to Dubrovnik. I do shurly take those words: what am i doeing here back. You can easy leave the bike in 4th gear ride 80km/u stear in and a little trottle when you stear out... A plesure for machine and rider. I try to remember when the last time was i toucht my brakes. That MUST be 30km ago.
Belangrijke data in mijn agenda
-09,10,11/07 International motorbike rally @ Hoeselt (B). Everybody welcome to join me. All info @: www.mchoeselt.be/DemeRRock
-27,28,29/08: International motorbike rally @ St-pieters-leeuw. Everybody welcome to join me. All info @: www.phantomsmc.be
-08/09: Leave home for the annual big trip. This year: Around the Black Sea.
(( 
