Germany 1998

Also known as Friends in Franken

Including Belgium and The Czech Republic

This trip was organized by Mick Wheeler of Advanced Riding Techniques and all around good egg that you will find at his second home Rainbow BMW in Sheffield.

Quick Trip Details

We caught the 6.15 pm overnight ferry from Hull to Zeebrugge on Sat 12th Sept. For the first over night stop we called into the Hotel "Am Stiftstor" at Cochem in the beautiful Mosel Valley. Then the next day we travelled across Germany to Fränkische Schweiz Natürpark, known as Germany's Little Switzerland and we ended up in Pommersfelden, our base for the next 7 days. The Gastof Grüner Baum was the name of our hotel in this lovely part of Bavaria, situated just south of Bamberg not far from the old East German Border and the Czech Border. The next week we were back at "Am Stiftstor"

WE CAUGHT THE SATURDAY NIGHT FERRY FROM HULL TO ZEEBRUGGE, IN BELGIUM. BIKES LOADED, A QUICK TRIP TO OUR CABIN FOR A SHOWER AND WE HAD A MEAL WITH PAUL AND MARGARET KING, THEY WERE ALSO ON AN RT1100. THE  MAIN MEAL WAS £12.45 BOTTLE OF WINE £14.75. WENT AND HAD A DRINK OR TWO IN THE BAR AND GOT OUR HEADS DOWN.

UP EARLY WE SHOWERED, GOT OUR BIKE GEAR ON AND HEADED FOR BREAKFAST, £5.75 WAS QUITE REASONABLE, BUT I DID NOT CARE MUCH FOR THE RUBBERY FRIED EGGS

WE GOT OFF THE FERRY AND AT PASSPORT CONTROL THE GENDARME ASKED US IF WE WERE IN A CLUB AND WHERE WERE WE GOING I LET THEM KNOW THE SCORE, HE WISHED US ALL A GOOD JOURNEY.

WE WERE SOON ON THE MOTORWAY AND WERE AVERAGING ABOUT 80 - 85 MPH AND THE RIDER DISCIPLINE WAS NOT AS GOOD AS I EXPECTED, BUT I REALIZE NOW THAT I WAS EXPECTING TOO MUCH. THE LAST TIME I RODE ANYWHERE WITH A LARGE BUNCH OF BIKES AT SPEED WAS IN CYPRUS WITH THE CRUSADERS BIKE CLUB AND AS THEY WERE ALL IN THE FORCES I SUPPOSE THE DISCIPLINE WAS ALREADY THERE.

WE HAD A BIT OF FUN IN BRUSSELS AS THE BIKES WERE SPREAD OUT OVER A LARGE DISTANCE, AS PEOPLE WERE LETTING THE GAP BETWEEN THEMSELVES GET TOO BIG, AND THIS MEANT THAT WHEN WE WERE READY TO TURN OFF, THE ONE'S AT THE BACK NEARLY MISSED THE TURN.

WE PLACED OURSELVES NEAR THE BACK WITH PAUL AND MARGARET, AS THEY WERE GOING SLOWEST AND IT WAS THEIR FIRST TIME ABROAD ON THE BIKE AND I THOUGHT THAT IF ANYONE GETS LOST I IMAGINED IT WOULD BE THEM.

AFTER WHAT SEEMED LIKE 10 MINUTES, BUT WAS REALLY 1 HOUR AND A HALF WE PULLED IN FOR FUEL. PAYING BY CARD WE WERE THEN TOLD WE WOULD BE HAVING A COFFEE BREAK, I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT. WE WERE USED TOO BLASTING ALONG ALL DAY AND STOPPING FOR FUEL AND THE TOILET ONLY. WE ALL PILED INTO THE CAFE AND WE ASKED ABOUT USING OUR CREDIT CARD AND WERE TOLD THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO SPEND BF300 . NO PROBLEM, A ROLL, CAKE AND A COFFEE LATER WE SAT DOWN AND STARTED TO GET TO KNOW SOME OF THE FOLKS THAT HAD COME WITH US. WE WERE ALL SOON ON OUR WAY AGAIN, WITH MICK OUR EMPHATIC LEADER AT THE FRONT. WE CAME OFF THE E40 MOTORWAY AT JUNCTION 38, HEADING EAST ON THE N67 AND HEADED TOWARDS GERMANY TO CROSS THE BORDER AT A SMALL TOWN. THE ROAD LEADING TO THE BORDER WAS A REAL BAD ROAD, MASSIVE POTHOLES LINED IT, AND SLIPPERY OVER BANDING HAD BEEN USED EVERYWHERE. THIS IS WHERE THE DIFFERING SPEEDS OF THE FRONT RUNNERS AND THE TAIL-ENDERS WOULD SHOW UP THE GREATEST. EVERY CHANGE OF ROUTE THE FRONT HAD TOO STOP AND WAIT FOR THE REAR, AND SOMETIMES WHERE THE FRONT STOPPED TO WAIT IT WOULD BE RIGHT ON THE JUNCTION LEADING TO CONFUSION OF THE OTHER ROAD USERS.

Rest and fuel stop in Belgium

BELGIUM 2 COFFEES 1 HAM AND CHEESE ROLL 1 PIECE OF CAKE AND 1 SNICKERS BAR 300 BELGIUM FRANCS

THE SCENERY STARTED TO CHANGE NOW, WELL TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH I HADN'T REALLY LOOKED AT THE SCENERY MUCH WHILST ON THE MOTORWAY AS I WAS TRYING TO KEEP AN EYE ON THE STRAGGLERS BEHIND ME. BUT IT WAS NOW MORE HILLY , AND THE ROADS STARTED TO TIGHTEN UP AND THEY WERE REALLY WELL MAINTAINED. THIS WAS REFLECTED IN THE PICK UP OF SPEED AND FUN. SOON THE EXTRA LUGGAGE WEIGHT OF THE BIKE STARTED TO TELL AS THE CENTRE STAND WAS BEING INTRODUCED TO MR BITUMEN'S FINEST, AND AFTER AN HOUR OR SO THEY WERE REALLY GOOD FRIENDS, BUT I HAD TO EASE OFF A LITTLE AS I DIDN'T WANT THEM CATCHING EACH OTHER.

MONSCHAU WAS SOON AMONGST US AND WE PILED INTO THE SMALL TOURIST AREA THAT WAS PACKED WITH CARS AND TOURIST BUSES, WE PARKED ON THE PAVEMENT, UNDER SOME TREES. MICK SAID WE HAD ABOUT AN HOUR TO SORT OUT SOME LUNCH AND SOAK A BIT IF THE LOCAL AMBIENCE.

WE PAIRED OFF WITH PAUL AND MARGARET, THEY WERE ALSO ON A RT AND WE LOOKED LIKE CLONES AS THEY HAD BMW ORLANDO SUITS ON. WALKING ALONG THE VALLEY WHERE THE RIVER RAN AND THE TOWN WAS BUILT AROUND WE SOON ENTERED THE FOOD ZONE. EITHER SIDE OF THE COBBLED STREET THERE WERE MASSES OF SHOPS BAR AND RESTAURANTS. WE LOOKED IN A COUPLE AND TRUE ENOUGH, THE LOOKS WE GOT BACK TOLD US WE WERE CLONES FROM MARS.

A LITTLE IMBISS SOON CAME INTO VIEW AND WE PILED INSIDE AND HIT THE JAGER-SCHNITZEL, POMMES AND COFFEE ROUTINE THAT I REMEMBER SO WELL FROM MY LAST VISIT TO GERMANY. WE TRANSLATED A LITTLE FOR PAUL AND MARGARET, AND ROGER SOON JOINED US AND LINDA WHO WAS ON AN RS. LINDA COULD RATTLE OFF THE GERMAN FINE, SO THEY WERE SOON TUCKING INTO SOME HOT FOOD.

OUT ON THE STREET AGAIN, KATH AND MARGARET WERE SOON ACCOSTED BY A GERMAN WOMAN WHO WENT AT THEM FULL CHAT WITH SOME QUESTION. THE ENSUING BLANK FACES AND LOOK AT EACH OTHER SOON LET THE WOMAN KNOW THEY WERE NOT FROM AROUND HERE AND WE WERE NOW FULL BLOWN TOURISTS.

MUNSCHAU GERMANY 4 COFFEES 2JAGER SNITZEL WITH CHIPS DM 28, WHICH WAS VERY BUSY AND I LIKENED IT TO A MATLOCK BATH WITHOUT THE CHIP PAPERS IT WAS A LOVELY DEEPLY WOODED VALLEY WITH A LOVELY RIVER RUNNING THROUGH IT. WE HAD OUR MEAL IN A CAFE IMBISS SHOP AND THE FOOD WAS LOVELY AND WARM.

MOUNTED BACK ON THE BIKES AND IN OUR PACK, WE SET OFF AGAIN AND KEPT TO A ROADS ALL THE WAY. PASSING BY THE INFAMOUS NÜRNBURGRING WE SOON CAME ACROSS THE MOSEL VALLEY AND THROUGH COCHEM, WHICH WAS VERY BUSY WITH TOURIST TRAFFIC, BUSES WERE EVERYWHERE AND ON THE RIVERBANK THERE WERE LARGE QUES FOR RIVER CRUISES.

OUR STOP FOR THAT NIGHT WAS IN A VILLAGE CALLED TREIS -KARDEN, AND THE SIGN FOR IT READ 9KMS AS WE WENT DOWN THE MOSEL. THE VALLEY WAS LINED WITH VINEYARDS AS FAR AS YOU COULD SEE, AND THE SWEET SMELL OF THE READY TO HARVEST VINES FILLED THE AIR.

"HOTEL AM STIFTSTOR" THE SIGN PROCLAIMED, I COULDN'T TRANSLATE THE LANGUAGE, BUT MY TRANSLATION WAS OF A WARM ROOM, HOT SHOWER, HOT FOOD, COLD HEFFERWEISS BEER, GOOD COMPANY AND A BLOODY GOOD NIGHTS SLEEP. WELL THE SHOWER WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER IF WE HAD BEEN SUPPLIED WITH SOAP. IT'S A GOOD JOB THAT WE HAD GOT OUR MONEYS' WORTH ON THE FERRY, AND KEPT THE COMPLIMENTARY SOAP AND SHOWER GEL.

AFTER WE GOT THE ROOM SORTED WE THEN WENT TO THE RESTAURANT AND HAD SOME FRESHLY GROUND COFFEE AND THEN MOVED ON TO HEFFER WEISS A WHITE WHEAT BEER WHICH WAS LOVELY.

OUR MEAL WAS A LOVELY BEEF SOUP FOLLOWED BY A LARGE SALAD AND THEN A SCHNITZEL AND POMME FRITES AND WE HAD A LOVELY TANGY GRAPEFRUIT BASE WITH ICE CREAM AND WHIPPED CREAM ON IT

THE NEXT MORNING WE WERE UP WELL BEFORE THE BREAKFAST TIME OF 8 AM, SO WE "MOSEL-ED" ON DOWN TO THE LOCAL BP STATION AND GOT STUCK INTO SOME FRESH COFFEE, ANOTHER THING LEFT OUT OF THE ROOM SERVICE, TEA AND COFFEE MAKING KIT. WE ALSO BOUGHT A BAR OF SOAP FROM THE GARAGE TO PRE-EMPT THE SHORTAGE AT THE NEXT HOTEL.

THE BREAKFAST WAS LOVELY, FRESH BROCHEN, REALLY STRONG FRESH GROUND COFFEE AND A VARIETY OF TOPPINGS. WE HAD TO TAKE IT EASY ON THE COFFEE AS YOU LEARN THE MORE YOU DRINK THE SOONER YOU HAVE TO STOP. 9AM AT THE BP STATION AND WE ALL TOPPED UP WITH GO LOTION NO LEADED THOUGH, AS IT IS BANNED OVER THERE. BACK ON THE MOTORWAY AND UP TO 80 AGAIN WE STARTED TO CLOCK UP THE MILES AS WE HEADED EAST.

WE LEFT AT 0930 AND MADE OUR WAY DOWN A ROADS TO THE AUTOBAHN AND AFTER WE HAD ONLY DONE 68 MILES WE STOPPED I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT. WE HAD ONLY JUST LEFT, BUT CERTAIN PEOPLE WANTED TO STOP AND FUEL UP, HAVE A COMFORT BREAK AND PROBABLY ADJUST THEIR BLOODY MAKE UP, WHAT A FARCE. THE STOP ON MOTORWAY HUNSRUCK WEST, WAS 2 COFFEES 2 DO NUTS 1 LION BAR 2 WEES DM5.80

STOPPED FOR LUNCH ON THE MOTORWAY

FUEL WAS DM25.50 BUT THE IDIOT THAT FILLED UP BEFORE US HAD WENT TO THE TOILET FIRST SO WHEN WE WENT TO PAY IT WAS A RIGHT COCK UP THEY TRIED TO CHARGE US TOO MUCH, AS HE HAD PUT MORE IN HIS BIKE THAN OURS.

WE THEN WENT TO AN IMBISS AND HAD 2 COFFEES AND 2 FRICKEDELLES AND BRÖCHEN AND SENF THAT CAME TO DM29

THE WEATHER HASN'T BEEN MENTIONED UP TO THIS POINT AS ALL IT HAS DONE MOST OF THE TIME IS RAIN. IT WAS RAINING AS WE LEFT THE MOTORWAY, AND AS I WAS NOT REALLY CONCENTRATING ON WHERE WE WERE GOING, (THAT WAS THE FRONT RUNNERS JOB) I THOUGHT WE CAN'T BE THAT FAR AWAY FROM THE HOTEL, BUT I WAS WRONG.

TIME AND TIME AGAIN WE BUNCHED TOGETHER AS THE FRONT RUNNERS POINTED IN DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS AND MAPS WERE STUDIED WITH DEEP THOUGHT, THAT WAS UNTIL WE RAN THROUGH THE SAME THING AGAIN. THE FIRST FOUR BIKES HAD BEEN TO GERMANY LAST YEAR ON A SIMILAR TRIP, SO THERE WAS NO SHORTAGE OF VOLUNTEERS "THAT NEW THE WAY" SO I JUST LEFT THEM TOO IT AND POODLED ALONG AT THE BACK KEEPING AN EYE OUT FOR THE TAIL ENDERS.

WE SOON PICKED UP THE SIGNS FOR BAMBERG AND I KNEW WE WERE NEARLY THERE AS I KNEW POMMERSFELDEN WAS 15 KMS SOUTH OF    BAMBERG. SOON ENOUGH WE WERE IN POMMERSFELDEN WE LOCATED THE HOTEL AND WE PARKED IN A LARGE COVERED CAR PARK, IT WAS A PERFECT PARKING . WE ALL PILED AROUND TO THE FRONT DOORS AND FOUND THEM LOCKED.

"RUHR TAG" THE SIGN PROCLAIMED, I LOOKED AT MICK, WE WORKED OUT THAT IT MEANT HALF DAY OPENING. OH DEAR, BUT A KNOCK ON THE MASSIVE DOOR PRODUCED "ROSIE" OUR HOST FOR THE NEXT SEVEN DAYS, SHE SOON GOT US SORTED AND THE KEYS WERE HANDED OUT. WE WENT INTO THE RECEPTION QUICK SHUFFLE UP STAIRS AND A TURN ON THE LOCK AND WE WERE GREETED BY THE SIGHT OF A LOVELY, LARGE WELL LIT ROOM, THAT LOOKED OVER THE MAIN ENTRANCE OF THE HOTEL, ON THE MAIN STREET OF THE VILLAGE. THE BATHROOM WAS MASSIVE AND WE WERE GLAD TO NOTE THAT THE HEATING WAS ON, A MUST FOR GETTING SOME OF THE MOISTURE OUT OF OUR GEAR. STRIPPED THE LUGGAGE OF THE BIKES AND BACK DOWNSTAIRS WE ALL LOCKED THEM UP FOR THE NIGHT, DINNER WAS TO BE AT EIGHT PM MICK ANNOUNCED.

POWER SHOWERED CLEAN WE DESCENDED INTO THE BAR/DINING ROOM AND SAT AT THE LARGE ARRAY OF TABLES THAT ANNOUNCED IT MUST BE FOR THE ENGLISH MOTORAADFAHRERS. AGAIN THE FOOD WAS EXCELLENT AND ROSIE AND FREIDRICH WERE TO SET CULINARY STANDARDS THAT WERE EXCEEDED BY EVERY MEAL AFTER THAT. EXCEPT THE GUINEA FOWL, THAT WAS REALLY TOO RICH FOR OUR PIE AND CHIP PALETTES.

Gruner Baum Hotel. Pommersfelden.

TUES 15TH SEPT

WE WERE UP EARLY AGAIN AND WENT FOR A QUICK WALK ALONG THE MAIN STREET, BACK AT EIGHT AM ON THE DOT FOR BREAKFAST. SERVED BY ROSIE'S MUM AND DAD, ALBRECHT AND BETTY. BETTY DIDN'T SAY MUCH AND KEPT HERSELF IN THE KITCHEN, BUT ALBRECHT WAS GREAT. HE WAS ALWAYS SMILING AND EVEN FOLKS THAT COULDN'T SPEAK GERMAN WERE COMPELLED TO SPEAK TO HIM, HE WAS INFECTIOUS. THE BREAKFAST WAS TRADITIONAL BRÖCHEN, CEREALS AND COLD MEATS, BUT A LOCAL TOUCH WAS A SMALL SWEET CROISSANT WHICH WAS LOVELY WITH JAM. AGAIN THE DILEMMA OF THE FRESH COFFEE REARED ITS' HEAD, HOW MUCH DO YOU DRINK?

WE HEADED INTO THE CENTRE OF BAMBERG, OF COURSE IT WAS RAINING HEAVY AND WITH COBBLESTONE ROAD, IT WAS SLIPPERY. IN THE TOWN CENTRE WE EVENTUALLY FOUND THE " BMW MOTORAADHANDLER" AND POURED IN. THEY HAD AN R1100S AND WE WERE ALL SOON AROUND IT LOOKING AT THE LATEST TACKLE. WE WERE MORE INTERESTED IN A RT THAT WAS A LOVELY GREEN, NOT YET AVAILABLE IN THE UK. IN THE PARTS DEPARTMENT WE BOUGHT A TANK BAG FOR THE BIKE, TOM ALSO BOUGHT ONE FOR HIS RT, AND MICK BOUGHT ONE FOR HIS R1100S. I ALSO TRIED ON THE NEW SYSTEM FOUR HELMET WHICH I FOUND VERY LIGHT AND COMFORTABLE.

WHEN WE GOT INTO THE TOWN CENTRE WE HEADED FOR THE OLD TOWN PARKED THE BIKES UP, AND WALKED A MILE OR SO AND THEN UP A HILL TO NOWHERE, AND OF COURSE IT WAS STILL POURING DOWN SO WE LOOKED A RIGHT BUNCH OF MUPPETS AS SOME PEOPLE KEPT THEIR HELMETS ON. SOON FOUND A LARGE CAFE AND JUST GOT IN, WE HAD COFFEE AND APFELSTRUDEL WITH A LOVELY CINNAMON SAUCE.

FED AND WATERED WE ALL MADE OUR WAY DOWN TO THE MAIN SQUARE AND WE WENT AND BOUGHT A MAP OF THE LOCAL AREA AND CALLED INTO A CHEMIST ON THEE WAY BACK TO THE BIKES WE CAME TO A MAJOR ROAD THROUGH THE TOWN CENTRE. THE CROSSING LIGHTS WERE ON RED AND ALL SIXTEEN OF US STOOD THERE, AND AS SOON AS IT WAS CLEAR FOURTEEN OF THEM CROSSED WHILST THE RED MAN WAS DOING HIS STUFF. WELL YOU SHOULD HAVE SEEN THE LOOKS THE LOCALS GAVE THEM AS THEY JAYWALKED. BRITISH TOURISTS NO DOUBT.

WHIST WE WERE ON THE WAY TO THE BIKES A LOCAL ASKED WHERE WE WERE ALL FROM, AS SOON AS I SAID ENGLAND HE SAID WE HAD BROUGHT THE WEATHER WITH US. WE GOT ON THE BIKES AGAIN AND I LET MICK KNOW THAT WE WOULD FOLLOW THEM OUT OF TOWN THEN PEEL OFF AND MAKE OUR OWN WAY AS WE FANCIED SEEING THE LOCAL AREA. WE JUST MADE UP OUR ROUTE AS WE WENT ALONG, AND WHEN I THOUGHT WE SHOULD HEAD BACK WE LOOKED UP THE MAP AND DECIDED NEUSTADT WAS AT THE END OF A GOOD LOOKING ROAD SO NEUSTADT IT WAS. THE ROAD WAS GOOD EVEN IN THE RAIN, IT WAS ONLY 25 KMS LONG SO WE WERE SOON THERE AND IMBISS BECKONED. WE TURNED AROUND AND PARKED IN THE CAR PARK AND WALKED INTO THE IMBISS AND HERE WE WERE AGAIN CLONES FROM SPACE BUT THE GREETING WAS WARM SO WAS THE COFFEE, SCHNITZEL AND POMMES AND THE GALLON OF MAYONNAISE ALL FOR DM20.

BACK AT THE HOTEL BY FOUR-THIRTY WE GOT WASHED UP AND STARTED TO FIT THE NEW TANK BAG. THE REST OF THE GANG ROLLED UP AND SAID THAT THEY HAD BEEN EVERYWHERE, GOT LOST TWICE, DOWN TWO DIRT TRACKS AND AN UNDERGROUND CAR PARK, REALLY UPSETTING THE LOCALS. THEIR BIKES WERE LATHERED IN MUD SO THEY ALL CLEANED THE BIKES; FREIDRICH GOT THE HOSE OUT FOR THEM TO USE.

AT DINNER THAT NIGHT THE BANTER WAS OF MUD TRACKS AND IRATE CAR DRIVERS IN UNDERGROUND CAR PARKS. LATER A GAME OF CHARADES DEVELOPED AND TO BREAK THE ICE WITH THE OLD SWEATS I CRACKED "JERRY SPRINGER SHOW" AND STUMPED THEM WITH "EVERYTHING YOU EVER WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT SEX, BUT WERE AFRAID TO ASK"

WEDNESDAY 16TH

WE GOT UP AT 0515 AND WENT TO HAVE A COFFEE FOR BREAKFAST AND THE OLD GUY WAS SAYING SORRY FOR NOT HAVING ANY BROCHEN FOR US AS THEY HAD NOT ARRIVED YET, WE WENT TO LOAD THE BIKE AND HE CAME AROUND WITH THE BROCHEN IN A BAG, THEY HAD JUST ARRIVED AND BLESS HIM HE HANDED TWO TO US AND WE PUT THEM IN THE TANK BAG. THEY WERE THAT FRESH THAT AS I PRESSED THEM INTO THE BAG MY FINGER WENT STRAIGHT THROUGH THEM.

WE FOLLOWED THE AUTOBAHN SOUTH TOWARD NURNBURG AND THEN PICKED UP THE B14 WHICH WAS A MAJOR ROAD WHICH TOOK US RIGHT TO THE CZECH BORDER, WELL AFTER WE GOT BACK ON THE CORRECT ROAD, BECAUSE AT A WEIRD UNMARKED JUNCTION, WE ENDED UP GOING THE WRONG WAY AND WERE SOON IN THE MIDDLE OF A LARGE FOREST ON A SMALL ROAD. SO WE BACKTRACKED AND THE ROAD WAS CLEARLY SIGNPOSTED WHEN WE GOT BACK ON THE B14. WE WERE NOW IN THE OLD EAST GERMANY NOW AND IT WAS VERY APPARENT AS ALL THE BUILDINGS SEEMED TO BE VERY POORLY MAINTAINED AND THE ONE THAT HAD BEEN DONE UP SINCE RE-UNIFICATION STOOD OUT A MILE AWAY. WE FILLED UP AT AN OLD EAST GERMAN FUEL STATION, AND AS SOON AS THE BIKE WAS FULL THE OWNER WANTED US TO MOVE IT AWAY FROM THE PUMPS AS IF HE WAS EXPECTING A RUSH OF CUSTOMERS. FOR THE 20 MINUTES WE WERE THERE WE SAW NO OTHER CUSTOMERS. WE HAD A VISIT TO A RATHER POOR SMELLING TOILET AND THE KEY WAS MASSIVE AND THE DOOR WAS ARMOUR PLATED AND VERY RUSTY. WE ALSO HAD TO HAGGLE WITH HIM TO GET SOME CHANGE FOR THE COFFEE MACHINE, THEN WE SET UPON OUR VERY WET WAY. KATH WAS TRYING NOT TO SHOW IT BUT I KNEW SHE WAS VERY COLD.

AT THE BORDER THE GERMAN GUARD CHECKED OUR PASSPORTS AND WAS GOING TO PASS THEM TO THE CZECH GUARD BUT HE COULDN'T BE BOTHERED TO TAKE HIS HANDS OUT OF HIS COAT AND JUST NODDED IN AGREEMENT WITH HIM. THE MOTORWAY IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC WAS VERY NEW AND POSH INDEED THE SERVICES WERE ALL NEW. THEN AS WE NEARED PILZEN WE WERE FOLLOWING THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC THROUGH SOME ROADWORK'S WHEN A COPPER JUMPED OUT OF THE ROADWORK'S AND SIGNALLED US TO PULLOVER. WE STOPPED AND HE TOLD US WE WERE SPEEDING IN THE ROADWORK'S ALONG WITH EVERYONE ELSE, BUT I DIDN'T WANT TO WIND HIM UP BY ASKING HOW COME HE DIDN'T STOP THEM. ANYWAY HE WANTED 200 CZECH KRONE AND WE HAD ZIP, HE WOULDN'T TAKE MARKS OR VISA SO HE WROTE A TICKET OUT FOR US TO PAY AT THE BORDER AND SAID WE COULD GO ON OUR WAY, BUT I WANTED TO RESOLVE THE SITUATION IN FULL THERE AND THEN. IN THE MEAN TIME THEY HAD STOPPED A YOUNG LAD IN A SKODA [NATURALLY] AND I WALKED UP TO HIM AND ASKED IF HE SPOKE ANY GERMAN, NO HE REPLIED BUT I SPEAK ENGLISH. HIS ENGLISH WAS BETTER THAN MINE AND I ASKED IF WE COULD EXCHANGE SOME MONEY WITH HIM AND SHOWED HIM THE TICKET FROM THE POLICE HE STUDIED IT AND TOLD ME NOT TO BOTHER PAYING IT AS THEY WOULDN'T BOTHER WITH IT AT THE BORDER.

A Czech speeding ticket

SO WE CONTINUED ON OUR WAY AND SOON THE MOTORWAY DISAPPEARED AND WE WERE ON A CRUMMY A ROAD THAT LED TO PILZEN AND AS WE ENTERED THE CITY LIMITS WE SAW LOADS OF HOOKERS LINING THE TRUCK STOPS. WE GOT INTO PILZEN AND WENT PASSED THE SKODA FACTORY, IT LOOKED A RIGHT MESS AND WAS IN NEED OF A PAINT JOB. IT WAS A REAL EXPERIENCE RIDING THROUGH PILZEN, YOU COULD SEE THE LAYOUT OF THE CITY WAS COMMUNIST AS EVERYTHING HAD IT'S OWN PLACE AND THE COLOURS WERE SO DRAB AND DREARY AND YOU COULD SEE WHAT CHANGES HAD HAPPENED SINCE PERESTROIKA. THE PEOPLE WERE FULL OF LIFE AND THEY SEEMED TO HAVE A SENSE OF FREEDOM AND CHANGE ABOUT THEMSELVES. YOU HAD THE OLD FOLK PROBABLY WISHING IT WERE THE OLD DAYS WHEN THE STATE WOULD LOOK AFTER YOU, AND THE YOUNGER PEOPLE WORKING HARD TO SHAKE OFF THE LAST 50 YEARS OF OPPRESSION. WE SAW A FEW UP AND COMING YUPPIES AND MOBILE PHONES WERE ALL THE RAGE. WE EVEN SAW A FEW THAT LOOKED LIKE ENTREPRENEURS WITH THEIR BIG MERCEDES AND YES MEN ALL AROUND THEM.

WE SAW AN ACCIDENT THAT SPELT OUT THE TWO DIFFERENT REGIMES THAT WE NOTICED EXISTED IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC. A BRAND NEW SKODA OCTAVIA, THAT WAS BEING DRIVEN BY A YOUNG MAN IN A SMART SUIT HAD CRASHED INTO THE BACK OF AN OLD SKODA WHO'S OCCUPANTS WERE AN OLD COUPLE DRESSED IN THICK DRAB CLOTHES.

IT LOOKED AS THOUGH THE NEW OCTAVIA, BUILT WITH THE LATEST THAT THE CZECH REPUBLIC HAD TO OFFER, WAS A RIGHT OFF AS THE FLOOR PAN AND ROOF WERE CRUMPLED. THE OLD COMMUNIST VERSION OF THE SKODA HAD IT'S BUMPER RIPPED OFF AND LOOKED LIKE IT COULD HAVE EASILY DROVE OFF IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN BUILT THE OLD WAY BUT AS IT WAS OBVIOUSLY BUILT STRONGER TO LAST LONGER WHICH WAS THE BETTER WAY, THE OLD OR THE NEW?

WE EVENTUALLY GOT THROUGH PILZEN AND PICKED UP THE MOTORWAY AGAIN AND GOT DOWN TO COVERING THE MILES QUITE QUICKLY AND WE WERE SOON ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF PRAGUE. WE DECIPHERED THE SIGN FOR THE CITY CENTRE AND WE FOLLOWED EVERYONE WE SAW BUT A COUPLE OF TIMES THEY CONTRADICTED THEMSELVES BUT WE GOT AS NEAR TO THE CENTRE AS WE WERE GOING TO GET IN THE SHORT TIME WE HAD.

THE ROADS WERE JAM-PACKED FULL OF OLD SMOKING CARS AND LORRIES, AND EVEN EX-ARMY LORRIES BRUSH PAINTED A BRIGHT BLUE. THERE MUST HAVE BEEN AN EXCESS OF THIS BLUE PAINT AS NEARLY EVERY OTHER LORRY WAS SPLASHED WITH THIS COLOUR. I DON'T THINK THEY HAVE ANY FORM OF ENFORCEABLE ROADWORTHINESS TEST AS SOME OF THE CARS WERE PROBABLY USING AS MUCH OIL AS PETROL, AND THE LORRIES WERE BURNING HALF THE DIESEL AND THROWING THE OTHER HALF OUT AS NEAT BLUE SMOKE.

WE LOOKED FOR SOMEWHERE TO PARK, BUT EVERYWHERE LOOKED FULL, AND I DIDN'T FANCY PICKING UP A PARKING TICKET SEEING HOW WE HAD ALREADY HAD A BRUSH WITH THE LAW. MIND YOU SEEING HOW CLOSE SOME OF THE LORRIES WERE GETTING TO PARKED CARS I OPTED FOR THE DUMB TOURIST APPROACH AND PARKED ON A WIDE EXPANSE OF TARMAC NEXT TO A BRIDGE OVER THE RIVER.

ONCE THE BIKE WAS SECURE WE PEELED OFF OUR STILL DAMP JACKETS AND THREW THEM OVER THE RAILINGS, BY THIS TIME THE SUN WAS IN FULL SWING NOW AND WE HAD STARTED TO FEEL THE HEAT AS WE ENTERED THE CITY. SOON OUR JACKETS WERE LETTING THE RAIN LOOSE FOR IT TO TRAVEL UP TO THE NOW CLEAR BLUE SKY.

WE SAT DOWN BESIDE THE RIVER AND GOT COMFORTABLE AND STARTED TO EAT THE BROCHEN THAT WE HAD BROUGHT WITH US AND BOY WERE THEY NICE AND WE ALSO HAD A CAN OF POP. WE WERE SOON ON THE MOBILE PHONE INSTRUCTING IT TO SEARCH FOR A LOCAL NETWORK AND IT CAME UP WITH ONE. WE BOTH PHONED HOME TO LET THEM KNOW WHERE WE WERE AND CATCH UP ON ALL THE GOSSIP.

AFTER ABOUT AN HOUR OF RELAXING, TAKING IN THE LOVELY OLD TOWN SCENERY AND SOAKING UP THE SUN, WHICH HAD NOW WARMED UP TO 17 DEGREES CELSIUS, WE GOT OUR BEARINGS AND USING A COMPASS IN THE TANK BAG WE HEADED WEST AS I KNEW WE WOULD AT LEAST BE GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION AND FOLLOWED THE SIGNS FOR PILZEN.

DODGING COBBLESTONES THAT HAD BEEN THROWN UP OUT OF THE ROAD BY PASSING LORRIES WE FOUGHT OUR WAY BACK TOWARD THE MOTORWAY AND ONLY WENT WRONG ONCE. IT WAS A FAIRLY SIMPLE MISTAKE, IT WAS A LARGE MAIN ROAD AND AS WE WENT ALONG, COMING UP ON THE RIGHT WAS A TURNING. NOW DUE TO THE AMOUNT OF SCRUBBED RUBBER MARKS ON THE ROAD IT WAS OBVIOUSLY A POPULAR TURNING AND I WAS THINKING TO MYSELF "I BET WE NEED TO TURN RIGHT HERE ". I WAS NEARLY COMMITTED INTO THE TURN WHEN I NOTICED A GERMAN REGISTERED MERCEDES IN FRONT OF ME THAT CARRIED STRAIGHT ON SO I SHEEPISHLY FOLLOWED HIM.

THEN YOU KNOW WHEN YOU HAVE GONE WRONG, THE ROADS ARE REALLY QUITE AND THE LOCALS LOOK AT YOU WITH THAT LOST TOURIST IDIOT LOOK. WELL ONE ADVANTAGE YOU HAVE WHEN YOU ARE ON A BIKE IS YOUR MANOEUVRABILITY AND I USED THIS TO MY FULL ADVANTAGE, AND SWUNG THE BIKE 180 DEGREES AND THE LAST THING I SAW WAS THE GERMAN LOOKING BACK WITH ENVY, AS HE TOO WAS LOST AND WAS LOOKING FOR SOMEWHERE TO SPIN AROUND.

George and Kathy at Wunderlich

WELL THE MOTORWAY SOON WAS UNDER OUR WHEELS AND ONCE AGAIN WE WERE SOON PASSING THINGS BY AT A FAIR RATE OF KNOTS AND IT WASN'T LONG BEFORE PILZEN LOOMED INTO VIEW AND WE KNEW WE WOULD SOON BE THREADING OUR WAY THROUGH THE THICK TRAFFIC.

WHEN WE GOT NEAR THE SKODA FACTORY, KATH TOOK A FEW PHOTO'S

OF IT, I'M STILL NOT SURE WHY. WE WERE SOON THROUGH THE CITY AND NEARING THE SEEDY TRUCK STOP, AND STILL IT WAS LINED WITH HOOKERS ,  THIS TIME WE WERE CLOSE TOO THEM AND YOU COULD SEE THEY WERE ALL VERY DARK SKINNED AS THOUGH THEY WERE IMMIGRANTS, WE EVEN SAW ONE HAGGLING WITH THREE BLOKES IN A LORRY.

ON THE MOTORWAY AGAIN AND WE SOON REACHED THE ROADWORK'S WHERE WE HAD MET THE POLICE EARLIER, OF COURSE I NOW SLOWED DOWN AND KEPT TO THE MANDATORY 50 KPH, WHICH AFTER BLASTING ALONG FOR SO LONG, FELT MORE LIKE 10 KPH. AT SPEED AGAIN AND WE SOON NOTICED TWO BIKES COMING TOWARDS US AND WE COULDN'T BELIEVE IT A RT AND A GS, IT WAS TOM AND DEBBIE AND JEAN AND JOHN, WE ALL WAVED TO EACH OTHER.

NEXT THING THE LOW FUEL LIGHT CAME ON, AND WITH THOUGHTS OF TRYING TO GET FUEL IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE WITH NO LOCAL CURRENCY I HAD TO GIVE IN TO THE RIP OFF PRICES OF THE MOTORWAY SERVICES. WE FILLED THE TANK AFTER CONFIRMING THAT THEY ACCEPTED VISA AND WE PAID FOR THE FUEL. EVERYONE LOOKED AT US AS THOUGH WE WERE FROM SPACE AND THEY MUST HAVE THOUGHT WE WERE MAD AS BY NOW IT HAD BEEN POURING DOWN FOR ABOUT AN HOUR AND WE MUST HAVE LOOKED WET, BUT OF COURSE WE WERE NOT.

WE LOOKED IN THE FOOD COUNTER AND NOTHING LOOKED THAT TEMPTING AND WITH THE THOUGHT OF HAVING TO BUY A CERTAIN AMOUNT SO WE COULD PAY BY CARD. WE SOON DECIDED TO WAIT UNTIL WE HIT GERMANY, ANY WAY HUNGER WAS SOON PUT TO THE BACK OF MY MIND AS THE WHOLE PLACE WAS FULL OF SMOKE, AND EVERYONE, I MEAN EVERYONE WAS SMOKING.

THE SMOKE WAS SOON BLOWN INTO OBLIVION BY THE COLD, WET BUT AT LEAST CLEAN AIR AS WE WERE SOON ON THE WAY AGAIN.

IT WASN'T LONG BEFORE WE SAW THE SIGNS FOR THE GRENZE (BORDER) AND THOUGHTS OF MIDNIGHT EXPRESS WERE STREAMING THROUGH MY MIND AS I THOUGHT, DO I PAY OR DO I RUN? WE WERE IN THE RIGHT LANE AND OF COURSE DOING 30KPH AS INSTRUCTED BY THE SIGNS, WHEN WE WERE OVERTAKEN BY THIS IDIOT IN A BMW DOING ABOUT 100 MPH AND SLAMMED THE BRAKES ON AS HE WAS BEARING DOWN ON THE FROWNING GERMAN BORDER GUARD. THE THOUGHT OF PAYING WENT STRAIGHT OUT OF MY MIND WHEN THE GUARD RIPPED INTO THE DRIVER OF THE BMW. HE WAS FUMING AT HIM AND DIRECTED HIM INTO A BAY AND TOLD THEM ALL TO GET OUT. AS WE APPROACHED HIM IT WAS THE SAME GUARD THAT WAS ON IN THE MORNING AND HE RECOGNIZED US AND JUST WAVED US THROUGH. BY THIS TIME FOUR GUARDS SURROUNDED THE BMW AND THE BOOT WAS BEING EMPTIED FRANTICALLY.

Ready for the off.

WE WERE OFF THE MOTORWAY AND ON THE B14 AND STARTED THE JOURNEY THROUGH THE WOODED AREA THAT SEEM TO GO ON FOR MILES THEN THE LOVELY SWEEPING ROAD THAT BECKONED TO BE HAMMERED ON, SO HAMMER WE DID. ON THE MOTORWAY THINGS STARTED TO SPEED UP, AND KEEPING WITH THE FLOW WE SAT AT 120MPH FOR AN HOUR AND A HALF, AND SOON THAT LOW FUEL LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN AND OF COURSE I WAITED UNTIL THE LAST MOMENT TO FUEL UP, AND THEN I WENT THROUGH THE HELL OF WONDERING IF I SHOULD HAVE FILLED UP AT THAT LAST STATION AND HOW FAR WAS THE NEXT AND WOULD WE MAKE IT TO THE NEXT ONE. BUT WE DID AND IT WAS ONE WE CALLED INTO ON THE WAY TO PRAGUE.

THE BIKE WAS FUELLED UP AND WE WENT INTO THE CAFE AND HAD A LOVELY COFFEE AND A GREAT BIG FRESH CAKE EACH. WE ALSO RESTED OUR BUTTS AS THEY WERE A LITTLE TENDER. BACK ON THE ROAD AGAIN WE MADE GOOD SPEED AND GOT INTO THE HOTEL FOR 1830 AN HOUR BEFORE DINNER. EVERYONE WAS THERE AND THEY COULDN'T BELIEVE WE HAD DONE IT IN A DAY. SHOWERED AND CHANGED WE WERE AT THE TABLE WITH A WHEAT BEER HALF DRANK, WHEN TOM AND DEBBIE AND JOHN AND JEAN ROLLED IN AND TOLD US THAT THEY HAD MADE IT TO PRAGUE AS WELL, BOY DID WE SLEEP WELL THAT NIGHT

Thursday 17^th September

WASHED AND FED AND READY TO GO FOR 9 AM WE PILED ONTO THE MOTORWAY FOR THE RUN TO THE BIKE SHOW AT MUNICH. AGAIN WE WERE ALL OVER THE PLACE, WITH THE BACK END SOON LOSING THE FRONT. WHEN WE GOT TO THE A99 WHICH GOES AROUND MUNICH, MICK AND FRANK WERE NOWHERE TO BE SEEN, SO AS I WAS LET TO RUN AT THE FRONT OF OUR GROUP I DECIDED TO HEAD INTO THE CITY CENTRE. EVERY TIME WE STOPPED AT LIGHTS PEOPLE ASKED IF I KNEW WHERE WE WERE GOING? WELL I WASN’T THAT SURE BUT WE SOON PICKED UP THE SIGNS FOR INTERMOT, AS WELL AS AN ITALIAN, HE WAS ALSO LOST. THE MESSE (HALL) SOON LOOMED INTO VIEW, A MASSIVE SHOW HALL WITH HUNDREDS OF CAR PARKS SURROUNDING IT.

FOLLOWING THE SIGNS WE SOON FOUND THE BIKE PARK AND AT THE ENTRANCE THEY ASKED WHERE WE WANTED OUR SECURITY STICKERS STICKING. THEN THEY GAVE US THE OTHER HALF OF THE STICKER, AS YOU HAD TO SHOW THEM BOTH TO GET OUT LATER. AS WE RODE TO PARK UP, WE SAW MICK AND FRANK THEY HAD JUST ARRIVED AND WERE AMAZED TO SEE US. MICK TOLD ME THAT THEY HAD GONE AROUND THE A99, BUT HE WAS IMPRESSED WITH OUR EFFORTS TO GET THERE IN THE SAME TIME AS HIM. EVERYONE LOCKED THEIR BIKES UP, THOSE OF US THAT COULD ALSO LOCKED OUR HELMETS IN PANNIERS, BECAUSE IT IS NOT MUCH FUN CARRYING YOUR HELMET AROUND FOR FOUR HOURS.

SPLIT INTO OUR VARIOUS GROUPS WE ENTERED THE MASSIVE HALL AND PAID OUR DM18.00 EACH, LOOKING AT THE TICKET, WE ENTERED AT 11.16 AM. THE FIRST DISPLAY TO HIT YOU AS YOU ENTER IS THE BMW 75^TH ANNIVERSARY STAND, A STAND WITH BIKES SPANNING THE 75 YEARS OF THE COMPANY. THE SHOW WAS A LOT BIGGER THAN THE ONE AT THE NEC, BUT YOU COULDN’T BUY THAT MUCH IT WAS MORE JUST FOR SHOW.

ON THE MAIN BMW STAND THEY HAD SOME SERIOUS DISPLAYS, ONE SHOWING THE ABRASIVE PROPERTIES OF SCHOELLER 300 THE MATERIAL OUR ORLANDO SUITS ARE MADE OF. THE GORTEX STAND HAD GLOVES AND BOOTS SUBMERSED IN WATER, THE BOOTS WERE ON A RIG THAT WALKED THEM CONTINUOUSLY. THE BEST STAND FOR ME THOUGH WAS THE RT TELELVER STAND. IT HAD A ROLLING FRAME OF AN RT STRIPPED RIGHT DOWN, WITH THE MOTOR FITTED AND IT WAS RUNNING ON TWO LARGE TYRES. THE VIDEO DISPLAY WOULD SHOW YOU THE BENEFITS OF THE SYSTEM AND THE ROLLING FRAME WOULD GO THROUGH THE MOTIONS. ACCELERATING, BRAKING, CORNERING AND GOING OVER BUMPS, TO SHOW YOU HOW THE BIKE SET-UP COPED WITH THEM ALL. THE VIDEO SHOWED YOU A TEST RIDER DOING 100MPH, LETTING GO OF THE BARS AND THEM KNOCKING ONE BAR, TO TRY AND INDUCE A TANKSLAPPER, BUT THE BIKE JUST SETTLED STRAIGHT DOWN. THEY ALSO SHOWED THE FULLY LOADED LUGGAGE BEING TESTED ON AN RT ON A ROLLING ROAD WITH SOME SERIOUS BUMPS, TESTING THE MOUNTING FRAME AND THE SEAT RAIL FRAME.

WE HAD A LOOK AT THE NEW K1200LT TOURER, IT WAS HUGE, IT COULD CARRY AS MUCH WEIGHT AS A HONDA BLACKBIRD WEIGHED, NEARLY 220KGS. IT IS SO LARGE THAT IT HAS A REVERSE GEAR, NO NOT FOR ME, IT’S MORE LIKE A GOLD WING. THERE WAS A BLACK RT THERE WITH AN LCD SCREEN ON THE TANK. WE FOUND OUT THAT IT WAS A GPS NAVIGATION SYSTEM. THE MAIN BRAIN OF IT WAS STORED IN ONE OF THE PANNIERS.

WHEN WE ALL MET UP TO LEAVE, MICK TOLD US THAT JOHN AND JEAN, AND TOM AND DEBBIE HAD LEFT EARLIER TO GO SOUTH TO STOP AT INNSBRUCK FOR THE NIGHT. WELL WE ALL POODLED ON BACK TO POMMERSFELDEN. WE LOST PAUL AND MARGARET AS THEY DROPPED RIGHT BACK AND US AND MICK HAD TO COME OF THE AUTOBAHN TO FUEL UP AS WE WERE REALLY LOW. WHEN WE GOT BACK PAUL AND MARGARET SOON ROLLED UP.

FRIDAY 18^TH SEPTEMBER

WE HAD A LIE-IN THIS MORNING AS WERE NOT IN MUCH OF A RUSH TO GO ANYWHERE TODAY. MICK TOOK SOME OF THEM TOO THE CZECH BORDER JUST TO SAY THAT THEY HAD BEEN THERE. WE RODE INTO BAMBERG AND AT THE BMW DEALER WE BOUGHT A SYSTEM FOUR HELMET AND A WUNDERLICH OIL FILLER CAP. WE ASKED IF THEY COULD ORDER ANOTHER HELMET FOR KATH AND THEY SAID IT SHOULD BE THERE IN THE MORNING, AND GAVE ME HIS CARD AND ASKED ME TO CALL HIM THE NEXT DAY. WE RODE BACK TO POMMERSFELDEN TO DROP OF MY OLD HELMET, AND RODE BACK TOWARD BAMBERG THEN HEADED EAST AND PICKED A ROAD FROM THE MAP THAT LOOKED NICE AND TWISTY. IT WAS THE B22 AND IT WENT TO BAYREUTH. ONCE IN BAYREUTH WE PICKED UP THE AUTOBAHN A9 AND HEADED SOUTH JUST TAKING OUR TIME, FIVE BMW R1100GS OVERTOOK US, THEY LOOKED LIKE THEY WERE HEADING TO THE BIKE SHOW. WE STOPPED AND FILLED UP AT LAUF, JUST NORTH OF NURNBURG, WHICH COST DM37.45 FOR 21.67 LTRS. PICKING UP THE A3 WE HEADED NORTH TOWARD BAMBERG AND STOPPED AT THE SERVICES TO HAVE SOME FOOD. WE HAD WHAT LOOKED LIKE A BALL OF RICE, BUT WAS IN FACT A SORT OF BREAD, WITH ROAST PORK AND RED CABBAGE, AND IT WAS LOVELY.

LATER BACK AT THE HOTEL WE WERE ALL TELLING EACH OTHER IF THE DAYS JOURNEYS AND DINNER WAS SERVED, AND IT WAS THE SAME THAT WE HAD HAD FOR LUNCH.

SATURDAY 19^TH SEPTEMBER