Great write up of your trip Si. Love the camo fiat 500. Out of interest what camera/lens are you using? noted a Canon Ultrasonic lens cap in one photo so must be a DLSR, Id be interested to know how do you stow it when on the bike. I'm off on a trip in 2 weeks and have been pondering on whether to take my EOS550 & 15-85 lens (I have a 5Dmkii but thats a bit heavier and bigger to lug about)
Hi mate. It's a 5d mk3, 24-105 lens and a 17-40 wide lens. Put it in a kriega us10 with the inner foam out of my camera bag. Mounted on the tank. Carried a spare battery, charger and 5 sd cards, and a jumper and undies. You can seet the bag in the pics mounted.
nice write-up and pics awesome roads in germany * austria arent they! a bunch of us went last year, down to misano for the wsb.... i took my 1 piece wets for the journey to hull and no messin i hardly took them off til we got to the border of italy! i have never known rain so persistant! we pinned it through NL as its flat and boring, then as soon as we saw the hills of germany on the right, we headed off to find some decent roads..... the higher we went, the worse it got. visibility was near zero and there was only me on sportmax, the rest of the lads were on racetecs lol! bad move! with all the bitumen overbanding on the twisty roads they were snaking about all over the place. i made the call and decided we had to get to lower ground before someone binned! no mobile signal, middle of nowhere... anyway, relentless rain, we finally got to baden baden and my satnav found us a hotel for 50 euros a double room... all our gear was dry by morning , we headed for the awesome b500 and then down came the rain again! :/ that day we got as far as the austrian alps before we decided we couldnt get any further... unfortunately its all ski villages and everywhere is closed in summer! but we found this place..... who were good enough to open up a villa for us and put some food on - we had a cracking night, and as you said, theyre very friendly *worth making a note - ALPEN MOTORRADHOTELS - they cater for us rabble in some amazing locations and theyre very cheap, ideal if youre planning a tour over there. unbelievalbe when we got up the next morning it had been snowing overnight - in june!!! we cracked on over the border to venlo and wow!!! what a difference, from 7c to 35c in just about 80 miles! literally our leathers were steaming as we rode! brilliant - italy is awesome for biking but the cities are mental. was goner go again this year but decided maybe later in the year instead.... next time im just doing germany & austria cos the roads are fantastic.... if you havent done this before you really need to give it serious thought - its like being in biking heaven! on the b500 around the ring, the guys i was with were a tad slow for me tbh but i tagged onto the back of a few D riders on zx10r's and omfg what a ride! it was amazing wished i had my camera on! on the way back though we hit the rain again! :/
Fantastic jobby Si and glad to have you back good job you are on your diet with all that food around even the old guy started smiling at the end when you have settled in how about a costing exercise ie how much fuel tolls tyres ect would be interesting and maybe for others going a similar route .
nice one si really enjoyed that write up and pics .like said if the bloody weather would stay with u it would be spot on. just goes to show u cant go anywere with out getting wet ?
I haven't checked my bank yet Giv..LOL. will do a costing when the euro purchases and withdrawals reach my account…. did overdo a bit on pressies for the kids and missus… but otherwise, not bad at all i think. I hope.
Ta for the info Si, 5dmk3 explains the quality shots, especially the low light ones, nice piece of kit. May just take the 550D now, has the advantage of a fill flash built in and is lighter n smaller than my 5d. Bike trip, 4 guys, A MONASTRY with NUNS...you guys don't particularly look the type for religious retreat and quiet contemplation, Looked nice place though!
Now THAT! is what i'm talking about, very good write up Si, some great photo's to show for all your efforts, thanks for sharing "gloating"
Great pics there Si. How did your mate get on with the triumph speed triple on the motorways with the wind?