No, not lazy writing, just happy living every day of my trip...

Yesterday have been 3 weeks since I left Bucharest and I’m on my last day (out of 3) in Warsaw heading tomorrow for Gdansk and the polish lakes district on my way to Vilnius. I wish I would have written more, made more pictures but the time seems so very short and the things to do, see, feel, think about, almost infinite. There are places where I would have just sat and contemplated the view for days and people I’ve met I would have spent so much more time with, but I’m on a journey and leaving a place for another is how it’s done, and I still haven’t acquired the art of ancient oriental masters who had space and time in their grasp and could be in more places at the same time...

Is there yet a first important idea, lesson or conclusion that these first 3 weeks offered me? Yes, I have learned that nature in itself is beautiful and impressive absolutely everywhere, majestic mountains, rolling hills or ever-stretching plains. Beside this, what people inhabiting it have been and continue doing in and with it carries exceptional influence on how one relates to and remembers a place or another. In other words the nature of this world is wonderful but it is in conjunction with the particular cultures of every region that it gives us the entire magnificent gift of living in it and having the unique chance to discover it.

The Hungarian, Czech or Polish flatlands that I have crossed might not be as impressive as the breathtaking Alps but their rich and almost endless green, undulating hills and sense of tranquility stir no less a lasting emotion in the traveler. The major differences in perceiving and relating to a place are determined by the contacts with it’s inhabitants and the way they exist in their own environment. The aspect of villages, the cultural heritage of the cities (large or small), the attitude and expression on people’s faces make the difference in the way we ultimately perceive places. Here we can also discern a very fine balanced mix between the cultural heritage of a place, usually to be discovered in stone and metal, i.e. in it’s monuments and buildings, and it’s living spirit that comes out by the more or less silent concert of it’s people. The way they dress, walk, look around and at others around them, greet strangers or their neighbors, deal with side effects of every community (poverty, trash, the public/private space dialog), what they dress, eat and what (and how much) they drink, are just some things building up to one’s personal experience of a place.

On these grounds and despite the mythology about people of the two countries not being to friendly to each other (well, at least in Romania it is believed that Hungarians are not friendly to us...) I was most impressed in such a good way by Hungary among the former East European countries I have been through by now (Czech Rep. and Poland). The Czechs might be more “joyful” and the Poles more ... well, I don’t precisely know how they are yet as I have some conflicting impressions, but the Hungarians are the more “stylish”, more elitist and somehow more fancy of them. I also don’t by what determination, collective effort or general behavior they manage too keep a country more clean than you might ever expect in Eastern Europe. I haven’t seen for tens if not hundreds of miles a plastic bottle or any other kind of trash on the side of a city or country road. It really doesn’t feel like the East as in Czechia or Poland, where although both very nice and burdened with history, the “clean” aspect does not seem to be of prime importance or of much interest to their people. Not that they are filthy in any way, but the places just don’t have the "shine" they have in Hungary. What to mention about my home country in this respect? Any comparison with any of them would put us to very much shame...

But after the rather long time since I last posted and the countries I have been through already I am tempted to write too much so I’ll stop here, as abrupt as it is, and come back later with more crystallized thoughts and impressions, but not before making a short note of praise to my beemer: Almost 9.000km on the clock and not even a single glitch! I love this bike.

We’re on! Me and my beemer, that is...

So yes, daaa, da, daa, dadaaam! From now on this has all the reasons to turn from the rather stale, new post once in a blue moon blog, into a true lively motorcycle travel journal. We’ll see how well I’ll be doing with it over the following weeks... While on the blog written in Romanian I will try to put into words more personal and general in nature thoughts spurred by this trip, in this one I will have more of a factual approach, consistent with the more pragmatic Anglo-Saxon reader...

I left Bucharest on the 15th of May heading towards what should be an inspiring European tour. But if you read the previous posts you probably know by now the initial “blueprint” of this journey.

As a short introduction, here are some of the bike preps I made before departure:
- BMW GS Vario top-case and side panniers. Too early to comment on strength or reliability but unexpectedly crap key barrels. For what the GS12 stands for and for how much the bike itself and everything for it costs, BMW should show more German interest for quality, because if a part, no matter how small can ruin a trip by braking, deserves as much attention as the frame or the engine. So, for now I hope a bit of light lubricant will do the trick...
- Touratech windshield extension – worth every penny. The x-tra 7-8 cm in height work wonders in reducing wind noise and turbulence, at least for my height and riding position.
- Cylinder heads aluminum protections – good investment at least for the cosmetic damage it prevents from minor mishaps like the one I had by now: dropping the bike on stand still because forgetting to lower the side stand before leaning the bike over on it (silly, I know...)
- Although not a bike accessory, I want to make a LOUD note on how bad a 550Euro (800USD) Schuberth C2 helmet can be. How can one still trust the otherwise sound principle that the price of a (technological) object reflects the manufacturer’s effort and investments in research and development, investments translated in the end quality of the product? How can one explain the air current that blows into a C2 through the seal of the visor hard enough to make you risk safety and ride with one hand over the leaky area in order to avoid serous facial paralysis? I had a few years ago a 100Euro Airoh enduro-type full face helmet that had the same unacceptable flaw... but I had it for about 150USD so I did not suffer to much on separation... But 5 times the price on a Schuberth makes you expect if not 5 times more quality, at least the absence of major flaws. Well, in what the C2 is concerned, these expectations are in vain! And to think that BMW branded helmets are made also by Shuberth is also a tell tale sign that probably Germans are not that concerned with the quality of their products any more... shame.

And now to the epic.

I left in good spirits and touched by the surprise made by the presence of a few friends that I found standing next to my bike when I came out of the house totally unaware that someone would come to see me off. Cheers guys.

After a relaxed 100km from Bucharest to Pitesti when I first probed and nested my butt in the thicker cushion of a Baeher front saddle lent by a friend who decided for a second after-market model (thanks again Stefan), riding the new ring section of the highway around the later city, Romania appeared to me for a brief moment like a semi-decent place. Needles to say, the impression didn’t last long. Piles of filth on the side of the roads, horrific traffic control, oh no, sorry, the total absence of any traffic control whatsoever specially in the areas afflicted by the so called “works” and the ubiquitous moronic drivers, all brought me back to the usual routine of annoyment sprinkled here and there with disgust that I go through when riding in my home country.
But, with a few heavy showers on the way (if you ride a vehicle in Romania on tarmac roads in the rain it will end up looking like you crawled out of a pile of mud, yes, although you never left the asphalt) that tested the grip of the “Anaqees”, I managed to pass Deva and enter the magnificent landscape of Transylvania. The places here are so exquisitely beautiful that one almost forgets the litter on the roadside and the rather precarious state of the road surface. How on earth they manage to blow away this incredible natural potential by simultaneously failing to capitalize on it’s significant touristy potential and systematically destroying it in the meanwhile by suffocating it in filth or savagely chopping it down for lumber, will always stun me. But, by the admirable resilience of nature, the places, as I have said, still remain awesomely beautiful.

After paying way too much for what it was worth for a night’s sleep in a shabby roadside inn, where the woman in charge had the annoyed expression like she was making me a favor by accepting my money, the next day I left as early as I could for the Hungarian border. Not that I didn’t longed for a good refreshing shower, but the water (warm or cold) was barely dripping. That’s how things tend to be when accommodation alternatives are scarce...

After about another hour on a twisty and picturesque piece of road, penalized only by the poor surface quality on some bits, I was through customs and into Hungary in a blink and a few lighthearted jokes with the Hungarian customs officer.

It was already hot and the exercise of pulling documents out of the “safe” crevasse of the luggage made me even hotter and sweaty. And here I will give for the ones that might be tempted to do the same thing a strong piece of advice: DON’T VENTILATE THROUGH YOUR SLEEVES BY NOT CLOSING THE FASTENING ZIPPER OR VELCRO BANDS AT THEIR END. The funnel effect that leaving them open provokes might very well be an effective way of cooling down but also a major risk. I might well have the habit of getting accidents in pairs, as that time when riding off road with a friend in the mountains when I got both tires flat simultaneously, but this time what happened was a bit more “stingy”. As I left the zippers at the end of my jacket’s sleeves open to enjoy the breeze that was rushing in, in a matter of no more than a few minutes of riding I felt a rather sharp sting in my right forearm and then in a matter of seconds one almost as intense one in the left one. I kept on riding for another few minutes almost in disbelief. I thought I might be imagining things or that they might be a new kind of cramp, but when the burning sensation became obviously suspicious I stopped fearing the worst. And yes, my fears proved right. By taking my jacket off and turning it’s sleeves inside out I could see that my cooling system had funneled in beside the air in both of my sleeves 2 large bees that doing what every one of us in such a circumstance would have done, stung the shit out of each of my forearm. I felt sorry for the little critters as they agonizingly crawled out the sweaty sleeves leaving their needles in me. After pulling the stingy little spears out of my skin I instinctively licked the injured spots but then I had also the decency to rub them with an antiseptic wipe. None the less, at the time I write this, about 36 hours form then, the large aching lumps have shrunk leaving in their place two palm size itchy red blotches. But I don’t complain because if I would have been allergic to bee stings I could have very well gone into shock and swollen to death on the side of a Hungarian road. So, a lesson well learned: When too hot or sweaty, stop, take equipment off, relax, dry and cool off and then gear up PROPERLY and continue riding.

My first destination was Gyomaenröd where I had in plan to visit a motorcycle museum I have read about on the net. Halas, when I got to the tourist information office in the above mentioned city, I have been told that that museum closed about 2 years ago. I could not refrain asking why in such a long time no one had the common sense decency to update the internet information (it was found on an official Hungarian tourist site) as not to let silly buggers like me come all the way for a thing it’s no longer there. Fortunately the kindness of the lady at the tourist information office and the genuine charm of the place made up for the loss and I decided to stay for the rest of the day there for a good relaxing swim in the large outside pool, a good walk around the very peaceful and welcoming surroundings and few rehydrating Czech light beers... Good choice!

There is a saying that goes that Romanian people are ingenious. Well, as much as I don’t feel comfortable being part of that bunch I had a pretty good idea the other day. I pushed a bit o string inside the rubber seal of the helmet around the area where the visor rests when closed and by doing this I managed to almost stop the air flow that was leaking in and that I told you about before. Once again shame that expensive, top of the range brands like Shuberth can’t be bothered to put more effort and care in the quality of their products. That reminds me of a friend (the same who lent me the comfy saddle) that had a System 5 Shuberth/BMW helmet that he painted black because he did not like it the original white and white was the only color available at the local dealer (I remind you he is in Romania...). Not long after that he gave it away for nothing because air was blowing in when the visor was closed and he blamed himself for damaging the rubber seals by using an improper paint that might have affected the seal. Don’t worry Stefan, you did nothing wrong, Shuberth helmets suck ass and blow air (in your face) as they come from the manufacturer. The only mistake you made was paying top price for one of their products. At least you should have ridden with it before painting it as you could have spared the extra expense for the paint job and the later guilt of ruining a presumed good piece of kit. I really hope that western equipment dealers or representatives of higher profile/cost brands offer test rides for helmets as well as at least what I am concerned I will never give my money on a piece of equipment I can’t try before. And bugger to all who said on forums that Schuberth’s are good. Don’t believe what this or that tosser is saying. Trust your own judgment and ask for a test ride!

Seed under snow: Europe up-close

The first days of 2008 brought beside the disconcerting for many Dakar cancellation, on a more domestic level, over otherwise dusty (and altogether shitty) Bucharest a thick coat of snow. Better scenery as the otherwise prevailing filth was covered in white stuff but also a major draw-back. All you people riding motorcycles and living in places where it snows should know what I mean: no more riding but a lot of fantasying and sometimes even planning about future adventures, and I don’t mean that in a derogatory way. So, as a true biker, I also nurture the seed and sketch plans for this year’s “BIG ONE”. And here and now is the first time I publicly talk about it.

What I have in mind for this year is not the rather common, 2 to 3 weeks ride with a precise destination and/or route. This trip will not be about going to this or that place, but will try to represent the pursuit of a more abstract “target” as the trip itself and the acquiring of that elusive immaterial goal, will be it’s reasons to unfold. A better understanding of how people of Europe look and “feel” at closer scrutiny once the impersonal socio-demographic categories are left behind. I will try to understand more in detail how are they alike or different from my compatriots, or one among others and not in the last what can they bring and how their unique ingredients can contribute to a truly and coherently European Union. It goes without saying that the personal, human enrichment through direct experience with the people I’ll meet and situations I will encounter, will also be among the prized benefits of my endeavor.

My desire to better understand and also participate at the extent of the echo such a project might generate, in the broader process of Europe forging itself into a united and coherent structure is based on my personal investment of hope in the success of the European construction. I think that based on the joint cultural, political and economical heritage of all member states, the EU can become a necessary alternative in what the worldwide distribution of influence and power is concerned. Let me make one thing absolutely clear: I have nothing against the USA or the people of this otherwise impressive country. What I’m not particularly happy with is it’s one sided influence on the world’s evolution considering that after the collapse of the Soviet Union (thank God for that) there is no one left to bring and also have the power to back-up a different point of view to the power table. Looking ahead to the day when China is going to claim that position I strongly hope Europe would have already claimed the spot.

So, to put it in less words, I hope to see the day when Europe, as a strong and articulated union, will become a significant voice in global policy making because, beside it’s current age related weaknesses, it is fully entitled by it’s history and humanistic accomplishments to this position.

Another reason for my journey, mainly subsequent to the main one, is that I truly want to know better the part of the world I live in. I think that most of us Europeans condone a fallacious sensation that we are knowledgeable about the other countries with whom we share the old shell, now in the form of the enlarged union. Because of the rather short distances separating us, due to efficient and available means of transportation to practically everywhere within it’s borders, and of few and shallow common facts superficially spread within the popular culture about each of the member states, we maintain the illusion we know everything we need to know about Europe and our Europeans co-unionists. In this respect I want to attempt to surpass the confines of the impoverishing paradigms we operate with when it comes to our neighbors: Germans are square, Englishmen are stiff and formal, Italians are exuberant, Greeks are lazy, Scandinavians are cold, Romanians are begging or thieving gypsies, and the list could go in the same way for all the 27 member states.

Oh, but let me be reminded that this is my blog as a motorcycle rider and come back to more two wheeled matters.

In what the calendar for this trip is concerned all I know at this time is that I plan leaving hometown Bucharest mid April and go through all of the EU’s states in a bona-fide pan-EU journey. This confinement “within the EU borders” might be understood from the perspective of the previously mentioned “mission” but has other several and somehow various reasons that will come apparent as the journey progresses.

I will be traveling on my 1200GS beemer that I plan to prepare for the trip in Wien as it will be the second country in my itinerary and I have been told that the BMW people there are efficient and competent and their warehouse gorging with lots of accessories in stock, compared to the Bucharest dealer who needs to place orders for more or less every piece of kit one might need or want.

As basic equipment I have in mind the regular GS side panniers and maybe the top case, but I will decide on the later based on the amount of stuff that will pile up for the trip. I might use a PacSafe waterproof bag if it will show to accommodate my gear better.

I also have been advised on the Zumo500 as on board GPS, and after going through it’s specs I find to be a good, solid choice, and if enough people have a good impression on a product I always tend to believe that over the marketing hype.

I haven’t decided on the matter of whether personal computer hardware in the form of a laptop would be strictly necessary for the documenting of my trip, keeping in mind that I will travel within the EU where internet cafés and shops where one can transfer the content of camera memory cards onto DVDs should be readily available.

So, I’m glad I’ve put this down “on cyber-paper”, even in such a sketchy, underplanned and unrefined manner. Soon more to follow.