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6 Jun 2016
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6 Jun 2016
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We stopped at the turn off of the SH 30 to decide if we should continue on the longer loop or take the cut off to Rubik (73 vs 133 km) . Several locals stopped to tell us to keep going and not turn off on the way they we going on the SH30. They all seemed very concerned we follow their advice. Since it was so early is the day we followed it.
 Rubik CC-25 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr
This took us up again into the hills and then along several valley.
 Rubik CC-26 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr
 Rubik CC-27 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr
 Rubik CC-28 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr
 Rubik CC-29 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr
 Rubik CC-30 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr
The hotel we had booked was in the middle of no where up a small road off of the SH 30 and along side a creek.
 Albania-4 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr
 Albania-5 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr
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6 Jun 2016
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From here we were headed south to Berat, but decided on an off road route. We are well aware of the risk of off road route in Albania, where the conditions of the roads can be very bad, but the plan was about a 20 km stretch or so we thought. The first part to Klos is paved as is the first 2 km up the side road.
 Screen Shot 2016-06-02 at 16.17.21 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr
 Berat CC by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr
 Albania-6 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr
 Albania-7 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr
 Albania-8 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr
 Berat CC-2 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr
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6 Jun 2016
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It is then unpaved and much of the time un road like. It was a challenging 8 hours to finally get back to the pavement. As usual as the road got worse, we got more tired, and the stress level increased the photo taking was abandoned. You can see how close the every 15 min SPOT dots are at times! So heer are some pics of the easy bits.
 Screen Shot 2016-06-02 at 16.19.59 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr
 Screen Shot 2016-06-02 at 16.22.11 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr
 Screen Shot 2016-06-02 at 16.22.46 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr
 Screen Shot 2016-06-02 at 16.20.21 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr
 Albania-9 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr
 Albania-10 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr
 Albania-11 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr
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6 Jun 2016
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The initial part was up over a mountain pass and then down across a bridge into a small village. We met this herdsman who actually spoke English very well.
 Berat CC-6 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr
 Berat CC-7 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr
 Berat CC-8 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr
 Berat CC-9 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr
 Berat CC-11 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr
 Berat CC-13 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr
 Berat CC-14 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr
 Berat CC-16 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr
 Berat CC-17 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr
 Berat CC-19 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr
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6 Jun 2016
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In the base of several of the valleys the route was more like a river bed and there were a number of water crossings.
 Berat CC-23 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr
 Berat CC-24 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr
 Berat CC-25 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr
There were some pretty steep and rocky up and downs and a lot of switch backs.
 Berat CC-27 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr
 Berat CC-28 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr
 Berat CC-29 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr
 Berat CC-31 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr
 Berat CC-32 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr
 Albania-13 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr
 Albania-14 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr
 Albania by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr
This is the only other vehicle we saw and this is 5 hours in.
 Berat CC-33 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr
 Berat CC-34 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr
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6 Jun 2016
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These bunkers are located all over Albania. There is a great article done by Merlin and Rebecca Merlin and Rebecca: The Concrete Pillboxes of Albania
“Over 700,000 bunkers in Albania were constructed during the nearly forty-year rule of Enver Hoxha – one for every four inhabitants. The bunkers are still a ubiquitous sight in Albania, with an average of 24 bunkers for every square kilometre of the country.
Hoxha's programme of "bunkerisation" resulted in the construction of bunkers in every corner of the then People's Socialist Republic of Albania, ranging from mountain passes to city streets. They had little military value[citation needed] and were never used for their intended purpose during the years of Communist rule (1945–1990). The cost of constructing them was a drain on Albania's resources, diverting them away from more pressing needs, such as dealing with the country's housing shortage and poor roads.
The bunkers were abandoned following the collapse of communism in 1990. Most are now derelict, though some have been reused for a variety of purposes including residential accommodation, cafés, storehouses and shelters for animals or the homeless. A few briefly saw use in the Balkan conflicts of the 1990s.”
 Albania-15 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr
Here is one from the south.
 Berat-8 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr
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6 Jun 2016
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At about 6 hours in it started to poor and luckily we came upon a village soon after. Here we took shelter under some trees, but we were soon asked into a grocery shop for shelter. Here the family gave us cold drinks, peaches, and walnuts from their tree while we waited the worst of the downpour out. We stayed about 45 min, but as we still have a long way to go we headed out again.
 Albania-3 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr
 Albania-2 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr
Lulu did have a few dirt naps today.
 Berat CC-36 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr
 Berat CC-37 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr
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6 Jun 2016
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We came to this cross road and after scouting both routes they were both really technical. We went back to the last settlement. We stopped again to ask these kids for direction and again they spoke English well. We had missed the turn on the “road” since it did not look very road like.
 Berat CC-38 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr
 Berat CC-39 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr
The route then was across a river bed for a km or so, but at least we finally saw vehicles!!
 Berat CC-40 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr
 Berat CC-41 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr
 Berat CC-42 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr
 Berat CC-43 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr
After this the last half hour finally the route was like a road and we could make some time. We hit the SH 61 finally for a maintained gravel road.
 Berat CC-44 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr
 Berat CC-45 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr
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6 Jun 2016
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This brought us to the capital Tirana at about 730 pm. At this round about we were in the left lane and about 3 minutes later we were pulled over by an unmarked police car. This would be the first time in 4 years. He cut Dan off to force him over3 lanes and could have caused an accident. This was all just to warn us that in Albania motorcycles are not allowed to drive in the left lane. Hard to know since there are almost no motorbikes or scooters in this country.
 Berat CC-46 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr
We then still had 123 Km to go to get to Berat on the highway.
 Screen Shot 2016-06-02 at 16.18.17 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr
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7 Jun 2016
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We arrived here after dark and had to get directions to the hotel since the GPS was telling us to drive up a stairway on a path. The hotel is actually inside the walled hill top Castle of Berat. This is up a brick road and into the walled city. Here we were warmly greeted out on the road by the owners, who had begun to worry about us since we arrived so late. They had heard the motor coming up the hill and came out to make sure we found the way in the dark. We felt so grateful for the family of Bora, Leo, Xeno, and Klea for taking such wonderful care of us. We were so exhausted we stayed 2 nights.
 Berat-4 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr
 Berat-3 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr
We rested most of the day but did take time to tour the small old city and the museum and take a walk down into the city to see some of the churches and mosques.
 Berat by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr
 Berat by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr
 Berat-2 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr
 Berat-2 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr
 Berat-3 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr
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7 Jun 2016
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We headed this morning out of the castle walls and then cross country to the city of Fier. Nearby is the ancient city of Apollonia, which was a very important place in the past.
 Screen Shot 2016-06-03 at 20.12.58 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr
 Sarande CC by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr
 Sarande CC-9 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr
 Apollonia-7 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr
 Berat-7 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flick
 Berat-6 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr
 Berat-5 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr
Last edited by saralou; 8 Jun 2016 at 18:54.
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7 Jun 2016
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Last edited by saralou; 8 Jun 2016 at 18:56.
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7 Jun 2016
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From there we are going to the coast and down the scenic SH8. Some of this is thru the Kombetar Llogara National Park. (Goggle will not route thru from Ducat to Dhermi in the park). The road climbs up and down the mountain over numerous switchbacks.
 Screen Shot 2016-06-03 at 20.14.27 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr
From the top you have a view of the southern Albanian coast and the Greek island of Corfu. We ended the day in the beach side town of Sarande.
 Screen Shot 2016-06-03 at 20.13.57 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr
 Sarande CC-8 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flick
 Meteora by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr
 Sarande CC-7 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr
 Sarande CC-6 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr
 Sarande CC-5 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr
 Sarande CC-4 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr
 Sarande CC-3 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr
 Sarande CC-2 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr
 Sarande by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr
Last edited by saralou; 9 Jun 2016 at 20:04.
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Check the RAW segments; Grant, your HU host is on every month!
Episodes below to listen to while you, err, pretend to do something or other...
2020 Edition of Chris Scott's Adventure Motorcycling Handbook.
"Ultimate global guide for red-blooded bikers planning overseas exploration. Covers choice & preparation of best bike, shipping overseas, baggage design, riding techniques, travel health, visas, documentation, safety and useful addresses." Recommended. (Grant)
Ripcord Rescue Travel Insurance™ combines into a single integrated program the best evacuation and rescue with the premier travel insurance coverages designed for adventurers.
Led by special operations veterans, Stanford Medicine affiliated physicians, paramedics and other travel experts, Ripcord is perfect for adventure seekers, climbers, skiers, sports enthusiasts, hunters, international travelers, humanitarian efforts, expeditions and more.
Ripcord travel protection is now available for ALL nationalities, and travel is covered on motorcycles of all sizes!
What others say about HU...
"This site is the BIBLE for international bike travelers." Greg, Australia
"Thank you! The web site, The travels, The insight, The inspiration, Everything, just thanks." Colin, UK
"My friend and I are planning a trip from Singapore to England... We found (the HU) site invaluable as an aid to planning and have based a lot of our purchases (bikes, riding gear, etc.) on what we have learned from this site." Phil, Australia
"I for one always had an adventurous spirit, but you and Susan lit the fire for my trip and I'll be forever grateful for what you two do to inspire others to just do it." Brent, USA
"Your website is a mecca of valuable information and the (video) series is informative, entertaining, and inspiring!" Jennifer, Canada
"Your worldwide organisation and events are the Go To places to for all serious touring and aspiring touring bikers." Trevor, South Africa
"This is the answer to all my questions." Haydn, Australia
"Keep going the excellent work you are doing for Horizons Unlimited - I love it!" Thomas, Germany
Lots more comments here!
Diaries of a compulsive traveller
by Graham Field
Book, eBook, Audiobook
"A compelling, honest, inspiring and entertaining writing style with a built-in feel-good factor" Get them NOW from the authors' website and Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Amazon.co.uk.
Back Road Map Books and Backroad GPS Maps for all of Canada - a must have!
New to Horizons Unlimited?
New to motorcycle travelling? New to the HU site? Confused? Too many options? It's really very simple - just 4 easy steps!
Horizons Unlimited was founded in 1997 by Grant and Susan Johnson following their journey around the world on a BMW R80G/S.
Read more about Grant & Susan's story
Membership - help keep us going!
Horizons Unlimited is not a big multi-national company, just two people who love motorcycle travel and have grown what started as a hobby in 1997 into a full time job (usually 8-10 hours per day and 7 days a week) and a labour of love. To keep it going and a roof over our heads, we run events all over the world with the help of volunteers; we sell inspirational and informative DVDs; we have a few selected advertisers; and we make a small amount from memberships.
You don't have to be a Member to come to an HU meeting, access the website, or ask questions on the HUBB. What you get for your membership contribution is our sincere gratitude, good karma and knowing that you're helping to keep the motorcycle travel dream alive. Contributing Members and Gold Members do get additional features on the HUBB. Here's a list of all the Member benefits on the HUBB.
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helps answer the question - Why Go? Inspirational stories by veteran travellers Greg Frazier (5 times RTW), Peter and Kay Forwood (193 countries), Tiffany Coates (Mongolia Mayhem) and Rene Cormier (University of Gravel Roads).
Get Ready! covers planning, paperwork, medical and many other topics! "Inspirational and Awesome!" See the trailer here!
What stuff do I need - riding gear, clothing, camping gear, first aid kit, tires, maps and GPS? What don't I need? How do I pack it all in? Lots of opinions from over 150 travellers!
break down language barriers, overcome culture shock, ship the bike and deal with breakdowns and emergencies."Just makes me want to pack up and go!" See the trailer here!
Grant demystifies the black art of Tire Changing and Repair to help you STAY on the road! "Very informative and practical." See the trailer here!
Ladies on the Loose! For the first time ever, a motorcycle travel DVD made for women, by women! These intrepid women share their tips to help you plan your own motorcycle adventure. They also answer the women-only questions, and entertain you with amazing tales from the road! Presented by Lois Pryce, veteran solo traveller through South America and Africa and author of 'Lois on the Loose', and 'Red Tape and White Knuckles.'
Cotton or synth sweat-wicking t-shirts with the cool Horizons Unlimited graphic on the front and a snappy slogan (changing every year) on the back.
Show your route on your panniers. Great conversation starter when you meet people on the road!
Motorcycle and travel books to inspire and inform you!
The definitive guide to planning your motorcycle adventure! This insanely ambitious 2-year project has produced an informative and entertaining 5-part, 18 hour video series. "The ultimate round the world rider's how-to!" MCN UK.
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