European Adventure 2016 on a KTM

[Simo]

Hiya guys,

Perhaps it was an overdose of merriment or caffeine over Christmas 2014, maybe it was the imminent return to work after another great trip somewhere in Australia on my "Big Girl" (my affectionate name for my KTM) or possibly a mid-life crisis coming into play - whatever - it was time to take the plunge and realise a life-time dream to travel Europe.

Of course I could always find an excuse not to do it but something told me this was my time and so the planning began.

Where do I start? This is all foreign to me. My desire to ride the worlds best roads was high on my list as well as my love of architecture and both WWI & WWII history ... Yes - Europe it is.

After recommendations of two books John Hermanns 'The Alps and beyond" and Toby Ballentines 'Motorcycle journeys through Western Europe' I was hooked. Thanks to the input of fellow HU members on a blog (click here) http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...e-advise-80618- my desire grew even more & with my 5 month leave from work approved, I was on a roll.

Fast forward with my route done - not set in stone but done nevertheless the government red tape with exporting my bike sorted, saving finances to compensate for the abysmal currency exchange rate and the tough decision to sell my KTM 690 - my dream has progressed to the point that my bike has arrived in the UK and is waiting for me. I will arrive on May 19 and will set off in an anticlockwise tour of The UK before heading across the English Channel on a ferry to Cherbourg in France. I'll then be travelling in a clockwise direction around Europe - hopefully 5 months later returning to my starting point.


Shooting video and editing is a hobby of mine and armed with my GoPro and a camera drone, I hope to take some footage for a record of my adventure. I'm no film maker by any means but i get a kick out of experimenting with camera angles and editing ...

So if any of you guys happen to come across a guy parked under a signpost on a KTM 1190 with a look of bewilderment on his face and swearing at his GPS ... that will be me ... please say G'Day...

I have set up a Blog - Any comments will be gratefully appreciated - goodness knows I'll appreciate anyone who shows an interest when I'm sitting on the side of the road in the wet and cold - desperate for a coffee. I hope to post my adventures here as well ....either way - I'd like to say a big "thank you" to members of this site for all your help in making my dream a reality ... it's plain to see a little Christmas merriment can be a dangerous thing


The following are links to
MY BLOG SITE 'WHERESPHILSITE' https://wheresphilsite.wordpress.com/ and
MY VIDEO 'TRAILER' - to tempt your interest ...http://youtu.be/BsWwbu36vB8


Cheers Phil