Announcements

**CaperMike** · #1 24 Apr 2014

We are excited to become reacquainted with our two Suzuki V-Stroms near Heidelberg Germany where they are stored at Knopf Tours. For this trip, though, we are going two-up on the blue one. We are selling the redone. We will pick up the bike on April 23 for our 4th European tour. We intend to tour parts of Italy, Greece,Turkey, Bulgaria and Macedonia. The previous three tours can be found at:
http://2seniorsonabike.blogspot.comincluded parts of England, Spain, Morocco, France, Andora, Switzerlandand Germany

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hubb/ride-tales/eastern-europe-two-v-stroms-59213 includedparts of Czech republic, Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, Montenegro, Albania,Bosnia, Greece and Italy

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hubb/ride-tales/two-v-stroms-scandinavia-mike-64336included parts of Sweden, Norway, Finland, Russia, Latvia, Estonia andLithuania.

We intend to leave Heidelberg Germany on April 24, going first to Crazy Ludwig’s Castle, then to catch the Anek ferry to Greece. We’ll tour Athens and nearby, spend some time in the Greek Islands, then to the Turkish mainland. Our itinerary includes Cappadocia http://www.cappadociaturkey.net, possibly Goblekli Tepe, Istanbul and whatever else suits our fancy. Then to Bulgaria, Macedonia and then a ferryback to Italy. We will catch the Horizons meeting in Heidelberg on May 29 before heading back home to Selah Washington.

We intend to learn some history on this trip. We are not historians, we just believe that travel and history help us to have a better understanding of the people of theworld. And what better way to see it but on a motorcycle.

Before we start our motorcycle trip, we have a car trip planned which includes a visit to see Uwa and Martha, whom we met on the ferryto Oslo on our last motorcycle trip to Scandinavia, Russia and the Balkans. We enjoyed our travels with them through the mountains to Bergen, Sweden.

Before our motorcycle trip, we are taking a car trip. Our car route also includes Ypres (Ieper)Belgium, Normandy France, and Luxembourg.

Here is our intended route:

**CaperMike** · #2 24 Apr 2014

The map shows us driving down the coast of Italy. In reality we are taking the ferry form Venice to Patras.

Two V-stroms to Turkey and Bulgaria (less one) from Germany – Mike and Beverly-map-april-2014.jpg

**Mehmet Zeki Avar** · #3 24 Apr 2014

Merhaba,

Göbeklitepe means you have great interest for history of humanity.
As you may know, thats the area where first temple has been built 12.ooo years ago (older than pyramids) just 15 km. east of şanlıurfa city..(city of prophets,famous with kebabs, dishes and traditional musical entertainment also)
German professor Klaus Schmidt is always there.

I think you must not miss gaziantep archeological museum,zeugma mosaics and of course mount nemrut while you are in this area..Even you can make kemaliye,(stone road,dark valley) and Kangal (fish teraphy,kangal dog farms) on the way back to west.

Wish you all the best for safe and happy trips.

**CaperMike** · #4 29 Apr 2014

April 12 - 15
We were well looked after by our hosts, Uwa and Martha, near Sundern.They gave us a tour of many of the sites in the North Rhine – Westphalia. Our B&B was in Stockum where we stayed 3 nights.

We spent an enjoyable evening getting to know the rest of the family. We also spent a bit of time looking at photos and and reminiscing about our last motorcycle trip where we travelled together for a few days.The highlights of our visit with Uwa and Martha also included driving through the countryside seeing the villages, castle, the Kloster Brunnen monestary, farms and yellow rapeseed patches, the ski hill, hiking, visiting their sailing club, Segler Club Amecke (Uwa is the president), the Mohne Dam and Reservoir, the Atta-Hohle cave with stalagtites and stalagmites in Attendorn. We are looking forward to them visiting us in Washington State in the future.

**CaperMike** · #5 1 May 2014

April 15 Tuesday

Although we are still finalizing some plans for the trip to Turkey, we won't pick up bikes until April 22. So to skip our history tour, jump to the 22nd.

Having said our goodbyes to Uwa and Martha, (our Kiel Germany to Bergen Norway motorcycle buddies) in Northern Germany, we started on our war history part of our trip.We stopped in Aachen to visit the Cathedral of Charlemagne (Charles the Great). We sure wish we had a deeper understanding and knowledge of history including the events and the various perceptions of those events. And the story of Charlemagne is no exception for variations in perception. For a thousand years, it was prince against prince and the Emperor against the Pope, all struggling for predominance. Charlemagne, crowned king of the Franks in 771 and ruled over the largest European empire which included much of present-day France, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, Austria, Poland and Italy. He embodied the desire of rulers since the Roman Empire to be powerful like Caesar. Though the kingdom was united Charlemagne as emperor, it consisted of a complex of feudal German states at various stages of barbarism. When Charlemagne died, he split the kingdom up between his sons along some natural divides; East of the Rhine spoke German and West of the Rhine they spoke what was to become French.There was a struggle for dominance while an antagonism steadily deepened between the French and Germans.

The Cathedral contains a shrine of Charlemagne’s remains including 94 of his bones in the shrine.The Cathedral has been rebuilt many times and today the only original parts are the columns, the railings and the King’s throne.Since 1349, famous relics from Christ are displayed every seven years during the Aachen pilgrimage. (next one is in June of this year)The relics include a diaper from Jesus, the loin cloth of Jesus, the decapitation cloth of St. Paul, and the cloak of the virgin.

**CaperMike** · #6 2 May 2014

After rush hour traffic around Brussels we arrived in Ypres (Ieper) around 8PM. We stayed at the Fresco Bed and Breakfast owned by Eric and Rosalita. We walked to the square, about a 30 minute walk and had some dinner.We found the Menin Gate where Leo A. Green, a relative of Mike’s uncle, is listed along with over 50,000 other soldier names as missing in the WWI fighting near Ieper and Flanders field.Of the nearly 10 million killed during the war, more than 550,000 perished at Flanders.

It seems unfathomable that so many countries could have willingly engaged in such a conflict.It was all out of proportion to the issues involved.But since the time of Charlemagne, tensions continued between France and Germany.France, the weaker of the two at this time, allied herself with Russia to compensate.Germany was closely linked with Austria.When a Serb killed an Austrian prince in 1914, Germany lashed out at France starting the war.And then the countries lined up on one side or the other with the US entering the war in 1917.

As HG Wells said, “It is not within the scope of this history to define the exact share of blame for this vast catastrophe.The more interesting question is not why the Great War was begun but why the Great War was not anticipated and prevented.It is a far graver thing for mankind that scores of millions of people were too “patriotic,” stupid, or apathetic to prevent this disaster by a movement towards European unity upon frank and generous lines, than that a small number of people may have been active in bringing it about.”

The next morning, we walked back to the square to see the Menin gate and the square during the daylight and to visit the In Flanders Field Museum.We also went to the Canadian St. Julien Memorial and the Tyn Cot cemetery.We stayed another evening in Ieper at the Fresco B&B.

We stopped at the grocery store to pick up a bottle of wine.The man who picked out the wine for us has a girlfriend in Kiev.He said,“Belgium won’t let her into the country because they are stupid and think she is a hooker.”We had a nice chat with the man and the wine was nice.

**CaperMike** · #7 2 May 2014

April 17
After saying our goodbyes to Eric and Rosita, we headed for Normandy for our WWII history experience.Our first stop was Dieppe, the site of an allied attack on the port by Canadian troops.History tells us that this invasion attempt was an attempt to figure out what would work best for the planned D-day invasion in WWII.The methods in Dieppe were unsuccessful and thousands of Canadians were slaughtered. It was an expensive information gathering project. Dieppe was also the home port for William the Conqueror.
Later that day we drove to Dives-Sur-Mer which is the Northern beginning of the Normandy WWII historical area. We stayed at the Ibis hotel, drove a short way into town where we walked around, had dinner, and visited the casino. We went to the famous Grand Hotel, a throwback to the travelling of the rich and famous. The host there thought the men’s bathroom was the highlight of the attached casino and wanted Beverly to go see it -- which she did and took a picture.
April 18
In the morning, we visited the town again to walk the beach, then we drove to Arromanches to see the main D-Day museum.The museum recalls the whole D-Day operation and how the Allies built a port in Arromanches, near Omaha Beach, to bring in supplies for the European campaign.Pieces of the port still remain. We stayed at the la Marine hotel overlooking the beach.
Pictures:
1. Mike at Dieppe port
2. Beverly enjoying the afternoon sun in Dieppe
3. Mike at the casino in the Grand Hotel in Dives Su Mer
4. The Men's toilet at the casino
5. Beverly at Normandy Beach
6. Normandy Beach map
7. Mike outside Grand Hotel
8. Port mock up from museum

**CaperMike** · #8 3 May 2014

We left the La Marine hotel and headed to the D-day museum.Gulliam, our guide, told the stories of some of the lives of those who were killed.Including Turner Turnbull who was American Indian.He always wanted to be a pilot.Though he never became the pilot he always wanted to be, he became a parachutist with the 82nd airborne and during a paratrooper maneuver, he was shot.After being mended in the hospital, he was told he could return home.He chose to stay and fight for his country.He later was killed in action.

We walked down to the beach.On this beach, the bunkers of the German machine guns remain.On June 6 1944, the bombers of allied force D-day operation called Operation Overlord, were supposed to take out the machine guns but the weather was bad and there was a cloud cover causing their strike to be inaccurate.The bombs dropped behind the line leaving the troops landing on the beach exposed.The German’s eventually did surrender when they ran out of ammunition.
We went to the Canadian cemetery and found the registry thatLauchie Demas Beaton was buried there.6th Armd. Regt. 1st Hussars, R.C.A.C.11 June1944 Age 26.Son of John and Annie Laura Beaton, of Skye Glen, Inverness Co., Nova Scotia.Grave Reference:VII G. 1.Possibly a relative of Mike?

Turner Turnbull grave
Guilliam, our guide, and Mike
Mike at the Normandy D-day landing
Beverly at the Normandy D-day landing
A Beaton grave at the Canadian cemetery
Gravestones at the Canadian cemetery

**CaperMike** · #9 4 May 2014

Three days until we pick up the bike.
After Normandy, we decided that Versailles would be our next destination since we had both been to Paris.We stayed at the Cheval Rouge, 1 block from the market.We walked to the palace of King Louis XIV.
King Louis XIV became king when he was 5 years old and he ruled for 72 years.Many refer to him as the most successful of all European Kings – the Grand Monarque from 1643 - 1715His palace is representative of the excesses of his rule.The splendor of the palace, with its gardens, fountains and parks were admired by the world.Other Kings in Europe would try to imitate him by building their own Versailles – with the taxes that could be collected from his subjects.People began to desire the elaborate and luxurious.The arts flourished.People wore powdered wigs and silk.And the people watched Louis most of all – knowing what they were paying for with their taxes.A clear example of the haves and the have-nots.
After the Palace walk, we went out to dinner and ordered chicken skewers and caprese salad. Instead, we got ½ a chicken and something with bacon and greens.We could have been stressed about it but we took a deep breath and dug into our meal.It was good.It is not an uncommonexperience for us to not get what we think we are orderingbut this time it wasn’t even a language barrier because Mike speaks French.We laughed about the adventure of it.A good meal it was.

**CaperMike** · #10 5 May 2014

LUXUMBOURG

Sunday April 20

In the morning, we walked the one block to the market and bought some pastries and candy (we’ve been so good so far and we finally broke down). We people-watched while we had breakfast. After packing up and saying goodbye to the Cheval Rouge hotel, we headed for Luxembourg.

Before we left, Mike got a hotel in Luxembourg on lastminute.com where you agree to pay for a certain amount for a certain level room without knowing which hotel it is. We said, what the hell, lets see what happens. We ended up going to the Sofitel, a 5 star luxury business hotel at ¼ - 1/3 the usual cost of a room. It sits amidst modern unnamed high rises. Definitely, not our agenda for this trip – but who’s complaining. We tried to extend our stay for an additional night but they wouldn’t extend the rate. So Mike just got back on the website and booked another unknown room. It turned out to be the same hotel. They didn’t make us move. We walked to town, had dinner in the square and walked back.

Monday April 21

We walked to town again and then walked the trails into the valley noticing the walls of city fortress. Siegfried of Luxembourg (922-998)built a fortress and a town grew up around the castle. Since the Second World War, Luxembourg has become one of the world's richest countries, buoyed by a booming financial services sector, political stability, and European integration. It currently has the highest per capita GDP in the world.

We walked in the sun to the Grund and had a

on the deck of a café – sitting in the sun. We took the elevator back to the top instead of walking up the hill. We didn’t get back to the hotel until after dinner. What a beautiful day.

1. Five star business class room at the Sofitel
2. Lobby
3. Out to dinner in Luxumbourg
4. Beverly in the square
5. Symphony Hall
6. Old town in the Valley – where the Grund is
7. Mike at the castle wall

**CaperMike** · #11 5 May 2014

Tuesday – Thursday April 22-24

April 22
Time to pick up our motorcycle and drop off the car. We left Luxembourg early for Heidelberg.We stopped at Knopf tours – where we keep our bikes. Stephen had them both out and all charged up. We had stayed at the B&B so many times, it seemed like old home. But this time we checked into the Heidelberg hotel where we previously stayed on April 11.We picked up the blue bike to take it to the shop for some work. We are using only the blue one for this trip. -- going two-up. Mike replaced the sprockets on a previous trip but didn’t have the tool to replace the chain. We took it to the Ducati shop for the work. They also replaced the Kouba lowering links (so I didn’t have to be on tip-toes) with the original ones for our two-up trip.We left the bike at the shop overnight.

We stopped by to have dinner at the train station where we had eaten several times but it was closed for remodeling for 2 months. We talked about the first time we arrived here several years ago; the layout of European towns was so unfamiliar to us that we didn’t even know we were in a town. Now we know our way around. We ended up having a fabulous dinner in the restaurant in our hotel. Hotel Heidelberg

WednesdayApril 23
We had to take the car to the shipping company in Frankfurt.We stopped by Knopf tours to pick up one of the bikes (the red one). Mike drove one of the bikes and Beverly drove the car. We both returned to Heidelberg two-up. We took the bike to the car wash so it would look nice for Drew who is coming from Denmark this weekend to pick it up.It was sold to him and we do have a little bit of seller’s remorse. We love these bikes.

We picked up the blue bike at the Ducati shop but not before we admired all the Ducati bikes and they served us some Italian Espresso. When we left the shop, we were on two bikes. It has been a while since Beverly has ridden and she liked getting back in the saddle. We ate outside at a nice Italian restaurant in the beautiful weather before driving back to our hotel.

Thursday April 24
Mike fixed the kick-stand switch on the Red Bike and he fixed up the communication systems.We took all the things we were not taking with us over to Stephan’s at Knopf Tours. We stopped and talked with Stephan and Ira for a while.They tempted us with an upcoming trip to South Africa.We packed and made sure everything would fit on the bike.

We have gotten a lot better at deciding the priority of what to take with us. For our almost 6 week trip we are packed in the panniers, a top box and a tank bag. Included is a SLR camera, monopod, and 2 computers. And we still have room to carry water, wine and food.

Dropping off car in Frankfurt
2-up on the bike now
But first, lunch in the parking lot
Traffic light by the hotel in Heidelberg
Traffic light by the hotel in Heidelberg
Bikes at Knopf Tours
Red bike ready to sell

**CaperMike** · #12 5 May 2014

Friday April 25

We left about 10:30 to begin traveling by motorcycle. Fussen was on our agenda so we could visit King Ludwig’s castles. Ludwig and his brother Otto grew up in one of the castles with King Maximillian and Queen Mary. Both castles are in the same beautiful setting in the Alps.After his father’s death in Ludwig became King. Ludwig was obsessed with religion, building castles, and Wagner the German composer. He was building the “New Castle” for 17 years and had another castle on the drawing board. I guess he was bankrupting the state of Bavaria. The state declared him mentally incompetent and took committed him. A day later hi mysteriously drowned. The state still owns the castle. It is the most frequently visited site in Germany, but we had to see it.`

After arriving in Fussen, we went to the castles.We had reservations for the next day, but we just wanted to see them.We were able to get a ticket to go to one of them in one hour. Since it was a short walk up the hill, that was perfect,except for the weather:pouring rain, hail and lightening.We walked the mile up the hill anyway only to find out that we were at the wrong castle. Since they are owned by different people, we couldn’t exchange the tickets.We bought tickets for the castle we were at and toured it.Mike got soaked.The so-called rain jacket that packs so small wasn’t a rain jacket at all.

We went back to our hotel, had a nice dinner and turned in for the evening.As in so many places, we were tempted to stay another night.The area was gorgeous.But we had 420 miles to go to the ferry in Venice and only one more day to get there.

View from our hotel window
Beverly and Ludwigs castle – also some wedding pics in background
Mike and the castle
We parked to go visit the castle
The other castle
Beverly at the castle

**CaperMike** · #13 5 May 2014

Saturday April 26

We hoped we could see the other castle before we left Fussen and we hoped to not have to buy another ticket to see it. There are signs all over the place indicating that there are no refunds. We bypassed the ticket office with a 2-hour line and went directly to the castle. We were grateful that the man at the ticket gate understood our story and dilemma and had a spot for us with an English tour in 10 minutes.

With castle tours completed, we stopped to get a bite to eat, look at the maps and decide what route and how far we wanted to go on our journey to Venice. While at the restaurant, we started talking with another couple who has traveled quite extensively, including Turkey. We got a few pointers from them.Meeting interesting people is one of our goals but the delay changed our options for the day. The vistas going through the Alps are amazing. Just like the other times we have gone through the Alps.

Beverly took pictures over one portion of the trip -- an new awe inspiring picture opportunhity around every corner. After a traffic delay in the Alps we got as far as Verona at about 7PM, which is about an hour outside of Venice, and observed a rain storm with dark ominous clouds with lightening hanging over the sky between us and Venice.We decided to stay in Verona at the Ibis and avoid the rain.It started raining as soon as we parked.

Scenery on the road
Going through the tunnel
Scenery on the road
Scenery on the road
Scenery on the road

**CaperMike** · #14 5 May 2014

Sunday – Monday April 27-28

We were up early to drive the hour to Venice. The ferry terminal is not on the island where it was last time we were here. People have said it is difficult to find the terminal since it moved to the mainland. Although the GPS does not have the address for the terminal, Mike entered the coordinates and it led us directly to the terminal. We arrived at 9AM for a 12:00 sailing and there was already a significant line forming. It poured rain for a short while after we arrived but we were parked under the eave of the building.

We really wanted to get a room on the ferry but after everyone checked in, there were no rooms. Beverly watched the choreography of loading trucks.The truck traffic director spins his hand around to tell the truckers what way to turn their steering wheel. If they do what the director says, they can parallel park the big trucks in one try. The ferry departed an hour late at 1PM because many of the drivers didn’t perform as the director indicated.

Monday April 28
What a long evening.We sat in the room with airplane seats which, on this ferry, included banks of 4 seats where the arms could be lifted. Everyone trying to catch a few winks.The room wasn’t full so many people, including Beverly, got to spread out over several seats.

We spent the next day talking to travelers:

Guido from Switzerland on his way to Iran, who is traveling on his 3-wheel custom bike wants to stick his finger in the Caspian sea and go on one of the most dangerous roads in the world.

Carole from Australia is traveling by herself, recreating the pilgrimage to Israel which occurred during the medieval time.She is getting her PHD in history and English and will document her travels.

Mike (other Mike) is traveling on a motorcycle to…well, he will figure it out as he goes.

Mela and her husband with their two children Anika 5 (today is her birthday) and Erik 3.Mother rides her own bike and father rides a 3-wheeler with the two kids.They live in Sweden but are from Germany.They plan on a 2-month trip but they haven’t traveled for a long period with the kids before so they will see how it goes.

The ferrys are a place we often meet people and sometimes even form lasting friendships.On our trip down the Dalmation coast, we rode the opposite way (from Greece to Venice) on this same ferry.As we thought back on that trip, we realized that we spent almost the entire time in our cabin after having had such a tiring and exciting trip trying to get to Corfu before we had to catch the ferry.We didn’t meet anyone.

The ferry got into Patros at midnight. We were on the ferry for 38 hours. Our home the ferry – airplane seats
Where we parked on the ferry
Carol, Other Mike, Mike Guido
Trucks on the ferry
Coming into Pireaus port on the ferry
Bikes parked on the ferry deck
German Family from Sweden Mela and her husband with their children Anika Erik waiting to get their bike
Guido leaving on the three wheeler
Family leaving on their three wheeler

**CaperMike** · #15 6 May 2014

April 28 - 29
After our 38 hour ferry ride from Venice to Patras, we found the Olympic Star hotel for the rest of the evening near the ferry .
In the morning on the 29th, we droveto Piraeus.The road trip from Patras to Piraeus was not far – only 120 miles.We took the backroads most of the way.At lunchtime, we turned on non-descript road towards the water and found a restaurant where we enjoyed our first Greek food.Yum.We ordered way too much to eat.
After arriving at our hotel, the Triton, we walked around the streetsbefore turning in for the evening.