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Were can you find trashed roads in Europe? Were can you find trashed roads in Europe?
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Photo by Andy Miller, UK, Taking a rest, Jokulsarlon, Iceland

I haven't been everywhere...
but it's on my list!


Photo by Andy Miller, UK,
Taking a rest,
Jokulsarlon, Iceland



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  #1  
Old 30 Jul 2012
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Were can you find trashed roads in Europe?
Hi!
I'm really looking forward to a dessert adventure but i'm quite sure i have to get more experience in driving, living on the road ect ect.
I've travelled through Sweden, Denmark and Norway but none of their roads have the quality or should i say unquality that i'm out to get!

Now to the question!

Is there any country in Europe (as central as possible) there there are roads without any sorts of tarmac or compressed grave/dirt?
I'm talking about loose sand you can't nearly see the road kind of thing (for example; Mongolia, Egypt ect.
Really terrible gravelroads would do as well.
To put it simple: I'm looking for an offroad adventure!

Maybe Bosnia and hercegovina or something like that?
Or am i completly out of track?
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Old 30 Jul 2012
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Albania and Moldova have roads like that. But I think what you're really looking for is not road riding, but "offroad riding." Big difference.
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  #3  
Old 30 Jul 2012
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When you zoom into a map, there are lots of roads like this in the Italian/France Alps as well. Just got back to Finland from this years Adventure: Ilpo Juvander > Home - Day 5: Time to Some Unpaved Fun!
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  #4  
Old 30 Jul 2012
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Originally Posted by markharf View Post
Albania and Moldova have roads like that. But I think what you're really looking for is not road riding, but "offroad riding." Big difference.

If you are aware to such riding somewere in europe, please share
It would be wonderfull to get the chance to pass some small waterpasses
And really feel the adventure spirit pumping inside of you!
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Old 30 Jul 2012
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IMHO Iceland is a perfect place for training. Stick to the F-roads and you can have lot of fun. Beside funny “roads“ with lot of watercrossing you will also learn that it’s important to carry enough food and petrol (cold water is usually available).

You can also find thrashed gravelroads in Sweden and Norway but you will struggle to find long stretches. It might also be possible to use enduro and mx-tracks. Where do you live?
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Old 31 Jul 2012
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Originally Posted by AliBaba View Post
IMHO Iceland is a perfect place for training. Stick to the F-roads and you can have lot of fun. Beside funny “roads“ with lot of watercrossing you will also learn that it’s important to carry enough food and petrol (cold water is usually available).

You can also find thrashed gravelroads in Sweden and Norway but you will struggle to find long stretches. It might also be possible to use enduro and mx-tracks. Where do you live?
I've heard alot of good things about Iceland!
I'll maybe go there in the near future as i live in Sweden

We have alot of gravelroads some longer some not so long.
But it's really rare with offroad were i live. (Sundsvall, Sweden)
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Old 1 Aug 2012
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Hi,

Real desert is hard to find in Europa but some nice gravel roads are here:

Offroad fahren im Grenzgebiet Italien und Frankreich

If you want to ride sand why dont you take the ferry from france to marocco? It takes one night then you are there

Have fun, Tobi
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Old 2 Aug 2012
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DONT do Bosnia with too much offroad if you are not fromt here. There is still bunch of landmines all around. if you still want to go contact me and I'll find you a landmine maps for Bosnia and Croatia.
in Croatia near to seaside there are some hills (velebit) perfect for offroading. otherwise Albania suppost to be great for that.
You can find some good places in Slovenia as well.
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Old 3 Aug 2012
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Originally Posted by markharf View Post
Albania and Moldova have roads like that. But I think what you're really looking for is not road riding, but "offroad riding." Big difference.
+1 for Albania !!!

But they are building new roads very quickly and they will soon have a freeway, so get to Albania quickly while there is still a lot of dirt and adventure to be had!
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Old 7 Aug 2012
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Seems like Albania would be the place to be instead of Bosnia & Hercegovina ect..

Iceland is a dream aswell.

Just wait and see how the budget looks for year 2013, pretty sure it's gonna be tight when i'm hopefully going to buy a fully equipt Yamaha XT 660
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Old 7 Aug 2012
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Definitely Albania - easy to get to (ferries from Italy - Bari, Brindisi or Ancona) or travel down through the Balkans.
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Old 7 Aug 2012
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Given your location I would highly recommend Latvia, all the minor roads are gravel and the small roads sand, its also possible for you to tour around here on a small budget with a good ferry from Stockholm
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Old 18 Aug 2012
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I am surprised nobody has mentioned Ukraine - there are lots of bad roads there, and it's a big country. It's cheap and the people are very nice. The Carpathians and Crimea abound in small tracks which would be fun. There is something like desert just north of Crimea (on the mainland, in Mykolaivskiy region I think. Definitely a country worth visiting (and no visa needed these days).

There's not really any desert as such in Europe, though parts just north of Daghestan in the Caucasus are incredibly barren and devoid of population.
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Old 21 Aug 2012
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Lativa and Ukraine souns like a fine trip!
The only problem is giving the current situation between Belarus and Sweden the thought is quite terrifying to travel through there, it coulde even be dangerous.

I could take the path through Russia, Moscow.
Nevertheless it's a huge detour but a detour that maybe is worth it's extra lenght
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Old 22 Aug 2012
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The only problem is giving the current situation between Belarus and Sweden the thought is quite terrifying to travel through there, it coulde even be dangerous.
c?
Sorry, that's complete nonsense. What happens between governments is totally separate from relations between people. Especially in countries (like Belarus) where people are not fond of the regime. Please don't believe the garbage which comes out of the television.
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