The Route

Planning The Route

I started off by printing off a map of Europe that clearly showed the mountains.  I really wanted to avoid mountains on my trip. It's the beginning of April. Think lots of snow, lots of ice, long steep climbs - and then think Honda C90.  I've avoided all motorways and major highways. I'll leave them to the BMWs and big tourers. This is a tiny adventure on a tiny bike so it's the back roads for me (mostly).  I'm taking it slow and hopefully I'll get to see a bit more of the world as I pass through. Have you read Robert Persig's 'Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance' yet?  Well that's more of my approach here - with a bit less waffle but probably a bit more maintenance. 

So here's the map with a rough line showing where I've planned to go - avoiding the lumpy, cold bits.

I next started marking blobs about every 150 miles - as much as I felt comfortable doing each day on back roads on a Honda Cub.  These were to become my planned stopovers (marked as a red blob).

The Route

Here's what I've PLANNED for each day... Let's see what actually happens!

April 1: Fishguard (Wales) to Banbury - 202 miles

April 2: Banbury to Eurotunnel - 151 miles


            

April 2: Eurotunnel to 'Le Grand Grevelot', Calais (France) - 3 miles



                                                

April 3: Calais to Fechain (Cambrai) - 99 miles

April 4:  Fechain to Verdun - 144 miles

April 5: Verdun to Offenburg (Germany) - 149 miles

April 6: Offenburg to Augsburg - 184 miles

April 7: Augsburg to Wasserburg am Inn - 137 miles

April 8:    Wasserburg to  Spital am Pyhrn, (Austria) - 152 miles

April 9:  Spital am Pyhrn to Maribor (Slovenia) -149 miles

April 10: Maribor to Rijeka (Croatia) - 132 miles

April 11: Rijeka to Starigrad - 111 miles

April 12:  Starigrad to Makarska (Croatia) - 139 miles

April 13:  Makarska to Orosak, Dubrovnik (passing through Bosnia & Herzegovina) - 95 miles

April 14: Orosak to  Podgorica (Montenegro) - 110 miles

April 15:  Podgorica to Golem (Albania) 121 miles

April 16:  Golem to Himare - 118 miles

April 17:  Himare to Plataria (Greece) 84 miles

April 18: Plataria to Antirrio - 162 miles

April 19:  Antirrio to Delphi - 63 miles.

April 20: Delphi to Athens - 103 miles

April 21: Athens to Rachon, Stylida - 177 miles.   Having a day off travelling here.

April 23: Stylida to Litochoro - 77 miles

This is where I've arranged to meet Sian and we'll have a week's holiday together - Yay!

May 1:  Litochoro to Thessaloniki - 77 miles

May 2: Thessaloniki to Petrich (Bulgaria) - 96 miles

May 3: Petrich to Sapareva banya - 79 miles

May 4: Sapareva banya to Berkovitsa - 106 miles

May 5: Berkovitsa to Calafat (Romania) - 80 miles

May 6: Calafat to Baile Herculane - 90 miles

May 7:  Baile Herculane to Timisoara - 109 miles

May 8: Timisoara to Mako (Hungary) - 56 miles

May 9: Mako to Budapest - 129 miles

May 10: Budapest to Vienna (Austria) via Slovakia - 164 miles

May 11: Vienna to Linz - 118 miles

May 12: Linz to Passau (Germany) - 63 miles

May 13: Passau to Neuberg an der Donau - 116 miles

May 14: Neuburg to Freudenstadt - 174 miles

May 15: Freudenstadt to Metz (France) - 140 miles

May 16: Metz to Charleville Mezierres - 94 miles

May 17: Charleville Mezieres to Cambrai - 88 miles

May 18: Cambrai to Calais - 91 miles

Now I have a few free days to go where I please.  Possibly I'll head up into Belgium or the Netherlands - I have no idea.

May 21: Eurotunnel crossing then head back to Banbury - 157 miles

May 22: (or maybe 23): Banbury to Fishguard - 203 miles.