ConnectingRides

2013 – 2007

2013
San Francisco Bay Area
Ride with Daniela
California
207  km, 1 day
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No business trip this time, vacation was planned on purpose. On a motorcycle with my wife riding over the Golden Gate bridge felt like a childhood dream come true.

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2012
Highway 1 and Big Sur
Solo ride
California
627  km, 1 day

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When sending me on a business trip to the US the gods of motorcycling seem to favor me. Again a motorcycle rental in walking distance from a human-factors conference venue in San Francisco. Started very early in the morning and rode down legendary Highland 1 in legendary weather. Seriously underestimated the distances… Turned the bike around much too late and arrived in the middle of night back at the hotel with a remarkably sunburned nose…

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Barcelona
Solo ride
Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, Spain, Italy
4.110 km, 9 days

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My last trip to Spain allowed me a first glimpse on the beauty of the Pyrenees. Did it again. Visited the Monastery of San Juan de la Peña where the Holy Grail was kept for protection. It wasn’t there anymore of course as it was taken by Indiana Jones to save his father. Luckily, the Cava region in Catalonia offered comparable chalices with reviving content.

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2011
Madrid
Solo ride
Germany, France, Spain
4.664 km, 10 days

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Back to Spain! This time with a better plan than just to use highways and better riding dynamics on a BMW R 1200 R Classic. Culinary adventures in France followed by spectacular Pyrenees and (re-)visiting lots of bars in Madrid.

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2010
Cornwall
Solo ride (more or less)
Germany, Belgium, France, UK
3.241 km, 6 days

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After riding mostly in the Alps, I thought “and now for something completely different”. On the day before starting my tour to Cornwall, I went to the Technical University of Munich for the annual summer party of an institute I worked with in the past. Coincidentally, my former (and later) research partner also planned to go to Cornwall with his family… Meeting there three days later for dinner and drinks was fun. Sammy Miller’s Motorcycle Museum is also a must-see! Vincents! The highlight on the way back was to meet Michael on the Euro Train on his way to Germany and join him. We drove to the Biker’s Loft in Groenedijk (www.grd.be) where you park your motorcycles in a big storage-like hall and all the hotel rooms open to that indoor parking space. Unique.  

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South Tyrol
Solo ride
Germany, Austria, Italy
971 km, 3 days

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Until 2009, I’ve only read about the legendary 48 hairpin turns of the Stelvio pass. To be honest: It took me some years and substantial improvement in riding skills until I began to like that pass. But landscape and view are spectacular anyway.

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2009
San Diego
Solo ride
California
270 km, 1 day

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Went to San Diego for a conference and was asked to stay over the weekend as the flight costs were substantially lower than. I would have agreed to a weekend there anyway – but finding out that a motorcycle rental was just around the corner really made my day. First time riding in the US!

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Italy and Slovenia
Solo ride
Germany, Austria, Italy, Slovenia
1.876 km, 5 days

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Having found out that my 2007 Triumph Bonneville with a range of only about 200 km was not the ideal long-distance bike (surprise!) I bought a 1991 BMW R 100 R in 2009. Paralever and cardan shaft, 24 liters of gas, panniers and an engine even an agricultural machinery workshop could repair without ordering original parts guarantee for smooth long-distance trips. Time to head for the beach 🙂

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Vienna
Solo ride
Germany, Austria
967 km, 2 days

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Just a quick trip to Vienna and back over a long Easter weekend. Kind of a highlight was a personal parking space right in front of the hotel in the middle of Vienna center. The hotel staff didn’t know where the next motorcycle parking was, but they were so kind to produce a very officially-looking hotel-stamped document that successfully prevented the local authorities from fining me.

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2008
South Tyrol and Austria
Solo ride
Germany, Austria, Italy
785 km, 3 days

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Joined my parents for a hiking trip in the alps and continued to ride to a friend’s wedding in Rauris, Austria. What a nice opportunity to combine Timmelsjoch, Jaufen Pass, Staller Saddle and especially the Grossglockner High Alpine Road.

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Andalusia
Solo ride
Germany, Austria, Italy, France, Spain, Switzerland
6.303 km, 10 days

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That trip has a special place in my heart. Born as just a crazy idea, I ended up riding my bike all the way down to southern Spain to meet my wife for our annual vacation. Didn’t have much riding time and almost no knowledge on tour planning, I spent far too much time on highways with several days doing more then 600km … Wouldn’t do it again like this, but I enjoyed every minute back then.

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2007
Austria
Ride with Claude
Germany, Austria
1.190 km, 3 days

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First tour together with a buddy – what an upgrade sharing the road! We met with friends in Styria and participated at a nightly traditional moon shine hiking tour in Oberhaag. Going from one Buschenschank to the next during nighttime while getting tons of home made food and local wine can be quite a challenge 😀

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1st tour South Tyrol
Solo ride
Germany, Austria, Italy
686 km, 3 days

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Very first tour with to the Dolomites on a motorcycle. Instantly got addicted.

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