Pictures and grammar corrections to Follow
The journey to Italy was as mentioned in the last chapter to be done by ferry to knock off three days of riding that I could not squeeze out of my work schedule. After a long 13 hour day across the northern portion of Greece and ending up in Igomenitsa, we boarded a ferry loading our bikes between two semi trucks along with some "bikers" we met, or should I say Bedouin met while Kathy and I slept on the benches in the terminal. Interesting story here on why one should be honest with people you meet.
Seems these two fellows and their ladies were off to Venice and parts north as well, both seemed to be kind of "uppity" bikers, you know, "I'm bad" types, but you could see clearly they were just normal shmucks who could very well have been on their first road outing if any!
Well the one fellow is going on how his bike is clean and he could never let his get as dirty as the Speedmaster. Bedouin queried the chap on how long he had the bike and he goes on about years or something such. Now I am relating the story as told to me by Bedouin as I know only five Greek phrases. As we were getting ready to load the bike on the Ferry this car pulls up and says to the fellow on his very nice bike, hey, that's my brother-in-laws bike! Look honey, there is your brothers bike he sold last week! What a small world! They clearly were not mistaken and this "rowdy" biker's world of cards tumbled before our eyes! Seems he didn't feel so conversant after that exposure! Well what do you know!
The boat ride was a blast. Made me nostalgic for my Navy days of sailing this route on a much different kind of a Cruiser. I spent most of the time standing up topside watching the sea go by (or us going by the sea?) Even saw a real live shark snooping about some floating refuse. Bedouin and I plotted on taking over the world, and the days ahead. It was a nice break after the hard day in the mountains. But it was nothing short of wonderful.
We pulled into the sea port of Venice Italy early the next morning. It looked just as I remembered it 32 years ago! We waited till the very end to unload our bikes and found our way (or tried) to the center of the City square. Now in hind site I know now why Bedouin was fixated upon finding the square on our bikes but in this city we could not.
Seems the brother from Athena has a certain compulsion when it comes to City squares in Europe. City squares are the focal point of ancient and Medieval Cities, a place in modern times that has been mandated for FOOT TRAFFIC ONLY. And guess what? With the exception of Venice and Munich? We crossed each and every FOOT TRAFFIC ONLY City Square we encountered mounted upon our motorcycles! But more on that down the road, so to speak. (Ok I maybe exaggerate just a little with "every" square but most!
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We enjoyed espresso after espresso, and walked about the canals of Venice. Something that I found some thirty years ago quite a Romantic event. Somehow however, Bedouin did not elicit the same response for me that I found walking with Patricia Hughes some 32 years earlier! Bedouin would whole heartedly concur this is a good thing that it was not now a romantic event for me! Now for him and Kathy, well, that's amore!
A point of this Venice story that will return again later on, was one of our waitresses whom we dubbed Angelia Jolie, as clearly this woman was beautiful and was quite keenly and obviously aware of it by the way she carried herself and treated her customers who were it would seem just a mere inconvenience between her and her true calling! We however enjoyed making the girl "work hard for her money" by ordering more, and more espresso! The nerve of some people eh?
Wired and on the edge of tachycardia from over indulgence of caffeine (at least for me) and over stuffed with Calamari and Spaghetti Alla Bolognaise and bread, we mounted our rides and plodded on to the north and west to our final Italian destination of Lake Iseo. As in Greece I found I was a bit out of my element, but at least the roads were of something I was more accustomed to when it comes to tackiness of asphalt, which kept me a happy camper. The Italians, as the Greeks love to drive and they all are going somewhere in a hurry and out to prove, that Mario Andretti ain't got nothing on them!
Here more than even in Greece, I found the Italians are a very close knit people and they do not mind, nor do they hesitate to share the lane with a perfect stranger! Much like standing on a bus, if there is room, just scrunch in brother! Again, their country, I am the one with the messed up sense of what is normal!
A gorgeous and wonderful trip. The Italian countryside filled with vineyards, and farming plots with tomatoes and other vegetables clearly prevalent and dominating the landscape. An obvious fact that I noticed throughout Europe from Greece, Italy, Austria, Germany Czech Rep and Holland that differs from America is that here in the States we use fertilizers that keep the chemical industry in business. Europe it would seem, across the board with a frequency and as far as I can tell in absolute certainty use fresh or well "fermented" manure rather than chemicals. It became pretty interesting for me as I would drive by, nearly overwhelmed by the odoriferous scent that dominated the air and competed for oxygen molecules in my lungs but I could actually tell with incredibly accurate discernment the source of each farms particular preference or fertilizing resources! Yep, there is cow...now that one is certainly pig, oh there are some chicken! Ah, the sweet smell of agriculture!
As we rolled into our a little slot next to heaven on earth at the place on the shore we would call home for just shy of a week. We met Piper (Bengt) and his lovely wife Anki. Wow, what an incredibly beautiful place! Green mountains (well more green than rock)surrounding a massive pristine lake which later we would find had the most incredible riding around it's shoreline in and through the mountainous shore line of any I have ever been on.
Not much later the first of the Euro Riders came rolling in, Martin "Boichat" from the UK rolled in. His bike was easy to pick out. His was the one that had stickers on the mirrors, Speedo, and handlebars that said, "Drive on the right!" Seem Martin had an encounter with "normal" in Germany on the way down resulting in a minor mishap going down the "wrong" way. I feel your pain brother! I feel your pain!
We all had dinner and got to know each other and as is my experience with Triumph folks back in the States, so it has been proving true here in Europe. Each and everyone I would meet was a friend on the spot without exception. But that was almost not the case when the others rolled in and I met Nobby.
Now a couple of things need to be revealed here. Per Bedouins request, my identity was kept from everyone both in US and Europe as to make the Rally have something of a mystery to it. The ploy was a smashing success. When I walked into the camp where the rest of the crew was set up for the weekend, it was clear I was the "Mystery Guest" and as I greeted each they were quick to catch on I was a "Yank". Now I am one who loves to have a bit of fun too. Everyone would ask who I was and I would respond, "Why I am Paul Newman!" This was the only hint that Bedouin would give anyone. Even I did not catch the connection, but in the Movie, "The Color Of Money" Paul Neumann played "Fast Eddy" the Pool hustler along with Tom Cruise.
Recognizing Nobby from photo's I went up and said hello and he asked me my name. I responded, Why, I am Paul Newman! He gave me the Brit's equivalent of "Yea, Whatever!" Who are you? I quickly dodged the question as I pointed to his bike and said, "Wow, where did you get that knarly back rest?!?!" Nobby turned and looked, "I got that from Fast eddy."
Now keep in mind, I am a sawed off little booger of 5'6" tall, and Shaun a strapping lad, I suspect well over 6' and a man of intimidating size as well. I size him up and figure I can run a whole lot faster scared than he can mad...so I reply, "Fast eddy? That bandit! You didn't deal with him did you?!" Now from my perspective, Nobby kind of grew about 2 more inches at that point, chest came out arms doubled in mass. and he says, "Yes, Fast eddy! Why?" At this point someone pipes in, "You know who this is don't you Nobby?" Nobby sizes me up (takes a millisecond) and says "No, who are you?" (clearly impatiently inferring that was what he was trying to find out moments earlier!) "This IS Fast eddy!"
With a bit of a sigh followed by "You Bugger! Now it's a good thing I didn't say anything bad about you!" I Guess had that been the case, it would have been on me! So I had my fun with the Brothers from UK, Andy, Nick, Martyn and Wife Jackie, Nobby and Dave (Hedgehog)Bruce and Martin and got to meet Pavel an Beata from Poland too as well as an old friend Gooseman - Johann as well as Piper and Anki from Sweden. Again, great and wonderful people on the sight and in person.
The pictures (to come) tell the story of the ride, but the best part of this leg of the trip was the folks I met who frequent this part of the world we call BA.com. For me, it was like meeting old friends once again, really, no strangers were here but people who it was no a chore to sit down and enjoy company, food and drink with. No picture can capture the feeling and the heart of those who met there on the shores and cool breeze of Lake Iseo. Who shared a ride and meals and enjoyed a common bond not only of riding a particular motorcycle or specific model of that bike, but folks who also shared the same bond of adventure and pressing the envelope to seek adventure. People that clearly love life and life on a motorcycle and cutting the air in new surroundings. Good people. My friends.
The next leg of this adventure forms as we all parted our ways and went different directions some north, some south, some west, but all continuing to take in life astride a wonderful bike.
For Bedouin and Kathy and I? Off to northern Italy and the Brenner pass into Austria! But wow! The Italian Alps! My first exposure to northern Italy and the Alps! Incredible! Peaked mountains on each side of the Autostrada where we ran along valley bottoms surrounded by the most incredible farmlands and vineyards. The roads are top notch and made for speed despite the ominous curves and mountain passes, so very cool!
We pressed on stopping for fuel and occasional habit stop for Bedouin's sake. But even this added to the relaxed atmosphere that allowed me to take in in it's entirety the whole of what was unfolding before me in incredible splendor. Always being mindful of the left hand mirror for flashing headlights as you made your move to pass slower traffic. The right lane is for speed and if your not the fastest, you move over and you move over NOW!
Somewhere within the confines of the Brenner pass (a mostly four lane rapid shot through the Alps) we encountered mountain temperature and climate changes that chilled and made us a bit wet, but as evening crept up we encroached on the City of Innsbruck Austria to spend our night and that, remains the tale for the next chapter of this adventure.
In case you missed it;
Part 1- A Trip To Europe, The Grecean Leg 
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