The goal of the trip was to continue the 2018 Balkan trip at Bosnia, since I did not get further than that. This time, with a lighter bike: the Suzuki drz400s. I had 3 weeks time at the end of August and early September. The plan was simple:
Go from the Netherlands to Bosnia relatively quick while taking scenic routes through the Alps, Slovenia and Croatia.
Hop on the Trans Euro Trail through Bosnia, Montenegro and Albania
Interestingly enough, the plan sort of worked out this time! No serious break downs or super bad weather. Some fun facts:
Most days were 8-10hr days of riding and the total distance was 6750km
Chased by shepherd dogs guarding their herd: 15 times (successful engagements: 0)
Budget:1300 euro for all costs during the trip, 45% of which was fuel and 125 euro for the ferry. Average daily budget was 60 euro. Just the time in Bosnia, Montenegro and Albania was significantly cheaper, averaging 30 euro/day.
Bike maintenance: 1 broken spoke on the rear wheel, 1 oil change, 1200ml of oil used, 0 punctures
Section 1: Getting to Bosnia: Netherlands to Croatia (2250 km)
This section was a way to settle into the rhythm of riding while enjoying the scenery. I got a coffee table book for my birthday that showed a lot of nice routes: “Great motorcycle tours of Europe“. I used the Romantische Straße in Germany as a start and added the Deutsche Alpenstraße to get further east. Both are nice and take you through medieval towns, views of mountains and anything inbetween.
I then took the route south into the alps from just a bit east of Salzburg. Since it was well above 30 degrees C I took a swim in the Attersee. Then visited Halstatt, but found that it is not as pretty as the background on my computer lock screen shows ;).
I loved the entry from Austria into Slovenia via Italy. The first thing you see are the massive mountains of the Triglav, very impressive. I loved the Slovenian countryside.
Croatia was very nice and a little bit familiar, especially since they now use the Euro. I went to the Zeljava airbase to check out this European version of NORAD and went up to a nearby cell tower station on the border between Bosnia and Croatia. This was tipped by Rod Young, where I went next to set up my tent. Rod is a TET enthusiast that offers his garden (and garage) to travelers.
Stats:
4 days (Aug 20-24)
36h moving time, 9h moving time/day
62km/h average speed, 550km/day average
Types of road: highway and b-roads, occasionally unpaved
The route from the Netherlands to Slovenia
Ready to go!
Highway in the Netherlands
Train bridge near Werdohl, Germany
When you enter Slovenia from Tarvisio (IT) you are greeted with the impressive Triglav mountains.
Canoeing in Slovenia
The Obertauern ski resort in Austria welcomes you also in summer!
Austrian roads close to Halstatt
Austria
Lake at a Slovenian campsite on the border with Croatia near Predgrad
Time for a quick swim in a stream in Slovenia
Cute houses along the Romantic Road in Germany
The Attersee in Austria
View from a panoramic (toll) road in Austria
Break at the Schliersee, south of Munich
Break at Berchtesgaden, south of Salzburg
Riding out of the hangar of Zeljava air base in Croatia. This 6 story airbase is built in a mountain and similar to Norad in the US, but never used.
An abandoned douglas DC10 airplane near Zeljava airbase (HR)
View from the communications tower near Korenica (HR).
Communications tower on the border between Croatia and Bosnia near Bihac.
Croatian TET
Evening ride in the old landrover of Rod Young in Gracac
Section 2: Bosnia & Montenegro (950 km)
Next up were the Bosnian and Montenegro TET. I did not really know what to expect, but was surprised at the beauty and diversity of the landscapes, and the friendliness of the people.
I entered Bosnia at the border between Knin (HR) and Glamoc (BiH). The TET followed a wooded section, but somehow I made a wrong turn somewhere and ended up at the same place I started after 120km. I ended that day at the bivouac of the Dinaric rally, very cool to see all the race bikes and pilots. The next 2 days the TET went through deserted areas of Bosnia with highlights such as the Ramshko lake, Sarajevo and the remnants of the ’84 Olympics.
Stats:
3,5 days (Aug 24-28)
25h moving time, 7h moving time / day
37km/h average speed, 270km / day average
Types of road: mostly unpaved on TET, some connecting b-roads
The route in Bosnia & Montenegro
Some serious logging going on near Glamoc
Dusty forest trails near Glamoc. Note the leaves are all white from the dust.
Morning view on the bivouac of the Dinaric rally. I was kindly allowed to set up my tent there.
The view from the Adria ski resort near Kupres. The morning fog was just below our altitude.
Somewhere in Bosnia
Track south of Kupres
Ramsko lake in Bosnia
Cevapcici, small sausages, for lunch north of Mostar
Lunch break between Konjic & Sarajevo
Awesome ride on the Neretve canyon in Bosnia
Picture from my gopro camera, when the wild horses tried to eat it 😉
Driving towards Sarajevo with wild horses in the background
The start of the olympic ski slope in Sarajevo.
View on top of the olympic ski slope in Sarajevo
Sheep on the hills outside of Sarajevo
Part of the olympic bobsled track in Sarajevo
Lunch break at the Sarajevo ski resort
Empty hills in Bosnia, south of Sarajevo
The hills south of the Sarajevo ski resort
Quick break with a dip in the Tara river in Bosnia, just north of the border with Monte negro
Quick break with a dip in the Tara river in Bosnia, just north of the border with Monte negro
Crossing the border between Bosnia and Montenegro
To visit the Durmitor park, go left. OK!
View of the Tara river canyon in montenegro, north of Pluzine
Carved out road near Pluzine
Sunset with a beer, on the Vrbnica lake at Pluzine
A meadow in Bosnia, south of Sarajevo, that reminds me of Mongolia
A meadow in Bosnia, south of Sarajevo, that reminds me of Mongolia
Southeast of Savnik (Montenegro)
A shepherd and his sheep (no dog 🙂 ) in Bosnia
The hills south of the Sarajevo ski resort
Empty hills in Montenegro, south west of Savnik
Sheep in the distance, in Bosnia
moo
Quick break at Jezero Kapitano
The track south of Jezero Kapitano is steep and rocky.
View on Ramsko lake in Bosnia, on a steep-ish downhill track
View on Ramsko lake in Bosnia, on a steep-ish downhill track
Bosnian countryside in the Blidinje park
Open fields with fast gravel tracks, near Glamoc, BiH
I met this guy in Montenegro and he kindly offered to help me out if ran into a problem. Very friendly people!
The beach at kamp Wesko, the river Mrtvica (or: dead river). It was very very cold, and refreshing 😉
The beach is clearly signposted at kamp Wesko 😉
Section 3: Albania (1300km)
The country I was looking forward to most was Albania. What a beautiful country it was! The people were lovely and the TET track in Albania was just awesome. Some highlights were:
Roundtrip to Theth, including the unpaved south route. Very nice scenery and a nice ride
Komani lake ferry and Doberdol: I saw Stefan Meitinger go here on his V-Strom and that looked very nice. Doberdol is in the north-east tip of the country and is popular among hikers. Also, the area featured in a Dutch TV show ‘dangerous roads’. Very nice ride and quite challenging at the top of the Doberdol pass.
Spac prison: a gulag that was used by communist dictator Hoxha to eliminate critical thinkers from society. This site serves as a reminder of those times.
Lura park: a section of the TET that is maybe the most challenging part of the track. It runs on a plateau and the entry and exit are pretty tough to ride.
Riverbed south of Gramsh: a section of the track that runs inside a riverbed for 25km.
Wild camping and swimming: there are many places that are perfect for wild camping, and many streams that offer a refreshing dip at the end of a hot day.
Meeting other people: on the track I met up with Robert, Leon and Sebastiaan and rode with them for a few days. Very nice to meet like minded people!
Stats:
9 days (Aug 28 – Sep 5) Including 1 rest day
39h moving time, 5h moving time / day
33km/h average speed, 160km / day average
Types of road: unpaved on TET
Track log in Albania
First picture in Albania
In Koplik, one of the first towns after the border, I saw a parade of luxury cars that celebrated the marriage of two people. They did this by honking, holding fireworks out of the car, and throwing cigarettes and candy on the streets.
The Trans Euro Trail is spelled incorrectly Theth, but is signposted here! 😉
Sheep on the north loop to Theth
Views on the Theth south loop
The Theth south loop was no joke, steep and rocky, and close to 40 degrees C
Views on the Theth south loop
This is a bar in the middle of the south loop to Theth. Very popular spot to take a break from riding and enjoying a cold drink.
Views on the Theth south loop
Views on the Theth south loop
Quick dip in the water after riding the Theth south loop.
Rest / laundry day in a fancy camp site near Shkoder
This is Loli, who came to provide me with fresh engine oil on his day off. I could even use his workshop to change the oil.
View from the Ferry from Koman to Fierze. It looks like you're in Norway
My bike on the Komani lake ferry
View from the Ferry from Koman to Fierze. It looks like you're in Norway
View from the road between Cerem to Doberdol
Close to Cerem / Valbone
The roads in Doberdol
You can see the houses of Doberdol in the distance
Heading to the Doberdol pass from Doberdol. It was (relatively) cold and wet
A typical Albanian bridge in the road between Doberdol and Tropoje
The road between Doberdol and Tropoje
Small river crossing in the road between Doberdol and Tropoje
Greeting the herd of goats near Tropoje
A sheperd I met at the end of the day. He advised me on places to camp and wanted to take a selfie with the Albanian hand gesture.
Wild camp spot near Bajram Curri. Nice grassy spot next to a river, what else do you want.
Freshly paved road between Fierze and Fushe-Arrez
Lunch with a view on the road from Fushe Arrez to Spac
View from the road from Fushe Arrez to Spac
View on Spac prison and the current mine
Spac prison, the Gulag built by Hoxha to incarcerate people who were critical of his dictatorship
Abandoned mining cart in Spac prison
View from Camping Suç Burrel. Nice camp site with offroad enthusiast managers.
Hearty breakfast in Fushe Lure before we enter the Lura park
Lure Park
Lura park view
Lura park view
One of the many lakes at the Lura park
Lure Park
Leon in the Lure park
Lure Park
Leon in the Lara park
South side of Lura park, with very steep descents
View from the iron mine south of the Lura park
People working at the iron mine south of the Lura park
View on the road between Perlat qender and Fushe Lure.
Wild camp spot at the Black Drin river west of Peshkopi at the broken Vajmdhej bridge. Very apocalyptic sight.
Roasting sausages over the camp fire
Gravel highway between Selishte and Rreth-Kale
Top of the Luzni-Bulaç park
Group photo at the Luzni-Bulaç park between Selishte and Shupenze.
Somewhere north of Corovode
Somewhere north of Corovode
View from Shebenik National Park
Kasabashi Bridge near Çorovodë, one of the oldest Ottoman bridges in Albania
Kasabashi Bridge near Çorovodë, one of the oldest Ottoman bridges in Albania
Just after the top of the Doberdoll pass
Road from Doberdol to Tropoje
Views on the Theth south loop
2 Irish riders we met north of Holta canyon
Holta canyon, south of Elbasan.
Lunch break at Holta canyon with 2 more friends we made
The others finding their way in the Gramsh river bed
Crossing the Tomorrica river south of Gramsh
The riverbed of the Tomorrica river south of Gramsh
The riverbed of the Tomorrica river south of Gramsh
The riverbed of the Tomorrica river south of Gramsh
Wild camping in the riverbed
View on the riverbed south of Gramsh, and a group photo in one!
Enjoying the hot springs in Langarica canyon, close to Permet. We also set up our tent there on the parking lot.
Canyon of the Osumi river, just south of Corovode
Memorial for the Albanian casualties of world war II
Sunset on the ferry from Durres to Ancona
Nice camp spot on the ferry from Durres to Ancona. It was OK to set up my tent on the deck. Nice place to sleep and watch the stars.
Section 4: Italy & France, going home (2250 km)
The ferry from Durres (AL) to Ancona (IT) leaves at 17h and arrives the next day at 11h. Very convenient, because you can sleep on the boat. I set up my tent on the upper deck and enjoyed the stars as we sailed across the Adriatic sea.
I spent a few days more in Albania, so unfortunately i could not spend as much time in Italy as I wanted. The goal was to enjoy the Tuscan countryside for a few days, but this was only for 1 day. The other days were spent on the main roads for quite a bit.
Next up was Cinque Terre, a national park around 5 villages that are built on the cliffs that sink into the Mediterranean sea. Very nice, but not as picture perfect as I thought it would be ;).
Via the main roads I went to Cuneo and found a campsite just on the other side of colle della Maddelena. Interesting how a 35 degree day can have 5 degree nights! Next day was Alpes adventure moto festival where I met up with some people and attended a navigation workshop from the French TET linesman Benoit Farre.
After some fun in the French alps, including the col du Parpaillon and col de l’Izoard, it was on to the main roads back to the Netherlands.
4 days (Sep 6-10)
35h moving time, 9h moving time/day
63km/h average speed, 550km/day average
Types of road: highway and b-roads, occasionally unpaved
Map of the 4 days of section 4
First cappucino in Italy
Roadside view in Tuscany
Wild camp site at Eremo della Casella
Wild camp site at Eremo della Casella, view of Arezzo in the distance.
View of the mediterranean sea at Manarola (Cinque Terre)
View of the mediterranean sea at Cinque Terre
Focaccia al formaggio in downtown Recco
I attended a navigation workshop by Benoit Farre, the linesman of the French TET, during the Alpes adventure motofestival
The parking of hundreds of bikes at the Alpes adventure motofestival in Barcelonette
This old BMW had a loose battery terminal. I helped them out so they could make it to the Alpes moto festival on time.
Lunch with pain & fromage at the col du Parpaillon
Barbuttons on top of the col due Parpaillon
View on the north side of col du Parpaillon, looking in the direction of Guillestre
View of Aisone in the Stura valley on the way to colle del Maddalena
Colle del Maddalena
Morning sun on the mountains surrounding the Marmottes camping on top of the colle del Maddalena
View from the col de Lauteret in direction of Huez
Col de l'Izoard, reminds me of the moon
Col de l'Izoard, reminds me of the moon
Mandatory tarte aux Mirtilles at rifuge Napoleon on the col de l'Izoard
Cold beer on a hot night when I arrived late at the Rives de Soleil campsite between Lyon and Dijon.
