Slovakia 2016
A long way east
I'd parked the BMW G/S PD after the 2014 Way West Rally, then went to Canada for 3 weeks in April/May 2015. I left the bike in the garage and started other activities such as dealing with a slow kitchen leak and a damp wall. but soon grew restless. Watching others' motorcycle travels on Facebook, I decided to join Joan & Ed for the FIM Rally in Slovakia in June 2016. I began serious route planning in May, focusing on visiting Karlsbad (Hapsburg-era Spa town), Gorlitz (filming locations for Grand Budapest Hotel and Inglourious Basterds), and the High Tatras. Choice A: I like the morning ferry from Dublin to Holyhead, Wales, followed by Stena's late evening Harwich to Hook of Holland route overnight ferry to Holland which allowed a full day's ride to Germany, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia though the long motorway ride from Holyhead could be tedious, especially in rain. Or Choice B: Holyhead to Dover to Calais ferry/tunnel to a Calais motel DB&B– quicker and possibly cheaper but with the drawbacks of longer motorway travel, potential French strikes, and security concerns at Calais. The Rosslare to Cherbourg route presented a longer 18-hour ferry journey plus an extra B&B and expensive toll roads crossing northern France. Choice C: The Overlanders fly/drive option– leaving the bike in Gorey for road freight, flying to Memmingen, and collecting the bike nearby. This cost was comparable to ferry and accommodation expenses, and Memmingen was conveniently on the route. Choice C emerged as practical, and I chose Overlanders! The booking process was simple via phone and email. I booked hotels along the route. I bought some new motorcycle gear and rode to Gorey, leaving my gear on the bike. I opted for soft panniers, which proved problematic as they couldn't be locked, leading to carrying gear everywhere. Linda planned to fly to Slovakia for a vacation and meet me. Departing on June 22nd, I took a 7:30 am shuttle bus to catch the 10:35 am Ryanair flight, arriving in Memmingen at 1:55 pm. An Overlanders driver met me, saving a walk to the ware-house. After gearing up, I took a 70-80 km ride to Motel Leipheim Sud to acclimate. The 30C heat was intense, requiring a cooldown rest upon arrival. The motel provided affordable food and an early start. June 23rd, I began at 10:00 am for a 385 km ride to Dvur Stran, Karlovy Vary. The journey included a petrol stop (Aral 27 ltr @ 1.389 = €37.88) and lunch. Dvur Stran offered good parking, food, and Wi-Fi. It was not as close to Karlovy Vary as expected but was comfortable. I explored Karlsbad while my GPS struggled to find the B&B and decided to stay two nights for €95.00. Saturday 25th: I reset the GPS to avoid toll roads and chose a 250 km scenic route through the German-Czech border hills. I left at 9 am and headed for Gorlitz. Petrol stations were rare, and I had to return to the motorway for fuel (Aral 32.07 ltr @ 1.389 = €44.55). A thunderstorm prompted a motorway stay until I approached Gorlitz. After heavy rain, Sunday morning was sunny. I had breakfast with German cyclists, crossed the road, climbed up to the old fortifications, now a public garden, and reached the Peter & Paul Protestant Church, known for its “Sonnenorgel” (sun organ). Unfortunately, a recital was ongoing, so I couldn't enter. I walked down Hainwald lane, took a right up Neiss Strasse to Untermarket, and then continued through Bruderstrasse to the Upper Market. There, I found a bookshop about Gorlitz's history before 1945. The town avoided damage during the war and German retreat, except for losing its bridges across the River Niesse and eastern Silesia to Poland after WWII. The bridge to its Polish sister-town was rebuilt as a pedestrian bridge in 2004. Many medieval buildings survived East German neglect and were restored as an 'Old Town' after 1990. The Art Nouveau department store, used for the film 'Grand Budapest Hotel,' remains empty. On Monday, I left Gorlitz, entered the Czech Republic, and rode east through northern Czechia. The journey took longer due to traffic, narrow roads, and poor signposting, arriving in Olomouc after eight hours. I stayed at the Ibis Olomouc Centre, a modern hotel, a modern western European business hotel with key cards for lifts and little footfall. While researching my family's history, I discovered Furstbischof Maximilian, Reichsgraf von Hamilton, a Prince-Bishop of Olomouc in the 18th century. He was educated in Rome and became a significant figure in Olomouc. His father was of the Hamilton family, landowners in Ulster. I hadn’t planned to do a walk-about but now regret it. On Tuesday, I planned to leave for a rally site in Liptovsky. After loading my bike, I had to cut the lining from my gloves due to sweat, I rode through Slovakia’s rural roads to Zilina. Arriving at 3 PM at the Rally Welcome Centre near Tatralandia Waterpark, I booked into hotel for four nights at the famous Jasne winter sports resort. Wednesday saw us riding to Liptovsky Mikulas for Arrival Control/Parc Fermee. Thursday involved a coach tour to ancient castles and caves. Friday featured the Parade of Nations. Leaving on Saturday, I faced a blown fuse but sorted it with a spare. I checked into Hotel Toliar in Strbske Pleso a few miles away, where I met Linda for 7 days R+R in the beautiful Tatra mountains. Linda left on Saturday by plane , and I rode to Bratislava, and onto Austria. I stayed at a fancy motel for the night. On Sunday, I rode towards Munich, stopping at Haus Waldesruh in Übersee for dinner and B&B. Monday involved delays due to roadworks around Munich. I returned the bike to Overlander's warehouse and checked into Drexel's Parkhotel in Memmingen for two nights. Tuesday was market day in Memmingen, and I explored the stalls and old buildings. Rain cut my exploration short. On Wednesday, I took a taxi to the airport for my flight back to Dublin and collected my motorcycle from Gorey a few days later.