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This page is just for SMALL posts related to my retirement and travel stories.
I will continue to add to this over time, so if you read this before, check it out again in the future.
NEWEST POSTS are at the BOTTOM
... .............. ..... Total ........ DAY DATE.......... MILES MILES Location 31 2018-08-01 Wed 28 3,918 Stuttgart, Germany 32 2018-08-02 Thu 0 3,918 Stuttgart, Germany 33 2018-08-03 Fri 249 4,167 Kassell Germeany 34 2018-08-04 Sat 361 4,528 denmark - Hotel 35 2018-08-05 Sun 224 4,752 Ferry to Lithuania 36 2018-08-06 Mon 401 5,153 Druskininkai, Lithuania - Hotel 37 2018-08-07 Tue 174 5,327 Anykscins, Lithuania, camping 38 2018-08-08 Wed 148 5,475 Riga, Latvia - Air BnB 39 2018-08-09 Thu 254 5,729 Polva. Estonia - Home Stay .. miles averaged 40 2018-08-10 Fri 254 5,983 Tallinn, Estonia - Air BnB 41 2018-08-11 Sat 106 6,089 Virala, Finland - Camping 42 2018-08-12 Sun 252 6,341 Umea, Sweden - Air BnB 43 2018-08-13 Mon 313 6,653 Ostersund, Sweden - AirBnB 44 2018-08-14 Tue 379 7,032 Grong, Norway - Air BnB Ski Chalet 45 2018-08-15 Wed 436 7,468 Lofoten boat house 46 2018-08-16 Thu 201 7,669 Lofoten . boat house 47 2018-08-17 Fri 168 7,837 Bodø, Norway .. air BnB myself, Basement bedroom 48 2018-08-18 Sat 259 8,096 Mosjoen, Norway - Air BNB - Creapy Baby House 49 2018-08-19 Sun 240 8,337 Stjordal, Norway, near Trondheim - Air BNB next to Horse Barn 50 2018-08-20 Mon 195 8,532 Alesund, Norway - Air BnB 51 2018-08-21 Tue 262 8,793 balestrond, Norway .. kviknes hotel 52 2018-08-22 Wed 47 8,840 Laerdalsoeren, Norway (Ferrari hotel) - Price aproximate 53 2018-08-23 Thu 206 9,046 Laerdalsoeren, Norway (Ferrari hotel) 54 2018-08-24 Fri 273 9,320 Jorpeland, Near Stravenger, - Air BnB 55 2018-08-25 Sat 13 9,333 lysbotn, Norway -Camping Cabin w/bath/kitchen 56 2018-08-26 Sun 217 9,550 Vikersund, Norway, North of Oslo - Air BNB 57 2018-08-27 Mon 285 9,835 Haverud, Sweden - near canal boat 58 2018-08-28 Tue 0 9,835 Haverud, Sweden - near canal boat 59 2018-08-29 Wed 143 9,978 Oslo. Norway 60 2018-08-30 Thu 0 9,978 Oslo. Norway 61 2018-08-31 Fri 4 9,982 Ferry to Fredrikhavn, Denmark
This is from way back in August, when I was in Stuttgart. My friend Jon took me to one of his favorite eateries. One of the specialties this place has is Schweinshaxe. I got this with a kleiner salat, or salad on the side. I am a pig. I will keep eating well past the point that it is painful. I stopped before the plate was done. Point to the Germans.
Here I am with a smile on my face, anticipating a good German Meal. (and beer). See the salad. That makes it a healthy meal right?
Here I am, fully defeated. I could not finish it. It was not even a question of stopping when I was full, I could not put more of this delectable feast into my stomach. I will be back to repeat the challenge.
Grabbed from Wikipeidia and edited with my comments: "Schweinshaxe is a roasted ham hock. Schweinshaxe is one of the formerly typical peasant foods, in which recipes were composed which made inexpensive cuts of meat delicious. Peasants have always known how to eat well. Screw you Monarchy."
As you all know, I traveled for four weeks with Special Agent Nancy www.specialagentnancy.com another Triumph Tiger Rider met through ADVRider.com
Here is Nancy's post on the first part of our trip. Nancy is good at not only taking photos but selecting a few to use to tell her story. She is also good at telling a big story with a few words.
For those who have been following along through the years know, I am anything but concise. And I use lots of photos. Too many.
So I here is a link to Nancy's story of the first part of our trip.
specialagentnancy.blogspot.com/2018/09/sweden-baltics-and-lenin.html
I will let her tell the story, but I have a few things to add. SPOILER ALERT, best to read her story first, then come back to read these comments.
When she says Pink Unicorn, she really means it. Most of us have an outfit that we use on rides that is comfortable and packs well and good for off the bike, especially around camp or going to the showers. This was nancy's outfit. Very comfortable, but in a dark ferry amongst smelly, drunk, loud truckers? It got very quiet when she walked by. They could not even come up with any rude comments. Just stared.
I will, forever more, be known as King Bob, I rather like that. I won't change my website name though. And I will have to get a Teddy Bear, or a Minion, to carry along.
As for the Triumph Shop, I really was tempted to go in there and ask for Oil. I could just imagine the looks I would get.
Ran into a girl today. Fortunately she was wearing a soft fuzzy sweater. Had it not been for that cushioning, we both would have been hurt.
There are a lot of things in Norway that jump out at you. The Moose, the Caribou, the deer, and most frequently, the Sheep. We have had all of them run out in front of us. I even came within an inch of removing a tail from a Fox. You have to keep your eyes open and cover your brakes.
Today, one of those fuzzy buggers ran out in front of me. We had a bunch of somewhat reckless bikes passing us in some curvy bits. There was one that was NOT driving reckless, so I made sure when an opportunity opened up, I made room for him to pass and waved him by. Just as he was passing, a bunch of sheep freaked out, as they often do.
Two made it across and one delayed too long. I got my speed way down, but could not swerve due to said motorcyclist being in the middle of a pass. The third sheep was trying to get under my front tire, but I had some room to move and hit her solidly with my foot, which was planted firmly on the rear brake.
Had it not been for all the wool, I am pretty sure my foot and her behind would have suffered some lasting damage. As it was, she ran around in circles before finding her friends and continuing her journey. I wicked it up for the next curve.
Moose don’t care. Caribou mostly avoid you. Mostly. Deer are dumb. Sheep are just plain stupid. You can’t fix stupid.
I so much wanted to touch this cannon off. But then all those buffet eaters would be stranded in Oslo. Maybe if we wait until they are well off shore.
This is a post from way back in the wetest parts of our Norway ride. You know you are riding in a lot of rain when you start growing things on your boots. Usually I just grow things IN my boots.
Nancy's boots starting their own Garden.
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