If I can put in some big miles today I could be home by tomorrow, so its a 6:30 am start but once again it starts to rain which slows me, I had only been on the road a short while when I passed a very bad accident, a van had taken a very heavy head on,and was lying in the road, it didn't look good for the driver, as people on the scene looked in control I pressed on.
I followed the very slippery looking coast road out of Croatia into Slovenia past Ljubljana. Slovenia look more like Austria than Austria does and I wish I could stay longer. I ride onto the motorway and into Austria, by 11am its stopped raining, Austria looks beautiful even from the motorway and I'm soon past Salzburg, I stop for a sandwich at Munich.
After the last three days of slow sometimes treacherous roads the German Autobahn is like a shot of adrenaline straight into your brain, once again 140 mph comes up on the speedo, man I love this countries road system.
By the time I am past Stuttgart I decide its hotel search time again and turn-off for Pforzheim and quickly secure a very tidy en-suite room in the Hotel Montana, 3 star in the middle of town. The guy managing the hotel offers parking my bike in the ground floor entrance, but I don't want to risk going up the steps, so park the bike in a nearby multi storey car park overnight for a few Euros.
Its time for my last supper, this time I eat in a Greek restaurant and start with complimentary glass of petrol, at least that's what it smells like but am reliably informed its Ouzo, and I reflect what a great trip I have been on for the last week or so.
I've briefly touched some cultures new to me, met some lovely people and what a great bike I've been riding. The more I ride the BMW R1200 RT the more I like it, it is truly a great motorcycle, I have a history of racing and competition bikes and have never previously ridden a "touring" bike before, but this German gem has got me through fast roads, slippery roads, bumpy roads, and dealt with all of them and asked for more. Some days I've done 12 hours in the saddle only stopping for fuel, and still felt like I could manage another 12, its side panniers easily carried all I needed for a 10 day trip including tools (which I never needed). It used no oil, managed a totally amazing 55 mpg average for the whole trip. Its low centre of gravity and wide bars made the tricky riding a piece of cake and the huge adjustable fairing took the bite off the wind and rain and even allowed me to adjust my sunglasses, both hands off the bars at 110 plus (don't do this at home kids).
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