Our route to Poland also followed the Czech border, here is where we crossed back into Germany
14th-15th May
The rally was great, about 500 bikes from all over Europe, mainly Germany and Poland, but everyone was really friendly,
and they were some hardcore travellers amongst them. People that had done the RTW, and others through Africa, mostly on dirt roads. The venue was fabulous, an old castle near Grodziec, were we could camp in tents, swags on the castle floor, and there were even some beds for those that got there early enough to secure them.
The rally was great, about 500 bikes from all over Europe, mainly Germany and Poland, but everyone was really friendly,
and they were some hardcore travellers amongst them. People that had done the RTW, and others through Africa, mostly on dirt roads. The venue was fabulous, an old castle near Grodziec, were we could camp in tents, swags on the castle floor, and there were even some beds for those that got there early enough to secure them.
Some of the bikes in the castle parking area
Rat bike at the rally
Our tent site at the castle
With two bands each night, some travel movies, presentations by other travellers, and organised rides on saturday, there was plenty to keep people busy. The rain stayed away, but it was freezing cold, so after the grog wore off, the nights were a little uncomfortable. Breakfast and dinner were provided, and the food was simple, but really good. Sunday morning saw us pack up and head off, we said goodbye to Hans and Julia, great people, who were heading back to Cologne, and Travis was going the same way as us, so we rode together to Wroclaw.
On the castle steps, Hans and Lyn at the back, me with Julia in the middle, and Travis at the front.
As we left, I turned my heated grips on, but nothing happened, bugger! It was freezing, (about 6 degrees) so I had cold hands for the trip. Travis had all his heated gear on, but it put too much load on his battery, and when his bike stopped at an intersection in a little village, it wouldn't start again. With the help of another rider who came along, we push started him, and the battery was fully charged by the time we got to Wroclaw. We booked into a hostel for the night, lucky enough to score a double dorm for ourselves, while Travis was the only one in a 4 bed dorm. While wandering around we bumped into another couple of aussies, Helen and Trevor, from Melbourne, and had a drink with them.
16th
Travis headed off to Krakow in the morning, and we decided to stay another night, so did a walking tour of the city, before meeting up with Trevor and Helen for a meal that night. All the restaurants in the area had superb food, and it was really cheap, as was the wine. A great night again, good to catch up with you guys.
16th
Travis headed off to Krakow in the morning, and we decided to stay another night, so did a walking tour of the city, before meeting up with Trevor and Helen for a meal that night. All the restaurants in the area had superb food, and it was really cheap, as was the wine. A great night again, good to catch up with you guys.
The bikes all snugged up for the night outside the Hostel
The island of churches in Wroclaw
Bronze statues of the animals, with a plaque thanking them for letting us eat them. This is on the street where all the butchers had their businesses.
Plaque above the butchers door
17th-20th
I had fixed my heated grips, (dirty terminal in the fuse holder), so we left for the city of Plock, near Warsaw, where Andy, one of the guys we met at the Izi meeting lives, and he had kindly invited us to stay with him. It was about 320 kms, and it was freezing, glad those heated grips were working again. The rain held off until we got to Plock, then it came down while we were looking for his house. The GPS couldn't get us the last 200 metres, (illogical street names and house numbering), so we rang Andy from a supermarket, and he came and got us, explaining that no-one else can find his place either. The next day Andy introduced us to his friend Krystoz, who happens to own the Yamaha dealership in town. Very handy, as my fork seals were now leaking badly, so I booked my bike in the next day. ( Also scored a couple of tee shirts, thanks Krystoz). With Andy as a guide, we took a walk around town, it really is a nice place. Andy has been to Australia, so speaks good english, and is a traveller himself. When he is not touring or guiding bike tours, he is a sailing skipper and scuba diving instructor. Check out his Facebook site here,
I had fixed my heated grips, (dirty terminal in the fuse holder), so we left for the city of Plock, near Warsaw, where Andy, one of the guys we met at the Izi meeting lives, and he had kindly invited us to stay with him. It was about 320 kms, and it was freezing, glad those heated grips were working again. The rain held off until we got to Plock, then it came down while we were looking for his house. The GPS couldn't get us the last 200 metres, (illogical street names and house numbering), so we rang Andy from a supermarket, and he came and got us, explaining that no-one else can find his place either. The next day Andy introduced us to his friend Krystoz, who happens to own the Yamaha dealership in town. Very handy, as my fork seals were now leaking badly, so I booked my bike in the next day. ( Also scored a couple of tee shirts, thanks Krystoz). With Andy as a guide, we took a walk around town, it really is a nice place. Andy has been to Australia, so speaks good english, and is a traveller himself. When he is not touring or guiding bike tours, he is a sailing skipper and scuba diving instructor. Check out his Facebook site here,
Andy and I having a coffee in Plock
Lyn and I in Plock, overlooking the Vistula River.
A friend of Andy's is in the newspaper business, and when he heard of our trip wanted to do a story on us. We met him and a photographer in town and did an interview over a coffee, very civilised. Late that afternoon I picked up my bike from Krystoz at Moto Kom, and head off to Warsaw, with Andy leading the way on a bike he had bought and picked up for a friend the day before. Lyn had been talking to a lady from Warsaw on the net, and she had offered us a room for a few nights near the city, an offer we gladly accepted. We left Andy near the city centre, and the GPS got us to her place about 10 minutes later.
21-24th
The next few days we spent in Warsaw staying with Marina, meeting some of her friends, and doing a bit of sight-seeing, including the now obligatory walking tour of the city. Marina is a great lady, a bike rider herself, and has done some big trips over the years, very interesting to talk to her.
21-24th
The next few days we spent in Warsaw staying with Marina, meeting some of her friends, and doing a bit of sight-seeing, including the now obligatory walking tour of the city. Marina is a great lady, a bike rider herself, and has done some big trips over the years, very interesting to talk to her.
View over part of the city from the sky bar at the Marriot Hotel. (Had to have one drink there!)
Memorial in the city, commemorating the uprising in 1944
BMW and sidecar in the museum
With a picture of me mates, Joe, Theo, and Winny, in the museum.
Years ago when Warsaw was suffering from plague, disease, and a few other nasties, everyone was trying to leave the city for somewhere safer. The Mayor at the time came across a beggar, who was always at the same place, and never tried to leave. One day, the mayor asked why he hadn't left like other people, and the beggar replied " Because this is my home, and I am loyal to my home and will not desert it". The mayor was impressed, and as they both survived the pestilence around them, the mayor rewarded the beggar for his loyalty with his choice of a house anywhere he wanted it in the city. The beggar was overjoyed, but had no money to pay the taxes of a homeowner, who were taxed on the size of their house frontage, so the guy got this house in the corner, which turns out to be the biggest in the street inside, because it is triangular shaped. Smart dude.
Full size model of a Liberator bomber inside the museum of the rising.
One of the places we visited was the Museum of the Rising, focused on the uprising in 1944 against the german occupation, very sobering stuff, and something I knew very little about.
25th
We needed to push on, so left Marina's around 11 am, for the lake district in the north of Poland. Marina wanted to come for a ride with us, so would join us the next day, which was a public holiday, (Mothers Day, on a thursday!). Marcis, a guy from Latvia we had been talking to on the net, would meet us in Elk, a town in the middle of the Lakea area. A nice ride up through fairly flat farmland, but threatening rain most of the way, we dodged a few storms, but got wet going through the edge of one near Ostroleka. From there we stayed dry right up to Elk, then copped it in the last 5 minutes! Marcis met us at the railway station, and from there we found a two bedroom apartment for the night on the edge of the lake.
We needed to push on, so left Marina's around 11 am, for the lake district in the north of Poland. Marina wanted to come for a ride with us, so would join us the next day, which was a public holiday, (Mothers Day, on a thursday!). Marcis, a guy from Latvia we had been talking to on the net, would meet us in Elk, a town in the middle of the Lakea area. A nice ride up through fairly flat farmland, but threatening rain most of the way, we dodged a few storms, but got wet going through the edge of one near Ostroleka. From there we stayed dry right up to Elk, then copped it in the last 5 minutes! Marcis met us at the railway station, and from there we found a two bedroom apartment for the night on the edge of the lake.
Marcis and I on the balcony overlooking the lake
26th
A cloudy morning, but no rain, so the three of us headed of to Mikolajki to meet Marina around lunchtime. No rain, but cold riding. The timing was perfect, we had been there about 2 minutes when Marina rode up to where we had parked the bikes. After a coffee while watching the boats on the canal, there was a good ride through small roads next to more canals and lakes to Augustow, where we ended up in a shitty room for the night. I couldn't believe how many boats there were on the lakes, it was a bit like saturday night in the city. The sailing boats use a pulley system to lower the masts so they can pass under the bridges. The lakes are joined by canals, and boats can travel all the way through to the baltic sea.
The room was the third place we tried, everywhere was booked out for the long weekend, so it was hard to get somewhere for 4 people. The place had no towels, some lights didn't work, not enough sheets, and the pillows were bags of foam balls. A walk into town for a nice dinner and some supplies, and we walked back to the room to sit in the garden and talk until late. A good night, even if the room was terrible.
A cloudy morning, but no rain, so the three of us headed of to Mikolajki to meet Marina around lunchtime. No rain, but cold riding. The timing was perfect, we had been there about 2 minutes when Marina rode up to where we had parked the bikes. After a coffee while watching the boats on the canal, there was a good ride through small roads next to more canals and lakes to Augustow, where we ended up in a shitty room for the night. I couldn't believe how many boats there were on the lakes, it was a bit like saturday night in the city. The sailing boats use a pulley system to lower the masts so they can pass under the bridges. The lakes are joined by canals, and boats can travel all the way through to the baltic sea.
The room was the third place we tried, everywhere was booked out for the long weekend, so it was hard to get somewhere for 4 people. The place had no towels, some lights didn't work, not enough sheets, and the pillows were bags of foam balls. A walk into town for a nice dinner and some supplies, and we walked back to the room to sit in the garden and talk until late. A good night, even if the room was terrible.
Sunset over the lake at Elk
Coffee time for Marina, Marcis, and I at Mikolajki
Old truck parked in a small town on the way to Augustow
With Marina at Augustow, just before she left
Marina was heading back to Warsaw the next day, while we were heading north with Marcis, so this was our last day in Poland. We had enjoyed it, great people, very friendly, and inexpensive. Poland gets a big tick from us!
