Honda Adventure Riders Forum
The Varadero International Meeting (VIM) - where riders of our forum meet => VCIM16-2014; June 6 - June 9 Norway photo & video-link, reports => Topic started by: Jack Sawdayee on June 12, 2014, 13:16:53
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Diary No. 3 written on Monday 02/06/2014
In the evening I sat in the ferry with a German biker Age +60. He seemes Jack German model. Love to travel alone, do not get along on the road with group biking. Visited with motorcycle to Turkey, Persia, Iraq, Syria. We spoke about Iraq, and Turkey, an hour of conversation biker gossip.
Not like before probably for economy, the ferry docked in the industrial area of Fuzina, before in previous travel the ferry went into the middle of the city of Venice and from the ferry you can see all the famous buildings of Venice, I prepared the camera for that. Pity.
I took the bike from the ferry, found a quiet corner and started to get dressed for the journey, Putting on a thermal under suit, and started driving, I put the Track I made at home on the Garmin Zumo GPS, and aimed the GPS of the cell phone for the target. There was no dispute between the GPS 's for the track.
I got close to the Austrian border, huge traffic jam of cars, the cars are not moving as a guest in Italy I did not dare to go on the shoulders of the road as bikers do in Israel and stayed standing in traffic.
One motorcyclist drove on the shoulders of the road, I followed, after a few minutes I look in the mirror and a train of about 30 motorcycles are behind by going the Israeli system (In Israel the motorcycle club of Israel have reached an agreement with the police that when there is a traffic jam, motorcycles can drive on the right shoulder of the road, provided they do that in a calm manner). I reached the front of the line and it turned that the cause of the traffic jam is the road fee payments. A traffic jam of about 5 km and hours of waiting just to pay the lousy charge. I payed about 150 ILS and continued on my way.
,.
I reached the Austrian border, here crossing the Alps, with mountains on both sides of the road, some with snow, driving inside a postcard.
Before moving to Austria and by the advice of the German biker I bought a monthly road payment for Austria and stuck it on the bike. few kms and a post for collecting road fee, I asked the guy that I have already payed for one month and showed the sticker, he said that this is extra charge.
Temperature dropped to 12 degrees, I was cold, I stopped and added two coat linings to the riding coat, it helped. It started to rain but tolerable.
According to my calculations I have to do something like 600-700 kms per day. I decided that today I'm I going to do three fuel fillings of the tanks every tank is about 350 kms, for today 700 kms and one for the next day.
Time here is one hour later, this allows me to earn extra hour. Local time 20:00 and still light but because of the traffic jams I have not reached camping yet. .
The GPS shows that I am of a distance of 85 km south of camping near the city of "Nrnberg" in Germany.
Here in Germany they drive without consideration of the speed limit, I also started speeding and even drove 160 kms per hour.
I reached the camping near Nuremberg at about 22:00, the office was closed, there was a maintenance man that told me find a place to camp and tomorrow will arrange the financial issue.
I found a place close to electricity, dead tired I set up the tent in the dark. This time I added to the equipment I travel with a sleeping bag made by the U.S. Army designed for sleeping in the snow, a folding bed, and a fan that throws hot air. Dead tired, I lay down, I just remember that during the night it was cold and I pulled up the zipper of the sleeping bag, I got up at 9:00 in the morning with the tent full of light.
I arranged all the equipment on the bike, an hours work, I paid the camping office and I set out.
At the gas station I bought four cans of energy drink. And a sandwich.
After an hour of driving I felt asleep, I cooked coffee, after half an hour I felt so tired that I was not able to continue the trip. I looked for the closest campground had to turn back about 4 km.
Drove to the campsite, I set up the tent. Drank a bottle of beer and my powers back to me for writing this diary. Hopefully tonight I can rest in order to have forces tomorrow to continue the journey.
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Diary No. 4 Thursday 06/05/2014
Tuesday Morning 03/0/2014
I woke up camping near Nuremberg Germany.
The usual shave, shower, shave went well, the shower did not they have no hangers, I had to maneuver the clothes over the door, turning the hot water tap, no hot water, but there is cold water.
I thought maybe they have a new patent hot and cold water come together, no hot water.
After cursing the camping, I showered as possible with cold water. I got out of the shower and saw a box with space for inserting coins and written 1/2 euros. I remembered the manager of the camping telling me to keep the coins for hot water shower, which I had completely forgotten.
I loaded all equipment on the bike and getting ready to leave, the wife of the camping manager asked me if I am taking Highway 7, I said yes, she told me that they announced on the radio that there was an accident with trucks and the road is closed . I said that I hope the accident is on the other side of my trip, and if not I'll do like everyone else does.
I asked the camp manager if he is willing to sell me eggs in order to cook for breakfast he said that they are not allowed to sell eggs, he told me to go to a farm nearby, where it is possible to buy eggs or it is possible to travel to the town and get eggs in the supermarket. I did not have the strength for it therefore gave up the eggs and settled for tea and bread.
I left, I stopped at a gas station for breakfast, I bought a sandwich and a cappuccino from a machine, the coffee is simply unbearable, I went to the bathroom, where I had to pay 1/2 euros in order to urinate. In my view to pay 2.5 NIS, just to piss is exaggerated.
In Germany drivers speed like crazy, I was told at VCIM that in Germany the fine for speeding is negligible therefore nobody pays attention to speed limit , I try to do 130-140 kpm and most of the drivers bypass me.
I drove until I see queues of trucks standing on the right side of the road, I thought that probably because of the accident, trucks were told to stop by the side of the road but not cars.
I continue to drive. After some time cars also stopped. Started driving between the cars, maneuvering and zigzagging as we are used to do in Israel.
I reached the beginning of the line and was directed to a side exit, I found myself traveling south on route 17 in the direction of Israel.
I took the first exit to the right, and start travelling on every side road that goes in the north direction I traveled thru small towns, narrow roads. I came to the conclusion that I have to travel only where there are traffic jams, since everyone flees from Highway 17.
I traveled narrow roads barely pass for two cars, let alone trucks. The distance between a truck and a car passing different lanes barely 10 centimeters. I began to look for a hole in the coming traffic in the opposite lane, jump to the nearest hole between cars in my lane and wait into it.
A policeman in a car in the opposite direction saw me, started shouting at me in German.
In Germany I could not help it not to think of the Holocaust and what the Germans did, specially being near the town of "Nuremberg" where the Nazi movement started and there were trials held there after the war.
I answered the policeman "NO GERMAN", with all the bags tied to the bike I am sure that the policeman concluded that I am a foreigner, He said "STAY THERE", At first I thought I should stay in place until he comes to take care of me, then I thought, he's in a traffic jam, and I'm in a traffic jam on the opposite direction, it would take him a whole day to get to me, I came to the conclusion what he meant is to stay in my lane and not to go to the opposite lane.
That business lasted two hours before I finally reached back road 17 on the point after the accident, I began to speed.
Again began to fell sleepy on the bike, Two years ago while driving in my wife's car I fell asleep and found myself on the sidewalk.
I went to a parking space, as I was drinking an energy drink, I fell asleep sitting on the bench with the can in my hand. When I got up as if a miracle took place, all the forces came back to me, felt 20 years younger.
I went again to the road hearing from the helmet Israeli songs, and dancing with the bike on the sound of music, I saw a sign 1 km to Denmark, it gave me encouragement, the ferry sails from Lavrik at 22:00 currently the time is 14:00 I have 6 hours to make 350 km. I stopped at gas stations in order to refuel, I paid 1/2 euro to pee, ate what they sell at gas stations, and at 20:00 I got to the ferry port.
I booked a ticket before starting the trip in the internet for next day at the cost of 44 euros each way, this done according to my calculation at the time for doing the ferry trip, with 9 euros extra for cancelation option. I thought if there are any changes then I cancel the ticket and buy a new one. The lady at the gate asked if I had a reservation and l gave her the paper. She said I have to pay 70 euros (350 INS) extra as if I'm buying a new ticket for today. I told the girl that I have the right to cancel my ticket and I have paid for that 9 euros, she said that the right of cancellation applies if I'm the holder of a medical certificate applying that I am sick. I said that this is not fair and I shall write the company about it, she phoned her manager, she said that the only possibility for me to do is pay an extra 50 euros (250 INS) I paid the 50 euros under protest that I would write a letter to the shipping company.
I told the lady that I would like to refuel and eat, she answered that either I enter now or she cancels the card and starts all over when I come back, probably she is more tired of me as I am sick of her.
I went to the ferry, I tied the bike, I went to the bathroom to pee (there was no fee) and saved 1/2 euros. I found my seat, I fell asleep, I woke up on the ships announcement that we reached the port of "Laverick" in Norway the time 3:00 in the morning.
Morning Wednesday 04/0/2014
At Lavrick 3:00 am, I had to refuel the GPS gives me a direcgtion to nearest gas stations, the first station no one around here, at most of the gas stations you refuel alone and go to the shop nearby with cash or credit card, to pay.
Same second station, third station there was room to enter a credit card into the pump, put the card, it worked and refueled.
At 3:30 in the morning there is some light in the sky. The GPS track I planed home showed 550 km. The mobile telephone GPS showed me a nearer way of 450 km.
I chose the shortest way, in retrospect this was a mistake. I traveled on a narrow, mountains road, cold, rain. I stopped and put for the coat and trouser extra layers for rain and cold, it did not help, I always for super extreme cases take with me an army cold suite, I put the suit.
They were repairing the road, they put a layer of compressed clay and when wet by the rain it was slippery, the handlebars started to severely shake, I found myself on the verge of falling, it safely passed without falling. Remember passing a signs that the pass is open, I did not understand what was open.
I got exited seeing mountains with snow on their caps far away in the horizon, even stopped and took pictures of them.
As time passes I get closer to the snowy mountains, I'm in the snow, the temperature dropped to 5 degrees, (you have to keep in mind that the only snow we see from where I come from is in the fridge) the army suit completely soaked, gloves soaked in water, only the heating of the handlebars gives you the feeling that my hands are in hot water.
1 meter of snow beside the road, narrow road, wet road all alone in the middle of nowhere, rain, I never claimed being a brave person, and I panicked, Saw somebody inside a car on the side, I asked him to photograph me, two hours until the snow ended and kind of ordinary roads.
Wet, very cold, the GPS showing 35 km to the "Geiranger" the meeting place and what do I see, snow again, just the road with no snow, snow all around, frozen lakes with frozen water and ice floating, where did they bring us to this time.
All my thermal clothing, are wet, and soggy, I have nothing to wear for this weather, the pictures for the VCIM meeting place shown in the internet full of green grass, people in summer clothes. Here it is only suitable for Eskimos.
The road started to go down, 180 degrees of steep bends. Tourism buses, wide enough for one vehicle only the other vehicle has to wait until the passage of the bus, I followed the bus, I never mastered going down steep curves, or for that matter also going up. Suddenly I find myself right in front of a bus, lucky the driver felt my distress and stopped before impact.
Endless rounds of dropping street, suddenly I reached a completely different place, oasis in the desert, people walking around in summer clothes, warm, cozy, green grass, trees how can such a difference in 35 km.
I went to the camping ground, I signed up, I set up the tent, I cooked some food, I fell asleep, I got up at 6:00 the next day I did laundry and drying of all the clothing I wore before. The meeting begins Friday, meeting during the day before the meeting is today Thursday, I'll finish writing and start looking for the company.
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Diary No. 5 Sat 06/07/2014
Thursday, 06/05/2014 day of washing, drying clothes, sat with the friends that were in Geiranger at the restaurant, I ordered a Solomon fish and two glasses of beer, cozy sitting, Discussing the latest gossip who separated from whom, why and what are the outcome to each side.
The bill came for me with the tip 230 NIS, very expensive here in Norway.
Next day Friday went to refuel the bike, I went to the store of the gas station, a huge store with the best of traditional clothing of Norway. I always dreamed to wear sweaters, chunky, with classic colors of Norway, only the prices are on fire, a nice sweater cost something like 600-900 NIS . They say everything hand knit. Also remember that this place is for tourists.
The friends at the tent village started coming. What I liked here with the tents is you see old people acting like children playing seriously in the act of building tents, tents of all kind, and I thought that I am the only crazy guy.
Around 18:00, we went to the opening meeting held in the restaurant of the hotel.
All wearing T-shirts with the logo I designed, speeches by the organizers and the chairman.
I stood and read the writing on the Shield Israeli of the motorcycle club of Israel welcoming VCIM 16 in Hebrew and English, put the gift stickers of the Israeli club on the table they were taken by friend immediately (thanks Eliko chairman of the Israely club and Eyal).
Sitting with the Barbeque, pipe and beers until midnight.
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Diary no 6
See enclosed folder
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Nice diary and thanks for sharing
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Diary no 7 part one
see attachment
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diary no 7 part two
see attachment
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;) ;)
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Diary 8
please read attachment
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Nice writing Jack. Enjoyed reading it. Ironbutt with that load on the bike is impressive.
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It is always fun reading your travelling diaries Jack.
I hope that the rest of your trip home will be good and without problems :)
Best regards from Norway.
Ps. Erik (the organizer) is Norwegian, not Swedish ;)
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Fantastic Jack. You are my hero.
JK
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Diary 9 the last, I am waiting in the airport to board the plane from Athens to Tel Aviv after putting the motorcycle on the ferry to Haifa from Lavrio port south of Athens
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Jack
As always an inspiring diary.
For the benefit of those people who have not had the pleasure of meeting you perhaps, if you dont mind, you could tell them - בן כמה אתה.
Stewart
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Well done Jack :)
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Thank you Jack to be what you are, to come see us each year, to share your experience with us !
Hope you come at VCIM#17, and see you again ! :D
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(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-EG30sOC0ja4/U58JTwqEFpI/AAAAAAAABzI/QLY7Au9En3E/w445-h601-no/Jack2.jpg)
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-hjQ9GBnMVsA/U58JSHA79TI/AAAAAAAABzA/H3gNbe4FWC8/w515-h602-no/Jack.jpg)
;)
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Great story Jack! Lots of respect for the trip and effort you've made to attend this years vcim in Geiranger!
You are absolutely my hero too!
Was great meeting you again, wishing you all the best and hope to see you again another time!
Regards
Madero
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Jack, you veteran riders are an inspiration; at least for me, that I feel more and more veteran every year, and I haven't slept in tent for ages!
That aside personal virtues, of course.
Certainly you deserve your popularity in our little community. :)
Thank you,
Josep
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Nice reading Jack :)
I can imagine how overwhelming an experience it must have been for you riding in the snowy mountains for the first time. And to feel the temperature and climate changes throughout the norwegian landscape...must be very different from Israel.
Very impressive that you go all that way for those relatively few day to be with us at the meeting, a long and challenging travel.
But, in one point I´ll have to correct you.
And this is not to be impolite or rude, only to get some facts straight. As a member of IronButt Association myself, I have to say that not anyone who rides 1000 miles/1610 km in less than 24 hours will have the title of IronButt Rider. To get the title, or the rights to call himself, an IronButt Rider, one will have to get his documented ride certified by the American IronButt Association (IBA), or one of it´s national subsidiaries (e.g. the German or the Swedish).
This is because the name "IronButt" and all the names of IBA´s rides, are Registrated Trademarks owned by IronButt Association and must therefore only be used by this association and it´s members.
So, until ones ride has been certified by IBA, one can only say that he has done a ride similar to an IronButt Ride. But, having one ride certified you´ll be an IBA-member for lifetime.
Now that you know that you can do it (although the use of medicine, drugs or other stimulants is not appreciated by IBA ;) ), the next time you go for a ride like that you must document it according to IBA, send the documentation to them and (hopefully), get it certified.
http://www.ironbutt.com/about/default.cfm?CFID=5726566&CFTOKEN=27896098 (http://www.ironbutt.com/about/default.cfm?CFID=5726566&CFTOKEN=27896098)
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re: Iron Butts. The Yanks'll try to patent air if they think they can get away with it. I respect your "official" fero arse" Bonne but I don't take anything away from Jack's ride because it wasn't 'official' but neither was it planned or prepared for.
JK
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Stuff the IBA and the Long Distance Riders on their specialy prepared bikes and long distance fuel tanks. They are fanatics!
Hats off to the ordinary biker who in the course of his trip just rides, rides and rides for his own satisfaction. :D
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The Yanks'll try to patent air if they think they can get away with it.
Well, this is not the reason why IBA has put Trademarks on all their names. The reason is that in the early days (start of the eighties), when IBA became more known to public, some people and companies tried to take advantage on the IBA-names using them in commercials for their own profit.
So, to protect the IBA-names from misuse, IBA desided to put Trademarks on them. And as the sport of "safe long distance riding" is the purpose with IBA, based on the members and their rides, it is not in the interest of IBA to sell merchandice to just anybody. This is only for members who have earned it by completing an IBA ride. And as mentioned before, the only way to be a member is to have a ride certified by IBA, you cannot buy a membership!
I will not discuss Jack´s ride, as there is nothing to discuss, he has done 1861 km in less than 24 hours, hats of for that, certified by IBA or not.
I´m just trying to put some facts down, as there are a lot of misunderstandings and unknowns going round about IBA.
Long Distance Riders on their specialy prepared bikes and long distance fuel tanks. They are fanatics! Hats off to the ordinary biker who in the course of his trip just rides, rides and rides for his own satisfaction. :D
It´s correct that some are building e.g extra fuel tanks on their bikes, but name me a biker who doesn´t prepare his bike for the kind of ride he´s doing, e.g. touring or offroad, or personalizes it to his own style. Call it fanatics if you want, I call it creativity. And regardless how many liters of fuel you bring with you, you must collect a fuel reciep for at least every 300 miles (483 km), for documentation. If you e.g. bring fuel to ride 1600 km without filling up, and then just have a start and end fuel reciept, no one can be sure which route you have actually been riding! In this way there is a lot of rules to live up to, and this part of it is a cause in itself why people ride documented safe long distance riding. The riding is just one part of it, the planning before the ride and the documentation afterwards are just as important. The better prepared you are, the easier and more comfortable it will be to do the ride, and planning a ride and then se the plan work, is a satisfaction in itself. And the ride has got to be documented so that some american is able to read your ride out of your papers and certify it from that, without necessarily knowing anything about the area you´ve been riding in. This, in itself, is another challenge. All for your own satisfaction, as no one tells you where or when to ride, it´s all your own decision and planning. You´re not even going to preregistrate your ride, this is to remove pressure to try to finish a ride where everything has gone wrong.
All in all, these are ordinary bikers, they just have a passion for safe long distance riding, and the list of bikes used for IronButt Rides are just as long as any bike meeting list.
E.g. there was this american guy who had bought a new Honda CBR 125 R and for his 65 year birthday, gave himself an IBA ride: The Ultimate Coast to Coast to Coast, which means Key West, Florida to Prudhoe Bay, Alaska...and back to Key West. He did the 18426 km in 21 riding days, 23 in all, changed four rear tyres and a chain, but didn´t have any mechanical problems!
And a canadian guy who did the SS1000 (1000 miles in less than 24 hours), on a 1936 single 500 ccm Norton!
So, IronButt Rides surely is for everybody. It´s a question of passion. Like any other way of motorcycle riding!
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Stuff the IBA and the Long Distance Riders on their specialy prepared bikes and long distance fuel tanks. They are fanatics!
Hats off to the ordinary biker who in the course of his trip just rides, rides and rides for his own satisfaction. :D
Well.. The Varadero isn't the ultimate Ride for this occation no, the carburettor version is more even worse. It is just simple that you need to have an average on running in 70 km/h to fullfill the 1000 miles 1600K ride in 24 hours. What it is all about is to get more efficiant timings, fuelstops takes time and find it in the end a larger break for next day if it is a long tour.
My recent Ironbutt ( http://varadero.skye.se/iba-scandinavian-rally-2014/ (http://varadero.skye.se/iba-scandinavian-rally-2014/) ) tells much about it.
Not taking Jacks performance away. He has just showed that it is possible to drive 24 hours without any sleep. When there is great distances you are getting nowhere if you have the bike parked. Riding 4 hours a day, will cost expensive acco's, something to and will take 6 days instead of 1 for the same distance. If you have the whitsun weekend off and some 2 days within' it to participate. Well it is the only option.
On the other hand if I get 16 days off included participation visit VIM#17 that surely ain't gonna be an ironbutt but I will not take the shortest route to Montpellier. Plan is now to go to Croatia, boat to Italy and follow the Mediterranean coastline from Amalfi whole way to VCIM
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About long rides: hats off to those who do them. I've done several times 1000 to 1350 km in one day, so I can see the point about wanting to "push it a little further" (which I don't think I ever do) :)
... follow the Mediterranean coastline from Amalfi whole way to VCIM
Just a quick note. Do I remember a video of yours riding a scooter around Amalfi? :)
Having been miself there, and to Cinqueterre and some places of Tuscan or Ligurian coast, and the Cote d'Azur, I can't honestly say I envy for your intentions! ;) Many nice spots certainly, but slow roads with much traffic as well; hopefully May will be much better than July (that's when I've been there). :)
Regards,
Josep
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That's right Joseph.
Had promised myself to go back there and drive on these roads with a motorcycle instead of a scooter.
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Jack,
What a great write up from a great character. If I am correct, this was actualy your 2nd time in the snow (I remember VIM Alpine was your 1st time?)
Cheers (or Shalom?) and looking forward meeting you next year in Fance. Even if it is to enjoy your writing again!
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Stuff the IBA and the Long Distance Riders on their specialy prepared bikes and long distance fuel tanks. They are fanatics!
Hats off to the ordinary biker who in the course of his trip just rides, rides and rides for his own satisfaction. :D
PAST IT ...........You state your case well and i couldn't agree more.......It's hats off to Jack