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Tom & Tracy's Quest

How we started Many years ago it became a way to have some fun and be able to afford to take the girls away but still have some time our selves. Tom had bought a Harley, Fat Harv which had had its own challenges to start, firstly passing a bike test. We started our adventure small at first but each step took us further, not having a hotel booked was our first challenge. Packing up a Harley when we had only been used to suit cases. Then the routes became more adventurous beautiful mountain roads, goat tracks down into Montreux, southern Italian back roads. Our first trip to Lake Garde took us over the alps through the Dolomites, our destination hotel was recommended by a friend, we had to make the reservation by fax no email. The experience of not booking hotels was daunting but actually became the most satisfying in the package holiday age, particularly as this was before Internet and smart phones. Each trip we came back with a story a bit more crazy than the last. FH (fatharv) parked in a hotel reception one night, they asked for it to be started and revved the next morning. What the other guests thought at breakfast best not to think about, the next night it was kept in a wine store. We frequently ran out of fuel or we broke down in the rain and had to push so these stories all add to why we are here. In 2003 we headed for the states could we get from San Fran to Las Vegas it is funny thinking now as we had 2 weeks and had to ride in circles in the end as the route was not long enough. But the taste for something different had begun. The following year we stayed in Europe pushing ever further as to how comfortable it was to be two up on a Harley, how far could we get. Naples one year then the next Taomina Sicily. All the time realising we had a lot to learn how to pack and what gear to wear. Mind you Tom even then only took a few pairs of underpants. The talks started as to a "big trip" where would we go for how long. Should it be a tour where could we go on our own. The first change happened one morning some where in Northern Italy on our way to Croatia we stopped by a BMW garage, right in the centre of the window was the new GS1200. I knew then Fat Harv was destined to be sunny Sunday afternoon ride. The plan started. Following year after a purchase of a GS1200 our journey took us to Athens via Albania.This was the next change venturing to places friends told us we really should not go although this was still Europe. We were and still are novice travellers, we had a few shaky moments in Albania but got a Police escort, we finally arrive in Athens in the dark, very hot tired and lost. No sat nav (gps) map too small to read, we give up, get a taxi to show us the way. Tom follows on. Hotel was amazing thank goodness view of the acropolis in all it's splendor. We had arrived this is what it is all about. So our adventure continues:-
Planned Dates
Jun 24, 2014 to Jul 07, 2015
Countries
18
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