The plan for this leg of their trip was to ride to the furthest point north on the European continent they could ride, the North Cape of Norway.  Unfortunately the weather in Europe had not agreed to the plan.  Germany and points north were suffering from cold and rain, even though it was late spring.  Greg and Donna-Rae floated around Germany, waiting for the weather to warm-up in the North, which it never did.  During their wandering they managed to attend a motorcycle travelers meeting, sponsored by the Touratech company, a firm specializing in parts and modifications for motorcycles used by long distance travelers.  Greg knew many of the other journalists attending the meeting as well as a number of the attendees.  He had given a presentation four years earlier at a BMW motorcycle meeting near Munich and many of the people attending the Touratech meeting remembered him from that earlier meeting.  Nearly 3,000 attended the Touratech gathering and Donna-Rae made new friends through Greg’s numerous contacts.

     On the ground again.  The Touratech meeting was free open air camping for those attending.  Donna-Rae has learned a few things about camping while traveling by motorcycle with Greg.  One is to make sure to pitch the tent well away from the toilets, and off any paths used by boozed campers rushing to make a “food-back”.   She has also learned to sleep with loud snoring all around in a campground.  She said she wakes up when Greg stops snoring.  Greg said he wakes up when Donna-Rae starts snoring.  Neither admits they snore.

     The motorcycle they used for the North Cape leg of their ‘round the world ride was a BMW K100 RT, probably the only one in Europe with aluminum panniers attached.  The plush seat, wind protection and smooth engine made it ideal for the pavement riding of Europe.  There was very little “off-road” or gravel riding on their route to the North Cape as most of the roads were paved.  Greg tried to avoid any off-pavement riding, knowing that the big touring motorcycle ‘likes to lay down on its side when off pavement.’ 

     The motorcycle was designed for autobahn high-speed travel that was much of what they did from the toe of the boot of Italy to the middle of Germany.  At $30.00 a tank of gas, with three fill-ups each day, the BMW was expensive to run, a cost they could not get away from. 

     Where they could save money was on eating and sleeping.  Donna-Rae learned that while she and Greg dislike American fast food from MacDonald’s, they could get good value for their money when stopping at the Golden Arches.  Neither ordered the burgers.  Instead they chose the salads, fries and mineral water, often ½ what they would pay for the same in a restaurant.  Sleeping indoors consumed more of their travel funds than expected, because cold weather and closed campgrounds (too early for the tourist season) forced them indoors. European friends would laugh when they complained about the high prices, saying, ‘If you think this is expensive, wait until you get to Norway.’  Both Donna-Rae and Greg decided the run to the North Cape might be a time to loose some of the excess baggage they acquired in Argentina and from pasta and wine (Greg) in Italy.  They sprayed waterproofing on their tent, motorcycle jackets, boots and gloves, then headed north.

      Shortly after this photo was taken in Germany the weather turned ugly again.  Two days of cold rain and the promise of more in the north of Europe meant days of riding wet and sleeping in a tent would be miserable.  A decision was made.  The pilot called a halt to the assault on the North Cape.  The need for Donna-Rae to make a visit to doctors for tests and medicine adjustment for her Parkinson’s Disease took priority over riding in the rain.  Greg also needed to attend to some writing projects that were overdue, as well as fend off nasty letters and outrageous fees from American Express.  The motorcycle was parked near the airport in Frankfort, Germany.

[Editor’s note.  Donna-Rae and Greg are taking a Pit Stop.  As soon as medical tests are completed and funds replenished ‘Riding The Dream’ will be back on the road.  They expect to tag the North Cape, then streak across Asia to be home by late September.]