Reflections of 09

We are on our way back to Toronto and this is a reflection of our trip. About 10 weeks ago we were anxious to start; now we feel a need to get back to a more civilized routine. Travel is not easy. Life is unpredictable on the road, yet we were very lucky. Each night we found shelter. Accommodation went from living in a tent or a garden shed to having the finest society had to offer in a 4 star hotel. We had the illusion that the internet is available all over the world, it is! Yet it is either expensive or so slow that it defies usefulness. We ate well, not always the finest but we were never hungry. The weather was on our side. Yes, we had rain, fog, cold spots even heat but all in all we rode in dry conditions. We were extremely pleased about that. Our bikes held up, no major repair needed. In the most desolate areas the machines ran well. I managed with a defective side stand to get off and on the bike using a wooden block. I was a bit nervous about my bald front tire but I learned from that, too. Next year we will start with a fresh set of tires. We rode slowly when Carol’s chain was worn out and needed replacement. We ran into people that were helpful and even offered their home for us to use. Thank you again, Hilde and Sigurd. We lived day to day with a destination in mind, with a theme to follow. There were a lot of firsts for Carol. The mind was on overload but we survived it all. Right now it rains, the last day of our trip we are holed up at Stefan Knopf’s place in Heidelberg. Our bikes are washed, the oils have been changed, the fuel stabilized and all is put away until next year. We had a good trip. Next year we will continue on a new venture and let’s hope that in the future all trips will be as good as this trip.