Austria in rain
Drop, drop, drop. I'm opening my eyes and bang! Next drop directly into my righ eye. Trying to cover my head by my sleeping bag. But the situation is clear, this is raining, not only showers. Wanna stop the time and sleep longer. It's few minutes before 4.00 AM. Turning my head, Heidi is up as well. "Do you think that's only shower?", she's asking me. I'm pretty sure that not. But have no idea that the raining would follow us cross the whole Austria and piece of Italy.
We're packing rest of stuff on the bike. Meanwhile, Heidi is cooking coffee which we wanna drink before leaving. It's 5.00 AM, everything is on the bike, the place is totally clean. It's still dark, raining more and more. Both of us hope for breakfast in Graz. I'm riding slowly cause feel more responsibility today and don't want to crash with My sweet Heidi behind my back.
Likely say that it's not important when I'm waking up, because usually I sleep till 11.00 AM:-) But today it seems like the truth. Cannot hold eyes open, but have to. As I cannot see lot and must go before sunrise, make decision that we need to use highway immediately when it will be possible.
After one and half hour, dozens of curves, We're on the highway in direction to Graz, but without permission, have no vignette. And there is no chance to buy it. The first possible place where to buy is gas station in Graz. We' re leaving the highway and refuel the bike at the first gas station in Graz. Heidi is gonna buy some hot pies and I wanna buy the vignette. But they don't have for motorcycle. "just let's seek another gas station, sweetie", I am trying to make Heidi feel better. But the rest of stations are not opened yet, it's 7.00 AM and we have to wait for an hour.
With clean tooth, rain suits dressed, we're gonna ride directly to Italy after more than hour. Firstly I think that raining is only around Graz and must finish soon. But it's fault. Raining is following us for half a day. And it's solid issue, because we have rain suits but not rain covers for our shoes. Stopping on the park lot at the highway and add trash bags on our foot. Helps for a while, but after two hours is definitely useless. The highway and raining, bad visibility, that's all what we can feel in Austria that day. So happy when I can see borderline to Italy. But the raining ends after next hour of the ride.
Italy
The ride cross Austria was really exhaustive, we're so tired when we're parking at the first gaz station without raining. It's around noon and I'm gonna sleep for while. How I'll find later, on the grass which is usually used for dog's pee. I give shit on it.
I' m ready to go ahead after an hour of sleeping. Tired, but happy that we're finally in Italy I'm laughing into my helmet. I'm looking forward to sun and sea, food and cappuccino, so after next hundred kilometers we're leaving the highway for launch. So happy to eat my food prepared in the right way. It's time to plan something. If you ride long trips, I believe that you know the feeling when you're ride on highway for hours, it's so booooooring, guess you wanna leave it repeatedly because this is not the reason why we buy motorcycles. Long rides without curves are tax for fast transfer, but you know, curves are the right spice. Somewhere around Udine more and more cars are honking on us. Oh shit, I almost lost my ukulele! I'm sorry that I cannot find any hard case for it. It should fit much better on my motorcycle and secure the uke in hot weather and raining, the gig bag is not enough. As we wanted go directly to Forli before, I'm changing plan to show Venezia to Heidi, she has not been there before.
Closer and closer to Venezia. Temperture increased. As we rode in 15 degrees in Austria, here is up 30 degrees. Baked meat in our dress. It's time to switch to Italian style, but we have to wait for a while. I'm leaving the highway and going cross long, long bridge over the sea, to old Venezia.
Finally, we're getting off my bike and putting off every dress what is not necessary. It's time to visit, at least, piece of old Venezia, we have not enough time for visiting San Marco's square today, but to see canals, gondolas is must have. I'm sorry that we can't spent more time here, but I'm pretty sure we will come back here this year.
We got last couple of hundreds kilometers front of us. Both of us are tired, the hot weather takes rest of power. As we bored because highways, we made decision go the shortest road. You know, is normal to go faster than is allowed in Italy and the speed is not different than on the highway, remember what bike I have. Guess the difference is bigger in case you're riding some Ducati or Moto Guzzi :-)
My ass aches so much, there is no position without pain. Have worries about Heidi, it's her first long ride. It looks as a hard test of love. But she's completely calm, no reproaches or something like that. Hats off, love!
The rest of the day is in haze. As I love curves in North, we have amazing roads around Trento, here is everything like in the America. You're riding miles and miles strait in hot. As the eight is coming, temperature is more and more comfortable. I'm counting each last kilometer to Forli. Finally!
Calling Matteo. But he's not at home, we have to wait for an hour. But we're here, after around 800 kilometers. Heidi is deathly tired. But the goal is reached.
