Author: Adam Imre Hegedus

El Camino Trip 2019 – Planning

by Adam Imre Hegedus, posted in El Camino Trip 2019

Atlas Mountains, I am coming! When I was a child, I wanted to become a cartographer, and that’s why I loved to watch maps about all of the world. Search small islands on oceans, etc. In Hungarian the map is โ€œatlaszโ€, so it is a must to visit these mountains.

It was so hard to wait until summer to have my new journey. As you could expect from last year, I have so many plans where to go, visit and meet new people, and a new Trip was desired to happen soon.

I just turned into 28, and I was thinking what would be that really interesting and exciting trip where I could relax and could enjoy every single minute of it. By the way, since last summer I have another new hobby, or become fanatic, dancing Kizomba, (Salsa and Bachata). As a result Angola, the place of origin of Kizomba would be a good destination, but getting there through wild Africa is not my preference YET. Yet, but later need to go there as well. ๐Ÿ™‚

The only thing what I knew is that I want to do another round trip.

 Although Angola is far away, but Africa is not, and I had already plans to go to Gibraltar. But if Iโ€™m there, shall I stop? Nope. I have not been outside of Europe, so this is the time. I planned to go to Spain, then to Africa to Morocco, through Algeria to Tunisia, back to Italian Peninsula and home.

Plan A)

Since my Europe Trip 2018, I have several world tourer friends, and finally it turned out, that I am not eligible to go to Algeria from Morocco because of political situations. What a pity! I would love to get round Mediterranean Sea. ๐Ÿ™‚ No problem, re-planning. Africa is for sure, then visit Morocco more deeply. Challenge accepted!

Plan B)
I have 12 days to prepare everything! As I love it, SPONTANEOUSLY!

Holiday: requested and authorized (3.5 weeks) ๐Ÿ˜€

Dance Festivals Opatija: 13-16 June – everything is managed ๐Ÿ˜‰
Tyre: ordered successfully yesterday: Pirelli Scorpion Trail II enduro street tyre for Yamaha  MT09. ๐Ÿ˜‰
Service: next week full service at Yamaha Top Tatabรกnya, Hungary with the help of Laszlo Cser. Thx
Flag: #alwaysonroad flag is being designed ๐Ÿ˜‰
Road trip breakdown: under development, donโ€™t hurry, I have 12 days left
Bookings: first 4 days and thatโ€™s it ๐Ÿ™‚

Letโ€™s begin on 13th June 2019!

Day 1 – Budapest, Hungary – Otocac, Croatia

by Adam Imre Hegedus, posted in Dubrovnik Round Trip 2018

As you may have expected, I was late in the morning, but who cares, I am on holiday. I packed slowly everything into my drybag and into the rear box, and just left home as on any other day – say hello to the neighbors, looking at running people to the bus, but I am heading to somewhere else. ๐Ÿ˜€

I got on my MT09 and got on the motorway to reduce the time to get to Croatia.
As usual, this is not exciting at all, just we need to get through Hungary as soon as possible.
Now I am more experienced, my papers and credit card are prepared to be checked or used, so the border check was quick, and I could easily start my drive in Croatia. I get down from the motorway to see the Croatian countryside, and obviously have lunch immediately. 

I arrived to Zagreb, Croatia around 5PM, and it was enough from motorway, already 350 km, therefore I just used my brand new TomTop Rider 500 to drive me to Otocac, Croatia where my Airbnb room is. It asked my how much elevation change and sinuous road I would like. Give me all you can provide.
Oh, oh.
I always used my Waze on phone for GPS, which is brilliant for most cases, but if itโ€™s raining, using it is a pain. Waze is smart enough to suggest mostly used roads to ride, while TomTom GPS give you a single plan using all existing road. And here is the problem. TomTom engineers has different opinion about unpaved roads, than me and Waze. I disabled unpaved road, but if the road is already not asphalted, then is it unpaved or not? Never mind. The environment, the fields were beautiful, although I could not drive as fast as TomTom expected. After 1.5 hour riding on unknown roads i felt that it is getting colder by sunset, and I didnโ€™t get closer to my host as I expected, therefore I put on my raincoat (not to become frozen) and got back to motorway.
It was dropped from 18 degree to 5 degree in 3 hours, come on! Noone and nothing can help you on a naked bike without any windshield around 5 degree, and you still have 30 km. That was my worst 30 km ever I rode, when I bought my first own Aprilia RS125 on New Years Eve 2015, it was much warmer. 

I arrived to the host at 9PM, but first I couldnโ€™t find anyone there, so I was shocked. I called them, and finally they came ove4vto the house which is a separate house with 4 apartments. How lovely host, they have already prepared me a plate of delicious welcome meal (bacon, local sausage, local cheese, etc.).
The whole house was mine, awesome, I know where to come with my friends later, top host, top house.

Preparation – 1 day before leave :)

by Adam Imre Hegedus, posted in Dubrovnik Round Trip 2018

Another spontaneous trip of mine, on Friday morning I just felt how goot it would be to eat some Calamari again, therefore I just managed one day off for Monday, and started my trip back to Senj area on the other day. ๐Ÿ˜€

Calamari (Croatia)

In the evening I was thinking I had already been to Croatia this year, therefore I need something new, visit a new place and get more experiences. I was just watching my map, and decided to go further than before to south. Found! The destination need to be Dubrovnik, Croatia..

At this point I didn’t know anything about this beautiful town on seacoat, and the only thing I knew is that I need to follow the coastline, and once I will get there.

Never mind. The only thing what I had to organize for the other day is the accomodation. As it is aourd 5-10ยฐC in the morning, I am not able to sleep in a tent. ๐Ÿ˜€

I could successfully manage my rooms via Airbnb, quickly buy insurance online, and went to sleep (allow myself pack all stuff in the morning :-D).

Europe Trip 2018 – Summary

by Adam Imre Hegedus, posted in Announcements, Europe Trip 2018

After several years one of my dream came true, in 12 days I rode around Europe. ๐Ÿ™‚
It was so spontaneous decision, just wanted to rode to the Alps originally, but finally I decided to go around. I am still young, and have so many plans to achieve before I start family with kids.

Follow The Flow – Nem tudja senki [#alwaysonroad #europetrip 2018]
What I’ve done – Linkin Park [#alwaysonroad #europetrip 2018]

I think now I maximized the memory what I could achieve in 17-18 days including some days when I worked.

 
Summary
  • 17 days away from home
  • 12 countries
  • 12 days on road for 75 hour 13 min
  • 6396 km on road
  • Serpent-like roads: 2600 km, Motorway: 3800 km
  • Dangerous situations: 2, Fall: 0
  • Average speed during the trip: 81 km/h
  • Maximal speed on German motorway: 206 km/h
    [a Porshe 911 pushed me to change lane, but couldn’t.]
  • Used fuel: around 225 liter (E10/95/98/100)
  • Red Bull (2.5dl): 31 cans, Coffee: 17 cups
  • Fines: โ‚ฌ33 (Austria), โ‚ฌ45 (+1 km/h – Paris, France)
 
Ride for Matter
 
Two years ago I started an initiative for riders, that if we can have fun of riding, and also we can share it with others, let’s do it. As well, I attended some additional charity activity, so it was so obvious to ride for matter/charity. That’s why I offered my trip for healing of Erdรฉlyi Rolika. He was born in November 2009 in Zalaegerszeg Hospital. He was only four months old when he had his first brain surgery. It turned out that this brain was covered with cysts, which could not be removed. At eighteen months of age, he had a lifesaver’s skull surgery, after which he received a cerebrovascular infection. Rolika had developed nicely in comparison with the circumstances, he had already attended in the Pooh’s kindergarten. But it turned out that it has myelodysplastic syndrome, which can only be cured by transplanting bone marrow stem cells. Now he is 8 years old, he learned to walk with equipment, and tell ferry tails by memory in a so kind manner. If he can achieve what he decided, there is no excuse to make my dream come true. He gave me passion to do it! ๐Ÿ™‚
 
 
I could talk to his mom, and in August 2018 I will ride to him with some additional riders, and I will give a T-shirt and some toys to him what I brought abroad. ๐Ÿ™‚
 
 
 
Acknowledgement
 
Bence H., Laura S., Susanne T., Tamรกs P., Orsolya E., Simon M., Veronika T., Mac T., Mirtill F., all riders and people who I met during this journey. ๐Ÿ™‚
YamahaTop Tatabรกnya, Hungary, Karasna Shop, Budapest, Hungary

Day 17 – Krakรณw, Poland – Poprad, Slovakia – Jรณsvafล‘, Hungary – Budapest, Hungary

by Adam Imre Hegedus, posted in Europe Trip 2018

I didn’t get up early, because I wanted to enjoy every second of my trip far from home. ๐Ÿ™‚
I walked a short around the hotel, and packed my bag and box so lazily. ๐Ÿ™‚

I put my bag back to my motorcycle, said goodbye to my room and started my rode to home.
At the beginning to get closer to Zakopane, Poland which is one of the most visited place by Hungarian riders, I went up to the motorway.

The road was very nice and serpent-like. I arrived to Zakopane area and I had to rode within smaller villages where they were repairing the roads, so it was a mass. In additional, even the sky was so clear during my ride here, I saw a so dark could especially above the mountain next to Zakopane, Poland.

I stopped in a Shell petrol station in Zakopane, Poland, where I decided to put on my raincoat, and started my road on the serpentines. Soon I had to be disappointed, the Road Oswalda Balzera was closed due to the raining in the mountain. No way, the best part of the area is not available. I had to do a bypass to get to Road 66, but that’s why I could get off the raincoat immediately. It was so hot, within the raincoat it was around 37ยฐC without any rain on my way, so I was so happy to take off.

I arrived to the border of Slovakia at a small steam near Lysa Polana, Poland, it was so nice and continued my trip to area of Poprad, Slovakia on Road 66. ๐Ÿ™‚

I was really interested in the roads of Slovakia, because I heard a lot about these roads.

 Long and serpent-like roads through the hills around Low Tatras. ๐Ÿ™‚

Later I was satisfied with the roads in the mountains, especially loved Road 66 after Poprad, Slovakia. It was so exciting. ๐Ÿ˜€

In the afternoon I arrived to the border of Hungary in Aggtelek, Hungary, where I felt to be a weight off my mind as arrived back to Hungary, but as well, I was a bit sad, because I arrived home (country), and to be honest, I would have turned back if I could. ๐Ÿ˜€

Just to continue gathering more and more experiences, I decided to visit Jรณsvafล‘, Hungary, I was there about 15 years ago. ๐Ÿ™‚ The serpentine was so exciting, I loved it, didn’t remember for this road, but was phenomenal. ๐Ÿ˜€

Later, I started my road to my hometown, to Miskolc, Hungary. I visited my grandparents, and I got confused soon. In my long journey the only confusion was in Swiebodzice, Poland, where a cat walked back and forth on my motorcycle. I was a bit upset. But the first place where I saw that someone touched my motorbike. I got so upset: “nowhere else, but in my hometown”.

I met my grandparents, they were so happy that I visited them. Anyway, I promised I visit them in July, I did it. :’D

Around 6PM I decided to leave Miskolc, Hungary, and went up to the motorway and rode until Deรกk Ferenc Square, Budapest, Hungary, which is one of the meeting point for riders in Budapest, Hungary. ๐Ÿ™‚ I met some guys there, drunk an energy drink with them, and chat sometime with each other.

Around 9PM I arrived home, and was so proud that I arrived home from a my first long journey around Europe. I decided to do again in next years, because it was a very good challenge.

Arrived home in Budapest after 17 days

Day 16 – Swiebodzice, Poland – Oswiecim, Poland – Krakรณw, Poland

by Adam Imre Hegedus, posted in Europe Trip 2018
I got up quite early as I didn’t feel so good at this hostel, perhaps I was too indulged in the past few weeks. Early I packed everything, drunk a coffee and started my run to Krakow, Poland.
Around Posmyk, Poland I decided to check the forest, so I came down from the motorway. I stopped at a carstop, when I met the Google Street View Car. Soon I will be available there. ๐Ÿ˜€

Originally I wanted to ride to Warsaw, Poland, but when I stopped to get some fuel around Myjomice, Poland I checked the weather around there, and it was raining everywhere there.

That’s why I decided to turn south and rode to Oswiecim, Poland. Perhaps you may know it as Auswitz. As I had some relatives died long time ago, I visit every time, and leave some stone on the entrance for paying tribute for their memory.

I continued my trip to Krakow, Poland, but around Katowice, Poland it was raining again, so I stopped to get some fuel and put on my raincoat again.

Finally I arrived to Krakow, Poland, and rode around the city. In March I had been there, so I wanted to check what changed in last few months there. I stopped around Wawel Castle, Krakow, Poland, rode around the city. ๐Ÿ™‚ It was very nice, again. ๐Ÿ™‚

Finally I tried to buy a picture frame for my friend, so I rode around all suvenier shop, but couldn’t find it again. I had to give up, as almost all shop closed, so I decided to visit my last accomodation.

I was so surprised when I arrived. It was a hotel outside of Krakow, Poland. So good place to spend my last night, and also an awesome place to watch one of the biggest full moon eclipse of the century. Although in Hungary it was cloudy, in the area of Krakow, Poland it was so clean, no cloud, warm and nice. ๐Ÿ™‚

I went to a restaurant, and watched the moon eclipse from there. It was interesting, but I was a disappointed as I expected much red moon. ๐Ÿ˜€

Unfortunately from my phone this cannot be seen.
And it was not that red :/

I went back to the hotel around 11PM, and relaxed a lot.

Day 15 – Trittau, Germany – Berlin, Germany – Swiebodzice, Poland

by Adam Imre Hegedus, posted in Europe Trip 2018

I got up quite late, but I knew that that day will be mainly on motorway again, so I was not afraid again. In the morning I packed everything and I was ready to leave Susanne’s house, but with a cup of coffee we talked about 1-2 hours. She is a coach and started to analyse me and we talked about these topics. It was so interesting. Perhaps it was around 11AM when I leave the house, she hugged me, and we said goodbye to each other. ๐Ÿ™‚

I went up to the motorway and I didn’t stop until Berlin, Germany which is a so big, but nice city. I found the people much friendlier elsewhere from the capital of Germany, but the city itself was phenomenal. It was so beautiful. Large, wide roads, old and historical building everywhere. ๐Ÿ™‚

I left behind myself Berlin, Germany, and continued my road to Poland on Road 13. I arrived to Poland, where I got some refreshments, and continued my road to Swiebodzice, Poland.

I was so disappointed when I went back onto the motorway. In Germany the quality of the road was so good, but when I went through the border it changed so significantly. I rode around 20 km with a speed limit of 70 km/h on motorway (which was because of the road conditions) and decided to leave motorway and rode on simple road. It was a huge change in road conditions. Although the motorway was terrible, but 1 km away the country road was recently repaired. It was so lovely to ride in huge forests, avoiding smaller villages, but the tempo was granted. ๐Ÿ™‚

I stopped to Boleslawiec, Poland where I could get some fuel and rest a bit. ๐Ÿ™‚

Some time later I had to cross the motorway again, which was already in the quality as it was before in Germany. Perhaps only the first 30-40 km is so terrible in Poland from the direction of Germany. But I couldn’t understand why? This is the first view of Poland when someone just cross the border. I don’t think this is the best insight building. But it was fixed, just I had to ride some more kilometer to arrive there. ๐Ÿ˜€

Therefore I continued my road on Road 18 motorway between Tuplice, Poland and Lawszova, Poland. After back to country roads, which roads was much similar to Danish roads, but the drivers were much similar to Hungarians. ๐Ÿ˜€ Riding a bit faster than the limit, but the traffic was going efficiently.

Finally I arrived to my accommodation, which was in Swiebodzice, Poland. It just turned out that it is a hostel, but as I couldn’t understand Polish, and Google Translator could neither translate is for me, I expected something good.

The hostel was quite nice, the room was extremely simple, two beds one furniture and a chair. Nothing special, but I was just got used to nice and friendly homes in the past two weeks. Never mind.

My only problem was with the hostel, that I was walking down to the ground floor, but the staircase was made of authentic wood, and was lacquered and also polished. As a result, I fall off which was not planned, at all. It was not so serious, but after 550 km my back was not prepared for this trauma. That’s life, but later I was so careful. Didn’t need another fall, because I had another two days to get home, with safe and in one piece. ๐Ÿ™‚

But at least the steam on the other side of the road was nice. ๐Ÿ™‚

As there was no restaurant and especially nothing around the hostel, I had to eat my snacks. The best thing was that a bottle of water was provided in the room. Perhaps the only positive point, unfortunately.

Finally at night I watched again some episodes from Lost in space and perhaps went to sleep around 1AM.