Tres Amigos do Europe 2011

The countdown to Tres Amigos do Europe 2011 is officially on.

The packing is underway (or in Brians case 2 months ago) - Gary Peruzinni is allready there touring London, Paris and Prague, and Brian Norrie and I depart on Sunday, September 25th to Frankfurt, Germany.

We're joining 22 others from Taiwan, Brazil, the United States, and Canada on a 9-day tour of Germany, France, Switzerland, Leitchenstein, and Austria on BMW motorcycles.

Of those 9-days seven are with the group and two days are on your own.

We're going over a few days early to get 'un-jet-lagged' (if there is such a thing) by touring through some of the legendary car museums of German built cars - including Porsche, BMW, and Mercedes.

Then we hook up with the group in Erding, Germany. Each day we are given a choice of two separate routes, each with their own attractions. We'll average about 125 to 150 miles per day and go through some of the most stunning topography known to mankind.

We're staying in 'boutique' type hotels and each morning bring down our luggage, where it will be loaded on to a truck and shipped to our next stop where it awaits us at the end of the ride.

Each day we'll start with a group breakfast, get our co-ordinates and maps, and head out through these beautiful countries.

In Germany we start on the legendary Autobahn where there is 'no recommended speed limit.'

There'll be castles to tour; churches about a 1,000 years old; historical statues and landmarks that we studied in school several years ago; great food; and interesting people at each and every stop we make.

On the two open days we're in the Black Forest in Germany, where famous cuckoo clocks are made and, of course, Black Forest Cake. As well it's Oktoberfest in Germany so the entire country will be in celebration mode.

The part I'm looking forward to the most is the Alpine riding in both Switzerland and Austria. I've watched 'every' Rick Steeves PBS special on these two areas, and I can safely say the visuals will be 'overwhelming.'

My daughter Lauren spent three weeks 'studying' in Switzerland a few years back and tells me the lake areas are simply overwhelming.

My two partners are both highly experienced riders, and each have owned several types of bikes over the years. Currently we all have Gold Wings in Arizona, and I ride a Yamaha FJR 1300 that is kept in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

It's the first time over for both Gary and Brian, and it's now my fourth visit to Europe.

Without 'over hyping' them we've been talking for about a year about this 'bucket list' trip and I'm looking forward to their impressions of almost 'everything' being different from our normal North American lifestyle on the other side of the world.

**the pin was 'designed' by Brian Norrie and will be 'exchanged' with others in the group and friends we meet on the trip! Great idea!**

The title of this blog is also our Facebook site where each of us will be feeding the site with pictures, blogs, and thoughts on the trip. Feel free to 'like' our page and join us. Also, I'm chronicling the trip for the Edmonton and Calgary Sun newspapers.

When we wrap up the motorcycle portion of the trip Brian and I head to London, England for a few more days of r + r. London, arguably, is the most dynamic city that I've ever visited in the world.

There simply is no way to describe the history, culture, people, and sites of this amazing city.

Sincere thanks to our very understanding ladies (Kathy and the two Kim's) who each said "go ahead....enjoy...it's a boys bucket list trip...we get it." (You can imagine the nice gifts they'll be getting though eh?)


And as I say to my friends "yes - I'm the luckiest guy in the world to SEE the rest of the world."

More to follow...in a few short weeks.