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Sunday, August 17, 2008

King of the Castle

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Motorcycle Travel Adventure - Cafe Racer overlooking Sibenik CastleIt would seem I heal fast. Two days after the accident I was walking around fine. I could even fake that I didn't have a limp for a minute or two at a time and it only hurt if I wasn't drinking. I decided to go exploring on my motorcycle and see if I could get lost without traveling too far. I cruised into Sibenik and stopped at a corner store that sold beer for half a Kuna less than most other places. I picked up a liter and stuffed them in my day pack.
I decided instead of heading towards the water I would travel the other way and find high ground. I had been rewarded with some great views of the sea the last time I did that so I thought I should try again. Plus, I was feeling really antisocial today and staying away from the water meant no crowds. I could see some ruins on the big hill behind Sibenik and I decided I would try to ride up there. I circled around the hill and found another part of town where the soccer pitch was. I don't know how I never saw this part of town before as it seemed more people lived here than in the tourist part of Sibenik. Elvis likes finding new places.

As I circled around the hill I would cut up streets to see if they would take me up to the top. A couple of roads took me pretty far but not far enough. I was about to give up trying when I turned up a road on the back side of the hill. The road switched back a half dozen times and the asphalt was polished and slippery. I could barely take a corner it was so slick. This road took me up to a couple of machine gun pillboxes left behind from the war in the 90's.

Motorcycle Travel Adventure - Cafe Racer in fron of wartime pillbox

That was about two thirds of the way up the hill but my destination was here:

Motorcycle Travel Adventure - The trail up to the fortress in Sibenik

There was no road so I decided to make my poor little yamaha xj650 maxim cafe racer into a dual sport bike. There was a bit of a rut that led up the hill so I followed it. The rut disappeared quickly and I was doing some true off-roading. It's a good thing the bike is as light as it is because I had to get off in a couple of places to walk the bike over some big boulders. I wasn't thinking how much harder it was going to be to get back down.

When I reached the top I parked my bike and climbed the fortress. I reached the ruined walls and this was the view.

Motorcycle Travel Adventure - Panarama view of Sibenik Croatia

There was no one up here so I opened my beer in peace and drank the first one down quickly.

Motorcycle Travel Adventure - Elvis drinking a Karlovacko

The second one I savored a little more.

Motorcycle Travel Adventure - Elvis overlooking Sibenik Castle

I then took a few more pictures of my bike in the fortress, including one of the best photos of my bike to date.

Motorcycle Travel Adventure - Yamaha XJ650 Maxim Cafe Racer in front of Sibenik Fortress

Motorcycle Travel Adventure - Close up of Yamaha XJ650 Maxim Cafe Racer in front of Sibenik Fortress

The ride back down was treacherous. There was a couple of times where I nearly went ass over teacup with my back tire standing straight in the air. I stopped on the way down to take this great picture:

Motorcycle Travel Adventure - Yamaha XJ650 Maxim Cafe Racer in front of Machine Gun Pillbox

I think the paint job on my motorcycle suits the wartime background. I began to imagine what it must have been like during the war to split up Yugoslavia. I entered the pillbox and it had to have been 40 degrees inside. My god that would have been terrible to have to sit in there and man a machine gun.

I got back down the hill and I toured around this new part of the city. I found a little cafe to sit down and have a cold one. A couple of guys came up and took pictures of my motorcycle.

I wonder what adventure I will find tomorrow?

2 comments

Anonymous said...

Hello Elvis.

Just to tell You that all bunkers You photographed in you last story on your blog are not from 90' s. They are from second world war.

When You will come here.

Boris

FAPORT International said...

But i like all picture especially bike, i like your bike...

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