Preparations...

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Trip Start Apr 08, 2006 Trip End Oct 07, 2006 Next
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  Gold Coast, Australia
Saturday, April 1, 2006

Mark... This trip was always on the cards for us... it is something we have always wanted to do for years... but really only firmed up in 2005. Dad's 70th birthday was approaching. "It's now or never..." I told him and thankfully the answer was "Now!".

I bought my bike late in 2005. It is a BMW R1100GS. I chose this bike because (a) it looks good, (b) it's big, (c) and it has no chain! Shaft drive should prove a lot less hassle when it comes to maintenance. Here's hoping.

Before i knew it we had to pack the bikes for shipping to Basel, Switzerland. It will take 8 weeks to ship from Brisbane and they are on there way. All set for arrival on the 10th April 2006. Mele and I are arriving on the 10th April where we will start a pre-trip trip (to the UK) before meeting dad (Eric) back in Switzerland on the 1st June 2006.

Eric... The year was 1956 and I was just 20 years old when I first rode a motorbike during my Military Service in the Swiss Army. The bike was a Swiss made "Condor", a 600cc boxer engine, BMW look alike except that the cylinders had side valves.It was heavy and rather gutless but with a 8 speed gearbox (4 low range) could climb anything has long as the rear wheel would adhere to the surface.Subsequently, I bought a 250cc "Standard", another Swiss made bike but with a 2 stroke German Motor "Ilo".The top speed was far from outstanding but the high torque was a great help when climbing the Swiss Alps.
50 years later, I am at it again.After spending most of my life in the Aviation Business and flying all sorts of aeroplanes from Piper Cub to Prop Jets, it is time to explore mother earth from the ground.
The idea of travelling by motorbike from Switzerland to Australia germinated during our last ski holidays in Switzerland with Mark and Mel in February 2005.It started by:
"Why don't we" followed by "Why not" and then never too old,never too late.The hardest thing was to break the news to my dear wife Tamara and I must admit, I was a bit slow doing it.
Next thing was to purchase a second hand motor bike.I bought my 1995 BMW R1100R in August last year and gave it the once over and manufactured a substantial luggage rack.

01 Last minute maintenance in the garage...

Mark's bike got the same treatment.Preparations are well underway but we are still awaiting for visas.Time is running out as Mark and Mel will be departing Brisbane on the 8th.April.I will join them a bit later in May for a schedule departure from Switzerland on the 5th. of June 2006.
On the 27th of March, the bikes were confirmed to have arrived in Hamburg and should arrive in Basel around the 10 April.
More later.

Post your own travel photos for friends and family More Pictures

02 Packing Eric's bike (BMW R1100R)	03 Packing Mark's bike (BMW 1100GS	04 Packing Motorcycles (Eric & Mark)	05 Packing Motorcycles (Eric)
06 Eric driving forklift	07 Loading motorcycles on truck	08 Motorcycles on the truck... ready to go

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