'Round the World with an Italian Supermodel

AntiHero · Apr 13, 2015

Though most of the days looked like this:

There were a few days of good riding weather:

Oh yes, and for all those who wonder why my bike is never dirty:

Both pics taken within 30 seconds of each other. Dirt, for whatever reason, just doesn't come out on red in pics.

AntiHero · Apr 13, 2015

JDBeretta · Apr 13, 2015

Not to be a nut-rider, but this thread is epic. It is next to NEVER that I get "inspired", but if anything gave me that feeling in my stomach (from reading), it has been this thread. Thank you for this.

AntiHero · Apr 14, 2015

Thanks for saying so, JDBeretta. My life is quite strange and your feedback helps put it all into perspective.

wilkson · Apr 14, 2015

JDBeretta said:
Not to be a nut-rider, but this thread is epic. It is next to NEVER that I get "inspired", but if anything gave me that feeling in my stomach (from reading), it has been this thread. Thank you for this.

I agree it is a epic thread . It is the one I always want to have a look at and see what Dennis is up to .
I have done many motorcycle adventure here and overseas it always takes me back to a memory of feeling alone and somewhat vulnerable feels like that only travelling can give you . I actually enjoyed that feeling sometimes

akunochi · Apr 21, 2015

wilkson said:
I agree it is a epic thread . It is the one I always want to have a look at and see what Dennis is up to .
I have done many motorcycle adventure here and overseas it always takes me back to a memory of feeling alone and somewhat vulnerable feels like that only travelling can give you . I actually enjoyed that feeling sometimes

Yes there is nothing short of far extremes(Combat for instance) that give you that feeling of unknown and has the willingness to break you unless you surrender and just say "Let's see how it lands."

AntiHero · Apr 23, 2015

akunochi said:
Yes there is nothing short of far extremes(Combat for instance) that give you that feeling of unknown and has the willingness to break you unless you surrender and just say "Let's see how it lands."

Combat is a great analogy. Any situation involving decisions with fatal consequences teaches you a lot about who you are and what you're capable of surviving. When you do emerge alive, the fear of incapability in the face of adversity diminishes, if not dissolves completely.

Fear is greater in anticipation than in reality. Pushing up against those boundaries teaches you bad .... doesn't happen as often as we expect--and even when it does we're pretty well equipped to deal with it.

AntiHero · Apr 23, 2015

Ok, back to the picture show!

AntiHero · Apr 23, 2015

So I'd spotted a road that led to nowhere, really. On private property, I assumed. Some days when I rode by the road was covered in water.

Other days it was ok:

I messed around possibly a little too much on the other side before thinking, "TIDES!" I turned around a bit fearful that the water might have swallowed up the trail. Then I got to the the end and, although the tide had risen, didn't have more standing water than your average rainy day. And then I was a little bummed....I kind of wanted the challenge of a water crossing on the Panigale.

But I figured it wouldn't be a bad idea to at least practice submersible riding.

Wasn't too bad, either. I had to watch the exhaust and keep my feet down, but motored through it unscathed. Being saltwater, I also made sure I went back 'home' and did a very thorough washing of 'er.

Trauma · Apr 23, 2015

This is perhaps the only bike with "low water exhaust"

HotIce · Apr 23, 2015

You are so cruel! Salt water on a Pani is just bad ... OTOH on your way home you might have gotten into three different rain storms which should have washed the bike just fine

AntiHero · Apr 24, 2015

HotIce said:
You are so cruel! Salt water on a Pani is just bad ... OTOH on your way home you might have gotten into three different rain storms which should have washed the bike just fine

Ha! Most of the contact was just with the rims. Not worried about those sustaining any sort of damage. The wash after took care of any 'overspray'.

The Duchess of Desmo · Apr 24, 2015

Look well if the wheels are complete rust when you get back to Ireland

JDBeretta · Apr 27, 2015

The Duchess of Desmo said:
Look well if the wheels are complete rust when you get back to Ireland

That strange non-ferrous metal oxidization.

AntiHero · May 1, 2015

Another world.

I'm often asked what country I've been through that I've loved the most. There's no easy answer. Ireland is spectacular, but mostly because of what it lacks. There's an honesty and truth in the simplicity of this tiny section of the universe that I'll always carry with me as a wistful, pensive souvenir. Instead of 'leaving my heart' in Ireland, Ireland left a little piece of it's wistful, dreamy (and perhaps forlorn), essence in me.

AntiHero · May 8, 2015

Here's a little house down the street:

And the street:

And a couple more shots of my 'backyard':

Not so much down the street, but still close:

Though I'm in the middle of nowhere in some far away place, this picture would suggest that I'm still preoccupied with being off in some far away place. A little true....

Hard to tell how high up I am in this picture, but when compared with the previous picture you can see it would not be a good place to drop the bike.

AntiHero · May 8, 2015

Panigale1199R · May 13, 2015

Dennis, will you be in The Netherlands weekend of May 30/31. Big weekend with Ducati club races on racetrack Assen. We can go together.

AntiHero · May 18, 2015

Panigale1199R said:
Dennis, will you be in The Netherlands weekend of May 30/31. Big weekend with Ducati club races on racetrack Assen. We can go together.

Highly unlikely. Would be cool, but about 10 days too late and several hundred miles short!

AntiHero · May 18, 2015

Thanks, guys! Glad to see so many others have experienced the difficult-to-describe, but easily-felt impressions Ireland makes on visitors.

I flew into Istanbul, which didn't quite work out like I expected (all I really saw was parking lots in the area surrounding the airport) then onto Dublin. Been kind of a wild and busy week or so....gonna do my best to catch up while I have a decent wifi connection.

Here's what my Panigale travels look like so far:

Ireland is simply gorgeous. And unlike high-tourist areas in Italy, France and parts of the UK, Ireland is largely unspoiled by tour-bus mayhem. The weather may not make for pefect riding, but with so much to drink in with thine eyes, I rarely ever found myself wanting to go any faster than rain-speed.

I wished I'd run across more locals. The island is steeped in lore. Was only after I left that I found out that the original owner of the castle above (which is currently owned privately) hung the surviving ~1700 Spanish soldiers who's invading ships were crushed by the sea. All are, presumably, still buried.

'Round the World with an Italian Supermodel

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