Tour de Twist 2008
Slovenia May 1st - 4th

photoreport by Mika Pitkänen

"As you can see, all the pictures are taken on stops. There was no chance for me to take any while riding twisties. Hope, that you can still catch the feeling of our superb meeting. Anyway, those who was there can recall things while watching and those who was not can just use their imagination."

 

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Our groups first meeting at Bernds place in Laubach at Wednesday afternoon.

 

Mees, Gie, Bernd, Andre and Mika having a cup of coffee before start, in Bernds garden.

 

After coffee everybody was ready to go. Even the cat wanted to start on Andres backseat... ;-))

 

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A short brake on the way to stretch your leg and fill up...

 

...and after few hours fast ride on Autobahn...

 

... long waited Copper-bier was waiting us at Winkler Bräustüberl. Mika anxious to get the first taste...

 

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Next days (Thursday) ride in Austria and a small stop at crystal clear lake Attersee...

 

...while riding small roads to our final target Soboth.

 

Bernd and Andre reading map together and discussing witch way to take from now...

 

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After long rainy afternoon finally arriving in Soboth, some of us mite felt like this.

 

But meeting friends at Alpengasthof Messner and having first beer..

...and at least on common dinner the life smiled to us all again ;-))

 

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Friday morning was dawning bright and sunny. Excellent riding weather!

 

The whole group was ready and had a tasty breakfast to start the day...

 

...and the bikes was ready and waiting to get the touch of twisty roads.

 

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Before noon we had our first stop in the city of Maribor...

 

...in front of Stara Trta over 400 hundred years old wine house.

 

Mees and Mika posing in front of that historical place by the river.

 

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After riding nice wine roads we had our next stop by the river...

 

...under shadowing threes to stretch our legs ...

 

...and enjoy of relaxing scenery.

 

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Our ride via Jeruzalem Wine Road took us to very nice lunch place...

 

...with beautiful surroundings.

 

Gerhard and Mika enjoying of lunch.

 

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You could see the blue sky through the young leafs of the wine branches.

 

This is a place to remember - Mees is taking a picture...

 

...and others are posing with a big grin on their face ;-))

 

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Friday afternoon was warm and we had still one stop on the way back to the hotel.

 

Small cafeteria on the boardwalk offered us a place to refresh our self...

 

...and have some chat. Walter and Mika listening something...

 

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Saturday morning was again sunny and everybody was anxious to start a new ride.

 

There was some maintenance before we could hit the road. Bernd chanced light bolt of Mikas bike ...

 

After riding very nice and narrow twisties up on the mountains, we had a small brake on the country side.

 

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The day was quite warm at that point...

 

...and Mees had to take his jacket of to cool down a little bit.

 

After a while Elfi and Walter was ready to go again.

 

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Two hours later it was time for lunch...

 

...after careful thinking and selecting and ...

 

...we had a light lunch (some of us).

 

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Up on the mountains, late in the afternoon, we had a nice view while having a break.

 

Mees and Gie resting...

 

... in perfect surroundings.

 

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Last stop on the way back to hotel...

 

Everybody was happy...

 

...spending two really nice days together.

 

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Sunday morning, on the way back home, we rode via south Styrian wine road guided by Ewald, Walter and Elfi.

 

The wine road was on the top of a ridge, witch was a border of two countries. 

 

On the left side of the tree was Slovenia and on the right side was Austria.

 

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On the noon we stopped up on Weinebene (elev.1666m). On that altitude was still snow and temperature around +6 degrees.

 

For a northern guy it felt like back home in Finland.

 

On the other hand, Elfi had to sit on Bernds warmed saddle to melt down ;-))

 

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While riding down Hohentauern we stopped in Gasthof Berghof for light lunch.

 

This place had still their snow tools handy, because they expected snow to come on that day...

 

Nice looking "childrens stake".

 

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Ewald had turned away some time ago and it was time to say goodbye...

 

...to Elfi and Walter too.

 

Bernd, Mika and Gie looking for a night place (Mees behind camera).

 

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We found nice MoHo-hotel in Bühlberg with excellent service.

 

Bernd on the  balcony of Hotel Zur Post, ready for last half riding day together.

 

Hotels oldfashion "garage" was quite idyllig.

 

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Visiting one of the biggest Honda dealers.

 

Bernd and his next bike? (Look at the grin on his face.)

 

Time to start again - towards Bayerischer Wald.

 

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We was visiting Grosser Arbersee...

 

...in quite cold and wet conditions.

 

Here we had our final cup of coffee together on the terrace by the lake.

 

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On the way down we still stopped on Hindenburgkanzel...

 

...to take a final picture...

 

...of this fantastic view over the area.

 

THE END