Seven motorcycles and a car around Europe

Our first riding day started with a lot of smiling faces during the breakfast buffet. The dayli briefing gave a brief overview about what we going to explore and makes us all curious. We met at the bikes and once everyone was ready we started to ride our first kilometres together. The first stop was at a small chapel in the woods where we took some pictures. We continued our journey through Hallertau, the worlds largest hop growing area. A very enjoyable scenery which led us to a small town where we stopped for a coffee. The beautiful landscapes didn’t end as we moved on to get to Eichstätt, a medieval town where we stopped for our lunch. Time to relax a bit and enjoy the view. Ready to get back on the bikes! Some nice curves took us to the medieval town of Dinkelsbühl where we stopped for another coffee. We planned to spent some time to visit Rothenburg ob der Tauber as well and so we made our way to there and got the opportunity to have a walk after the dinner thru this beautiful town. After a while we got tired and went back to our hotel and to bed. What a great first day of riding!

**What a day we had today!!!** After spending the night in the beautiful medieval city of Rothenburg, it was time to continue on to our next destination. We were heading west, through a landscape filled with even more castles and churches. Our first stop was **Langenburg Castle**. Unfortunately, we couldn’t get inside because it opened a little later, but we were still able to enjoy the views of the valley, the perfectly maintained gardens, and, of course, the imposing castle crowning the hill. But don’t let the grandiose exterior fool you—the family that owns the castle **STILL LIVES THERE!** Unfortunately, they didn’t come outside to greet us. 😉 For our next stop, we headed to **Schöntal Abbey**, where we enjoyed some well-deserved coffees. When we stepped inside the church, we were amazed to hear music playing. The local orchestra was rehearsing! What an incredible setting: a church almost 1,000 years old, filled with the sound of live classical music. For lunch, we stopped next to the **River Neckar**. Some of our guests had had enough Schnitzel by now, while others were eager to keep sampling this traditional dish. And let’s be honest—you can never really go wrong with a good Schnitzel! For our final stop of the day, we climbed up to **Hirschhorn Castle** to admire the views over the river. Unfortunately, our visit had to be cut short. The rain started to come down, and the forecast wasn’t looking very promising. So, we jumped back on our bikes and, luckily, managed to avoid getting too wet on our way to Heidelberg. But if you think the day ended there, you’d be very wrong! After a quick shower, we headed to an Irish pub to watch **Sunday Night Football**. That’s right—the Steelers were playing the Patriots! In a pub packed with hardcore Steelers fans (and a few Patriots fans), we blended in without any issues and had an evening that we’ll definitely remember long after this trip is over. **Greetings from Heidelberg,** **Lasse and Ariel**

After that great evening yesterday everyone looked a bit tired this morning but the breakfast and some extra coffee solved that out. We met in the garage where we almost forgot our dayli briefing. No way to start as unprepared into the day. So after that we got a short ride on the German Autobahn to get as fast as possible to where we where looking forward today. The Black Forest is one of the most frequented motorcycle Mekka of Germany and of course we wanted to spend some time here. We went to our first picture stop, a tree which appears to grow in the air without its roots going into the soil. Some special coffee stop on the way and we moved on to visit the Schwarzenbach-Talsperre which has been fully drained for maintenance. A really special view. Our lunch picnic was at least the highlight of all lunch stops so far. Beautiful weather, sitting in the nature and enjoying local delicacies. The roads in the Black Forest where spectacular. Winding up and down, changing from wide with stunning views to narrow paths thru the woods. It was getting g already a bit late but of course we wanted to stop for another coffee before we finally made our way over the Rhein river and eventually ended up in France. After a short break and shower we met again for a great dinner in a restaurant close by. A tiring but awesome day.

# Did Anyone Say Rest Day? Not for Us! 🏍️🍷 After a lovely evening strolling through **Riquewihr** the night before, we were ready to get back on the bikes and explore the beautiful wine country of Alsace. We hit the road early, as always, and headed south. Our first stop was a military cemetery dedicated to the French soldiers who lost their lives during **World War I**. Standing there in the quiet of the morning was a powerful reminder of the battles that once took place across this very landscape — not so long ago in the grand scheme of history. From there, it was time to twist the throttles and enjoy some of the fantastic roads this region has to offer. After a series of beautiful twists and turns, we stopped for a well-deserved coffee in the charming old town of **Munster**. And, of course, no stop in Munster would be complete without sampling its famous cheese! We picked some up at the local market and decided it would make the perfect companion to our cappuccinos. Because why not? 🧀☕️ With caffeine levels restored and cheese safely packed away, we continued deeper into the mountains, riding through the spectacular **Col de la Schlucht** and **Col du Bonhomme**. The roads were fantastic, the scenery was stunning, and the bikes were exactly where they belonged — carving their way through the mountains. Eventually, with plenty of riding already under our belts, we decided it was time to head back toward the hotel. But before calling it a day, we made one final stop at a viewpoint on the hill overlooking **Riquewihr**. From up there, the view was incredible. Below us sat the beautifully preserved old town, surrounded by seemingly endless rows of vineyards. These are the very vineyards that produce the world-famous wines of Alsace, and suddenly our next activity of the day seemed like the obvious choice… **Wine tasting!** 🍷 After parking the bikes, peeling off our riding gear, and finally switching from motorcycle mode to holiday mode, we headed to one of the local wineries to discover what all the hype was about. And boy, were we in for a treat! We tasted several of the region’s specialties and even got a fascinating lesson in winemaking from the owner himself. It was the perfect way to experience another side of this beautiful region — not from the seat of a motorcycle, but with a glass of wine in hand. Later, we took another leisurely walk through the streets of Riquewihr, enjoyed a light dinner, and started getting everything ready for the next leg of our adventure. Because tomorrow, the road takes us across the border. **Switzerland is waiting! 🇨🇭🏍️** Greetings from Riquewihr, **Lasse & Ariel**

It was time to say goodbye to France. After two fantastic nights in **Riquewihr**, it was time to get back on the road and continue our journey through Europe. But before crossing the border, we made one final stop — another powerful reminder of Europe’s turbulent past. This time, we visited the **Colmar Pocket Memorial**, dedicated to the battles of World War II. Standing there, surrounded by history, we were struck by a particularly meaningful sight: the flags of the **United States, Germany, Austria, France, and the United Kingdom** flying together in harmony. Five nations that were once divided by war, now standing side by side. A powerful symbol of a new chapter in history — one that leaves behind the conflicts and differences of the past. With that thought in mind, we crossed the Rhine for the second time and found ourselves back in Germany. From there, we jumped onto the **Autobahn** and made our way toward the highlight of the day: the legendary **Black Forest**. And it did not disappoint. The fast roads soon gave way to beautiful mountain routes, winding their way higher and deeper into the forest. The roads were in fantastic condition, the scenery was spectacular, and the motorcycles were loving every corner. It was also here that we finally understood where the **Black Forest** gets its name. The forest is incredibly dense — in some places, the trees are so tall and tightly packed that you can barely see the sky above you. Riding through it feels almost like entering another world, with the road disappearing into an endless wall of green. Eventually, we reached **Kandel**, where we stopped for a well-deserved coffee next to the launch area used by another kind of adrenaline junkie — paragliders! Unfortunately, we didn't get to see anyone take off, but the views alone made the stop worthwhile. Back on the bikes, we continued deeper into the forest toward a very special treat. It was time to try the **world-famous Black Forest cake!** 🍰 We stopped at a charming restaurant beside the river, where the almost musical sound of water flowing through the old mills provided the perfect soundtrack. With a slice of that legendary cake in front of us, we finally understood why it has become such an icon of the region. And then came lunch. Our next stop surprised us almost as much as **we surprised them** — with a delicious fusion of **Vietnamese and German cuisine**. It wasn't exactly what we had expected to find in the Black Forest, but it certainly hit the spot! With our tanks — both motorcycle and human — refilled, we were ready to keep moving. Our route then took us toward the Swiss border and the beautiful town of **Schaffhausen**. And what better way to finish the day than with one of Europe's most spectacular natural landmarks? The **Rhine Falls** — Europe's largest waterfall by volume of water flow — were waiting for us. After a full day of riding, exploring, eating, and crossing borders, it was finally time to head to the hotel, park the bikes, and enjoy a well-deserved rest. Because tomorrow would bring one of the most **challenging — and rewarding — riding days of the entire adventure.** The road ahead was calling. **Greetings from Schaffhausen! 🇨🇭** **Lasse & Ariel**

After our breakfast we had to realise the weather forecast wasn’t lying to us as it was quiet chilly in Schaffhausen. But we had our briefing of course anyways outside at the bikes. After that we started our today’s journey in direction of Holzgau, a village in Austria where our next hotel is located. After a while riding we stopped the first time for today close to the Bodensee just on top of a hill. A amazing view from here down to the lake. Some of us needed a toilet and a coffee. The perfect opportunity to stop at the American bikes bar where we found that and also used the chance to look at all these amazing bikes. From there on we where just overwhelmed of the beauty of Switzerland’s country side. The nature with its farmlands and mountains is simply distracting. In the middle of this beautiful scenery we stopped to have some lunch. With fresh energy we continued our journey towards the furkajoch where we stopped on the mountain top for another coffee and just more of this stunning views. As we arrived in the hotel a cold beer was already waiting for us and we just stayed with some cheese and vine for some time. A quick shower and it was already time for dinner again. Great meals and some more chats about the day and the trip in general. One more riding day is waiting for us, so we went to bed early to get some energy for that.

# And Just Like That, We Were Back in Bavaria 🇩🇪🏍️ And just like that, we were back in Bavaria. It was hard to believe that our adventure was already coming to an end. But there was still one final riding day ahead of us — and we were determined to make every kilometre count. The morning greeted us with very low temperatures, so we geared up with every layer we could find and set off east through the valley. Our first stop was going to be something very special. As we approached, it almost felt like we had entered the **Disneyland of Bavaria**. But this was no theme park. Rising dramatically above the landscape was the one and only **Neuschwanstein Castle** — perhaps *the* fairytale castle in Europe, and certainly one that seems to be on everyone's travel bucket list. We took in the magnificent views from **Queen Mary's Bridge**, looking across at the castle perched dramatically against the mountains. Later, we continued down toward the beautiful **Alpsee**, where the scenery was every bit as spectacular. But there was still plenty of road ahead of us. We climbed back onto the bikes and continued toward our lunch stop. And what a lunch it was! Lasse had prepared a delicious selection of local treats right beside the **Plansee**. Fresh bread, **Leberkäse, sausages**, and other Bavarian specialties were exactly what we needed after a cold morning on the bikes. And while most of us were happy to stay warm and enjoy the food, **John decided that lunch wasn't enough of an adventure** and bravely went for a swim in the lake — despite the decidedly uninviting temperatures! 🥶🏊‍♂️ Clearly, one castle wasn't enough for us. Our next destination was **Linderhof Palace**, the only one of King Ludwig II's palaces that he was able to see completed and enjoy during his lifetime. And what a fascinating character he was. We explored the interior of the palace and were amazed by the incredible — and often eccentric — taste of the Bavarian king. Every room seemed to reveal another glimpse into his extraordinary imagination and his obsession with grandeur. Eventually, it was time to make our way back toward the hotel. Before the final stretch, we made one last coffee stop in Aying. And perhaps because none of us were quite ready for the adventure to end, we made a conscious decision to leave the fast roads behind and take the slower, more scenic route back. Maybe we simply wanted to stretch the day out for as long as possible. Maybe we weren't ready to say goodbye. Back at the hotel, we gathered for our **farewell dinner**, sharing stories, laughs, and our favourite memories from the tour. After so many kilometres together, there was no shortage of stories to tell. And just like that, the journey was over. From the vineyards of France to the mountains of the Black Forest, from Switzerland and the Rhine Falls to the castles of Bavaria, we had shared an incredible adventure with an even more incredible group. **It was an absolute pleasure to share this journey with all of you.** Until the next road, the next mountain pass, and the next adventure... **Greetings from somewhere out there. 🌍🏍️** **Lasse & Ariel**