Main target of this holiday: visiting a bike meeting in Denmark called 'Alstræf'. I had never been in Scandinavia before, and this seemed to me an interesting event. Special circumstances this year: many kilometers in just six days, and for the first time in five years on my own. Erwin has another baby coming, that's why.

Click the poster for a bigger version.

Trip 1a, Wednesday August 18th, 112 km.
I visited Six Center Motoren in Nieuwleusen, as a warming-up.

Owner Bert Vonderman has Holland's (Europe's?) largest collection of CBX parts. I'd sure like to have my free minute of shopping at his place.

Trip 1, Wednesday August 18th, 113 km.
In Stadskanaal I had a lunch on a terrace. Despite my very limited luggage options, I took two books with me. I decided to start with the one by Eckhart Tolle.

Afterwards it was just a short trip to biker camp site 'De Motorschuur' in Gasselterwhatsoever.

Like two years ago it was not very crowded. Indeed, this time there were half as many tents because Erwin was absent.

There was one other guest, Jepe, a nice guy.

You don't need many people for a pleasant evening. On the bottom left you see hostess Madeleine (or you might not), above her is host Gijs, on the right Jepe. It was chilly outside so the fire was welcome.

The CBX was parked inside during the night.

I visited Willi, a.k.a. 'Hammer of Justice'. I met him two years ago at the Trommelslagertreffen. No surprise that 'Hammer of Justice' lived in a 'Hammer House of Horror'.

But nothing was further from the truth: Willi and his girlfriend Helga were very hospitable.

Trip 3, Friday August 20th, 220 km.
My first time in Denmark. Unknown country, unknown language although most Danes speak very good German. Both languages also seem quite similar: unleaded petrol in Germany is called "Bleifrei", in Denmark it's called "Blyfri". So it is not that hard.

So getting Danish Kronen shouldn't be that hard either.

This year it's the 36th time this event is organized by MC Kæden.

It took a while to fill the vast area.

Most bikers came from the north of Germany. And, Germans being Germans, they took their whole household with them.

I accidentally ended up on a field with four nice guys from Ostholstein. In no time we were in a good mood. From left to right: Konctantin ("with c"), Hendrik, Tobias and Tim. I spent most of the weekend with them.

There were other methods to get rid of headaches: diving into the Baltic is one of them.

A 45 km tour through Als. Starting at Gammelskovvej, to Pøl Nørregade, via Vaninggade and Pøl Søndergade to Herrevej. Turning right to Strandvej, Ærvej and Karlsmindevej. Turn left at the junction into the Brokbjergvej forest, via the unpaved trackway to Egebjergvej and along Oksbølvej and Vesterballe turning left again to the goat track called Fjordvej. Bouncing to Lusigvej and Spangmosevej, bumping to Espehølvej, Lervandstedvej, Solbækvej and Elsbjergvej, 100 meters paved road (pfff) between Ærtebjergvej and Havreløkke, then zigzagging between the Færgevej and Tvendalvej potholes. Turn right at Oksbøl, direction Nørregade. Don't loose concience at Javnbjergvej and Bøgevej, Egevej and Piledamsvej, then return to Nordborgvej via Storegade and Stationsvej.

Kinda.

Here is a rare piece of paved road. It was definitely a nice route. For a KTM.

For 30 Euros you could have your bike tested on a mobile Dynojet station. This V-Rod made tons of noise. Beautiful noise that is.

A great variety of bikes got on. This Aprilia RS250 sounded like a chainsaw. Not really my cup of tea.

Konctantin ("with c"), put his KTM 640 in the rack. It has an Akrapovic exhaust system with a beautiful deep sound. Flames shot out the exhaust each time the throttle closed.

And the result? Well, let me say it like this: the horsepowers did not equal the decibels.

Obwohl: wir haben keine Ahnung. ;-)

Every decent bike event has its Silly Games, so had the Alstræf. No better joy ...

Hendrik took over a time-consuming task: he demonstrated the CBX to passers. And there were a lot.

Alstræf is a motorcycle meeting, not a motorcycle show. There were only two awards: one for the largest motorcycle club present (not me) and one for traveling the furthest (which turned out to be me). As the only Dutchman I'd made the longest trip: 791 km. On stage I received a stylized solid aluminum elephant (length 6 cm) which, according to the casing, can also serve as a bottle opener:'Øllefant flaskeåbner'.

A detail from the engraved text, 'ALS TRÆF - længst kørende mand - 2010'.. Translated by Google: "longest running man".

About 12.00h I arrived in Hollenstedt, past Hamburg, at a biker hotel called 'Hollenstedter Hof'. The weather had cleared (it was sunny and warm) but there was no living soul present. So after a 'Kaffee und Kuchen' I hit the road again.

On the Autobahn I was overtaken by a roaring KTM RC8. At the next gas station, I spoke the owner Dirk Mengel and took time to give the bike a close look. Hard-edged, like mine, but slightly different.

... Konctantin ("with c") ... something for you ...?

As I got back on the A1 I ran into an endless traffic jam. No idea what caused it but at certain moment drivers got out of their cars. This made it dangerous to ride between the traffic. But since standing still is going backwards, I did it anyway, at walking pace.

After the long Danish rains and the even longer German traffic jams, I was quite demolished. So I left the highway about 17.00h. I found a campsite just above Osnabrück. I'd spent 481 km on my steel plate, more than ever before. I ate some, put up my tent, read a book and about 21.00h the light went out.

The view from my tent was beautiful. For as long as it lasted ...

Actually: now you see it.

On the map you see Germany and the Netherlands as they look cloudless. In pink you see the road from Osnabrück to the Dutch border. Click "Start" to start the animation.

The weather was ... indescribable. Of the many rainy rides that I've been in, this was without a doubt the wettest. The highway was invisible because it was under water, the sky was dark green with occasional lightning flashes. I could only stick to a truck with lit fog lights; normal rear lights couldn't be seen. After an hour the CBX engine began to growl because more water than air entered the K&N filters. Fortunately the engine kept on going because the lanes were blocked.

At certain point the rain gear just gave up. The gloves were so soaked that my hands painted black. It was special and therefore, ironically, a great experience. The rain stopped at the Dutch-German border and I could finish the rest of the trip.

Six days from home, six days on the road, traveled 1.542 km. It was tough, intense and very rewarding.