2017-PROJECT CARPATHIAN BALKAN-Day 10

“HOME”

The last day of the Project Carpathian Balkan was a short one. To my hometown Vienna only a few km have been left over.
On one hand side I was happy that the trip found on this day its end. I was pushing hard each day of this tour to make some mileage and was a bit exhausted because of that; on the other hand I was looking forward to coming back to my beloved ones. As often in life there are two sides on the same coin. If I hadn’t pushed so hard the last days, I won’t be now so close at home … . Interesting thoughts! But hey, I’m not the homesick guy! Believe me! ^_^

Day 10 – the last day of the Project Carpathian Balkan: This day was short. Within a few hours I rode along some back country streets from the shelter of the last night near the village Schildbach in Austria to Vienna. Total distance on this last day: 145km or 90mi.

Around 0500 I was aroused from a few raindrops falling on the tent. I closed the eyes again and slept a bit longer to about 0600. When …

I left the tent, a few more single raindrops felt. Now it was clear: No lurking around now, the tent is dry and I should pack it now, or I will have to dry it later at home. Luckily the weather stayed stable …

until Чернотa was settled up. Чернотa and I …

went on along some meadows further north until …

we reached some tarmac. The temperature at this morning was now slowly …

decreasing and in the distance rain was already falling. I hoped to be able to pass the dark clouds before it starts to rain.

But that didn’t work. Somewhere in the “Buckelige Welt” …

heavy rain got us. I put on the rain gear and went on northwards …

into the direction of Vienna. About 30 minutes before arriving the city the rain stopped. The last …

kilometres I rode back along dry streets. After 4900km or 3050mi Чернотa and I arrived back home.

After unpacking my trusty black beauty and stowing the gear at its place I took a great shower – the first real shower after 10 days. I don’t need to tell you that that was great. Afterwards I felt like a newborn. I had another look at my …

tormented finger and also at the …

destroyed back tire tube and the …

damaged Enduristan Monsoon 3 Saddle bag. My self made fix lasted over 2000km or 1250mi. I also did a little documentation about my fingers healing process:

Here it is after 5 days of the trips end, and …

after about 2 weeks of the trips end. The healing process was fine. Today only a little scar remained.

Conclusion:
I don’t have much to tell about the trip itself. I think the shown pictures here on dualadventure.com and also my short comments doing a good job in telling the ups and downs of the whole ten days riding story.
Overall I have to say that the impressions have been grate and my black beauty Чернотa (an often so called: “unreliable KTM 690”) did its job. Besides a flat back tire I had no serious breakdown with this bike.

What really counts:
This trip showed me that adventure riding is the right travelling style for my incoming motorcycle travelling projects. Being out in remote areas with only the stuff I’m able to carry in three motorcycle bags is a commitment to a basic lifestyle. Despite all worries before the trip it showed me so well how less is necessary for having a couple of really exciting days and breathtaking experiences away from the other daily routine. And that without missing anything!
Nobody can take me away this experiences. One day, when being old and rather fragile, I will think back to this fine trip which enriched my life and in my opinion that is it was really counts! We should all think more about what is really important in our life, because:

The days of all our lives are numbered, but it’s our own responsibility how much life we add to our remaining days!

Servus,
Tom