WhereThehellisMurph, 3 Wheels, 7 Continents, 7 Years

[WheresMurph]

Cool story about your mess bag, and especially the parting shot with it hanging on the mile marker. You can tell someone found it for you and put it somewhere you'd easily see it...perhaps it was Dad answering your pleas for help

RA,thanks.I'm not religious at all,or even that spiritual,but after just casually asking the old man for help and then finding the bag,well,it does make you think.
And yes,obviously someone on the road found it and put it there,but finding it at that particular moment.......

Thanks for stopping by.........

Murph

 

[WheresMurph]

HOW TO SHIP YOUR MOTORCYCLE TO EUROPE Pt I

Hi all and Happy Easter.

So,since this is my first time shipping a motorcycle overseas I thought I would make a 'How To' video about the process,for myself and for others who are thinking about shipping their motorcycle,but have no idea what it entails. It doesn't appear to be that difficult,at least from over here in the US,but I'm sure when I go to pick it up in Rotterdam there may be a few issues,maybe not,but Pt III of this 'How To Ship Your Motorcycle" video will be shot when I arrive at the Port of Rotterdam in the Netherlands on May 2nd to pick up my motorcycle.

The price I paid to ship my motorcycle from Port to Port(Long Beach CA to Rotterdam NL) was $495. If you ship from the east coast,i.e. the Port of Miami,it will be $450.
When you go to pick up your motorcycle in the Port of Rotterdam in the Netherlands,expect to pay in the reigon of EU350(Euros) for things like unloading,port fees and taxes and the cost of getting your motorcycle from the ship to the Freight Forwarder. Many people are under the assumption that you can just walk up to the ship and get the motorcycle as it comes off the ship and ride off,but this is not the case. You must pay for a Port Escort,(approx $100-$150 an hour) to get your motorcycle from the ship to the Port Gate,it's a security issue. Taxes and fees i'm not sure of yet.

So as soon as I get to Rotterdam,I will detail all these costs and charges and they will be included in the 3rd video.
Once I get to Rotterdam and pick up my motorcycle from the Freight Forwarder,I will be riding south to a small town called Elsendorp in Holland where LBS Sidecars are located,and there we begin the 2-3 month process of converting my motorcycle to a 2Wheel Drive RTW sidecar outfit. I will of course be doing progress reports and video and posting them up here on the Expedition Portal.

I'll be using a Stern Rox sidecar(details in the next post) with the Mobec Duo-Drive system,and doing a full 3 Wheel car tire conversion,since on a sidecar outfit,you don't need motorcycle profile tires,and they also wear down faster compared to a car tire. Since I like winter riding,I'll also be able to get a winter tire in a car tire,an option not available in motorcycle tires. And even though the Stern Rox is more of a 'Tarmac Chair' than a 'RTW' chair, the reason I decided to go with it instead of the usual 'Ural' chair is for the reason that everyone uses the 'Ural' chair,so I wanted to build something different. The Stern Rox is also a 1 1/2 chair,able to take 1 adult with room to spare,so since I'm going to try to take me Mum on at least one or two months a year on part of my RTW trip,I was trying to combine a chair that was a comfortable passenger chair,but also a RTW outfit chair with aspects necessary for long-term travel over sometimes difficult terrain.

Murph​

​

[video=vimeo;39929625]http://vimeo.com/39929625[/video]​

 

[WheresMurph]

THE LEFT COAST:Road Stories Pt IV......almost time to ship out.

So in the last week i've just been scrambling to get everything together before I leave for the EU. Since this is my first really big RTW trip and I don't expect to be back for at least 2 or 3 years if not longer, I really don't have a blueprint or checklist of 'Things To Do Before You Ship Out For 3yrs' that I can reference. Actually,it's my first RTW period,i've NEVER done a Round the World before,and now here I am at age 50 starting one on a motorcycle, well, really it'll be on a sidecar, it's just not built yet, but in a few months it will be.

The bike at the shipping company Schumacher Cargo in Gardena CA.

If anyone has any sage advice for me,now would probably be a good time to let me know. I have a few people I know who have done a RTW themselves, but none for over 6 months, and certainly not for 2 yrs +,although everyone's experience and how they go about a big trip like this is a very personal thing.
I know that there's a bunch of things to think about, but I'm the type of person that doesn't really like to plan too far ahead,I pack the night before or the morning of a trip, I kind of feel that too much planning takes the 'unknown' factor and fun out of a trip,yanno?.
I mean,do you remember back when there was no GPS,no cell phones, no Google Maps to plan out your route?. So how the hell did we manage to get to our destination without any of that stuff we have now?. It didn't seem to be a problem at the time,did it?.
I remember I did my first backpacking trip when I was 15,it was 1977,and I made it to Europe from Dublin Ireland to my friends house in Berlin,no GPS,no cell phones,nothing. Just an address written on a piece of paper,AND,I didn't even speak German.I remember trying to make myself understood while asking for directions,me with my long hair and coffee stained paper with a well worn address on it. My friend lived in a town in Germany called Essen,Essen is also the German word for 'Eat'. It took me all morning to figure out that people were telling me where to go to eat and not how to get to Essen..............Dohhh.

I traveled all over Europe and had no problems, we all did I guess, but now it seems that so many trips are just so 'Over-planned' that it seems like nothing much is left to imagination or God forbid chance.
I know people who travel with 2 GPS's,just in case the first one breaks.............................I mean,really?.
Oh,and then there's SAT phones........................just in case.

I packed the panniers with items that i'll need on my trip,hope they'll still be there when I pick up the bike in Rotterdam.

This is the warehouse where the vehicles get consolidated and wait to be put into a container.

I guess i'll have to plan to some degree for visas and the like,I just hate planning.But anyone with visa info or help for places like Russia or countries that don't make it easy to get into,i'd be glad of the advice. I do want to head east and take in Russia,it'll probably be in the spring/summer of 2013.
My rough itinerary is after the sidecar is built( 2 1/2 months or so ) to head to Luxembourg in August for the big EGT, the European Motorcycle and Sidecar Show,after which I'll probably go north to Sweden to see Kjell and his wife Karin,whom I met last year in Death Valley on their BMW's while doing their 2 yr RTW ride.
I have an invite to Finland also, so I figure Sept will be about the last month to be able to comfortably navigate that far north. Then I think i'll meander my way through Europe, down to Spain, up to France and over to England and then Ireland where I have relatives to see, and ending up in Wales in February of 2013 for the famous Dragon Rally,England's oldest running motorcycle rally and their version of Germanys famous Elefantentreffen.
So, that's my 'Subject To Change' route,so anyone with suggestions,thoughts,advice,friends to stay with,visa help,anything that you feel may be of use,i'm all ears.
You can leave responses here,on my email : Wheresmurph@gmail.com or just click on the FACEBOOK link at the end of this post.

Meanwhile,I had a really bad experience with selling off the contents of my house in Fl, I had 2 people who do estate and bereavement sales take care of selling off what was left in order to try to fund the next 2 years on the road, and I ended up getting legally robbed blind. I had hoped to get at least $12k since I had a lot of really good items of furniture and tools ( probably $65k + worth,and all I got from them was $6k and a bunch of lame *** excuses. I'm still sick to my stomach about it,as it's a he said she said,but no one died and life goes on,right?.
So I decided to head back to SoCal and spend the last 10 days with good friends so I can leave the US on a positive and happy note rather than angry and bitter.
After all,it was my friend Chuck in Burbank who was the main reason that the Jay Leno interview happened,so i'll be staying with Chuck again before I go and I'll borrow one of his bikes ( he has a bunch of fast one's ) and go visit some 'Left Coast Friends'.

Me and my 'Left Coast Brother' Chuck Null,photographer,motorcyclist and all around great guy.

Meanwhile,here's some images of my time in SoCal in March while staying in Burbank with Chuck,we took a few nice rides,we went to The Rock Store,then over to Neptunes Net on PCH and I met some great people,Neil and his Mum in a BMW sidecar who hooked me up when I get to Romania,his Mum will be in Transylvania and his friend Dag in Bucharest.

Romanian Neil and his Mum whom is affectionately known as 'MamaRica'.

Neil believes making sure Emergency Supplies are always at hand.

Decker Canyon overlooking PCH,Malibu and the Pacific Ocean.

The Rock Store on Mulholland Highway in Cornell,CA.

One of Jesse Rooke's bikes. I've always liked Jesse's take on bikes,just google Jesse Rooke Darla,it's his 950 KTM powered rigid,a really gorgeous nostalgic looking bike.

Anyway,this is it until I get to Burbank next week,and then it'll be one last post here in the US before I head to Europe,and then it will be post #1 from Elsendorp in Holland.

So suggestions,advice,tips,whatever comes to mind you think may be useful I will gladly accept.I know that there's a whole lot of other travelers who have done these trips or routes before I have and many times over i'm sure.
Oh,and Couchsurfing in EU,anyone have any experience with it?.

Thanks for stoppin by.........

Murph




​

 

[WheresMurph]

THE LEFT COAST ROAD STORIES Pt V..........................BIG BEAR and Peg Leg Craig.

So for this weekends post on the blog I went up to visit my friend Peg Leg Craig up in Big Bear Lake and got to spend a little time with him before I ship out for
Roterdam to pick up my motorcycle next week.

Craig has been going to the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah for the BUB Motorcycle Speed Trials in August campaigning his Motorcycle Sidecar Streamliner since 2006.

Motorcycle aficionados are going to love this post,some of Craig's old race bikes are rare,very rare.
More on Craig Anderson and his Vintage Motorcycle Collection HERE

Meanwhile,my sidecar arrived at LBS Sidecars in Holland and Ad has already started to work on it.I'll be over there in another week and ready to get started on it.

Until next time,thanks for stopping by,

Murph.​

 

[hochung]

I know where Murph is, or was, just a minute ago.

Safe travel Murph. Actually, I know you'll be safe. Dad is watching over you.

 

[WheresMurph]

Thanks Ho,nice visiting with you and John yesterday.
I'll send a pic of the decals you gave me when my sidecar outfit is built.

 

[Ray Hyland]

This is my favorite photo in the thread so far Murph.

I am guessing you've just touched down in Dusseldorf. Hope the trip is off to a good start.

Cheers

Ray

 

[WheresMurph]

Ray, thanks for the photo compliment. I do like that one too.
Those are the rail tracks they used to use to take the giant dishes back to the repair shop at the VLA.
So yes, I arrived in Dusseldorf on Monday night, 3 hrs late due to a delayed departure from LA which resulted in me missing my connection in Heathrow and my ride in Dusseldorf, and as of today, Wed, I'm still waiting on my luggage, so yep, the trip is off to a perfect start !!!. No point is everything going right, makes for a boring trip, right ?.

 

[Ray Hyland]

All part of the adventure right?

 

[WheresMurph]

'WELKOM IN NEDERLAND'..........Pt I

One of the many symmetrically laid out tree lined country roads here in Elsendorp, The Netherlands​

Orderly, civilized, two words that immidiatly come to mind here in The Netherlands. I remember reading a FaceBook post that Scott Brady had replied to a while back, and he made the comment that 'you wouldn't get away with half of the reckless driving and speeding in the EU like you do in the U.S.'. It's so true, even though at times it seems like it's so rigid and strict, it does have it's upside, everyone understands and knows the road rules and for the most part, observes them, it does make for such a pleasant driving experience.

So after arriving last Monday night in Dusseldorf, waiting at the conveyor for my luggage only to find out it was still in Heathrow due to a delayed flight from LAX the day before, which resulted in a missed connection in Heathrow to Dusseldorf and a baggage malfunction, off to the perfect start, if everything went according to plan, i'd have nothing to write about, write?. Right?.

Ad Donkers, owner of LBS Sidecars here in Elsendorp and his Harley Davidson V-Rod with his own Boxer Sidecar.

Until my outfit is built I have the use of Ad's V-Rod hack, first time I rode a V-Rod, lot's of power, I didn't realize it was a Porsche designed engine, 125hp, and fast, very fast, even with a sidecar attached.
I don't really like the H-D V-Rod, but I do like it the way Ad built it with the sidecar.
He builds some really nice stuff, one of the reasons I decided to come over here to get my outfit built.​

Another outfit LBS Sidecars built, this one is a Duo-Drive, a 2 WD based on the R100 GS, more pictures HERE​

Thats all for now, I am on the way to Roosendaal to pick up my motorcycle from the shippers warehouse and ride it back to LBS in Elsendorp to start the build of my sidecar. It will be a 2 month process to build out and finish, pictures and updates will be forthcoming.

Thanks all for stopping by,


Murph​

 

[WheresMurph]

"WELKOM IN NEDERLAND'....................Pt I.

I'm settling nicely here in Elsendorp in the Netherlands, a small little village of about 1,100 people, surrounded by farms mostly, a few factories, and a transport company.
​

Sunset in Elsendorp.

I have a great arrangement with Ad Donkers, owner of LBS Sidecars in Elsendorp where I have been able to stay during the duration of my sidecar build. An unusual one to say the least, but all along my travels so far, more and more I encounter such open door hospitality. I will even be working on the build of my outfit as I have quite a bit of mechanical and fabrication skills that I can use to help make this outfit mine.

I even get to use the LBS shop hack while I'm waiting on mine.........the perks abound.

For the complete article posted on the blog today, Click here

Enjoy, and appreciate you all stopping by.


Murph
​

 

[WheresMurph]

EINDHOVEN, the NETHERLANDS..................Out and About.

"THE BLOB" 18 Septemberplein, Eindhoven, NL.


It's been about 35 years since I was last here in Eindhoven as a 15 year old with a backpack on his back and a Euro Rail pass in my back pocket.
I remember my routine was to get on a train in the evening around 8 or 9, find one of those 6 seater cabins that turn into 3 person sleepers, and sleep the night away on the train and get off in the morning at my new destination and explore.​

As I was riding, I spotted this man sitting on a small stool, looked like a milking stool, cleaning his Triumph Cafe, so I had to stop.

More on the blog here.


Murph​

 

[samguert]

Nice photos!

 

[WheresMurph]

Sam, thanks, glad you stopped by, safe travels.

 

[WheresMurph]

EINDHOVEN, the NETHERLANDS..................Out and About........Pt II 'THE ATTIC'.

Bob Casemier and his Triumph Cafe.​

A chance encounter with a man sitting on a small three legged stool while cleaning off the dust on his motorcycle, an old Triumph, led to a wonderful peek into a life from yesterday.
Bob Casemier is not only an accomplished artist, but a great craftsman, having made many of the parts on his Triumph Cafe himself.

"Do you have time to come up and see my museum" he asked?.

Even if I didn't, I would of cancelled everything for an invite like that.
The man cleaning the homebuilt Triump Cafe on a little street in Eindhoven called the Kleine Berg was someone very special I thought, and I was not to be dissappointed.


More on the 'Museum in the Attic'
HERE

So while my BMW 1150 is being 'Hacked Out' I get to use the LBS Sidecars Shop Sidecar, so Sunday evening I went out for a ride and got this really nice sunset.

Thanks for stopping by and have a good rest of the week.

Regards from Elsendorp in the Netherlands


Murph.​