Athens, and MotoRacing

We arrived at the ferry port in plenty of time and sat in an outdoor cafe sipping coffee on the docks. Our ferry to Athens hadn’t arrived yet, other ferries were in port and the docks were bustling with activity. The chatter around us was very international with many languages mixing together and competing with sounds of diesel trucks and ferries.

The ferry finally arrive and everyone moved very quickly to queue in line to get the best seats on board. Usually the motorcycles board first but this time we were delayed as large semi trucks and cars loaded first. It was finally our turn and we were directed to a post in the front of the line. The mates on board did an expert job at lashing my overburdened Yellow Donkey securely to the post.

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The winds had picked up again and the 6 hour crossing was rough but the large jet ferry handled the rough waters without much concern to us. We arrived at the ferry port of Pireas outside of Athens just as the darkness of the day was closing in. The next day we were exploring west of Athens and had book a unusual looking place along the coast a few miles outside of the city. As I was trying to keep up with the traffic and follow my GPS I must have been going a little fast between lights. We stopped at a light and a motocop pulled up beside me. He was very upset and was yelling something to me in Greek. I didn’t understand at all what he was saying and he started motioning to me to follow him and off he went. As I was about three lanes in from the turn, and the light had just changed I just went straight heading for the A road. It was several turns away and I guess the cop gave up because I never saw him again.

By now the dark of night had settled in. The road twisted along what I believed was the coast as every once in a while we could look to the left and see the lights of Athens in the distance. The road seems very desolate in the darkness so we were wondering if what we had booked was actually there. Finally, as we rounded a corner, a hotel came into sight. The distance was about correct so we turned in to find out if this was the place. I went to the front desk and this was it, but not in the hotel. One of the guys working there had a wooden shack out back right on the ocean. It was tiny, but comfortable. It was no more than 70 sq ft. but there was room for a bed and our gear. We could use private facilities at the hotel for the bathroom and shower.

We unpacked the bike, got changed and headed to the restaurant. In the parking lot was a truck with Suzuki motorcycle stickers on it and several signed names on the side. As we entered the restaurant a poster on the door showed that there was a Legends Track Days with the Stars at the Athens motorcycle road track that weekend. We sat down next to an older couple with team Suzuki jackets on talking to another man about the track days. I could hardly sit still as I wanted to talk to them to find out what was going on. After dinner we were able to talk to them and they were among the races going to the track days. At the end of the evening they invited us to come over to the track the next day and check thing out.

The next morning, after our delicious free breakfast, we wanted to check out the Corinth Canal a bit further to the west. As we were leaving the hotel a man pulled up beside us. He was the organizer of the Legends Track Day and invited us to be his guest at the track. We will definitely be there but it wasn’t starting until around noon, giving us some time to explore. We took off for the canal. It was just amazing to stand on the center of the bridge above the Cornith Canal and watch small boats passing almost 150 feet below us.

From WikiPedia: “The Corinth Canal connects the Gulf of Corinth with the Saronic Gulf in the Aegean Sea. It cuts through the narrow Isthmus of Corinth and separates the Peloponnese from the Greek mainland, arguably making the peninsula an island. The canal was dug through the Isthmus at sea level and has no locks. It is 6.4 kilometres (4 mi) in length and only 21.4 metres (70 ft) wide at its base, making it impassable for most modern ships. Nowadays it has little economic importance and is mainly a tourist attraction. The canal was initially proposed in classical times and a failed effort was made to build it in the 1st century AD. Construction started in 1881 but was hampered by geological and financial problems that bankrupted the original builders. It was completed in 1893 but, due to the canal’s narrowness, navigational problems and periodic closures to repair landslides from its steep walls, it failed to attract the level of traffic expected by its operators. The canal consists of a single channel 8 metres (26 ft) deep, excavated at sea level (thus requiring no locks), measuring 6,343 metres (20,810 ft) long by 24.6 metres (81 ft) wide at the top and 21.3 metres (70 ft) wide at the bottom. The rock walls, which rise 90 metres (300 ft) above sea level, are at a near-vertical 80° angle. The canal is crossed by a railway line, a road and a motorway at a height of about 45 metres (148 ft).”

From there we continued west on a great curvy road through the mountains but along the coast headed to see the Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus, built in 340 BC and still in use for concerts. The theatre was
dedicated to the ancient Greek God of medicine, Asclepius. It is considered to be the most perfect ancient Greek theatre with regard to acoustics and aesthetics and seats between 13-14,000 spectators. Standing at the base of these structures just lets your imagination run wild as to the people that have been in attendance through the centuries.

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Excited to return to the track we loaded up and raced back toward Athens. As we approached the gate we were waved through and ushered to a special covered parking space. Boy, did we feel special!

We started walking around looking for the couple that we had talked to the night before, racer Mauro Stucki and his lovely wife, Judith. We found them, Mauro in full racing leathers, waiting for his turn on the track on his GSX R1100 Suzuki.

We visited for a couple minutes and then headed to the entrance gate to the track. Seeing all of these famous racers was just fantastic. They would wave before entering the track to have 10 laps of fun. In a line-up of older Ducatis waiting to take the track “Fast” Freddie Spencer lined up in the back on his new factory Honda. He had laped all but two on his first two laps. Then they just played passing each other and having a great time.

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After their track time we went over to where Freddie Spencer was and Melanie and I got to chat with him for about 30 minutes. I grew up and rode in Daytona Beach and remember him racing there in the 80’s. He was just a great guy and it was an amazing experience. On top of that, he signed my motorcycle helmet.

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We then headed over to the concession tent where the racers and the organizers were selling shirts, hats, photos and other things. The world famous Giacomo Agostini was being interviewed and in a photo session.

From Wikipedia: Giacomo Agostini (born 16 June 1942) is an Italian multi-time world champion Grand Prix motorcycle road racer. Nicknamed Ago, with an absolute record of 122 Grand Prix wins and 15 World Championships titles.Of these, 68 wins and 8 titles came in the 500cc class, the rest in the 350cc class.

The organizer of the event, whom we had spoke to at the hotel, saw us and motioned for me to come up with him and Ago, he wanted him to meet me. I was just beside myself as we both asked questions and chatted. We posed for the photographers and he also was kind enough to sign the other side of my helmet. This old lid will be retired soon and become a treasured conversation piece. As we left and were getting ready to move on the photographer wanted to interview us and take pictures of us with the “Yellow Donkey” as we were leaving. Wow, what a day.

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We headed into Athens to a hotel near the ferry port with secure motorcycle parking. The next couple days would be spent exploring Athens before we would catch the ferry toward Turkey.

Cheers,

2WANDRRs