Tuesday 31st August mileage 7594 Presov Slovakia

Spent night on my own in 5 bed dorm at Natham's Villas in Krakow.  Last night in the hostel bar met two Americans and a Polish friend of theirs.  They were on contracts teaching in Warsaw and had come down to Krakow just for a small vacation.   Had good conversation with them about the effects of communism on the people of Poland, and how they were managing the transition etc.
Decided to get new tyres at the Krakow Suzuki dealership that had serviced my bike last week, and knowing they don't open till 10am had a sleep in.  Usual hostel breakfast of bread, jam and coffee.
Garage didn't have any front tyre to fit my bike and only had Mitchelin to fit the rear.  The bike had been supplied with Bridgestone, and I noticed the Suzuki V-stroms in the showroom had Bridgestones fitted.  The guy said the Mitchelins were the preferred tyre of BMW and were fitted to all their bikes.  Said ok will take the Mitchelin.  He checked the front tyre and said there was about 30% left and it wasn't urgent.  Tyre cost 460zty and another 65 zty to fit  (total bill about 100 pounds) which didn't seem unreasonable!!  Took about 45 mins to fit tyre and all the time it was raining heavily.   Set off carefull about sliding on new tyre, remembering my experience at home when I first had new tyres on the BMW and dropped the bike right outside the house because it skidded over on the slippy new tyres.   Set off at about 11am and set tomtom for Presov in Slovakia, and noticed it was going to take me through the mountains to Zacopane where Savi and I had been last week.   Rain very heavy so stopped at petrol station / Macdonalds and decided to wait to see if the rain would abate.  Waited about an hour and no signs of change in the weather so decided to see if I could ride through it into better weather.   The rain is no problem as you stay dry on the inside, but your gloves get wet, and even with heated grips though your hands are warm on the palm they get cold on the outside.
After 1 hour of climbing into the mountains, the rain was even stronger, I think it was like leaving Clitheroe in a rain storm and expecting it to be sunny in the lake district !!!

On a section of dual carraigeway, climbing mountain on a right hand bend doing about 40 mph the bike just slid away from me !!   It all happened in slow motion.  Noticed the back end felt different, slippy somehow, I seemed to have time to have conversation with myself saying "oh this could be tricky", then another conversation saying "yes it is going to be tricky", the another saying " this bike is going down!!"  I was sliding with the bike and thinking I want to get away from this bike, so pushed out with hands and feet, and saw the bike neatly pirroette a couple of times into the centre of the dual carraigeway.  I remained on the left hand lane!!
Got up knowing I was ok and was immediately aware that my bike was in the middle of a dual carraigeway on a right hand bend in the middle of the road.  Thought I had better get my triangle out and warn drivers coming behind.  Triangle was in the pannier trapped under the weight of the bike !! so I went back down the road and waved my arms at the traffic to warn them about the bike.  The traffic just went around the bike, nobody stopped to assist (well it was raining!!).  Went back to the bike and dragged it screeching across the tarmac into the left hand lane, but still vulnerable to a big lorry coming around the corner.  Thought I won't be able to pick this up on my own with all the luggage on so took off the back box and the pannier on the top side of the bike.
Tried to pick up bike, but couldn't, the bike was on the bend, and the bend had a reasonable camber and this meant I was trying to lift the bike against the camber.  Thought I will have to get help, so went back into road and as cars, vans, lorries went passed, gestured that I needed some assistance.  Eventually a chap in an old van stopped and together we easily picked up the bike.  Wheeled it onto the verge, started it to make sure it ran and then thanked the van driver, and he was off like a shot.   Now looked at the bike in some detail.  Right hand side handlebar stopend badly bent, front break lever end broken off (at the same point where it broke when I dropped the bike at Colin Appleyards in Keigthley), scrapes to the pannier but still intack.  Checked the brakes still worked.  Found the hand guard that had broken off, and stowed that for later fitting.   Collected myself, you start to shake involuntary even though you feel ok, it's the shock!!
Went to the section of road where I had skidded over and it felt very slippery on my rubber soled boots, but I couldn't say I could detect any diesel on the road.

The Hein Gericke motorcycle suit stood up to the slide ok, just a scrape mark on the left elbow.
set off and carefully tiptoed along the road expecting to slide away at every turn.  Not sure exactly what had caused the fall, but thinking later believe a combination of things 1) very wet conditions,2) right hand bend with camber, 3) new back tyre possibly still slippery.

Stopped as soon as possible and had a cup of coffee and checked the bike in some detail (still raining!!)

Decided to lubricate the side stand which felt stiff, although this wasn't the side that went on the ground, and while I had the spray can out also lubricated the chain.   All recovered and off I went again on my journey.  After about 10 mins was going through some roadworks and the workers were waving at me and pointing ..
The pannier that holds the lubricating spray, and all my security locks etc. had come open and I had not noticed as I was riding along.  Pulled up and checked the contents, and everything seemed to be there I couldn't think what was missing, but it looked less full when I closed it.  Later only thing I have noticed is missing is the metal mug that I stand directly on the stove to make my coffee when camping.  I can survive without this!!

Checked and there is a Suzuki dealer in Presov, so I might make enquiries about getting repairs done tomorrow.

In Presov tried the University Halls that are recomended as accommodation but these were now closed, then another Penzion in the book but they wanted €50 a night saying they were appartments.  They told me a place where I could get a bed for about €30 for the night.

All settled into room. Tomorrow is a national holiday and evething will be closed, so no use going to Suzuki dealer.  In fact I am alone in the Penzion the owner has told me where to leave my key in the morning and just to close the door as I leave.!!

Out for a meal of pasta and beer.

Quite a day !!   I did see a fox on a small road in the mountains.  Not sure that compensates for the "off"  but a fox is a fox, and needs to be duly recorded!!

Only later did I remember Pauls advice that if you come off your bike you should take a photograph because you will want to remember later on.  I wish now I had remembered, and taken a photo of the bike in the middle of the road with lorries etc, all just going around it.  I will remember the next time!!!!!!!

More later

TOR