The Journey of Memory - by Pietro de Santis
This year, continuing the idea of traveling around Europe on my Lambretta, I participated in the "Journey of Remembrance" organized by the ARCA Association. The program included crossing six countries: Slovenia, Austria, Slovakia, Poland, Czech Republic, and Germany, for a distance of just over three thousand kilometers, with varying stages (the shortest being 160 km and the longest Bratislava - Krakow, 430 km). This year, the tour was spread over more days than previous ones, with a day stop in Prague to better enjoy the city and allow us and our vehicles some well-deserved rest. My Lambretta 200 SX, as usual, handled the journey and the vicissitudes that befell me very well.
I left Calabria in a van with my colleagues for Bassano del Grappa, the meeting point: over 1,100 km made in relaxation, but we didn't know what awaited us!
We departed from Bassano for Palmanova towards Slovenia, crossing the Moistrocca Pass at 1600 meters. Here we encountered snow and cold, temperatures almost close to zero, and cobblestone curves. The small wheels of my trusty Lambretta, however, overcame this too! Three days later, we ran into the "Boris" storm. Rain, wind, cold. Despite being well-equipped, it was very tough for me: unlike the other motorcycles, equipped with ABS, heated seats, and grips, I had none of that. In Austria, along the route, we encountered numerous uprooted trees and many blocked roads, so on the advice of the Austrian firefighters, we diverted to the highway, as the secondary roads were impassable. I won't bore you with the details of the journey, I'll just tell you that in Bratislava, in the end, I slipped (but without serious damage!).
I crossed truly enchanting places: lakes, dams, and cities that can only be properly visited with a motorcycle or camper tour. Arriving in Krakow, we had the opportunity to visit the Wieliczka Salt Mines and we also went to the Auschwitz concentration camp, where I experienced sensations difficult to describe. Places that were the scene of terrible stories, left as they were found by the Soviets after liberation, places where violence remained imprisoned. Believe me, even if we have read and seen everything on TV about those places, the guides, strictly Polish, tell raw and touching facts and testimonies.
From Krakow, we departed for Olomouc, in the Czech Republic, known as "Little Prague," and then reached the capital. Prague is wonderful, with tourists and families by day and music and breweries by night. We then left for Nuremberg, a city heavily bombed during World War II. Unfortunately, the courthouse, the site of the famous trial, was closed for renovations (much to my disappointment). Arriving in Munich, we participated in a fun evening at Oktoberfest, and then set off again for Italy towards Trento. The next day, Bassano del Grappa, final farewells, and off towards Calabria again in the van with my colleagues.
It was a great journey, made with a modest Lambretta for the most original, a factor that in my opinion gives it reliability and safety. This year too, I wore out the tires, and the front and rear brakes. The clutch, however, held up well. A fact: with this engine, I have done 57,000 km, for the journey I use Motul 710 oil at 2%. I brought two 5-liter cans with me for quick refueling, also because I have less autonomy compared to motorcycles. I must thank everyone, from Anselmo, my partner and club secretary, for the tuning before departure, to ARCA manager Giorgio Antonio, who this year too allowed me to participate and who gave me a big hand along with my colleagues. A special thanks goes to Andrea and Paolo, the organizers of "Motoradunando - motorcycle trips." Andrea, in a garage in Graz, Austria, gave me a big hand by performing a beautiful gesture in disassembling and cleaning the carburetor, whose bowl and jets had become clogged following the fall, forcing me to do a stretch with the air pulled, wet, and in freezing cold.
What can I say, it was fantastic and above all interesting! And for next year? Who knows, we'll see!
