It’s been almost a year since I’ve posted here. Since that time, I’ve been busy with work, got divorced (more on that another time maybe), dirt biked about 1,000 miles of mostly single track, and skied eight days so far this season. These are all topics of more blog post in the future maybe. It’s also been years since I’ve posted a personal blog post, but Facebook is my personal public blog for the most part.

This will be my 1^st blog post on this trip to Europe and my 1^st trip Europe, and out of the county, since 2010/2011. My last trip I celebrated NYE in Prague (pics), and have a blog post about somewhere, before this site came on-line. Since then I got married and divorced and my ex never got her passport, so I never went out of the county while we were together. It’s just me on this trip and this is my Christmas present to myself. 15 days in Europe, four in Amsterdam, Netherlands, four in Lisbon, Portugal and seven days in and around Porto, Portugal. Five of the days in Porto will be spent with Free Ride Spirit Enduro Tours, four of which will be on a KTM dirt bike!

I’m staying in an AirBnb in Lisbon, one night in a small hotel in Porto, five nights with Free Ride in their accommodations, and small hotel in Amsterdam. I fly into AMS, via MSP and Delta, Christmas, get in on the 26^th in 11:30 AM (UTC+1). In AMS for three days, then fly via easyJet to Lisbon until the 1^st; so I’ll be doing NYE in Lisbon. For NYE I’m planning on going to Club Europe for Freaky Fiction – Special NYE Party or maybe Club Noir, I plan on checking them both out before NYE and several others. There is a long list of places I went to see, but with only three full days it’s going to be tough to get the top sites on my cool places in even!

Then off to Porto, via 4 hour train from Lisbon, where the 1^st night I’m staying in Pensao Favorita Hotel for one night. Next day I’m picked up by Free Ride Spirit and the dirt bike “long tour” adventure begins. The first night we meet all riders, I’ll be riding with a group from Canada, talk about the route, and have dinner. Next two days we ride, route TBD, then we have a day off in Porto, then we ride for two more days. All gear (hydrations back to boots), 2019 KTM, meals, support vehicle, spare bike, and guide all included… For about $2,000.

After the ride, I fly from Porto to Amsterdam, on Air Portugal, where I’m at for about 24 hours then back home, via MSP and Delta.

If all goes well, I should have some great pictures and stories that will be posted here later in 2019.

1/24/19 Update: The trip was AMAZING! I’ve got to create a blog post about it soon. For now here are the pictures: flickr.com/photos/izken/collections/72157705590771225/