Excusa please whata you meana he cant make dinner? You tell Mr Rossi I have come all the way from Australie and booked into restorie da Rossi for dinner with him. Still No well well you tell him my good mate Mark Moses who owns Indian Charolette answer my emails personally within 30mins so Valentino I no join your official fan clube since 1996.

I had taken the advice of Greg Lane and a friendly reminder while at Vallo di Venere near Formessia (Prescara) as their sole guest to stop off for a visit at Tavullia some 238kms North. This idealic farming semi mountainous area is the home to World MotoGp Champion Valentino Rossi Mr Yamaha YMZ-R1.

Thus it is indidated at various time of the year with thousands of adoring fans, its the World HQ of the Official VR46 fan Club (40E to join) and also has the Official Rossi VR46 merchadise store,the Rossi Ranch & the VR46 Riding Academy for young upcoming riders. Not with standing the da Rossi restorie,Bar & Pizzera.

previously Mr Tom Tom GPS had taken me via scenic routes mainly but the prospect of 238kms of Authoban won over an after collecting my autoticket i was away and 2 hours later at the off ramp.

The Autostrada to give it the official Italian title is a three lane speedway with Electronica Velocita Controls and a speed tutor. I am still to work out what a spped tutor is but I know if you go too slow they get upset even the semis do a minimum of 110km.

Except for the continual roadworks zones at 60-80km but normally taken at 160-180km as noneone slows down you would get run over, you enjoy a smooth 3 lane well self regulated open road where cornors can be comfortaly taken at 120+ and at least one lane is open for overtaking. They dont hog the fast lane like some or many inconsiderarte Aussie drivers and even the caravans happily follow at 130km.

Arriving at a rest Servo centre I note the almost complete lack in both Greece and Italy of McDonald's (only seen 4 signs and one actual one the whole trip) also only one KFC infact both the service centres and town are remarkably void of the usual chain fash food outlets.

Service centres are chain operated eg Agip,G8,Total,Eng, and the odd BP and have two sets of prices. If you want to be served expect to pay up to an aditional 10c per litre. Self service is the way to go and if you do run into problems they still help and only charge the cheaper price.

They are clean and the amenties unlike many others in Europe are free to use no pee for a penny. They often have soft bush sounds eg birds and a fresh citronelli (lemon) smell.

The food service is quick and again lack of English or vice versa Italian poses few problems. I now know to order a cappuccino Maxi to get a decent cup of coffee. Prices are cheap like all food in Italy with many offering both a coffee (including caps) with a donot for 1euro about $1.25.

They also sell all types of small grocery items, tourist junk, kids toys and car accessories. It was at one of these that a new GPS lead my 5th joined the technology onboard the Triumph. It seems to be a superior construction and a strong sheath to assist with vibration that kills my other leads hence why I carry multiples some gathered as far back as 2015 at a WSB meeting in England to glow in the dark moels from last years "Taking the Indian home"trip. Technology on my trips accounts for about one half of both capacity and weight but then again its proved its worth numerous time and allows me to be contracted and tracked in over 200 countries automatically showing friends back in Austalia exact locations incase of incidents. It also means you get these blogs & photo's world wide. Not withstanding this I always advise people to carry the good old whole trip paper maps. If lost most people can recognise their own country on a map and give basic directions unlike trying to have them read English written irections and a small scale GPS screen. the map also serves as a reminder as to where I have been and the hotels I stayed at. If they are very good I often return. A paper map is also a good overall planning tool rather then looking at Goggle maps on a small phone screen but unlike Goggle & GPS a map wont plot a course for you.

So arriving at the toll booth I explained how the ticket was somewhere along 238kms of Autostrada and with wind etc had dislodged itself from the normally secure ticket pocket.

Without saying a word the Toll collector imposed a no ticket fine of 59.95Euro (the maximum toll for cars) I naturally protested Ï'M a class A Moto"well he couldnt find "the Class A rules"so I paid the maximum Class A toll of 16.95Euro (I had travelled the full distance anyway) and he gave me a receipt. Later that night a local read the receipt and informed me the fine still stood an ha to be paid within 15 days or a follow up letter of demand would be sent. WEll do i need to tell you my actions! I did research online and thought maybe possible to pay online well yes you fill out a no ticket form, print it off sign the original, send with a proof of ientity document by registered reply paid post... fat chance do you really think I would post off my licence or passport. He did record the licence plate number not any state or country frowned and asked where my reply "Calabari Mafiatisto"

Next up was to find my accommodation I could not locate the street on GPS but one running nearby and as it was the only accommodation availale and Tavullia isnt a large place I took a punt. Yes Rossi cafe no problems and the other street ran off that and GPS took me to the end and no didnt see that cross street but did recall a similiar name to the hotel on a shopping centre. The street ended at a Harware store so armed with the hotel name and street I asked. They frowned "No hotel that name in town! but the street is that one one minute up the hill where the large buildings and the shopping entre are "

I rode back looking for No 2B could be every number but the 2 or 2B so stopped and was asking at the Br when a voice said "Mr Pearson, I have your room" Well as has happened before often people list apartments as hotel rooms and that was the case it was at No 2 the shopping centre but 2B was upstairs on the doorbell! I also noted the street sign was bent making it impossible to read riding or driving down the main street.

The room was infact an apartment with two bedrooms, only one in use that night, a kitchen and bathroom. My host settled me in gave me a bundle of keys and said be back to serve your breakfast at 0830. Which he was.

A local at the fruit shop threw me a large fresh orange "gratis"as a bonus while I was settling in the Triumph and padlocking it to the post and covering it before walking back for dinner without Mr Rossi at da Rossi. The apartment is decorated with priceless original motorcycle posters,photos (incluing Valantino's father racing) and signed clothing.

I decided as it was the wekend to have a couple of non riding days and book two nights at Rimini only 34km away at a beachside resort but one that does have a non seasonal heated indoor pool,sp,sauna and rain shower room all at a very cheap rate as most hotels are still boarded up for the winter, Mine will treble at a minimum in a months time in room rates.

Rimini is a place of wealth and beach holidays according to the published information but like most Italian well European beaches a dirty dark sand and rocks but the tourists will flock here in 10000's soon for the summer months. Today I watched the beach volleyball, basketball and bowling rinks in use by aroun 50 people and tried to imagine 0000's trying to use the same facilities, maybe it's a great time to be here, I even have a secure park out of the 8 only on offer for a 5 story resort.