tour d' athenes

Friday afternoon I took my brand new Honda CBF-250 motorcycle from the dealer's. During the weekend, the weather being excellent, and the engine requiring some run-in kilometers, I took a couple of rides around Athens. By Sunday afternoon the first 500 km were on the odometer.

Saturday, September 30: From Pagrati I go downtown to do some shopping. I buy a jacket---the weather is good but not that good as to ride without one. Back to Pagrati then, and from there, after a quick stop, I set course to cape Sounion. I take the coast-side drive (Poseidonos Ave, etc). After a couple of stops for photographs I'm there. Coffee at the place near Poseidon's temple, and then back to Athens, this time via Lavrio, Paiania, etc... During the return part I hit some rain. Not much but enough to test if my new jacket is waterproof (it is).

Sunday, October 1: I have about 350 km on the odometer, and the fuel-tank is almost empty. I stop at a gas-station near my place for my first refueling. It fills up with 12.9 lt of unleaded. Average consumption: 3.7lt / 100km (or 19.4 km / lt). From there I go north this time: Kifissia, N. Erythraia, Ekali, then turn east towards Dionysos. At the top of the pass I stop for coffee. My brother calls me and tells me he's at the office. I decide to go there. I cut through the mountain to Penteli and Halandri, and after staying there for half an hour or so, I go back the same way. Now I descent towards Nea Makri and from there I head to Marathonas. I stop by the lake for a few minutes, and head back to Athens through Ag. Stefanos.

A couple of hours latter I go to my new house to check on the progress of the works. I'm still in the mood for riding so from there I start climbing-up wherever I see an ascending slope. Soon I leave behind the built-up area and I'm in the Penteli mountain. I pass a monastery and continue going up. The view becomes magnificent and the air cooler. I continue climbing until I reach some military installations close to the top. I stop there for a few minutes and then head back to Pagrati... As I park the motorcycle, I see 495.9 km on the odometer.