by Travis Gill
Chantil and I look forward to October each year because we start putting together the yearly viajarMOTO Overland Motorcycle Calendar. We pour through hundreds of our favorite photographs and make the painstaking process of whittling them down to just a cover photograph and twelve others that capture the natural beauty of the countries we visit, and the adventure of traveling on two wheels.
These photographs were chosen from our travels from October 2022 to September 2023 and each has the magical ability of pulling us back into the moment. The memories, feelings, and senses are flooded as we are transported back in time. We hope you enjoy the photographs that we’ve chosen and feel inspired to purchase one of our calendars for yourself.
Cover Photograph – Milos, Greece
Riding through the famous Greek Islands of Milos, Mykonos, Paros, Naxos, and Santorini was a dream come true and a highlight of our travels in 2023. A truly memorable experience!
January – Milos, Greece
In the 4th grade I had an assignment where our class had to choose a country to write a report on. I chose Greece. A local travel agency provided me some brochures featuring the unforgettable images of white-washed buildings contrasted against the beautiful blue colors of the Aegean Sea. The yearning to visit the Greek islands has never left me since. So here we were, over 40 years later, traveling through the magical island of Milos. Don’t give up on your dreams!
February – Tuscany, Italy
Tuscany is easily one of our favorite places in Italy. There is something quite spectacular of the terrain of rolling hills covered in olive fields and towering cypress trees. It all feels like riding through an Italian Renaissance painting. Being able to ride through this region while following the Adventure Country Track was a wonderful memory and a ride of a lifetime.
March – Peloponnese Coast, Greece
I’m not a morning person, so it was with a bit of grogginess and reluctance that I woke up to try and capture some sunrise photographs of the Dimitrios shipwreck on the southern coast of the Peloponnese. As soon as I stepped into the beach, and aligned myself for the shot, I knew it was going to be a keeper. Stunning sunrise colors, strong contrast, and nice composition. Perfection!
April – Evia Island, Greece
After discovering motorcycles we look at these twisty roads with a whole new level of enthusiasm! Brake, clutch, throttle control and lean angle are all learned skills that come together to make these roads a joy to experience. We just happened to discover this gem of a road on our way to a remote wild-camp site on the north side of the Evia Island. Sometimes it’s the unexpected places that we often remember the most.
May – South Peloponnese, Greece
If it feels like we have a lot of photographs of Greece in this year’s calendar it’s because we do. The country offers so many wonderful memories of riding through its various landscapes – from the northern Pindus Mountain range to the southern island of Crete, Greece has a lot of incredible scenery. It’s easily one of our favorite countries in Europe!
June – Trans Euro Trail, Lithuania
We were told that riding through the Baltic countries of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia could be a bit boring, so we decided to up the excitement by riding a good portion of the Trans Euro Trail (TET) though these three wonderful countries. Lithuania included some challenging sections of deep sand and small splashes of mud, but it was the wide-open landscapes that captured our hearts. Fun stuff!
July – Trans Euro Trail, Latvia
Although the Baltic countries are not that large, we still managed to spend about two months riding through this interesting and beautiful part of north-eastern Europe. We especially enjoyed riding the Trans Euro Trail along the eastern borders of Latvia, where we experienced a nice blend of forested roads and expansive farmlands. Our dual-sport motorcycles made easy work of the wide and expansive gravel roads.
August – Baltic Sea, Estonia
Reaching the northern coast of Estonia and camping on the shores of the Baltic Sea was a highlight of our overland travels of the Baltic countries. Estonia was full of wonderful memories due to the many wild-camping opportunities along the Trans Euro Trail, however the sunsets along the coast were especially memorable. Lovely!
September – Dorna-Arini Monastery, Romania
There is something very unique about traveling through the country of Romania. Riding epic roads like the Transfăgărășan, Transalpina, and the Strategica were wonderful, but we really enjoyed visiting sites like this monastery in Dorna-Arini. We ended up staying an extra day just to relish in the relaxing solitude of this beautiful place that made us feel like we stepped back in time.
October – High Atlas Mountains, Morocco
Ahh Morocco! This is a country that eluded us for some time due to the Coronavirus pandemic with multiple bookings and cancelations. Finally, in late 2022, it was our moment to travel through this wonderful Arab country over three months in the winter season. Morocco will always be a country of incredible memories with stunning scenery, culture, and cities.
November – Trans Euro Trail, Finland
Although we didn’t get to experience much of Finland, it was nice to be able to ride a portion of the Trans Euro Trail that winds among its rich forested countrysides. Hours of solitude on well-maintained gravel roads, long summer days, and plenty of camping opportunities made for a very memorable time in this remote country.
December – Chefchaouen, Morocco
Every city in Morocco was a unique experience. Casablanca, Fes, Merzouga, Ouarzazate, Essaouira, and even Marrakech offered exciting experiences that made Morocco such a wonderful country to travel. However, the laid-back vibe and vibrant blue colors of the city of Chefchaouen were especially memorable. We enjoyed our morning walks where we would get lost among the narrow streets and stunning colors.
Order your 2024 viajarMOTO Overland Motorcycle Calendar
If you would like a 2023 calendar you can order them direct from Lulu.com. Each one sold helps contribute to furthering our travel and sharing the adventure.
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