The final ride of the IFMR season 2025 along the Adriatic coast

The final ride was questionable because the weather forecast did not promise either safety or pleasure. On the day of the planned departure, Friday, a hurricane-force bora was blowing along the Croatian coast, and on the day of the planned return, Sunday, rain with strong winds was forecasted. But where there is a will, there is a way, so on Friday we changed the route and instead of riding along the coast towards Starigrad, we rode on the mainland, where the wind was not too strong, and we moved the return along the Adriatic highway from Sunday to Saturday. Thus, we enjoyed two days of exceptionally beautiful and almost ideal weather for riding a motorcycle.
On Friday, October 3, 2025, IFMR members set off from Žužemberk towards Starigrad. Our route took us across the continent via Črnomelj, crossed the Slovenian-Croatian border in Vinica, and then safely arrived in Starigrad late in the afternoon via Plitvice Lakes and Gračac. Early enough to catch a colorful sunset, which was a wonderful introduction to the ceremonial part of the evening, when we welcomed a new member who would share the roads, friendship, and Rotary mission with us. After the oath of the new member, the sparkling baptism or blessing of his motorcycle, and a warm welcome to the member into our group, we were ready for dinner.Needless to say, in the evening, fish dishes are served on the coast accompanied by Graševina, which is especially fitting, since motorcyclists avoid alcohol while we ride, that is, all day long, and quench our thirst with Coca-Colas and non-alcoholic beer. We ended our late-night socializing with a pleasant walk along the coast of Starigrad.
Saturday morning began with a magnificent breakfast and a calm chat among friends. We set off when the asphalt temperature was high enough for good grip and the air temperature was just right for riding a motorbike. The day was sunny with a gentle breeze. The Adriatic Highway never disappoints, and it didn't this time either. The road to Sveti Juraj and Senj was mostly empty, offering us a safe haven for driving pleasure. After Senj, we said goodbye to the coast and drove via Alan to the Sviba viewpoint (753 m above sea level), from where we had a view of the entire Kvarner. We shared the road, which runs between wind farms, with horses grazing freely. The road that leads from here through Delnice and Kočevje towards Dvor is, next to Jadranka, one of the most beautiful for riding a motorbike. You drive along it with your mouth widening into a smile all by itself. Perhaps there is some truth in the fact that we motorcyclists wear helmets so that we do not make other road users jealous with our happy faces.
A delicious lunch awaited us in Lašče pri Dvoru. Time passed too quickly and only the desire not to come home at night encouraged us to say goodbye.We upgraded the final trip of the 2025 motorcycle season with a safe return home, aware that the destination is the journey, happy to be traveling together and grateful that we always returned home safely from our joint rides throughout the season.