Peter
Every ride has that one moment where you forget everything else.
For me, it was the turn-off just before Old Qeparo. The road narrows, the asphalt gets rough, and suddenly you’re climbing a hillside above the Albanian Riviera with nothing but sea on one side and stone walls on the other.
I left Pristina early — before the city woke up. The Stelvio was cold, the gloves were on, and the GoPro was rolling. No plan, just a direction: south.
The ride down through Albania hits different every time. The roads through Gjirokastër are technical — tight corners, unpredictable surfaces, the occasional goat in the road. But the Stelvio handles it all. Shaft drive, Brembo brakes, Michelin Anakee tyres — this bike was built for exactly this kind of road.
By the time I reached the Riviera coast, the sun was high. I pulled over above Old Qeparo and just sat there for a while. Helmet on. Engine off. Just the wind and the view.
That’s why I ride.
