Some more notes for for anyone planning a trip to the Alps. Pre planning I printed the pass notes from
www.alpineroads.com and picked out a few key areas to focus on in the 10 days I had. I was running solo for the trip with tent, sleeping mat, sleeping bag - Bungied to the back - and to much clothes for what i needed in the tank bag. I caught the Channel Tunnel for speed and also so I could look after the bike on the train.
Planned Destinations: Vosges (Eastern France Ranges), Dolomites (Italy), Austria - and then link in anything in between.
The Route Outline Ended:
Day 1: Channel Tunnel Reims Metz Nancy St Die (France)
Day 2: Vosges Southern Areas Mostly (France)
Day 3: Vosges Basel Black Forest ( Germany) Zurich (Switzerland) Winterthur
Day 4: Winterthur Swiss Passes Swiss/Italian Border
Day 5: Swiss/Italian Border Italian Passes Corvara (Italy - Dolomites)
Day 6: Dolomites
Day 7 Dolomites Lienz (Austria) Gross Glockner Pass Kirchberg
Day 8: Austrian Passes
Day 9: Kirchberg Munich (Germany) Bad Drucken
Day 10: Bad Drucken Metz Reims Channel Tunnel
Total miles ended around 2800 with 500 on the first and last days and then riding everyday. I was lucky with the weather with the only rain i got was moisture from low cloud coming through Metz. Best Roads - Definately Vosges in France (wide, smooth and fast, no traffic, loads of grip).
Here's some pics:
Packed and ready to roll. Trip starts bad with my fly on leathers popping (getting fat) emergency touring pants on and hit the road.
Camped out at St Die. Easy 30 Mins from the mountains roads. (Yeah I know what a **** - but i was happy to be out of the smoke
)
The roads were great. Nothing short of perfect in fact with some passes I would do without meeting a single bit of traffic.
Meltdown: Tyre's not gonna go the distance.
Some of the scenery. FYI Camera/Video/Phone/MP3 Player is the Sony Erricson W810i - fantastic little device. Thanks CreameryButtery for the recommendation!
Next day on the mountain heading out I came across a joint bike safe type event between Swiss, French, German bike police. Some random pics here.
Some local bait for the bikers
Some more of the roads
More Later...