Motorcyclists from Japan conquer the Alps with Yumiko Kawasaki
Kizuki from our partner MTJ is the first one to meet. Him and Hideke, also with MTJ, will assist the two of us in all belongings, which makes it easier for us, as we do not know the Japanese language. One by one, everybody shows up and we started our welcome briefing. Kizuki did a great job with the briefing, even the two of us did not understand a single word. But finaly everybody was provided with all the information needed to start the adventure. After an excellent dinner everybody disapeared to his romm, getting a good night sleep to be prepared for the first riding day.
Rolling out of Erding we were rolling through the smooth Bavarian countryside. Farmland with all different kind of fruits in the fields were waiting to be cropped, cows, grasing peacefully in the madows and not too much traffic in the road made it an enjoyable ride. Wasserburg was our first stop and we lookes at the special type of architecture Markus explained us at the morning briefing. Second stop was at Lake Chiemsee, where we took the boat across to the island, called Herreninsel. It was King Ludwig II of Bavaria, who had chosen the place to built one of his famouse castles, Herrenchiemsee. Afterwards we kept on cruising through the lovely countryside leading towards the mountains awaiting us in the distance. Getting into Salzburg we hit traffic and Tilmann was waiting for us at the hotel. A great first day!
Our rest day in Salzburg began in the most relaxing way: after a long sleep, we treated ourselves to the generous breakfast buffet at our hotel. Refreshed and full of energy, we set out to explore the historic old town. Surrounded by baroque facades and narrow alleyways, we soaked up the city’s unique charm and savored the famous Mozartkugeln. By 11 a.m., we mounted our motorcycles and rode toward Hallein, where a special highlight awaited us: a visit to the salt mine, once the source of the region’s prosperity. Deep inside the mountain, we learned fascinating facts about centuries of salt mining and immersed ourselves in the captivating world beneath the surface. After this memorable experience, we enjoyed a delicious lunch that rounded off the excursion perfectly. In the afternoon, we returned to Salzburg, where a traditional dinner was waiting for us. Surrounded by hearty regional dishes and accompanied by a freshly tapped wheat beer, we brought the day to a relaxed and atmospheric close — a perfect ending to our stay in Mozart’s city.
Our stage today began in Salzburg and first led us past Lake Fuschl and Lake Wolfgang – with their deep-blue waters and beautifully green shorelines – to Bad Ischl. There we enjoyed a cultural highlight: a guided tour of the historic Kaiservilla, once the summer residence of Emperor Franz Joseph and Empress Sisi. After so much imperial splendor, we treated ourselves to a well-deserved break – with coffee and a typical Schaumrolle, a true Bad Ischl tradition. Re-energized, we continued on to Hallstatt. This world-famous village on its picturesque lake enchanted us with its unique atmosphere. Right afterward, we were spoiled with a lovingly prepared picnic at a stunning spot by the lakeshore – the perfect chance to relax and soak in the views. But as motorcyclists, we didn’t miss out on the joy of riding either: along winding roads through the Gosau Valley and further on the Nockalm Road, we could fully indulge our passion for the perfect line and endless curves. In the evening, we finally reached our destination at Lake Millstatt. The lakeside hotel provided the ideal setting to reflect on a day full of impressions – happy, content, and already looking forward to the next stage.
The day that everybody was looking foreward to! The experience of riding the Großglockner High Alpine road! But wait, there was some riding on partly real narrow roads and the visit of an almost hidden treasure - the small and private Porsche Museum in Gmünd, a walled city in the backcountry. After about two hours we reached the gate to the National Park identic with the begin of the high Alpine Road. As a sidenote, hundreds of motorcycles were running up and down the mountain road - the reason for that was the European Bike Week located at the not too far away Lake Faaker See. Cruising to towards the highest point, we did first a side loop to Franz Josefs Höhe, where the bike parking was jammed with bikes. Some quick pictures and we were out again. As it was a perfect day weatherwise people on bicycles, on motorbikes and in cars and campers conquered the mountain. the highest point to reach was Edelweiss Spitze, were some of us made friends with riders of the military motorcycle police, who were on a practice ride. Finally we descended from the top and made it to Kaprun, where Tilman awaited us with an icecold bootbeer!
After a hearty breakfast, we started the day at a relaxed pace and took the chance to visit the vintage car museum located on the ground floor of our hotel, Vötters in Kaprun – a real highlight for anyone who loves classic machines and nostalgia. Afterwards, we jumped on the bikes and rode past Pillersee, continuing on to Walchsee. There we enjoyed a coffee break with a stunning view over the lake. Refreshed, we carried on and crossed back into Germany. At the beautiful Bräustüberl Maxlrain, another treat awaited us: pork knuckles, sausages, and schnitzel – the perfect way to recharge and lift our spirits. With full stomachs and big smiles, we saddled up again for the last leg of the journey back to Erding. Once we arrived, we parked the bikes feeling happy, content, and full of great memories – ready to enjoy our farewell evening together.