The Ultimate Alps Tour CUA2602
Before the actual tour start, the tour guides usually are busy preparing the motorcycles for the tour, whereas most of our guests enjoy a leisurely day getting adjusted to the European time zone. But some took the opportunity today to getting used to the bike they are going to ride for the next nine days. Even though the BMW 1300 RT doesn't look like it, it is a nimble bike. Patrick and Janet chose well to come a day earlier for an extra riding day. After the practise session we enjoyed a loop through the nearby Kühtai mountains where we tasted our first apple strudel of the tour. Our way back to Seefeld led us back down the other side of the Kühtai and through some typical Austrian mountain villages. In Seefeld tour guide Thomas and the rest of the group were receiving us for the Welcome Briefing and the hand-over of the motorcycles.
Today is finally the day—the first day of riding on our Ultimate Alpine Tour is here. Our “must-see” list for the Alps is ready; let’s see how many items we can check off today. We start the tour on Tyrolean country roads—perfect conditions for getting used to the bikes, with a mix of wide, well-maintained main roads and narrow, winding side roads. The landscape around us looks like something out of a picture book… we’re actually here… and it’s real. The Reschen Pass, one of the most important transit routes heading south, finally takes us into Italy. Of course, a stop at the famous sunken church tower in Lake Reschen is a must. Here we gather our strength, because ahead of us lies what is arguably the most famous pass in the Alps. A name that most bikers with a passion for travel will surely recognize. Spectacularly beautiful, with its many tight hairpin turns—but also very challenging due to the traffic—the Stelvio. It’s a very special feeling to have mastered this road. A damn delicious Bruno sandwich and plenty of photos later, we continue on our way; after countless curves, roadwork, and a bit of confusion, we reach Livigno, where we fill up our tanks very cheaply thanks to a special tax promotion. From here, we continue on into Switzerland. The Bernina Pass rounds out the day with its spectacular views of the Camberg Glacier. Our destination today is Pontresina, where we actually have to push our bikes all the way to the hotel. But thats a different Story;-)
The second riding day of our Edelweiss Bike Travel Ultimate Alps Tour turns out to be a very scenic day - or to say it with the words of our riders - it was an epic riding day! What a mind blowing scenery the Swiss Alps offered to us today! Unlike the less compromising weather the forecast was promising for today, we enjoyed unexpectedly warm temperatures and sunshine all day long. From Pontresina, we rode past the famous town St. Moritz and then followed the winding road down Maloja Pass. What makes this Alpine pass unique is that it is very gentle on its northern side, whereas it drops steeply and abruptly to the south. From Maloja to Chiavenna, the pass route descends 1,482 meters over a distance of 32 kilometers. In contrast, the elevation change over the nearly 50 kilometers heading northeast is only 343 meters. The pass was formed through the erosive action of the Mera—a river with a steeper gradient—on the southern side of the main Alpine ridge. This process created an increasingly deep valley that extends all the way to Lake Como and the Adriatic Sea. The second pass of the day was the Splügen Pass. This pass is located half in Italy and half in Switzerland. There’s really nothing like an Italian espresso. That’s why we stopped on the Italian side of the pass for our coffee break. The extended hairpin turns on the Swiss side made for a nice picture shot. Right after that, we zoomed on our motorcycles across the San Bernardino Pass. Already the climb up to the pass was incredibly fun! But zooming back down the more than 50 hairpin turns on the south side of the pass put big smiles on everyone’s faces! After a delicious pizza for lunch, we continued our ride over the Lukmanier Pass and the Oberalp Pass to Brunnen on Lake Lucerne. There, at the hotel, Thomas welcomed us, and we enjoyed a lovely dinner on the lakeside terrace.
Whoops, what happened here? The weather’s gone to hell. That’s more or less what we’re thinking as we look out the window this morning. The breathtaking view over Lake Lucerne has turned into a gray, foggy mess, and it’s pouring rain… this is going to be exciting… But… just in time for our briefing, the sun peeks out, and we start the day feeling optimistic. Although the clouds will be with us all day, apart from a few drops here and there, we hardly get wet. Yes, there are certainly nicer days for riding a motorcycle, but the weather also creates a very special atmosphere that definitely has its charms. And as if by magic, whenever the weather does get really bad, we always have a cozy roof over our heads. And so we stick to the plan and, after a relaxing boat ride in the morning, experience what are arguably the most spectacular roads in Switzerland. Countless curves and many spectacular views later, we reach the small village of Täsch, from where—switching vehicles—we set off for today’s destination… The world-famous Zermatt awaits us.
This morning, we like the view from the window much better than yesterday. The peak of the Matterhorn soars high into the soft clouds. All around, the sky is a brilliant blue. The perfect start to a relaxing day in Zermatt. There’s plenty to do and experience. The ride on the cog rail train up to the Gornergrat is undoubtedly one of the highlights… The view is one-of-a-kind. For today, we almost forget that we actually came here to ride motorcycles. We’ll definitely be back to Zermatt.
The sound of the Mattervispa River and the view of the Matterhorn kick off this amazing day. After a leisurely breakfast, we take the train back down into the valley; we finally have our beloved bikes back and set off into the day while the temperatures are still pleasantly cool. The Simplon Pass takes us across the border into Italy; immediately after crossing, we realize we’re in a different country—the roads, the architecture, the smell, the atmosphere. We spend the day on incredibly winding and even more incredibly narrow side roads, as well as on breathtakingly beautiful coastal roads along Lake Maggiore. A short ferry ride, complete with a DIY lunch, is included. Before the heat really starts to get to us, we reach today’s destination, Lugano, in the early afternoon. We enjoy the afternoon by the pool and take walks along the promenade. What a day!
What an exhilarating day, today was! All together we had five passes on our "to-ride list". Closely watching the weather forecast as well as the riding distances made for a good timing throughout the day. Having started early from Lugano, we comfortably rode from Lago di Lugano over to Lago di Como, from where the ferry would take us over to the other side. By that time it was obvious, that a rain shower would follow us across the lake. We got our rain gear on and left the ferry. But no long ride, for the moment. We quickly found shelter in one of the Cafés in Varenna, so that we simply waited the rain shower out. And this turned out to be the best decision as the sun came out soon after. We continued our route through the remote Italian mountains. We interrupted our ride on the partially very narrow and winding roads for a lunch stop at a mountain hut. The typical meals here would be Polenta in all variations. On we went, strengthened by our lunch meal, through a number of passes, which were connected by other winding roads, so that you had the impression it was all one never ending curvy path. At last, passo Vivione probably was the riding highlight of all the riders.
The sun is shining down on our little castle, and it’s still pleasantly cool. Perfect conditions, then, to start the day. Today’s ride is shorter than the others, but by no means any less spectacular. We’re in motorcycle paradise—we realize that very quickly. The roads are varied and the curves are numerous; on the smaller, narrower side roads like the Passo Daone, there’s no one else around—just the way we like it. And so we make our way, kilometer after kilometer, through the mountains of Trentino, past beautiful lakes and small villages. Unfortunately, our planned trip to the pilgrimage site of San Romedio falls through due to traffic, but in the afternoon we take all the more time to enjoy the view over the Adige Valley from the summit of Monte Penegal. The spectacular Passo Mendola finally brings us to Bolzano, the gateway to the Dolomites and our home for the next two days.
Today is a rest day…and the hotel pool beckons with its amenities. But we’re in Bolzano, the gateway to the Dolomites…what kind of bikers would we be if we let this opportunity slip by? We sleep in and hop on our bikes to enjoy this incredible and unique mountain region. We ride up and down several passes, always with the impressive limestone formations in view—the very features for which this region is so world-famous. And mountains, of course, also mean mountain roads…so entertainment is guaranteed. And, of course, proper food for real bikers. In the evening, some of us head into downtown while others wind down the evening with a glass of wine at the hotel. What a day
We can hardly believe it, but today is the last day of our tour. It’s hard to believe how quickly time flies. Let’s really enjoy this day one last time. We’ve saved two of the most spectacular roads—the Jaufen Pass and the Timmelsjoch—for the end of the tour. Unfortunately, a third pass was closed due to construction. These two routes, however, are like a “best of” the last two weeks. And a fitting finale for this tour. We’ll also cap off the day with a visit to the motorcycle museum at the Timmelsjoch and a stop at Edelweiss headquarters. In the evening, we’ll share our many impressions over a final dinner. Thanks, everyone, for this incredibly awesome tour.