A infinitely rollercoaster bedded in the midst of high mountainpeaks (CGA2601)
Almost everybody had arrived at the hotel allready to get adjusted to the local time. The groupmembers travelled from USA, Canada and from the other side of the globe, from Australia to Seefeld for the Grand Alps Tour. Some of them used the extra day for hanging out, using the Spa, but Todd and Bob went with tour guide Thomas to Innsbruck to see the town and the surrounding, while Ian and Brian prefered to take their motorcycles out to get prepared for the tour. After a class room session Markus took them out on a small first pass - to Kühtai.
5 pm, the officil opening for the tour happens! Sitting on the terasse the goup listened to the entertaining introduction of the tour guides. While sipping some wine or beer everybody is listening to the geography, history and culture of our travelling area, followed by some helpfull safety tips. Finally the keys for the motorcycles were handed over - and this is like the official kick-off for the adventure!
Grey clouds were covering the sky as we got ready for the first morning briefing. Markus showed us where we will ride today, including the first passes of the tour. The rollercoaster startet with a steep downhill section into the River Inn valley before we had the first climb up to 6000 ft, to Kühtai, our first "official" pass. After a curvy downhill as an interlude we climbed Hahntennjoch. The higher we travelled the more barren the landscape became. Rocks on one side of the narrow road, a wooden guardrail to protect us from falling down the steep cliffs guided us to the top of the pass. After a quick lunch we attacked the next ones: Flexenpass and Arlbergpass were on the schedule. Getting to Landeck we followed the River Inn upstream and after a sid trip to Gacher Blick with an outstanding view we finally reaches our hotel in Prutz
After a great first day in Austria, we’re heading across the border into Switzerland today. With perfect weather, we leave Pfunds and hit the road toward Samnaun, a remote Swiss mountain village. This early in the morning, we practically have the road to ourselves, and we enjoy the fantastic curves all the more. We then continue on toward the Flüela Pass, the perfect spot for our first coffee break on Swiss soil. Our destination for today is the picturesque town of Andermatt, where we’ll be staying for two nights.
Today we had the first rest day of our tour in the picturesque town of Andermatt. Even though there were plenty of ways to spend the day here away from the motorcycles, we didn’t want to miss the chance to explore the surrounding mountain passes—and it was more than worth it. First, we rode up the Furka Pass, famous for the iconic car scene in the James Bond movie “Goldfinger” and an absolute dream to ride. We then continued on to the Grimsel Pass, which is no less beautiful. Refreshed after our coffee break, we tackled our third pass, the Susten Pass, and it’s really hard to say which one was the most fun. On the way to Göscheneralp, Markus surprised us with a delicious picnic, which made the great day perfect.
We were alltready warned the evening before, that this will be a long riding day and Markus promised to push us a little bit all day long. Taking off in Andermatt we headed for the first pass. We did Sustenpass again, but this side from the East. No traffic in the morning, we were spoile in the first riding hour of the day! Cruising through the busy area along Lake Brienz we reached Interlaken, which was just perfect for a coffee break. A few more kilometers along Lake thun and then we turned off towards Grindelwald. The countryside looked almost unreal: steep mountains stretching towards the sky, impressingly high and rough. In the background three of the famouse peaks: Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau. Getting hungry we looked for a lunchplace and after the first one did not want our money we found another one. Markus did not give us a long break and so we were soon back on the road. Two more passes before we descended to the Rhone Valley. Another short break and we climbed towards the French border. We stopped just wright in time to see the highest mountain of Europe from the distance before it was hiding in clouds again. Another 45 minutes and we reached our hotel in France. Definitely a long riding day, but worth every minute
Since we only rode a short distance into France yesterday, today is the time to explore some of the amazing Alpine passes here. Shortly after leaving our hotel, we set out for the Col de Saisies and got a little taste of what France has to offer motorcyclists. Spectacular roads in the midst of impressive scenery, and surprisingly little traffic. After a coffee break in the medieval town of Conflans, we continued on to the real highlights of the day. With the Col de la Madeleine, the Col du Télégraphe, and the Col du Galibier, our route included three of the most famous mountain passes today. After riding them, it’s clear to us why they’re so often featured in the Tour de France.
What a day! It turns out there really is a paved mountain pass even higher than the famous Stelvio Pass—and that was on our agenda for the day! It was Sunday, so the roads were teeming with casual Sunday drivers and throngs of motorcyclists. We left Briançon and conquered our first pass via a small but superb road; traffic was light at first but grew heavier as we neared the summit. Back in the valley, we cruised leisurely toward Susa to tackle the next pass—only to find that half of Italy seemed to have had the same idea. Once we saw the lake there, we understood why. So, we headed down into the next valley to take on the Col d’Iseran! Daniel was waiting halfway up with a picnic, giving us the energy boost we needed to scale the summit. To wrap up the day, we still had the Col du Petit Saint-Bernard ahead of us. From there, we were finally able to see Mont Blanc stretching up into the cloudless sky—a view that had been denied to us just days before. Finally, we enjoyed an excellent dinner in Aosta at a restaurant that looked rather unassuming from the outside.
After spending the last few days traveling through the heart of the Alps and conquering countless mountain passes, today promises to be a bit different. We’ll be following the southern foothills of the Alps, so the landscape will be characterized more by gentle hills than rugged mountains. We start the day in beautiful, sunny weather and follow the Aosta Valley to our first photo stop at the Bart Fortress. From there, we’ll head across the rolling hills to the picturesque village of Varallo, where we’ll stop for lunch today. From there, we’ll head back downhill toward Lake Maggiore, which we’ll cross by ferry, and from there continue on to Lugano, our destination for today.
For a change, today was a short and relaxed day of riding. We started by traveling along Lake Lugano, crossed the Swiss-Italian border without a hitch, and soon reached Lake Como. Typical Italian scenery, featuring charming villages lined the steep lakeshores; some of the roads passing through these towns were so narrow that there was barely enough room for a car to squeeze between the houses. By late morning, we were drawn back into the mountains; beyond Chiavenna, the valley grew narrow and rugged once more. Towering peaks rose on either side, and at the head of the valley, the road wound its way up the Maloja Pass—which also marks the entrance to the Engadin region—via a series of hairpin bends. At Lake Silvaplana, just before St. Moritz, the sky was filled with the colorful sails of kitesurfers. A brief stroll through St. Moritz included a visit to the Läderach chocolate shop—much to everyone's delight, as there were samples for all. Fortified by the treat, we tackled the Bernina Pass before heading to Livigno. Our early arrival was welcome, as it gave us time to explore the town and the shops in the duty-free zone.
Today’s itinerary features one of the most spectacular days of riding on this tour. With the Stelvio Pass and the Gavia Pass, we’ll be tackling not only two of the highest mountain passes in the Alps, but also two of the most impressive. But that’s not all—the Mendel Pass and the Tonale Pass are also ahead of us. Our destination today is Bolzano, the capital of South Tyrol, where we’ll be spending the next two days.
Today is our last rest day on the tour, and we’re spending it in Bolzano, the capital of South Tyrol. Bolzano has plenty to offer for a day without motorcycles, but since the Dolomites are practically right on our doorstep, most of us decide to take a ride on our bikes and not let this unique opportunity go to waste. However, since bad weather was forecast for the afternoon, we decided to shorten the planned route and stick to just the main roads in the immediate vicinity. We’re back at the hotel around 2:00 p.m. and actually managed to stay dry again today. Two of those, who decided not to ride, explored the town including the museum of the famous 5000 year old Iceman. In the evening, we will all head downtown for dinner and some exploration.
Today for the last time, we would be climbing to an altitude of over 2,500 meters! But first, we enjoyed a leisurely ride north along the main road. The river running alongside the road had carved a deep valley, but we soon left the main valley behind, and the road immediately transformed into a narrow, winding stretch full of twists and turns. The climb up the mountain seemed to go on forever, but the effort was rewarded with fantastic views. We crossed the border, and after lunch, we had to pass through Lienz, the main town in East Tyrol. From there, the ascent to the Grossglockner began. The road wound its way upward, curve after curve, until we reached our first stop: the Franz-Josefs-Höhe. Unfortunately, we were denied a view of the Grossglockner itself, as dark clouds obscured the summit. We continued on to the Hochtor, the highest point on the road. A snow-clearing machine parked there gave us some idea of the immense effort required to clear the pass of snow in the spring. The dark clouds overhead could no longer hold back the rain, so we made our way—now thoroughly soaked—to Kaprun, our destination for the day. Despite the downpour at the end, it was a truly wonderful day!
It’s hard to believe we’ve already been on the road for two weeks, but today is indeed our last day of driving. Under cloudy skies and pleasantly cool temperatures, we leave Kaprun and follow the road westward. Our first highlight today is the Gerlos Pass, where we first stop to take photos at the Krimml Waterfalls and then take a break for coffee and cake at the Durlaßboden reservoir. From there, we continue north along the Zillertal Valley and on to Lake Achensee. We’re in luck there—the historic steam locomotive from 1889 pulls into the station just a few minutes after we do. After lunch on the northern shore of Lake Achensee, we make a quick detour to Germany before parking our motorcycles at the Edelweiß Garage in Mieming. It was a sensational tour, full of amazing sights, countless mountain passes, and above all, great people with whom we could have a lot of fun even without motorcycles. Thank you very much, and hopefully we’ll see you next time, Your tour guides, Markus and Daniel