The Very Best of Europe
Today we rode from Erding to Rothenburg ob der Tauber—our first day of riding together. The motorcycles were tailored to each rider, the seating positions adjusted, and the final setup details taken care of. Then it was time to start the engines, put on our helmets, and hit the road. It was an opportunity for everyone to get familiar with the motorcycles and find their own rhythm on European roads. Our route first took us through the Hallertau, a gently rolling region and one of the world’s largest hop-growing areas. The roads wound their way through small villages, open fields, and endless green hop gardens. We continued on toward Eichstätt, where we stopped for lunch. The historic town in the Altmühl Valley was the perfect place to take a break, share our first impressions of the day, and recharge our energy for the afternoon. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to catch the afternoon parade—we had to press on toward Rothenburg. We rode on a variety of roads as we made our way to Rothenburg ob der Tauber. With every kilometer, the landscape changed, and our anticipation for our destination grew. Finally, Rothenburg’s medieval walls and towers came into view—an impressive sight and a fitting conclusion to our first day of driving. That evening, we experienced something truly special at the Imperial City Festival. A stroll through the historic old town felt like a journey back in time. Medieval encampments filled the streets and squares, fires blazed, artisans demonstrated traditional crafts, music filled the air, and people in period costumes brought the city to life. The aroma of grilled meat, spices, and freshly baked bread mingled with the sound of drums and medieval melodies. It was the perfect end to our first day on the road—filled with new experiences, good conversations, and great anticipation for the kilometers and adventures still ahead of us.
It's day two, and we're heading west to Heidelberg. Along the way, interesting sights and attractions are waiting for us, like churches and castles and even the car museum at Langenburg, which is a private collection and rarely ever open to the public. But the main attraction was the genuine Edelweiss Picnic, presented by tour guide Tom at a cozy place right next to the Jagst River. While we had lunch, temperatures rose to over 30°C (86°F), and the group decided to cut the day short. After all, the outstanding city of Heidelberg was waiting for us!!!
Today we left Heidelberg and headed across the border into France, with our hotel waiting for us near Wissembourg. The first part of the day brought a completely new experience for some of our guests: the German Autobahn! We enjoyed a bit of unrestricted riding before stopping for a well-deserved coffee break – although the change in speed and the German speed limits certainly kept everyone alert. From there, we continued towards the Eschkopf Tower, followed by a short “hike” 🤣🤣🤣 up to the tower. The effort was well worth it, with a fantastic panoramic view across the Palatinate Forest. After lunch at the famous Teufelstisch, we continued to Berwartstein Castle. There, not everyone was quite willing to believe the tour guide’s claim that it was “only two minutes” to the top 😁. Once everyone had made it up, we enjoyed the impressive medieval surroundings before getting back on our bikes. And finally, after everybody was on the right bike again 😁 we continued our ride. Finally, we crossed the border into France and made our way to our hotel near Wissembourg. Another great day on the road, with plenty of riding, some unexpected exercise, and a few good laughs along the way.
Temperatures had dropped overnight, so a pleasant riding day awaited us, with an overcast sky but no rain. The route led us through the densely forested mountains of the Northern Vosges, past countless castles and through numerous cozy villages. We watched an unusual boat lift in operation and enjoyed an outstanding lunch in a very unassuming place in the middle of nowhere. Destination today: the ultra-picturesque town of Riquewihr, smack in the middle of the Alsacian wine region.
Today was our first rest day in Riquewihr, although for some of us that still meant getting back on the motorcycles. We took a short ride through the beautiful Alsace countryside to the impressive Haut-Koenigsbourg Castle, where we explored the fortress and had plenty to admire. The castle has its origins more than 1,000 years ago and was extensively restored between 1900 and 1908, giving us a fascinating glimpse into the region’s medieval past. After the visit, everyone had the afternoon to explore Riquewihr and the surrounding area at their own pace – a perfect opportunity to enjoy the charming streets, local shops, and beautiful Alsatian scenery. Tonight, we’ll round off our rest day with another local classic: traditional Flammkuchen. Tomorrow, we’ll leave Alsace behind and head towards the Black Forest, with plenty more great roads waiting for us.
After our rest day yesterday, it was time to get back on the bikes. From Riquewihr, our route first took us across the Rhine and back into Germany, through the Kaiserstuhl wine region and deeper into the Black Forest. The further we rode, the more the landscape changed – and the better the roads became for riding. Of course, no ride through the Black Forest would be complete without a stop at the Hexenloch Mill. A delicious slice of what was probably the best Black Forest cake around was waiting for us – although we had to make sure to save some room for the picnic our chef Tom had prepared for us in Göschweiler. A perfect spot to recharge before the afternoon ride. From there, we continued towards Switzerland, with our next highlight being the spectacular Rhine Falls near Schaffhausen. Watching the enormous volume of water rushing over the falls was an impressive experience and a great final highlight before heading towards Zurich. The last few kilometers brought a completely different kind of challenge as we made our way through Zurich’s busy city traffic to the hotel. After a day of vineyards, winding Black Forest roads, and spectacular scenery, navigating the city was certainly a change of pace – but we made it safely to the hotel and can now relax and enjoy the evening.
Zürich, Switzerland's largest and most important city, offers more than enough diversion for a day. Sightseeing and shopping were high on the list, so we went downtown in the morning. We looked at a handful of churches, marvelled at the Alpine ridge that seemed to be so close, and eventually found the flagship stores of Victorinox (knives) and Läderach (chocolate).
Today was a pretty long day, 230 km, and it held a great variety of highlights in store for us: a Sunday morning ride along Lake Zürich, a wonderfully scenic (albeit busy) coffee stop on Hulftegg Pass, stunning views of the Swiss Alps, lovely lunch, a quick dash through the tiny country of Liechtenstein, yummy gelato in Feldkirch - and last but not least an exhilarating ride on Furkajoch Pass. Eventually, we arrived at a gorgeous hotel high up in the mountains, surrounded by pastures full of happy cows. What a day!!!
Today we were riding right in the heart of Tyrol. From Warth, our route took us over the Flexen Pass and Arlberg, passing through Lech and St. Anton – famous winter resorts and ski areas that show a completely different, but equally impressive side during the summer. Our first stop was at the Piller Höhe, where we enjoyed a coffee while taking in the spectacular mountain scenery and reflecting on the first great kilometres of the day. From there, we continued through the Pitztal Valley and up into the Ötztal Valley, stopping at the impressive Stuiben Waterfall, Tyrol’s highest waterfall. Next came another highlight: Kühtai. Here, traditional Austrian food was on the menu – apple strudel and goulash soup. Of course, we also had a few gourmets in the group who preferred a good old hamburger. After all, culinary variety is part of every great motorcycle tour! From Kühtai, we tackled the final kilometres towards Innsbruck, our destination for the day. Another fantastic day filled with spectacular mountain scenery, beautiful alpine passes, and plenty of great corners – exactly what a riding day in Tyrol should be.
Our last riding day greeted us with blue skies and sunshine again, making it tough to leave the Alps behind. The highlight of the day was the ride up to a high valley named Großer Ahornboden, where we were surrounded by the stunning granite walls of the Karwendel Mountains. From there, it was all downhill until we reached the place where we started 10 days ago: Erding. Over dinner, the group tried to reach an agreement on where to go next...