Ultimate Alps CUA2604
Good morning everybody let’s hop on our bikes to start our Alpine Adventure. Weather is still good but is expected to cool down a bit during the morning and to be rainy during the afternoon. Refreshed after a great breakfast we start the engines and ride towards Pontresina. This days ride leads from Austria to Italy and then to Switzerland. Our Highlight of the day is the famous Passo Stelvio in Italy. Everybody can’t wait to finally meet this pass. Before we have photoshops at Gaacher Blick, lake Reschen and a coffee in Glurns. As expected the weather became a bit rainy and a bit cold, but nobody wanted to miss the Stelvio Pass. The good thing with not so good weather is the less traffic. So we had the pass for us alone! Pure enjoyment to ride all those switchbacks. We took one curve after the next and reached the top and had our lunch on top of the pass. In the Restaurant it was warm and sitting next to the window we had a breathtaking view with a great dish!
After yesterday’s gray skies and the occasional raindrop, we were all thrilled to see the sun’s rays on the mountain peaks this morning. It was still quite chilly in Pontresina, though. The low, early sun glistens beautifully over St. Moritz, where we stop briefly. Afterward, we marvel at the Maloja Pass from above and, shortly thereafter, take in the view of the valley while enjoying an espresso. That’s right, espresso. After all, we’ve just crossed the border and it’s already 10° warmer. Wonderful. For lunch, we enjoy a rustic meal at a mountain hut up in Montespluga. The afternoon drags on quite a bit with a few short stops and strict speed limits in Switzerland. At the top of the Oberalp Pass, we gather our last bit of energy. As the last rays of sunshine fade, we finally arrive in Brunnen and are completely speechless at the beauty of the lakeside setting.
The morning we start with a ferry ride to cross the lake Lucerne. Best weather conditions makes us smile the whole day! On that day we are exploring the Sustenpass and the Furkapass. On the way there on our coffee stop we witness a original Swiss cattle drive and we loved it. For lunch time we have a special surprise. A Picnic in the Swiss alps. The scenery was overwhelming and the food was awesome!
After a good sleep and a good breakfast we explore the surrounding area including going up to the little Matterhorn. A breathtaking view makes us very happy
Today we’re heading back down. We take an early train and set off toward Italy. Our first stop is at the top of the Simplon Pass. A quick bathroom break and a look at the Simplon Eagle. Then we continue down into Italy. It’s finally warm, and you can even ride a motorcycle. The route to Cannobio is gorgeous, and so is our restaurant right on Lake Maggiore. We’re enjoying the Italian atmosphere. Shortly after, we take the ferry and continue on small mountain roads toward Lugano. We’re back in Switzerland, but we can’t quite believe it.
Early in the morning we sattle our Motorcycles to catch the morning Ferry to cross Lake Como and than continue our ride towards Passo del Vivione and Passo Tonale. Lucky as we are the weather was perfect for a riding day. Not to hot and not to cold.
We have a wonderful day of riding ahead of us. We leave the Val di Sol and head south toward Val Genova, with some great, nearly traffic-free curves ahead of us. A good hour later, we stop at a small pasticceria. The skies clear, and with the sun shining, we glide on over the Passo Daone, enjoying magnificent views all the way to Lago Molveno. We continue on to the Santuario San Romedio, followed by a wonderful picnic surprise. In the afternoon, we head up to the Penegale viewpoint and down the equally empty Mendel Pass to Bolzano. We’re having a blast. We enjoy the early evening in the garden, basking in the sun with a view of the Dolomites. A perfect day.
On Our Restday we decide for a short run into the Dolomites. On our Menu we find the chapel Kaserer, the Lake Karer and a view to Rosen Garden. Some of our guests spontaneously decide to take up the offer to ride the route on their own as well, and head out for an extra loop to the Pordoi Pass. All in all, another wonderful day!
Gentle rays of sunshine greet us on the horizon on our last day of riding. Today we’re heading back to Mieming. We have three wonderful mountain passes on our itinerary. The Penserjoch and Jaufen Pass invite us to dance on our motorcycles. It’s cloudy, and at times we even ride right into the clouds, but there’s no traffic, and we happily zoom our way up. From up here, however, we can’t see much, so we continue on to the Edelweißhütte. There’s a small fire going in the fireplace, and the atmosphere is cozy and distinctly alpine. From the Jaufen Pass, we head down to Mittag. Here, it’s warm and sunny again. In the afternoon, the Timmelsjoch awaits us. We wind our way up 2,000 meters in elevation and cross the border into Austria. Afterward, we visit a motorcycle museum and ride back along the now busier valley roads to where it all began.