The Dolomites and more

Joybringer

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I'm cobbling together a trip down and around the Dolomites, probably for the last week or 2 of June (or first week of July) next year, so here's an open invite for those wishing to join me. I reckon about 10 bikes max, based purely on an accommodation availability basis. If oversubscribed, and anyone wants to make their own arrangements and tag along, great.

I'm happy to plot the routes (about 50% done) and provide the gps files and take in most, if not all the cols and passes on the way there and back, and I'll book hotel rooms providing that there's no deposit required :) I prefer my own room because I'm an antisocial git, but if you want to buddy-up and share a room, just let me have names - you know the drill. Wives/girlfriends/ladyboys are also welcome.

I really do want to cite the old adage that it's the journey rather than the destination that's important to me on this occasion, so I am planning this trip as more of a holiday, than just a blast up and down Europe. It's also a significant Birthday Year for me :rob so I intend to make the most of it!

Feel free to post some suggested routes/waypoints for inclusion (not hundreds, though, and just schematics, not the complete wiring diagram with colour-coding and legend!); they may get included, they may not :) However, I'd like to try and avoid long periods in Switzerland as a) it's expensive, and b) it's expensive, and c) been there, done that.

That said, I'm not intending to organise a strict follow-the-leader event, but happy to trailblaze if required, and those that have been out with me before, know that 'doing your own thing' and 'having a play' is all good to me, so long as we all know where we're going, and try to meet up for a drink and a meal at the end of the day's riding. I'm usually one of the first to get the urge and blast through some sweepers, and usually the last away at fuel stops while I faff with my gloves/helmet/thong/appendage...:green gri

I'm thinking of staying 2 or 3 nights at a time in one or two reasonably priced hotels in/near Arabba/Bolmio etc., rather than packing up and moving on every day. This should give plenty of opportunity for those wanting to bag as many passes as they can, and to do some proper sightseeing, and satisify the leisure needs (i.e. a day off) for those that want a 'break'.

I reckon 12-14 days to get there and back in a reasonably leisurely and scenic fashion, avoiding toll roads and motorways where possible (but I suspect some may be inevitable). I'd probably want to include 3 weekends in the timeframe - Saturday to Sunday, for example. There will no doubt be a few 250+ mile days, but I'll try to keep those to a minimum if possible.

Anyhow, while I beaver away at knocking out some gps files, it would help me plan the thing if you could show your enthusiasm or otherwise, by tapping out a quick reply. Unless I really have to part with cash to book rooms (not for a week or two yet) I don't need/want any deposits or stuff, and we can all make individual ferry/train bookings in due course.

I know it seems a bit loose at the moment, but I keep finding interesting passes to try! I'll aim to get a more detailed view of the trip on here over the weekend.

:beerjug:

Mark
 
I'll have a provisional at that :aidan
 
A tentative expression of interest. Will have to earn some extra points to be able to get away for more than a week.
 
A tentative expression of interest. Will have to earn some extra points to be able to get away for more than a week.

Not that old chestnut :augie
Ah the old commitments of a married man/self employed line eh?

Me too:blast 10 days is likely to be my limit.
 
Looks good to me

Sounds great and am looking to book something soon so as to sort time off work. I hope to do a few tours with the club next year.
Soon as you've got dates and if you need a cash deposit let me know.
Cheers John
:thumb2
 
Whoa!

Fantastic response, thanks!

...and no-one spotted my earlier faux pas, a bastardisation of Belzano and Bormio - Bolmio, that well-known Dolomites town...:blast

I meant Bolzano, but got a bit excited...

Anyhow, I make it 12 in total so far, so I'll draw a line under it for the moment and keep a tally of who's doing what, and I'll need an idea of who wants to sleep with whom over the next few weeks, so I can book rooms. I've had one or two suggestions for some nice hotels, so I'll see if I can factor those in :thumb2

In terms of dates, I'm looking at a maximum date range of Saturday 28 June to Sunday 8 July. From what I've read, that could mean a good mix of a little snow on the higher peaks in and around the area, and nice warm evenings to congregate and dine al fresco and talk bollox.

Needless to say, the actual route planning is taking a little longer than planned, but I visited that wonderful maps emporium, Stanfords, on Friday, and now have an armful of Michelin paper maps to supplement my Basecamp/Mapsource efforts. I intend to use a mixture of a) my own routes from previous journeys, b) plagiarised routes from others here, c) research, and d) pot luck :D I will post route files/jpgs here as and when.

The route(s) getting there and back may be a bit of a slog, but I'm trying to offer suggestions for an interesting ride rather than blat down the autoroutes/bahns. However, as the hotels will be fixed via Waypoints, how you actually get there is obviously up to you, if you prefer a motorway excursion - I'm thinking of those that may sail from Hull, for example.

Anyhoo, here's the list so far...

Deffos

Me
2 wheel humvee
timeandtide
cookie
wessie
Oie
JohnnyBoxer
degsey
JON12A

Maybes

Norm
Gerry Huxtable
Darkhorse

...good to see some old friends and, hopefully, some new ones :thumb2
 


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