3,842m or bust

[Deleted account Cooperman]

Link to a blog of our current trip

I'll tidy this up into a report when I get back.

Just finishing brekie and off to WSB at Nurbergring

http://cooperman-3854morbust.blogspot.com/

 

[Deleted account Cooperman]

A trip by two 'Yorkie-pud' brothers from Leeds with a week off for good behaviour

The plan was to get some varied Alps experience on good roads without beating ourselves up with too many kms.

The ultimate goal was to get to 3,842m on Mont Blanc Calling in to the world superbikes at the Nurburgring was just a bonus

This was the planned route. I have mapsource files if anybody wants them.

 

[Deleted account Cooperman]

The week before departure could have been a disaster. Two joy riders lost control of a stolen car and nearly collected my brother and his Mrs

This was the result

They hit bruv’s car before flipping and going through the garden wall and a parked car. This could have been a disaster on lots of fronts but fortunately only metal and bricks got hurt (apart from the scroats).

We were supposed to leave on a high note on Saturday afternoon watching Leeds Rhino’s lift the cup at Wembley…….we left early

On the move.

Bruv’s cockpit to remind him of the Westie he was leaving behind

The first day should have been a steady run down to Two Wheel Moorings, a bikers B+B near Verdun. Bruv’s fuel gauge had been giving him problems and having left the motorway it decided to tell him he had no fuel

The boxer engine is famed for its braking ability. Try turning you engine off while moving and keep you eye balls in at the same time

Sunday in France All un-manned petrol stations. We managed to get a Lenor bottle to use as a fuel container to get us going

Great biker service at Two Wheel Moorings, totally catering for bikers.

http://bikersbedsfrance.co.uk/

Under cover parking, drying rooms, lift to restaurant (it was raining), company of other bikers staying there. Recommended

Verdun has many sites commemorating the wars. We chose to visit the American cemetery at Meuse-Argonne

140,000 dead. 130 acres.

A somber start to the day.

Monday in France was much the same as Sunday. All the nice looking villages/towns were dead This proved to be a real contrast with Germany on the way back.

Nice Jag spotted

Hit the Vosges mountains and disappeared into the clouds. Sat nav’s became really useful to lead the way around the Route des Cretes

We got to the Logis Four Seasons hotel.

http://www.hotel4saisons.com/

Great remote location and restaurant - but more a couples than biker lads hotel. I’m sure they thought we were

If you do go - avoid room 3. The bathroom is an award winner for how much you can fit into so little

 

[Coops18]

Wow, great start....look forward to the rest.
Must admit, I prefer the grey GSA.............looks much faster

 

[Deleted account Cooperman]

to Chamonix

Morning in the Vosges. Low cloud to begin with eventually revealed the village of Kruth.

Set off south, up and down the Route de Ballons. Good start to the day

Then it got better. The Jura mountains between France and Switzerland are a bikers playground. Not many hairpins just lovely flowing bends allowing a reasonable speed to be maintained. Approach corner, gear down, spot exit and power out. Brill

We started dropping out of the mountains to see a view over Lake Neuchatel with the alps in the background.

Onwards to Lake Geneva/Lausane, the largest lake in western Europe. Fantastic views but a little busy. We stopped in Montreaux.

A quick dash down to Martigny and then up and over again and back into France in Chamonix.

Lots going on in Chamonix whilst keeping a smaller friendly atmosphere. Lots of alpine pursuits evident.

We stayed just outside but in east walking distance at

http://www.hotelchaumierechamonix.com/node/1

Good value hotel, but get up early for breakfast. They ran out of bread - in France

Good view from the balcony though

Walked into town the following morning. This guy looked as though he had done a few miles on a GS.

We had a look around the museum. Bloody French and their language Good facility with plenty to see but no translations available. Fair enough you may say. But what happens when they want you to do something (or not as the case may be)

One of our Councils would have at the very least 20 translations ready

Time for our ascent of Mont Blanc. Neither of us are good with heights

Departure.

Looking back

Looking up again

And looking down from the top

Moving about took some planning.....

Especially with these guys attacking you from all sides

Mont Blanc. If your not sure which one check the next labelled image.

What happens if something goes wrong you get this guys phone number

I think it was the altitude that made us light headed....or was it

 

[Ash]

great stuff

 

[Deleted account Cooperman]

Wow, great start....look forward to the rest.
Must admit, I prefer the grey GSA.............looks much faster

But the grey one keeps running out of fuel

I'm getting a taxi sign fitted to the red one

 

[Deleted account Cooperman]

Passes, lakes and forests

Today's route was back into Switzerland to do Furka, out along Lake Lucerne and into the Black Forest

To record this ride it was time for some on the move footage. The camera around the left wrist idea was quickly discarded when it got lodged between the bar and the clutch lever

Time for some British ingenuity

Nice morning ride up to the end of the valley at Gletsch, the foot of the Grimsel and Furka passes.

The new camera solution provided some reasonable results

Parked at the top of Furka

We dropped into Andermatt to 'follow the bear'. This was particularly relevant as the GPZ was the bike we 'learnt' on as kids - it was Dad's

The northern road of Lake Lucerne is exceptional. Where Lausanne is busy with built up towns, Lucerne is the opposite. I really recommend incorporating this in any planned Swiss trip.

Over the border and on towards Titisee. Again quiet fantastic biking roads.

What a day's riding

 

[Norrie]

Hi Cooperman

some nice photo's there of yer run one of these day's I'll get the cable car to the top of Mont Blanc first time it was closed due to some mechanical problem and the second time we arrived late in the afternoon to find a massive queue

Norrie

 

[Deleted account Cooperman]

Hi Cooperman

some nice photo's there of yer run one of these day's I'll get the cable car to the top of Mont Blanc first time it was closed due to some mechanical problem and the second time we arrived late in the afternoon to find a massive queue

Norrie

Quick tip

Having queued you are given tickets with a time and a car number. So depending on numbers you could still have another wait until your time comes up (albeit you don't have to stand in lines).

For a small charge you can book on line for any set time, so you can just walk up and escape the queue

 

[MikeP]

Very enjoyable. Some cracking photos.

(The 'Jag' is a Daimler Double-Six BTW )

 

[Myke Rocks]

What about Bust?

Since you have obviously decided to do the first part of the tour, when are you going to Bust?

Myke

 

[Norrie]

Thank's for the tip Cooperman will bear it in mind

Norrie

 

[Deleted account Cooperman]

Since you have obviously decided to do the first part of the tour, when are you going to Bust?

Myke

Hold on to your horses

We are on our way to Titisee

 

[Deleted account Cooperman]

Black Forest and Nurburgring

We got to Titisee and stayed at a recommended hotel from this site

http://www.neubierhaeusle.de/neubier-en.php

We were meeting a friend back in town. The hotel owner was great. She sorted a beer and got a taxi booked while we got ready.

The evening was very beery and when poured back into a taxi we couldn't remember where we were staying

A late start to the next day. This was how we knew where to sit for breakfast

As we left 'mine host' gave us an unforgettable quote..

'Sometimes 12 hours is not enough - sometimes 12 hours is too long'

We had a long day in front, some back roads onto the B500. We got a bit fast on the last bit before Baden Baden with quiet flowing roads

Then some autobahn bashing up to Adenau. This town was recommended as a lively place close to the Nurburgring and this proved to be right

We stayed at the Blue Corner which was full of bikers.

http://www.blaueecke.de/start/

Spotted this GSA with a nice revised colour-scheme

We ate at Pinocchio's which was death by Calzone

Next day up to the Ring to see Saturday WSB qualifying.

We paid 15 euro to get into the paddock - great value

Max Biaggi

Surprised he was smiling as he had just fallen off

Mr Crutchlow

Examples shots of the G11 camera's zoom ability:

Normal

Optical zoom

Digital zoom (Toseland - upright )

Various other pics.....

Great end to a great trip

Top 5 (in no order)

• Jura mountains
• Chamonix and Mont Blanc cable car
• Lake Lucerne north road
• Black forest
• Nurburgring