Drip,Drip,Drop,Little April Shower…OH its August.
Having travelled through Austria 3 times ,Julie and I felt it only right and proper to go and spend a few days there. We decided on the Carinthia region partly because it borders on Sloveinja and also my restraining order has ended which means I can continue to follow in the footsteps of that Mester Cooperman. He is faster than me though and covers more ground on his inter continental missile bike.
The next deciscion was where to stay, well Gasthof Hochalmspitze after stalking them on here and on Faceache. Met up with John and Ros at the NEC last year and booked in for 7 nights.
Had all the maps out a few times ,fired up Mapsource and Basecamp and plotted routes down and back over winter as you do. Julie told me what she would like to do and see. Then over to me to sort out the day trips. The weather down there has been most excellent all through Spring and early Summer. The week before we are ready to depart Typhoon Billy Whiz stirs up the weather. As we packed Julie says, you don’t need 3 pairs of gloves do you. Lets prepare for the worst says I. Bung an extra set of thermals in too . Over Cagoules too. Julie looks ok in hers but my one tight over bike gear makes me appear to look like an oversized black pudding. We change plans and decide to go down a day early and stay the night near the tunnel. Turned out to be a good decision, shorter riding days in bad weather.
Many Pictures of Julie in the Shower. (Many More to Follow)
We arrive at the tunnel a little early and are bumped onto an earlier train, hardly any vehicles in the lines, we follow them all the way to the front of the train, crossing the wet metal decking at a diagonal had me doing pelvic clenches as like a twat had left me throttle controller on ,a light touch had the bike moving a little too quickly,,, off gas, pushed bike over with me rear end and all was ok.
We emerge from the train into rain and a brisk wind, off we go heads down and do one to our cheap Ibis Budget overnight in Liege. Next door to a nice fish restaurant according to my researching over winter. Bugger Tis closed on a Sunday. So MacDonald’s it is for a fillet o fish.
Up early and on the road by 7.30am for a run down to Munich 426miles of on and off rain so it has improved a bit . At the first petrol stop we check if the gills have started to develop, by the second stop I have webbed fingers. That’s a bonus I think as we may end up swimming there. As we enter Germany it stops raining and we have a almost brisk run to our Hotel Stay2Munich. Shower to warm up and off for dinner.
She looked lovingly into my eyes across the table and says “Oi they are my chips!!!!”
.
Good nights sleep on comfortable beds away by 9am. Only 196miles today but most of it cross country. We start off on A8 but leave a few junctions down , calling for fuel and Austrian Vignette for 10 days. Looking overcast but who cares.
Spoke too soon.
Lets shelter in this long tunnel.
Did I say it rained a little.
Slowly clearing, the smiles back on our faces.
Climbing higher we start to feel the cold , showing 6 degrees. About 2.30pm we need to stop to eat and spot a beacon of light. They usher us in, serving warm ham sandwiches and coffee. We have a second coffee, stopping in there for an hour,warm again for the final push to Gmund and Malta.
Bugger raining again as we follow under the A10.
Down the A99 to Gmund.
Met on arrival at Gasthof Hochalmspitze by John who made us both welcome and we unpacked went over to the bar and swapped the free beer for a pot of tea. Marvellous.
Lovely view from the bedroom window. Time to settle in.
Wednesday 13th August a bus journey and the day in Gmund.
After breakfast discussed with John and Ros, what to do on a rainy day in Malta. Fancied a day off the bike. With our Karnten Cards it cost 1.30 euro each to travel into town and same for return. Nice to be off the bike for a day. We were going to visit the Porsche Museum,Light and sound experience,then castle for lunch. We got sidetracked after visiting Porsche by an art exhibit by a local man
So by the time we arrived at the Light and sound experience, that was highly recommended we couldn’t get on a tour till after our bus back to base.
A few pictures.
Stumbled into some blokes garden,(Fritz Russ Sculture Garden) eye for a pattern and very good welding. Cleaner than mine. His works are commissioned all over the area. Just afew samples
Off for a walk and a lie down after that ! Spot of lunch dear.
All washed down
.
Bus to base , couple of hours loading photos to laptop and reading. Relaxing into the holiday now.
Thursday 14th going to the Pyramidenkogel today. Have written a route to take in some good roads to include the NockalmStrasse.
That’s a slide that is.
More to follow
Having travelled through Austria 3 times ,Julie and I felt it only right and proper to go and spend a few days there. We decided on the Carinthia region partly because it borders on Sloveinja and also my restraining order has ended which means I can continue to follow in the footsteps of that Mester Cooperman. He is faster than me though and covers more ground on his inter continental missile bike.
The next deciscion was where to stay, well Gasthof Hochalmspitze after stalking them on here and on Faceache. Met up with John and Ros at the NEC last year and booked in for 7 nights.
Had all the maps out a few times ,fired up Mapsource and Basecamp and plotted routes down and back over winter as you do. Julie told me what she would like to do and see. Then over to me to sort out the day trips. The weather down there has been most excellent all through Spring and early Summer. The week before we are ready to depart Typhoon Billy Whiz stirs up the weather. As we packed Julie says, you don’t need 3 pairs of gloves do you. Lets prepare for the worst says I. Bung an extra set of thermals in too . Over Cagoules too. Julie looks ok in hers but my one tight over bike gear makes me appear to look like an oversized black pudding. We change plans and decide to go down a day early and stay the night near the tunnel. Turned out to be a good decision, shorter riding days in bad weather.
Many Pictures of Julie in the Shower. (Many More to Follow)
We arrive at the tunnel a little early and are bumped onto an earlier train, hardly any vehicles in the lines, we follow them all the way to the front of the train, crossing the wet metal decking at a diagonal had me doing pelvic clenches as like a twat had left me throttle controller on ,a light touch had the bike moving a little too quickly,,, off gas, pushed bike over with me rear end and all was ok.
We emerge from the train into rain and a brisk wind, off we go heads down and do one to our cheap Ibis Budget overnight in Liege. Next door to a nice fish restaurant according to my researching over winter. Bugger Tis closed on a Sunday. So MacDonald’s it is for a fillet o fish.
Up early and on the road by 7.30am for a run down to Munich 426miles of on and off rain so it has improved a bit . At the first petrol stop we check if the gills have started to develop, by the second stop I have webbed fingers. That’s a bonus I think as we may end up swimming there. As we enter Germany it stops raining and we have a almost brisk run to our Hotel Stay2Munich. Shower to warm up and off for dinner.
She looked lovingly into my eyes across the table and says “Oi they are my chips!!!!”
.Good nights sleep on comfortable beds away by 9am. Only 196miles today but most of it cross country. We start off on A8 but leave a few junctions down , calling for fuel and Austrian Vignette for 10 days. Looking overcast but who cares.
Spoke too soon.
Lets shelter in this long tunnel.
Did I say it rained a little.
Slowly clearing, the smiles back on our faces.
Climbing higher we start to feel the cold , showing 6 degrees. About 2.30pm we need to stop to eat and spot a beacon of light. They usher us in, serving warm ham sandwiches and coffee. We have a second coffee, stopping in there for an hour,warm again for the final push to Gmund and Malta.
Bugger raining again as we follow under the A10.
Down the A99 to Gmund.
Met on arrival at Gasthof Hochalmspitze by John who made us both welcome and we unpacked went over to the bar and swapped the free beer for a pot of tea. Marvellous.
Lovely view from the bedroom window. Time to settle in.
Wednesday 13th August a bus journey and the day in Gmund.
After breakfast discussed with John and Ros, what to do on a rainy day in Malta. Fancied a day off the bike. With our Karnten Cards it cost 1.30 euro each to travel into town and same for return. Nice to be off the bike for a day. We were going to visit the Porsche Museum,Light and sound experience,then castle for lunch. We got sidetracked after visiting Porsche by an art exhibit by a local man
So by the time we arrived at the Light and sound experience, that was highly recommended we couldn’t get on a tour till after our bus back to base.
A few pictures.
Stumbled into some blokes garden,(Fritz Russ Sculture Garden) eye for a pattern and very good welding. Cleaner than mine. His works are commissioned all over the area. Just afew samples
Off for a walk and a lie down after that ! Spot of lunch dear.
All washed down
.Bus to base , couple of hours loading photos to laptop and reading. Relaxing into the holiday now.
Thursday 14th going to the Pyramidenkogel today. Have written a route to take in some good roads to include the NockalmStrasse.
That’s a slide that is.
More to follow
Shame about the weather
and we turn off, he is not bovvvvvered . Sure I hear him saying fekkkin tourists on BMWs.
