Italy - Twisties, TET and tossers

Mike_E

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Hi All, new ride report.

4 of us on 1200/1250 GS(A)'s are leaving Scotland tomorrow bound for the Alps. This should have happened last year (see trip) but we've finally got our 'merda' in gear. I really enjoyed the trip report from @Hatcho last year of his trip around the alps and it provided some inspiration for this trip.

Overall plan is the 4 of us to take the Newcastle to Amsterdam ferry, 2 will head for Como via old pals in Germany whilst me and the 4th mate will ride to Düsseldorf to take the motorail to Villach. If we avoid getting decapitated on loading the bikes onto the train, we should then have achieved Aberdeenshire to almost Slovenia in 48hrs which is pretty efficient. Heard the Motorail might be a bit crap and its not cheap... but worth a shot and will report back. Upon arrival we then briefly head south into Slovenia before heading west. If the weather is looking OK we'll tackle section 10 of the TET, maybe some of 9.... then meet up with the other 2 somewhere around Cortina. We'll primarily be on road from there until the back end of the trip when we have 3 nights in Bardonnechia at Camping Gran Bosco. Being based there will give us two days to leave the panniers and travel light (for a GS...) and do the well known offroad routes in the area before heading north and back to Amsterdam via Vosges.

Ferry and Motorail are booked as is Camping Gran Bosco - everything else we'll wing it. Routes are unknown, we'll plan that the day before based on how we feel and what the weather is doing. I bought these Foly maps (Maps) and will use that to plan the next day or two and then build it in MRA. If its not pissing down we'll camp, might have the odd hotel in there as well.

Bikes been fitted with some 50/50's, soft luggage, extra head protection and some barkbusters. Good to go!

Will update every now and then depending on how knackered we are each night.

Cheers
Mike
 
Good luck, and have a great trip....how do you find the 50/50s on tarmac? I have 80/20s, and they were pretty noisy in Finland.
 
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Got the dunlop trailmax raid fitted. Bloody good on tarmac considering they are a 50/50, easily over 40deg lean angle without feeling like I'm pushing it at all. Just needed to get used to the different way the bike tips in. There is some noise but I wear moulded plugs so cannot really hear any tyre noise. Slight vibration around 20mph.
 
Great to hear that all the sh!te I post is actually of some use! 🤣

If you make it far enough along the Soca valley in Slovenia, take a quick look at this spot - it's well worth it!

[https://maps.app.goo.gl/eScufbxtKCpw9UsQ9?g_st=ac]

Little bit of a walk from the bike, but you won't be disappointed.

If you want I can pm you the location of some nice offroad trails near Gran Bosco. Oh, and say hi to Max in reception and Mirabelle in the restaurant for me! 👍
 
It's shite alright... But useful shite 😂

Planning for the 206 up past the russian chapel and then towards the Mangart saddle so might not make that but see how we go.

Ive got most of the off-road loops and trails around Bosco but if you don't mind PM'ing me some that never hurts. I'll pass on your regards!

Woke up to a nice morning so that's a good start 🙂

Thanks
Mike

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A quick bit of catch up.

Ride down to Newcastle was uneventful and we had lovely weather. 4 of us met up at Kinross services and then set off for the borders. Took the A697 as it's a much nicer run than the A1 and my in-laws live in Wooler... So we met my father in law for a pub lunch at Milfield.

20deg and sunny all the way to Newcastle. On board, sky bar ... A few bevvies and we were off. Crossing was dead calm, lovely sail.
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Up this morning and way too early but did not sleep well. Getting through passport checks was a chew... We docked and 9:30 and we cleared passport at 11:00. Two of the gang headed for Mannheim and us two weaves out way towards Dusseldorf. The ar some absolutely beautiful areas and villages between Amsterdam and Utrecht... My god. Never knew it was so nice bimbled along at 50-60kmh following the water and loving it. 23deg. I'd happily bimble about here for a few days... 99% of folk would blast straight past on the autoroute.

Popped out onto the motorway to make some miles up and got to Dusseldorf train station and got the bikes loaded. Both of us scuffed the helmets and I had my chin on the tank... Pretty brutal and just as bad as you may have seen on YouTube. No proper food onboard either so a trip to the station to buy a few supplies... Extra tricky when you are gluten free but I won't due of starvation.

Slovenia tomorrow !

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So we survived the train journey.... In summary it's pretty shit, but I'd probably do it again!

We booked a 4 berth liegewagen for 2 of us and it was pretty tight for space. How others for 4 people in I'm not so sure. There is no real food on board so stock up before you board. There are no showers onboard so plan for that how you want too... There is a bar onboard and they bring beer to you cabin. The beds a damn hard but the bedding was crisp and clean... So we took the option of a few beers and an over the counter boots sleeping pill. Slept ok, not the best nor worst. Arrived 0930 but by the time the bikes are off it's 1045 or so. It's 500euro each if you split a cabin so it's not cheap, but is 700miles done overnight which is pretty good.

We also happened to time it with European bike week which is primarily a Harley gathering so the place is heaving with straight piped Harleys.. this also meant that our first pass of the trip was up the Wurzenpass and then onto the 206/Vrsic pass in slovenia. It had potential but it was absolutely mobbed with cyclists, campers, noisy Harley's and anything else you care to imagine. Not fun. The scenery was amazing but it's was so mobbed at the top we just passed through. Shame.

We then aimed for the Mangart pass which is a dead end... Failed at the first real step which is the toll booth... It's cash only so we had to turn around which was a shame. Be prepared with €10 per bike.

It was getting hot and we saw 33deg around Pontebba but thankfully the traffic had thinned out.

We headed west and ended up booking a cheap place in Paularo in an effort to get some decent rest and catch up. Great meal of local fare at Bar Al Cavollino Link where no English was spoken but between hand gestures, bad German and some French we succeeded. Really top notch simple local Italian mountain food. Fried polenta with Frico... Local cheese melted with onions and potato. Heart attack on a plate but lovely.

Thunderstorm tonight, hopefully keep the dust down for the first off-road bits tomorrow!

Oh we we spotted out first bear! Previously discussed mitigations for bear interactions whilst camping were "don't shit in the woods".

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