Stella in 3 nights?

[Doogle]

I know there has been a lot of posts on the Stella Alpina and people asking for all manner of advice, and believe me I have used the search function and google. I know lots of people say there are better things to ride, but I have decided I want to do this first. However I can only have 3 nights away around that time. Mileage wise if I take the direct route this looks viable, however although I realise that a fair chunk of motorway would be necessary to achieve it in this short space of time do you think it would be viable to put an interesting route together in these times?

Plan would be cross to Calais early on Friday and ride 300 miles ish into France
Saturday complete the rest of the ride to Bardoneccia.
Sunday Stella run AM, then start heading home.
Cross back to the UK Monday and the short blast home UK side.

I am happy to spend a fair amount of time on motorways as long as this can be balanced out with some great roads and stunning scenery?? Or is it best to wait until I have more time and do it another year??

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

Doable in that time, no probs

Choice is yours

 

[Doogle]

Doable in that time, no probs

Choice is yours

Thanks for the reply, and confirmed what I thought. I am going to give it a go.

Cheers

Dave

 

[The Grey One]

Having had many guests here do mega journeys in a day I would say yes you can do it. My only comment would be that if you are arriving in France early in the morning try to do more than 300 miles that day. This will leave more time to use fun roads nearer your destination.

If this sort of riding suits then go for it. It will be hard but the sense of achievement when you do it will be huge. Not something I personally would do but it's not me doing it, it's you. I salute you, the world would be poorer without people like you.

Good luck

John

 

[John Armstrong]

Less miles on the bike, and many would consider it cheating, but have you thought of using something like the flybikefly courier to Nice?

Nice miles climbing up to the Alps from Nice without the almost obligatory autroute drudgery. Not cheap, but then if you don't have the time then you'll either pay by long hours in the saddle + autoroute tolls, or someone else doing the autoroute for you. Depends on flights as well, which might kill the idea off completely.

 

[DrAlf]

I think you'd have to be clinically insane and/or love motorway riding a lot to attempt that. Better to have a nice weekend away somewhere in the UK and save the Stella for when you can afford more time. Alternatively you could do a fly hire which would give you more time to ride the stunning roads in the area. There's a great hire shop in Cannes and flights to Nice are cheap - the route from Cannes to Bardo is a cracker.

Your choice but having done the Stella a few times I wouldn't fancy riding all that way to ride up a muddy mountain track.

 

[Rasher]

I would personally look towards the Eifel / Luxembourg / Black Forest or Vosges areas - all reachable in a day from Calais, doing 1500 motorway miles to ride 150 good miles is not my thing.

But if you really want to do this particular route and have no other options then why not, not like you can't go back again some time, and after this trip you will really want to return with more time.

 

[stevie]

good luck,I'm doing it and wondering wether 8 days is enough,long way to go without seeing something of the alps and a few more passes

 

[Rasher]

good luck,I'm doing it and wondering wether 8 days is enough,long way to go without seeing something of the alps and a few more passes

Although however many days you have is never enough, I have a list of about 350 Alps passes, I have covered about 100 three in 10-12 day trips, and still have a fair few "must ride" ones to go - and so many more I want to ride again (you really need to ride them both ways in good weather, most I have only ridden one way and several of the "best" ones have been wet or fogged out)

 

[Tarka]

It's technichally and mathematically doable the way you propose from the comfort of your armchair and while gawping at a computerised 'plan'.

Spread out a couple of Michelin maps showing UK and France (which will include the bit of the Italian Alps where Bardonecchia and the Colle del Sommeiler is) and the trip will suddenly look a fair bit more demanding.

I'm not shy of long trips but it's minimum of two long days for me just to get there...normally I arrive on the third day from home.
I know you live nearer the Channel than me but it's still a decent hike to get there and if you ride the Stella track the last thing you'll want to do...or even be able to do...is to start riding home on the same day.

So,yeah,technically possible I suppose but you won't enjoy it.

 

[Dellis]

I did it in 4 nights last year however I went from Cheshire and I didm;t leave on the thursday until I finished work at 5, then I just nipped over on the tunnel and stopped at Arras in an F1, I camped the other three nights and was home on monday evening. All in I covered 2,300 miles and had a great time. I'm doing it this year but as I'm travelling with a mate the pace will be steadier and we're doing it over six days. However I'd do it again in sprint mode but only alone.

 

[Elle]

there's a bloke on the ABR forum also thinking of doing it over a weekend - perhaps you should join up!
http://www.adventurebikerider.com/forum/29-meets-a-runs/347029-stellawhats-there.html