nick
Registered user
Friday night. Finished work early. Packed and ready to go.(Bike and new suit all looking a bit too clean)
After catching the Eurotunnel that evening we rode to Brussels. First stop the next morning was to Waterloo (N50 40.754 E4 24.389).
We headed south through Belgium, into Luxembourg, then Germany, France and back into Germany via the Drusus Ferry which crosses the Rheinn just north of Strasbourg. We finally stopped at Uberlingen, a total distance 414 miles.
Uberlingen has some pretty strange sculptures !!
Next morning we went to the Zeppelin museum in Friedrichshafen (N47 39.025 E9 28.965).
Heading East again, we crossed Oberjoch and into Austria. Time for a group photo...
The locals seemed pretty friendly ...
No matter what, Tim's Zumo couldn't get us past this bridge, and we were forced to head back. Shame really as we were hoping to visit Schloss Neuschwanstein (inspiration for Cinderella's Castle).
Still, with some spare time we took a short detour. Simon proving he is an off-road God ...
Now, time to enjoy some of those mountain roads ...
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We were based in Gerlos for 2 nights. Austria is stuning, and I could have stayed longer.
Next visit was to the Kehlsteinhaus (N47 37.826 E13 02.492), also known as the Eagle's Nest, in the German Alps near Berchtesgaden. The Kehlsteinhaus was built as a 50th birthday present for Adolf Hitler. The Eagle's Nest was meant to be a retreat for Hitler and a place for him to entertain visiting dignitaries. Interesting, but it felt strangely sinister to me, especially the entrance tunnel and lift to the top.
Next morning we awoke to heavy rain...
They have some serious road kill in this part of the world !!!
As we climbed Grossglockner the rain turned to sleet, and visibility dropped to just a few yards ...
.. making navigation of the cobblestones up to "Bikers Point" a bit tricky and slippery.
These guys obviously decided it was neccesary to take precautions and keep their new baby car (or could that be Ka) nice and warm.
Apparently the views from Grossglockner are superb, but I will have to take their word for it!
Just over 200 miles (plus another 26 when I took the wrong slip road onto the AutoStrada), 8 hours of rain, sleet and freezing cold. Soaked gloves and boots. We were pretty glad when the day was over.
Fortunately the next day the sun retuned and allowed us to have some fun in the Dolomites ...
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The highlight of the week for me was the Colle St Lucia (N46 28.952 E12 03.187), you really feel like you are standing on top of the world.
My rear brakes were really taking a pounding - about the thickness of a piece of paper remaining. We found a BMW dealer, Rinomotor in Bolzano (N46 28.483 E11 19.730). They only charged 5 Euro to fit the pads and did an excellent job, topping up the oil and tyre pressures etc.
We also took time to visit Hein Gericke (N46 28.446 E11 20.237). New waterproof gloves for me, boots for Simon and Martin. And guess what - it didn't rain again!
Leaving Italy and heading to Switzerland through a list of passes which tend to merge in your memory. Oberalpass, Furkapass, Stelvio, Grimselpass and Sustenpass.
Stelvio is probably the most infamous, but to be honest, not my favourite. The bends are very tight (1st or 2nd gear) the road surface very poor and narrow. Fun in a way, but I prefer the faster sweeping roads.
The beginning of Stelvio. A bit of a slide on one right hander...
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Nearer the top there were some blocks of melting ice at the side of the road making it interesting ...
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Now coming down the other side with the unfortunate case of my poor judgement and a very shocked rider of a yellow GS coming the over way.
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Just to prove you do not need a GS or sportsbike to climb Stelvio, this guy arrived soon after us ...
Unfortunately not caught on camera was when Tim decided to prove a 1200 Adv will wheelie off the throttle in second gear. Coming out of a hairpin, and climbing sharply his bike almost flipped. Nothing to do with the spare tyres and overloaded panniers.
This is our version of "Long Way Down" ...
The rear shock on Martin's 1200 Adv decided it had had enough and from this point on his ride became increasingly "bouncy" !
Pretty sure this is Grimsel, but I could be wrong ...
This is the Steingleischer (Stone Glacier) (N46 42.716 E8 24.853) which is another spectacular sight. Not well known, and not yet comercialised (fortunately).
You can walk right up to the glaciers edge (and get an icey shower as it melts).
The shadow of the glacier and the run-off area for the melting ice.
The next day Tim headed off to the South of France, then Spain and Morocco (again).
Simon Martin and I turned for home, riding 650 miles from Wassen (Switzerland) to London in one go (with some assistance from Eurotunnel).
After catching the Eurotunnel that evening we rode to Brussels. First stop the next morning was to Waterloo (N50 40.754 E4 24.389).
We headed south through Belgium, into Luxembourg, then Germany, France and back into Germany via the Drusus Ferry which crosses the Rheinn just north of Strasbourg. We finally stopped at Uberlingen, a total distance 414 miles.
Uberlingen has some pretty strange sculptures !!
Next morning we went to the Zeppelin museum in Friedrichshafen (N47 39.025 E9 28.965).
Heading East again, we crossed Oberjoch and into Austria. Time for a group photo...
The locals seemed pretty friendly ...
No matter what, Tim's Zumo couldn't get us past this bridge, and we were forced to head back. Shame really as we were hoping to visit Schloss Neuschwanstein (inspiration for Cinderella's Castle).
Still, with some spare time we took a short detour. Simon proving he is an off-road God ...
Now, time to enjoy some of those mountain roads ...
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We were based in Gerlos for 2 nights. Austria is stuning, and I could have stayed longer.
Next visit was to the Kehlsteinhaus (N47 37.826 E13 02.492), also known as the Eagle's Nest, in the German Alps near Berchtesgaden. The Kehlsteinhaus was built as a 50th birthday present for Adolf Hitler. The Eagle's Nest was meant to be a retreat for Hitler and a place for him to entertain visiting dignitaries. Interesting, but it felt strangely sinister to me, especially the entrance tunnel and lift to the top.
Next morning we awoke to heavy rain...
They have some serious road kill in this part of the world !!!
As we climbed Grossglockner the rain turned to sleet, and visibility dropped to just a few yards ...
.. making navigation of the cobblestones up to "Bikers Point" a bit tricky and slippery.
These guys obviously decided it was neccesary to take precautions and keep their new baby car (or could that be Ka) nice and warm.
Apparently the views from Grossglockner are superb, but I will have to take their word for it!
Just over 200 miles (plus another 26 when I took the wrong slip road onto the AutoStrada), 8 hours of rain, sleet and freezing cold. Soaked gloves and boots. We were pretty glad when the day was over.
Fortunately the next day the sun retuned and allowed us to have some fun in the Dolomites ...
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The highlight of the week for me was the Colle St Lucia (N46 28.952 E12 03.187), you really feel like you are standing on top of the world.
My rear brakes were really taking a pounding - about the thickness of a piece of paper remaining. We found a BMW dealer, Rinomotor in Bolzano (N46 28.483 E11 19.730). They only charged 5 Euro to fit the pads and did an excellent job, topping up the oil and tyre pressures etc.
We also took time to visit Hein Gericke (N46 28.446 E11 20.237). New waterproof gloves for me, boots for Simon and Martin. And guess what - it didn't rain again!
Leaving Italy and heading to Switzerland through a list of passes which tend to merge in your memory. Oberalpass, Furkapass, Stelvio, Grimselpass and Sustenpass.
Stelvio is probably the most infamous, but to be honest, not my favourite. The bends are very tight (1st or 2nd gear) the road surface very poor and narrow. Fun in a way, but I prefer the faster sweeping roads.
The beginning of Stelvio. A bit of a slide on one right hander...
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Nearer the top there were some blocks of melting ice at the side of the road making it interesting ...
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Now coming down the other side with the unfortunate case of my poor judgement and a very shocked rider of a yellow GS coming the over way.
<object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ZtTIUQOFFSI"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ZtTIUQOFFSI" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object>
Just to prove you do not need a GS or sportsbike to climb Stelvio, this guy arrived soon after us ...
Unfortunately not caught on camera was when Tim decided to prove a 1200 Adv will wheelie off the throttle in second gear. Coming out of a hairpin, and climbing sharply his bike almost flipped. Nothing to do with the spare tyres and overloaded panniers.
This is our version of "Long Way Down" ...
The rear shock on Martin's 1200 Adv decided it had had enough and from this point on his ride became increasingly "bouncy" !
Pretty sure this is Grimsel, but I could be wrong ...
This is the Steingleischer (Stone Glacier) (N46 42.716 E8 24.853) which is another spectacular sight. Not well known, and not yet comercialised (fortunately).
You can walk right up to the glaciers edge (and get an icey shower as it melts).
The shadow of the glacier and the run-off area for the melting ice.
The next day Tim headed off to the South of France, then Spain and Morocco (again).
Simon Martin and I turned for home, riding 650 miles from Wassen (Switzerland) to London in one go (with some assistance from Eurotunnel).
"Poor judgement" is a slight understatement. 
Super pics and vid's!
