Trans-Swiss

[Toddmeister]

So I was supposed to be cycling across the Swiss Alps in August on an tour organised by a mate. I've been training hard to get into the right condition and form for 7 days of good mileage and some serious elevation.

Then I go get pneumonia ! Never mind, recover well and ease back into the miles just in time to go to Spain on a training camp. Whilst there a guy in the group has a touch of wheels, goes down in front of me and wipes me out. His brake lever goes through my forearm which hurts a bit. More time off recovering.
Then I get another chest infection!
I suspect the God of Tosserdom may be trying to tell me something!

So now I have a bright idea . Sod all the training and cycling ambitions, let's just go on the motorbike instead
All the hotels are already booked in Switzerland, and there's a nice van to carry my luggage whilst I'm hooning around discovering the best roads the Swiss Alps can offer. All I have to do is book an extra few days off to meander my own way down to St Moritz, and then back afterwards from Geneva.

I'm now going to use the time I put aside for cycle training to do some searches on here for good routes and places to stay! I may even read a few of Mr Wapping's muses as he seems to know what he's on about (apart from which bike is best!)
I may even go buy a few maps. I may even try to work out Basecamp!
Only issue might be the fact it's the beginning of August so will probably be busy, but hey I can't do anything about that.

I'm now all excited again and looking forward to the planning, staying in new places, meeting folk along the way . I'm a bit daunted at the prospect of riding on my own, but it's ok I'm on a WC - what could possibly go wrong!

It would appear I've rediscovered the joy of getting out there and going somewhere new on a motorbike. And what a fantastic feeling it is!

 

[Rasher]

If you think it will be busy like the Lake District you will be very pleasantly surprised.

You will find most of the passes quite devoid of traffic, and even any that are "busy" will still be far from packed and you should be able to enjoy most of your travels without a car / camper / bus / truck in your way.

 

[Toddmeister]

Thanks Rasher, that's good news!
I've never been over there in August and I had visions it would be well busy given that it's French holiday time.

Very pleased to hear it won't be as bad as I had expected

 

[zoot]

normally I wouldn't go to France in their hols as it does get busy I take the camper late june and sept but because of this it only leaves me with aug for a bike trip, not ideal but far better than no trip, try avoiding tourist traps at weekends, our trip started out as a group of 4 or 5 its now down to one, the spineless tarts, have a good one!

 

[kennyc]

August in the Swiss Alps can be surprisingly empty, as long as you avoid the main routes into Italy or around the main cities at rush hour, lots of places to go and sights to see

 

[Swiss Mike]

I would not normally do any swiss passess on a weekend due to all the nuters been let out....

 

[Deleted account Cooperman]

Going solo is great fun. No compromising, you get to do everything you want to do

Check your hotels have got WIFI and you can catch up with folks back home who might be interested in your well being

 

[Toddmeister]

Thanks for the comments and advice folks, I will definitely be looking at going for the quieter routes and will stay away from nutters at the weekends!

Zoot - what dates and where are you going in August?

Cooperman - the folks interested in my well being will be holidaying in the South West of France with the mother-in-law, hence my need to get well away from that area ;-)

 

[Rasher]

Weekends everywhere can be busy, last year we rode the Brunig, Grimsel, Furka and Oberalp on our way to the Dolomites on a Sunday, the first two were pretty traffic free, but it seemed that the Furka was a popular Sunday afternoon spot and the weather was perfect so we were unable to really enjoy the bends as there was a large amount of traffic - not clogged up, but enough to force us to just enjoy the views instead. Once the other side of Andermatt normal service was resumed and we had a fairly traffic free ride over the Oberalp.

If your riding around at Weekends try to choose the lesser known and more nadgery passes as they attract less locals and try to plan the "best" ones to be ridden in the week - just do not get too hung up on it as almost all will still be very enjoyable even at a weekend - the exceptions are the famous ones such as the Grossglockner and Stelvio (Although many would argue the Stelvio is never any fun)

Also the roads that attract tourists are best ridden early in the day or late, we ran up the Stelvio late afternoon on a glorious August Saturday - almost had the road to ourselves as nobody else was going up, by the time we had coffee and cake most of the locals / tourist buses had naffed off and we had a great ride back down again.

 

[Deleted account Cooperman]

the folks interested in my well being will be holidaying in the South West of France with the mother-in-law, hence my need to get well away from that area ;-)

..and you were getting the sympathy vote for your solo trip, when your plan rivals that of a Colditz escape

 

[Toddmeister]

..and you were getting the sympathy vote for your solo trip, when your plan rivals that of a Colditz escape

if you'd met my mother-in-law you would understand the need to get as far away as possible, solo or otherwise!

Besides she lives in Switzerland so the fact she's away elsewhere in August provides a great opportunity to visit this beautiful country safe that I won't have to listen to her nagging

 

[Toddmeister]

Weekends everywhere can be busy, last year we rode the Brunig, Grimsel, Furka and Oberalp on our way to the Dolomites on a Sunday, the first two were pretty traffic free, but it seemed that the Furka was a popular Sunday afternoon spot and the weather was perfect so we were unable to really enjoy the bends as there was a large amount of traffic - not clogged up, but enough to force us to just enjoy the views instead. Once the other side of Andermatt normal service was resumed and we had a fairly traffic free ride over the Oberalp.

If your riding around at Weekends try to choose the lesser known and more nadgery passes as they attract less locals and try to plan the "best" ones to be ridden in the week - just do not get too hung up on it as almost all will still be very enjoyable even at a weekend - the exceptions are the famous ones such as the Grossglockner and Stelvio (Although many would argue the Stelvio is never any fun)

Also the roads that attract tourists are best ridden early in the day or late, we ran up the Stelvio late afternoon on a glorious August Saturday - almost had the road to ourselves as nobody else was going up, by the time we had coffee and cake most of the locals / tourist buses had naffed off and we had a great ride back down again.

Thanks Rasher - good advice and I will plan routes accordingly.

 

[zoot]

Thanks for the comments and advice folks, I will definitely be looking at going for the quieter routes and will stay away from nutters at the weekends!

Zoot - what dates and where are you going in August?

Cooperman - the folks interested in my well being will be holidaying in the South West of France with the mother-in-law, hence my need to get well away from that area ;-)

I have to be back for a wedding 14 Aug my trip hull to zeb to Verdun -route de cretes (now tarred and chipped)- grimsel (and others) -st Bernard- co de vars- menton ish -over to route nep. -col columb- back up through langres , with a tent and stove looking for a camp site 4 pm ish each day, at just over 2k should take 10 to 12 days